Portland, OR

I was trying to find out what percentage of Oregon farmland is organic, and I stumbled across the recent report from the Oregon Department of Agriculture. It’s law in Oregon to report commercial use of pesticides, and Oregon is trying a new system for reporting. More than 5,000 reporters submitted counts of almost 300,000 pesticide use.

Hmm, I wonder what the most popular pesticide is? Metam-sodium takes number one with 42 percent of all pounds used. The next two came in with nine percent and seven percent, glyphosate and copper naphthenate respectively.

Applying Metam-sodium.

Metam-sodium is a soil fumigant, which means that the chemical creates a gas that kills pests living in the soil. That’s right, a gas, like a bug bomb. The last time I checked gas doesn’t usually stay in one spot, so that leads to a fumigant being dangerous to those applying the pesticide or anyone working in that field, as well as anyone living nearby.

Checking on the toxicity of Metam-sodium, the Pesticide Action Network lists Metam-sodium as highly toxic. In fact, the PAN uses a skull to categorize Metam-sodium. The Environmental Protection Agency lists Metam-Sodium as a B2, probable cancer agent. Oh, and Metam-sodium is volatile enough to completely dissipate into the air and soil, which means no residue on your food, but that stuff is going somewhere. Metam-sodium has been in use since 1975, so I assume it is safe, right?

The weeds are fighting back!

Glyphosate is RoundUp, from our good friends at Monsanto. The patent has expired, so the glyphosate is the generic name for it. It is mostly used in forestry management. The problem is that glyphosate is non-selective (same with metam-sodium), which means that it is not selective about what it is killing. And we are using this stuff in the forest?!

This is what copper naphthenate looks like. Good thing we don't eat it, just breathe it.

Copper Naphthenate has been used since the late 1800’s as a wood preservative, in that it kills off fungi and bacteria that can destroy lumber. So again, it’s got to be safe, right? If you check out Scorecard for copper naphthenate, it is listed that four or eight basic tests have not been conducted on the chemical in order to determine safety. Also, there are gaps in coverage and data in studies on copper naphthenate. It’s moderately toxicity to humans, and very toxic to aquatic creatures, and it does contribute to indoor air pollution, as wood treated with it can release it into your home.

Just wanted to brighten everyone’s day!

Oregon, farms, organic, pesticide use, metam-sodium, glyphosate, copper naphthenate, toxicity, EPA, PAN, Scorecard, indoor air pollution, cancer agent, RoundUp, Monsanto, fumigant

Oh, heavens to Murgatroyd, I have found some ants in my metaphorical pants. I refuse to use poisons around my place, as I have cats and another person to worry about. Also, I tend a small vegetable garden so the idea of spraying something out of New Jersey around my peaceful and organic Oregon garden and yard fills me with abject fear.

So, I have done a little digging and this is what I found.

Did you know that Queen Elizabeth I used borax to bleach her skin to she could be/stay so virgin-ly white? I learned that on Jeopardy years ago.

There is a good reason that no plants are growing here.

But also and more to the point today, borax can be used as an ant killer, or deterrent. However, please note that too much borax can be just as dangerous as any other pesticide, so use wisely.

Borax is the salt of boric acid, and boric acid is known as a great way to kill things like roaches. Borax and boric acid does kill plants, so this borax trick shouldn’t be used directly in the garden.

If you mix equal parts borax powder (20 Mule Team brand borax is 99.5% straight borax and thus a good choice) with sugar, you can make a clever little drink for ants that will kill them and drive them from your house. This is the basis of the Terro ant bait/killer that is available commercially.

You can also sprinkle a little borax around the door frame to be even more uninviting to ants, but obviously, if you have kids or pets, this may not be a good idea.

There are other variations on this Sugar and Borax recipe. I found some of these tweaks on the Garden Web forum here.

Obviously, if you take care, you can avoid having to go so far as to kill ants. Keeping your kitchen clean is the best way to avoid an ant problem. Also, when you do clean around your house, use white vinegar and borax. Both options are great little cleaning agents, so this is an easy way to “go green,” per se, but also, ants don’t like the acid in vinegar and the borax will kill them. So, you see how this works. Use cleaning products that ants hate and the ants won’t hang out at your house.

