Portland, OR

I recently started reading another great Mental & Emotional Heath blog called Mental Health Notes and I’m really enjoying reading it. Alicia Sparks wrote a (mostly) light-hearted Christmas-themed post today about The Top 5 Things My Brain Wants for Christmas and I am stealing her idea … but asking Portland to give me presents instead.

1. Lower downtown parking rates! To park all day in most places in downtown Portland (legally, mind you) it will run you $8 to $10. Do you know what I could do with $8-10? (I could have a fabulous happy hour at On Deck for starters!) Today I parked on campus at PSU and managed to get by with $6 instead, but still. Can’t we just be kind and cool and have $0.25/hour parking? We’d be really popular, Portland!

2. Another bridge! You all know how I feel about bridges in Portland and so why not add another one? Make it pretty and give it nice lights and make sure people can walk/bike/skate/etc across it.

3. One holiday season day without being accosted by someone asking me to “buy” a child downtown. Whether it’s actually for “buying” a child, or for saving the Earth, I’m normally in a hurry when I walk around downtown and don’t like to have to tell everyone; “you know, I’m a totally broke college student and as much as I love penguins, I can’t afford to buy one right now thanks.” Just leave me alone for one day, please.

4. A good movie. I’d love to have a really cool movie shot here in town … I don’t want to be in it, but I’d love to see my city on the big screen. (Anyone have any other great Portland-based movie recommendations for me?)

5. An “accidental” run in with The Shins somewhere … somewhere they had all their instruments and really felt like singing New Slang to me. Over and over again. Then they might all feel the need to take me to dinner.

So, readers, what do you want Portland to bring you for Christmas? You have a week to get your orders in!