My Name isn't Earl...

...but I'm thinking of changing it.

Earl Hickey may turn out to be the philosopher of this decade. Since watching the show (http://www.nbc.com/My_Name_Is_Earl), I find myself applying Earl's karmic findings to my own life. It's also funny that I hear Jason Lee's voiceover track running through my head. Just the other day, I was in the express lane at the grocery store with a cart that contained close to the 10 item limit. A girl came up behind me with a head of lettuce in her hand, so I asked if she'd like to go ahead of me since she only had one thing to buy. As she went ahead, I heard Earl's voice saying, "When you do something nice for someone else, it makes you feel nice too." I think that's the beauty of the show...it's a simple idea & those are usually the best kind. That, and the fact that Jamie Pressly's character, Joy, is one of the funniest things ever on TV. If you haven't ever watched it, treat yourself on a Thursday night at 9:00 p.m.

The reason I'm talking about Earl is b/c karma is a good thing to keep in mind during a job search. The ups & downs of looking for work are crazy & it makes you feel like YOU'RE going crazy. One day can be filled with positive thoughts, endless possibilities & boundless enthusiasm. You find lots of leads, make some significant progress & generally feel good about your prospects. The next day, for no apparent reason, every job posting sounds like crap, you're not motivated to do anything & you've resigned yourself to thinking that you'll never get another job ever again, or you'll be forced to take a job you don't really want just b/c you need a paycheck. As many times as I've had to look for a job (which technically, isn't THAT many), it's amazing how little the process & your feelings that go with it change.

As predicted, I was pretty cranky today due to lack of sleep. Being cranky is a lot different when there's no one to be cranky to. While John was at work, I was at home, sitting in front of the computer. It was one of those crappy job search mornings I just mentioned, so I wasn't in the best frame of mind. But you know what they say...you have to treat a job search like a full time job, so even though I was ready to throw in the towel at 9:30 a.m., I kept going for the rest of the morning.

Last week, I sent off about 10-15 cover letters & resumes to job postings. Not just blind, 'I hope you're hiring' letters - these places were actually looking & had placed online ads. Had I heard back from any of them? No. Not even an email to say thanks but no thanks. Nothing. I also left a message for the woman I really want to work for (from whom I've already had an initial response) last week & still hadn't heard back from her either. I wasn't ready to write her off though b/c that's the job I truly want & although I know a week isn't very long, in job-search land, it feels like an eternity. Yes, I think it's fair to say that I was feeling quite discouraged this morning...& this is only my second full week of looking!

This seems to be an apropos time to point out the rudeness encountered during a typical job search, which seems to be getting worse. I know people are busy & they've got a million & one things to do every day, but when you're looking to fill a position & someone takes the time to show their interest, the LEAST you can do is acknowledge that interest. I'm not saying you have to call them & have an hour long conversation, but don't just leave them hanging. Besides being a bad reflection on the company itself, it's just bad manners. It takes 5 minutes to respond to an email inquiry...how hard is that? Companies have made it so easy on themselves to avoid any type of contact from prospective employees these days. "Please don't call or fax the office." "Only applicants with suitable experience will be contacted." Blah blah blah. Listen up! If you're a person with hiring responsibilities, here's some advice...a little bit of consideration goes a long way.

I wasn't expecting to go on that little detour of a rant. Sorry. We now return to our regularly scheduled program.

Since I made myself sit at the computer longer than I wanted & still wasn't feeling like I was making any progress, after lunch, I decided to take a break & treat myself with a trip to New Seasons Market. I hadn't been to the location closest to us yet & thought that finding it on my own would give me a sense of accomplishment that wasn't forthcoming from today's job search. So, off I went in the car with my MapQuest directions sitting next to me in the passenger seat. I got a bit off-track & had to turn around once, but I did find it & you know what? I was pretty proud of myself!

New Seasons is a wonderful store & for a while, I just wandered the aisles; learning where everything was; picking things up & putting them down again & generally just enjoying myself. I bought a few treats, like the new Mayan chocolate Haagen Dazs (http://www.haagendazs.com/segicd.do?productId=339), one of these awesome Chocolove chocolate bars (http://chocolove.com/toffee.htm), tzatziki (I couldn't ever find this in Florida & I really missed it) & a demi French baguette (just b/c it was cute & anything that's cute & made of bread goes in my cart). I went home a very happy girl. That little trip to the market changed my whole outlook on the day & on the way home, I heard Earl talking to me again. "Do good things & good things will happen to you." Although this mantra normally applies to doing good things for others, I think it applies to yourself as well. Treat yourself well & something good will come back to you.

So what happened to me tonight? I got a call from the woman I've been waiting to hear from & I've got an interview with her in two weeks! She apologized for not getting back to me sooner, but explained that her book is coming out at the end of the week & then she's going away for a week, so she's been trying to get everything tied up. See? A little consideration on her behalf went a L-O-N-G way with me!