Ants in the actual garden? Remember borax is technically an herbicide (that’s what makes it such a kickass cleaner, kind of like bleach — also technically an herbicide). You can try my coffee ground trick. Or go with diatomaceous earth (which is just crushed up seashells) which will kill the ants by dehydrating them from the inside. Gruesome, I know. Don’t they say that most serial killers start out by killing insects or small animals?

Ants are also adverse to other smelly things like cloves, cayenne, mint, lemon or orange oil, so you can always experiment and discover your own recipe for keeping those ants at bay.

Or plant herbs like mint or tansy to further make your garden and home uninviting.

Whatever you do, don’t buy and use products like Raid or any other pesticide that clearly states that whatever is inside the bottle is extremely dangerous to your health, your child’s health, your pet’s health, your soil’s health, the water’s health, the air’s health…

Ants, Oregon, house, borax, boric acid, organic, natural, deterrent, pesticide, herbicide, sugar, diatomaceous earth, mint, cayenne, tansy, 20 Mule Team, Terro, Raid, health

If you did not know, Portland, Oregon is or should be a destination for all “cork dorks” out there.

Oregon is an ideal spot for growing wine grapes, in particular spectacular pinot noir, which is considered the hardest grape to grow and grow well. Don’t get me wrong, other grapes are grown here, including chardonnay, pinot gris, and very good rieslings, but in the world of wine, pinot noir is the crown prince. Cabernet sauvignon may be considered the king, but only in that Henry VIII sort of way. Big, fat, better marketing.

Some people out there may think that Oregon is a little too far north to grow wine, but oh, how wrong you would be. In fact, the northern part of Oregon sits on the famed 45th parallel. That’s latitude, people. Did you know that the Bourdeaux region in France is also along the 45th parallel?

And yes, the 45th parallel is the half-way point between the Equator and the North Pole. Also, the South Pole if you are at 45 degrees South, but if you were at 45 degrees South, you could only be in Argentina, Chile, or New Zealand, and each of those countries also produce fairly tasty grape juice in their own right.

Oregon pinot noir is something special though. There is such a great micro-climate for growing this particular grape, with the Pacific Ocean providing both warmth and rain, but the Coast Range of mountains protecting the vineyards from too much rain. Also, having a nice big river like the Willamette doesn’t hurt either.

So even though I hear many people lament that Oregon never gets hot, you can thank that temperate weather for producing awesome grapes which in turn produce awesome wine.

Portland lies about an hour away from the heart of the wine country out in Yamhill County. There are other areas to the south as well. In addition, you also have the Columbia River Valley wine country within a couple of hours with Walla Walla at the farthest reach.

So, if you are a wine geek, you really should think about an Oregon vacation with Portland as your base. Or if you live here, and have never been out to the seemingly gazillion wineries in the area, I cannot urge you enough to plan a day or a weekend and head out to Yamhill.

Portland, Oregon, Wine, pinot noir, vineyards, wineries, Columbia River Valley, Walla Walla, Yamhill County, Willamette River, Bourdeaux, 45th parallel, south pole, north pole, equator

We finish up the 7-part series on Oregon tid-bits today! I hope that you’ve enjoyed it all!

The End of the Oregon Train Interpretive Center commemorates the journey of more than 300,000 people. They traveled from Missouri to Oregon in the 1800s in search of land for homesteading.

Visitors can experience a small section of the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail near where the original route crossed the Snake River.

Hells Canyon on the Snake River is the deepest river-carved gorge in the country, varying from 5,600 to over 8,000 feet deep. Other gorges of this size were carved by glaciers.

Oregon offers thousands of hiking trails. Some in John Yeon State Park, are short strolls. More experienced hikers can tackle the Pacific Crest Trail or climb up Mount Hood.

About 200 crops, from wheat to peppermint, are grown in Oregon – more than almost any other state.

The Pendleton Round-up has been attracting audiences since its inception in 1910. The September celebration now draws 45,000 spectators a year to its rodeo, parade, cowboy breakfast, and other wild west events.

The high desert plateau of Central Oregon, near Bend, is traditionally the stomping grounds of cowboys and ranch hands. The region is growing steadily more popular, however, as a base for skiing, golfing, rafting, and horseback riding.

The Painted Hills Unit of John Day Fossil Bed National Monument is one of the state’s most photographed places.

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument includes three areas totaling 14,000 acres of richly recorded history. Ancient volcanic soil has preserved the fossils of creatures from up to 45 million years ago, when this area was a lush, subtropical region.

There is a natural stone amphitheater in the John Day Fossil Beds.

One of North America’s most famous rock climbing destinations is Smith Rocks State Park. It boasts thousands of climbing routes along with an extensive network of hiking and biking trails.

Forty-eight covered bridges remain in Oregon, most in the Willamette Valley. Now quaint tourist attractions, the roofs were originally built to protect the wooden decks from the rain.

More than 3 million people live in Oregon, but very few live east of the Cascades. In fact, some of the states agricultural regions are home to more cattle than people!

About 7.5 million fruit trees are grown on 47,500 acres of Oregon’s farmland. Pears are the most common fruit tree. Cherries are the second most popular, grown on almost 12,000 acres.

Have any of you readers started sharing these facts with those around you? We’re almost to the end of my list!

Oregon farmers raise about 1.5 million head of cattle. Livestock is particularly important in the Willamette Valley and the southeast.

Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge was established in 1936 to protect the summer range of Oregon’s pronghorn antelopes. The region is also home to bighorn sheep, deer, coyotes, and a wide array of bird species.

North America’s only surviving antelope species, the pronghorn antelope has steadily lost its range to farmers and ranchers. Though their numbers were severely threatened in the early 1900s, they have now rebounded.

The high desert region of southeast Oregon suffers frequent drought. Only a few hardly plants can survive in the dry, wind-swept earth.

At 1,932 feet, Crater Lake is America’s deepest lake. It is also one of the country’s oldest national parks, established in 1902.

The 56,000-acre Newberry Volcanic National Monument was created in 1990, encompassing lava beds and mountain lakes left in the wake of eruptions about 1,300 years ago.

When visitors think of Oregon’s climate, they often picture the rain- and storm-swept coast. But the state’s mountains and inland plains receive their fair share of snow in the winter. In fact, Oregon has the longest lift-serviced ski season on the continent.

Malheur National Wildlife Reserve protects 184,000 acres and hosts more than 300 bird species, including trumpeter swans and sandhill cranes, during the spring and fall migrations.

The road that winds along the bottom of five-mile-long Leslie Gulch is a favorite access road for hikers. The surrounding cliffs are also a great place to watch for bighorn sheep.

Making the run of facts an even five, today I bring you news on more Oregonian areas!

Steller’s and California sea lions are common along the coast, hunting fish and basking on the rocks. In the winter, thousands of these giant creatures may gather near herring schools.

Most sea lions breed on islands. A monument at Sea Lion Caves marks the largest sea caves in North America and home to the only Steller’s sea lion herd known to breed on the mainland.

The state offers unlimited fishing opportunities, from surf fishing along the coast to angling in the lakes of the dunes. Salmon thrive in the rivers, trout populate the inland lakes, and the occasional sturgeon is glimpsed in the Columbia River.

Oregon’s southern coast is less populated than the tourist-oriented north coast. There, small towns lie along quiet bays, and fishing and logging industries coexist with the beauty of the long beaches and quiet islands.

Samuel Boardman State Park hugs the coast for 11 miles, allowing spectacular views from numerous viewpoints along Highway 101.

Wind surfers race the waves at Pistol River State Park. Through the Columbia River Gorge is the best-known windsurfing venue, surfers can find a suitable breeze at many places throughout the state.

Loeb State Park preserves old-growth myrtle-wood – the largest surviving grove in Oregon. Giant redwoods also grace the park, some more than 300 feet high.

Visitors to Jacksonville can step back into the gold rush days. Almost 100 buildings along California Street and throughout the town have been restored to their 19th-century boomtown beginnings.