According to my good friend Earl, "if you want the reward, you have to do the work", so from now until my interview, I'm going to do everything I can to get this job. I'm going to study her website. I'm going to prepare possible questions & answers. I'm going to try my best not to work myself into a bundle of nerves. I'm going to think positive thoughts & believe in myself. And I'm going to make it happen. Because this is the first interview I've had where I'm actually excited about the job itself, rather than just the prospect of a paycheck.

One of the best things I've done with all of this time off is really take the time to figure out exactly what I need to be happy in life & in work & I think this job can offer me a lot of what I'm looking for. At the same time, I think I have a lot to offer as well. So, I'll happily do the work (I may even whistle while I do it) to get to where I want to be, but if anyone has some spare fairy dust they'd like to sprinkle in my general direction, I don't think it can hurt!

And so, in the immortal words of Earl Hickey, "Never underestimate the power of confidence. And never underestimate fifteen beers, a little enlightenment, and the power of Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock."

Peace out,
PortlandGirl

It's Africa Hot

Did we just go back in time to Florida?! For the past two days, it has been 100 degrees here. Yes, you read it right. One hundred degrees. Since the Pacific Northwest is known for its more temperate climate (never too hot or too cold), most people don't have air-conditioning. "Most people" includes us. What are the chances of moving here & experiencing record-breaking temperatures in the same month? Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.

John & I have since come up with our own way of cooling off, which we've dubbed "Welfair Conditioning" since it works for anyone who can't afford the real deal (or just has a fluke of insanely hot weather for 2 days). All are welcome to use it.

Step 1: Open all the windows to try & get any type of cross-breeze going.
Step 2: Stand in it. Wear the least amount of clothing possible. Be nude if you want, but remember...you're probably standing in front of a window. Complain about how hot it is.
Step 3: Once the breeze dies down in 5 seconds, complain about how hot it is.
Step 4: Go into the bathroom. If you're not already nude, get nude.
Step 5: Have a cool shower to bring your body temperature down to a normal level.
Step 6: Immediately after the shower, don't towel off; remain nude & run back in front of the window (hopefully, it's dark out now). Stay there until all of the water on your body has dried.
Step 7: Complain about how hot it is.
Step 8: Repeat steps 4-7 until it's time to go to bed.

Sleeping in this kind of heat is hard. I'll probably be cranky tomorrow.

Stay cool,
PortlandGirl

Dream Team

In all of the exploring we've done, it took the decision to go to a movie yesterday to realize we live 5 minutes away from a movie theater! How could we not know such a thing?! It's so close, I can't believe we've never noticed it in all the times we've been right at that intersection (although in our defence, it's fairly unobtrusive as far as movie theaters go). I'm really happy to have a good theater close by b/c I love going to the movies. The only theater near us in Florida kind of sucked, so we didn't go much.

We went to a matinee of "The Da Vinci Code". I'm one of the five people in North America who still hasn't read the book, but I liked the movie. I didn't love it & think it was the best thing I've ever seen, but it held my interest. I always like Tom Hanks & I especially enjoyed Audrey Tautou. I think she's just beautiful. Due to the media hype & numerous TV shows dissecting Dan Brown's theory, I already knew the ending, so that part wasn't a surprise to me. Is it still considered a mystery when you already know what the mystery is?

I don't normally get popcorn when I go to a movie. I like to get chocolate instead. I think this stems from the time (a long time ago) I ate too much popcorn, then felt sick for the rest of the day. After that, I never had an appetite for popcorn. It was death by overload (why doesn't this ever happen to me with chocolate-chip cookies?). However, yesterday, my desire to eat popcorn during a movie returned, so John & I got a big bucket to share. It was massive! Way too big for any sane person to order on their own & definitely bigger than 2 people require. It could have fed a family of 4 for an entire day. The sodas we got were just as huge &, as usual, the supersized amount was wasted on me. I can't even get a quarter of the way through one of those things much less finish it! I'd rather pay a normal amount of money for a normal amount of food. Our movie treats cost more than the movie itself! This thing with portion sizes & their perceived value to the customer is beyond ridiculous. Needless to say, I ate too much popcorn, then felt sick for the rest of the day.

In a complete non-sequitur, my tooth fell out in my dream the other night. I know this is a common recurring dream for many people, but I've never had it before. Man, is it ever disturbing! Let me tell you what a relief it was to wake up & realize I didn't have a gaping hole in my mouth! Since this was a new phenomenon for me, I jumped on the internet to do some research on dream interpretation; theories abound on this particular topic, so I've compiled a few for your reading pleasure...