Today dear readers, we move on to part four of the tidbits I’ve learned about Oregon!

Founded in 1840, Salem became the capital of the territory in 1851. It became the capital of the state when Oregon joined the Union in 1859.

Vineyards thrive throughout the state, from the Willamette Valley and Yamhill County to Ecola Hills and the Rogue Valley.

Eugene is known for its array of festivals and cultural events, from the Saturday Market to the Bach Festival.

In the 1980s, the Willamette Valley became one of the first regions to be developed for grape growing.

Built in 1871 as one of nine beacons on the coast, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse has been restored and is open to the public. Reputedly, there is a resident ghost.

Tufted puffins, murres, and cormorants take refuge on Colony Rock, a steep outcropping off Yaquina Head. Access to many of Oregon’s offshore islands is prohibited, to help protect the nesting sites of birds.

The city of Newport is billed as one of the friendliest places in the state. With a relatively small population and an active fishing industry, Newport is also a thriving base for tourism.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is home to almost 200 species, from Dungeness crabs to leopard sharks and 21 kinds of sea stars.

Newport was founded upon the popularity of the oyster – and it’s abundance in Yaquina Bay. Fishing continues to be a central part of the economy, and up to 600 vessels can moor in the city’s harbor.

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area encompasses some of the world largest oceanside sand dunes. The 32,000-acre area is populated by dunebuggy drivers, hikers, and horseback riders.

And here we go again! Just like yesterday, and the day before, I bring you more tidbits about our gorgeous state! Enjoy!

Continuing yesterday’s many-part series on new facts about our state, I bring you part two, today!

Mount Hood is Oregon’s highest peak and attracts more climbers than any other glaciated peak in North America. In the world, only Japan’s Mount Fujiyama attracts more.

Several species of the rhododendron along the Ramona Falls Trail have blooms up to six inches across; they are well-known indigenous Coast & Cascade Range plants.

Two of Portland’s original settlers decided the city’s name with a coin toss. Francis Pettygrove, originally from Maine, chose Portland. Massachusetts-born Asa Lovejoy preferred Boston.

From charter boats to freighters to pleasure yachts and kayaks, the city’s position on the Willamette River makes it a natural international port. In fact, the city’s docks process billions of dollars worth of cargo every year.

Pioneer Courthouse Square was the site of a school, a hotel, and a parking lot before thousands of Portland residents donated funds in the 1970s to create a public space. The downtown square is a natural gathering place, and concerts in the amphitheater attract large summer crowds.

There is no shortage of interesting trivia about Portland. The city offers one of the world’s largest bookstores (Powell’s) and hosts one of the largest children’s parades. To top it off, more Asian elephants are born at the zoo here than any other American city.

Astoria hosts the Columbia River Maritime Museum at the mouth of the Columbia River. The museum offers a detailed look at the history of trade, recreation, wrecks, and rescues in the Pacific Northwest.

For Christmas this year, a very close friend bought me a fantastic coffee table book. She splurged on the hardcover book Oregon (American Series) by Tanya Lloyd Kyi. I have been flipping through it and wanted to share some facts I’ve learned about our great state thanks to this book!

The lush vegetation of the Oneonta Gorge includes some plants found nowhere else in the state. The canyon’s walls preserve a damp, mossy microclimate.

Vista House at Crown Point, built in 1916, was part of a plan by high-way engineer Samuel Lancaster to introduce people to the wonders of the Columbia River Gorge. It now serves as an interpretive center, offering information on the region.

With an upper waterfall of 541 feet and a lower drop of 69 feet, Multnomah Falls is the fourth-highest in America. It is believed to be named after a native chief from the Willamette Valley.

About 40 miles rurally east of Portland, the Bonneville Dam has been churning out power since 1938, when it became the first dam on the Columbia River. It stretches 3,460 feet across the river and could provide electricity for about 200,000 homes.

Latourell Falls is one about 70 waterfalls that pours over the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge.

The Bridge of the Gods spans the Columbia River between Oregon’s Cascade Locks and Washington. According to legend, a natural stone bridge once spanned the river at this site.

Lifts at Timberline Ski Area run year-round carrying enthusiasts up the slopes of Mount Hood. Timberline Lodge, famous for both its art displays and its role in the film The Shining, was built in the 1930s.

Continuing on my Portland media kick (my first few posts of the month were all about Getting to know Enko Photography (part 1) (and part 2), today I’d like to address Portland PodCasts.

For those who don’t know, a podcast is something akin to internet radio. However, it’s better described as a “collection of digital media files which is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers.” It’s like TV shows without pictures on your iPod.

The only Portland podcast that I listen to is Delta Park Gets Lost where Jason and Anna dissect that LOST show I was talking about yesterday.

On a non-Portland-podcast related note, my favorite podcast of all time is Keith & the Girl and I’ve included YouTube video of them at the end of this entry to prove they are freaking hilarious!

Using The Podcast Directory I found a list of other Portland-based podcasts. You can also use iTunes to do a search and find your own Portland podcasts.

>Northwest Noise - life. podcasting. northwest noise.

>DVD Talk Radio - “DVD Talk Radio has an interview with Scott Dacko director of the indie thriller - The Insurgents. Winning raves at a number of film fests including a best of show nod at the Oldenburg Film Festival, The Insurgents is an explosive thriller that asks the question, “What if the terror thread came from within?”.”

>Clusterflux Anomaly Podcasts - Two Geekish-Freakish Myriad Entities discuss everything from Life, Love, Sex, and Current Events to Movies, Music, Comics, and Podcasts in this weekly show from Portland Oregon to the World.

>SexGeeks Podcasts - “Lindsay and Rob are geeks about sex the same way other people are geeks about technology. In this series we will be talking about all aspects of sex and relationships.”

>Weekly Davespeak Dave Matthews Band Podcast Podcasts - Our podcast covers news and views on Dave Matthews Band. With special guests from the DMB fan community and actual crew interviews planned for this summer. We’ll be talking about show reviews and critique of the new album songs as they’re played.

>Black Samba Rides Again Podcasts - Black Samba Rides Again is a Podcast program about life as a jazz artist, a monk, a philosopher and poet, among other things. Interesting background music and links to articles are provided on the blog.

>The Timely Beaver Podcasts - Skits and improve will keep you rolling on the floor while the independent musicians will have your head-a-banging.

>Post Modern Rock Show - KPSU, Portland Podcasts - The best new indie releases along with classic alternative. Hour-long show. Airs Friday nights at 7 on KPSU, 1450 AM in Portland, worldwide at kpsu.org, on-demand at postmodernrock.com.

Enjoy this KATG video and check out their podcast on iTunes if Keith and his magics make you laugh!

When was the last time you left the fair city of Portland? Has it been months since you left our weird city? Do you just need to get away? Here are a few places within four driving hours of Portland that are, favorite places I like to visit to just get away!

1. Mt. Hood - travel east on I-84 (may I recommend leaving either before or after rush hour so as not to start your vacation off on a frustrating note?) about two hours and reach the highest mountain in Oregon. Mt. Hood has opportunities to ski, to hike, to climb and all sorts of other outdoor activities. If you’re not into the outdoor activities, stay in Timberline lodge, an old-time type hotel and enjoy the fireplaces while eating their fabulous chili and sipping on hot cocoa (and may I recommend spiking that cocoa with Bailey’s mint chocolate?).

2. Castle Rock/Silver Lake/Mount St. Helens, Washington - spend an hour, drive north, and if you’re not paying attention, you’ll pass by Castle Rock (and Toutle) without even noticing. However, if you’re lucky enough like me, you have family friends who live at the base of Mount St. Helens on Silver Lake and they’ll let you spend the weekend with them. Being 56 miles from Johnson Creek and Coldwater Ridge on Mount St. Helens, this is a fantastic place to spend some time in the summer.

3. Seattle, Washington - about two and a half hours north on I-5, you can visit the gorgeous (and lately very wet) city of Seattle. Enjoy Pike Place Market, drink some coffee from the town that thinks they invented it, and spend some time at the aquarium petting strange feeling things!

So, if you need a quick get away, there are three different places I recommend you visit if you need to get away from our city!