Number 1: "In my experience, a dream about one's teeth falling out usually symbolizes that the dreamer is having a challenge getting their voice heard, or feelings acknowledged. This may be referring to their conversations with a particular person such as their significant other, boss, or friend; or can be generalized for people who are shy, to include almost everyone they come in contact with. The dreamer needs to brush up on conversational skills, believe in the value of their own opinion, learn how to be less intimidated by aggressive people, and become more assertive and make their voice heard."

Interesting & quite relevant. I'm in a new place & I do need to brush up on my conversational skills, make my voice heard in my search for employment & believe in the value of my own opinion.

Number 2: "It can literally mean that you are frightened of losing your teeth."

Well, I AM way past due for a visit to the dentist.

Number 3: "It can show the beginning of a new phase of life just as we lose our teeth when we pass from early childhood and head towards adulthood."

The beginning of a new phase of life you say?

Number 4: "You may be worried about your self image or the dream may signify unexpressed anxiety."

Isn't the self image part true for most women, regardless of whether their teeth have fallen out? And I think most of my anxieties are clearly expressed, thank you very much.

Number 5: "What, we can ask ourselves, do teeth do? They hold, cut, grasp and generally are the first way we had to do these things. But then we lost our first set, just as we were gaining in self-control and power. And yet, shortly thereafter, a new and larger world and set of teeth appear! And so, if I have a tooth loose dream, I can ask myself: 1. What parts of my world and life are slipping away? 2. What new larger world will this lead me to? Lose a tooth, gain a world!"

Bingo! Lose a tooth, gain a world! Isn't the subconscious mind a crazy thing?

Just in case anyone wants to know, I do have my own recurring dream. It has to do with my contact lenses being way too huge to fit on my eyeballs (Kate, I know you're laughing right now). In the dream, I know the lens will shrink down to fit if I can just manage to touch it to part of my eyeball. But the lenses are so big, I have to hold one of them with both hands & it's really difficult to get it anywhere near my eye. Oh, also, one time, aside from being huge, the lenses were rectangular & plaid.

If anyone wants to go near the analysis of that one with a ten-foot pole, please let me know. I've never been able to find anything to do with eyes, eyesight or contact lenses in dream themes, so if you've got something, I'd love to hear it. Our phone lines will remain open.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Life is a Highway

We've been exploring our surroundings quite a bit & I think I'm doing pretty well in terms of finding my way around. It seems to be much easier for me here than it was when we first moved to Florida. There, I got so frustrated trying to figure out which direction we were going, I felt like a broken human compass. Here, I feel like I've got a good enough handle on things that if I lose my way, I can find it again fairly quickly. I don't fear getting outright lost...I may just have to backtrack a little if I take the wrong exit.*

*I just re-read that last paragraph (the editing process never sleeps!) & it applies just as well to our life in general. In Florida, we felt lost & frustrated. Now that we're here, we feel more in control of our lives than ever before. It's easier to see where we're going & we can enjoy the ride.

Part of the fun of being here is that now I can actually go to the places I've previously only dreamed about in Internetland. That's why I was so excited when we found Trader Joe's (www.traderjoes.com) a few weeks ago. I had been waiting for years to shop at a Trader Joe's! Early next week, I'll take a little trip to find the New Seasons Market (www.newseasonsmarket.com) near us. New Seasons is a locally-owned grocery chain of about 5 or 6 stores. It's along the same lines as Whole Foods (www.wholefoods.com), which I've already found as well. I haven't actually been inside...I just noticed it on one of our trips downtown. You can't help but notice it...it takes up an entire city block! After that, the next place on my list of stores to check out is Wild Oats Natural Marketplace (www.wildoats.com). I think it will be pretty similar to the other stores, but it's nice to have so many of them in such close proximity. Growing up, I always loved going to Alternatives, which was the only health-food store of its kind in Oakville at the time. I can't believe how lucky I am to live in the middle of such health-food abundance now!

Portland seems to exude good health. It's everywhere. You see people jogging or biking all the time. There are lots of specialty places to get good-for-you groceries & even the larger, chain grocery stores have their own 'natural foods' sections. Every other car has a roof rack with some type of biking/camping/skiing/windsurfing equipment on it and there are more people walking around the outdoor malls than the indoor ones. Since I've been able to drive downtown in the middle of the day, I can attest to the number of people who actually take the time to get away from their desks & have lunch in the park, then play a game of frisbee or take a quick nap before heading back for the afternoon. People stroll here. They lie in the grass & read. They take picnics. They're kind to each other, even when the other person is a stranger. There's a laid-back quality to both the city & the people who live in it. It's not laziness...there's too much activity for that label. It's just a really nice quality of life where people appreciate that there's more to life than work & that it's important to make time for down time.

I feel like this is where I'm meant to be. And that's a nice feeling.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Live your Life

I was feeling a little strange yesterday, but all day long, I wasn't sure why; nothing else had to be done in terms of unpacking or finding places for things; the decorating of our apartment was done; the bills were paid & I had gone to the gym. So, why did I feel like something wasn't quite right?