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, traveling, Mt. Hood, Seattle, About Seattle WA, Seattle WA, Mount St. Helens

The Oregonian recently published an article on the fact that Oregon children’s teeth are decaying! You tell your children to brush their teeth, and the teeth are still falling out of their head? Well, maybe this is why!

A survey done by the state of Oregon shows that among 4,000 first- through third-graders are living with worsening dental health! Every five years, the Oregon Smile Study is done on children’s dental health, and this year, Oregon’s score has decreased on “every measure of oral health” for children. Rampant/untreated decay (classified as decay - past or present - in seven or more teeth) has increased since 2002. The survey found that one in three children in Oregon aren’t receiving the treatment they need for their tooth decay - 25% of them had not been to a dentist in the past year. (I wonder what the adult numbers look like.)

There were 32 states that conducted similar surveys, and Oregon is seventh from the bottom. SEVENTH! Washington, California, Idaho & Alaska all show better rates than Oregon does. This 2007 Smile Survey was started over a year ago in 73 public schools in Oregon - reaching almost 4,000 students. A dental hygienist looked at the teeth while parents answered questionnaires about frequency of dental visits, health insurance and demographic information.

This bad dental health in children often progresses into adulthood, leading to preventable pain and low-level inflammation throughout the entire body. This low-level inflammation is a risk factor in all cardiovascular diseases! These cavities, if left untreated can lead to tooth loss, bacterial infections, severe pain, and other problems as well.

Thankfully, for the children in the Portland Metro area, their dental disease rates are lower than those in rural Oregon, however, it is still a problem! This rural-urban gab is very clearly show in emergency situations. 1% of Portland Metro children may need emergency dental care in their lifetime as compared to 6% of rural children.

The report made four recommendations for parents of Oregon children:
“*Fluoridation of water supplies. Oregon ranks 48th — ahead of Hawaii and New Jersey — among states in the percentage of residents using fluoridated water. Most dental experts tout fluoridation as a safe, cheap and effective way of preventing tooth decay, but in Oregon a coalition of anti-government conservatives and environmental groups has blocked statewide fluoridation.
*Early prevention, beginning as soon as age 1.
*School-based fluoride supplements for children in communities without fluoridated water.
*A school-based dental sealant program.”

For those parents reading this, who want to include their children in this entry, I’ve embedded this “How to brush your teeth” video for you. Spend some time teaching your children, or even yourself on exactly how to brush your teeth fully. Children live by the “monkey see; monkey do” method! Enjoy, and now go brush!

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, Oregon, tooth decay, 2007 Smile Survey, brushing your teeth, water fluoridation

I was born & (essentially) raised in Oregon. (I spent time in Florida, in Alaska, and growing up, spent a year in Vancouver as well.) I went to college in Corvallis and moved to Portland in 2004, soon after graduation. I fell in love with Portland immediately, and for a long time I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Lately, however, I’ve been feeling this weird pull away from my beloved city, and have been contemplating moving. I’m back in school and so in my mind, I’m staying in Portland until I graduate. I’ve been thinking a lot in the past few weeks of where I would move to. I’m at a loss. I have no idea what city would afford me the luxuries that Portland does.

I’m an hour from the ocean.
I’m an hour from skiing on a volcano.
I’m able to hike in my own backyard.
I can be in the most pretentious bar ever, walk to the next block and be able to dance the night away to 80’s music.
I am surrounded by the smartest, and the strangest people I’ve ever known.

Why would I want to move, right?

and more importantly:

Where would I move to?

I did a “where should I move to?” search just to see what I came up with, and I think I’m the last person in the world to know about Find Your Spot. Seriously, why didn’t I know about this site before. I spent about 15 minutes taking their quiz to find out where I should live, and here are my answers - with some oh-so-smart-ass-commentary to

1. Norfolk, Virginia - Uhm, okay. I know that I would have to learn to say “Nore-fock” instead of “Nore-folk” … and that would make me laugh. Plus, it snows here. 7″ of snow a year. Uhm, that’s a lot for me.

2. Portland, Oregon - Well I’m glad to know that I’m living in the appropriate city.

3. Cincinatti, Ohio - Not Columbus? That’d be more fun. I have friends who live there. It snows in Cincinatti, too. Plus, I don’t like the Bengals. Boo.

4. Tacoma, Washington - a very very close friend lives here. I’ve seen both the good and the bad sides of Tacoma and I think I could enjoy living here. Too bad the school opportunities for me aren’t so great in Tacoma unless I want to commute to Seattle everyday.

5. Eugene, Oregon - a Beaver living in Duck territory? No thanks.

6. Charleston, West Virginia - Hmm … besides the two feet of snow every year, I think I might like this place after reading the descriptions.

7. Salem, Oregon - my parents live right outside of Salem. I do not want to live in Salem. (Not because my parents live there, but because of the things I’ve seen & heard about Salem.) Thanks for the suggestion.

8. Hampton, Virgina - I’ve never even HEARD of Hampton. I could move there. *shrug*

9. Lynchburg, Virgina - Why is it that I’ve never heard of anywhere in Virginia? This place looks gorgeous though, has about the same amount of rain as Portland, and would be decently near friends. Hmmm … I may have to think about Virginia!

10. Corvallis, Oregon - been there, done that. I love Corvallis, and have actually thought more than once about moving back. I have friends there, it’s close to my family, I could get my Master’s degree from Oregon State. Buuuut, I’ve been there, done that.

Welcome to Portland … want to know if you’re really here? Check this out. I italicized the ones I know I feel!

1. You throw an aluminum can in the trash and feel guilty.
2. You never go camping without water-proof matches and ponchos.
3. You stand on a deserted street corner in the rain waiting for the light to change.
4. You’ve ever ordered a half caff/decaf, nonfat mocha grande with sugar-free cranberry whip.
5. The bride and groom registered at REI.
6. Know at least eight people who work for Intel or used to work for Tektronix.
7. You make $30,000 a year, yet still can’t find a place to live.
8. You can list more than five reasons why Starbuck’s is evil.
9. Every July 1st, it takes half a day to find your sunglasses and sunscreen.
10. You blame anything that is not right on ex-Californians.
11. You remember the date, severity, time of day, where you were, and how long you were out of power for every winter weather event for the last five years.
12. You know what and when the Columbus Day storm was. Bonus for having been there.
13. You go to a coffee bar and see two guys get into a fight over who makes the best IPA.
14. Own more than 10 articles of clothing that have microbreweries/brewpubs printed on them. Bonus for embroidered stuff.
15. You know that Boring is a place, not an adjective to describe your job.
16. You can point in the direction of two or more volcanoes even though you can’t see them due to clouds.
17. You have a bookstore, coffee bar, and brewpub within walking distance of your house.
18. You can give a 30-minute monologue on infill and the Urban Growth Boundry.
19. You think downtown is “scary” because you were panhandled there once.
20. When you drive out of town, every other guy in a pickup truck looks like the governor.
21. When you drive out of town, even the Hondas have gun racks.
22. You can name more than 10 kinds of berries and where to get them.
23. You can name more than 10 beer styles and their hop profiles.
24. When the weather gets above 50 degrees, you put on your shorts, but you still wear your hiking boots and parka.
25. When the weather gets above 60 degrees, you replace your hiking boots with sandals.
26. You think people who use umbrellas are wimps. - today, I was a wimp
27. You can recount more than five anecdotes why the east side is a crime-infested jungle. *OR* You can list more than five reasons why the west side is a boring, snobby, white-bread suburb.
28. You know what is between the east side and the west side, and how to pronounce it.
29. You know that Couch Street is not pronounced like what you sit on.
30. You are sitting at a red light surrounded by Subaru Legacy Outbacks.
31. “Today’s forecast, showers, followed by rain. Tomorrow: rain, followed by showers” doesn’t faze you.
32. You can’t wait for a day with “showers and sunbreaks”.
33. You can go skiing after work.
34. A tree or mudslide has ever damaged your house or car.
35. You live equidistant to a symphony hall, a winery, and a volcano.

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, you know you’re from Portland when, silly list