When John got home from work, he asked me how my day was. Our subsequent discussion helped me realize what that strange feeling was. I was living my old Florida lifestyle; the one where I felt stuck inside b/c it was too hot to go out; where John had to work a lot of weekends & I couldn't go very far b/c I didn't have a car; where it was really hard to meet people with common interests; where I kept saying "once we move to Oregon, THEN I'll go see new places, meet new people & try new things". The problem with this is...none of those issues are issues here. It's NOT too hot here. I've got my own transportation & I have a girlfriend to do fun things with. I just haven't been taking full advantage of all the good things that landed on my plate when we got here.

I had become stuck in such a routine in Florida, it hadn't yet occurred to me that it's ok, scratch that, it's necessary, to break out of old routines. Especially ones that don't work. The problem with living this way, without breaking out, is that it forces you to put your life on hold & living on hold for five years is a long time. It creates a fear of trying new things b/c you're not used to doing it anymore. It makes you wait for your "real" life to start & it makes you put things off until that real life begins. And that is a mistake. Because life is NOW. Life is whatever you're doing today. And if you don't start living it, you'll be waiting the rest of your life for the rest of your life to start.

We put a lot of thought & hard work into this move & now is the time to reap the rewards of that hard work. Instead of being scared to drive downtown by myself (which sounds ridiculous for a 34 year old!), I'm just going to do it. If I want to shop at some groovy new stores, I'll call Alison & ask her to show me where the best ones are. If someone tells me about a good restaurant, I'm going to make a point of checking it out. Sometimes you just need to kick yourself in the ass & get out of your own way. And that's what I intend to do.

Remember the episode of "Friends" where Monica's credit card gets stolen & then she's jealous of the person who stole it b/c they're doing such great things with it? That's what I used to feel like. Boring, uptight, anal-retentive Monica who never actually does any of the things she'd like to do. But now that we're here, I'm going to make sure I actually DO the great things. I'm going to embrace my inner Monanah!

Later,
PortlandGirl

p.s. Saw "The Family Stone" the other day & was completely unprepared for how sad it was! Why didn't the commercials warn me about that part?! I was expecting a nice, little romantic comedy & then it got all "Steel Magnolias" on me! Even so, had a good cry, then laughed & still enjoyed the movie overall.

An Ode to Father's Day

Today is Father's Day & my dad deserves an extra special message b/c he's an extra special dude.

I always have a hard time finding a Father's Day card for him b/c he just doesn't fit into any of the usual "dad stereotypes" that are depicted in cards. He's not 'standing behind the grill with a pair of tongs in his hand' dad. He's not 'Tim the Tool Man Taylor' idiot dad & he's definitely not 'sit on the couch in front of the TV watching sports all day' dad. He's Dado (for those of you who haven't been honored by his presence, that's pronounced "Day-doh"...rhymes with Playdoh). The cutest little man in the whole world.

There's something about Dado that defies description. He's just cool & always has been. There isn't a dishonest or fake bone in his body. He is the true embodiment of the word kind. He's totally hilarious, but low-key at the same time. He's constantly behind the scenes, supporting everything his kids do & he has the utmost faith in the universe that things will just work out. He has lots of friends of all ages. He's very smart; he used to help me with my math homework & not just in grade school...he could do the hard, high school crap! He can play the piano & he's never had a lesson in his life. He rocks the tap dance floor. He loves fire trucks, jazz & Tony Bennett. Basically, he just rules.

"Leave some for the next guy" is one of Dado's oft-heard sayings & I think it's a perfect example of who he is & what he stands for. I shall adopt it as my very own Dado philosophy. He really is the genuine article & I'm so grateful to have part of his personality in my genes.

So, here's to you Dado! I'm raising my shooter glass (complete with lid) in a Father's Day toast: To the best maker of hot dog & chocolate milk lunches there ever was & ever will be!

Keep juicing! I love you.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The Welcome Wagon

We're back from another fun night out with Alison & Dave & now seems to be the perfect time to discuss the 'Portland Friendliness Factor'.

Yesterday, Alison invited us to go to a BBQ at her friends' place for a graduation celebration, which is where we were tonight. I asked her if there was anything we could bring, but she said no. I told her I felt terrible about going to someone's house, whom we had never even met, empty-handed, but she said everything was taken care of, including the KEG! Two weeks in & we're invited to our first kegger. Nice.

We drove downtown & met Alison & Dave in front of Alison's apartment building. Would anyone like to figure out the odds of our new Portland friend living across the street from the White House (www.portlandswhitehouse.com) where we stayed on our honeymoon?! Isn't that crazy?! She lives in a beautiful, old building that used to be a hotel & it sits diagonally across from the White House. I got to see her studio apartment & man, is it ever cool! You know when you see the oustide of a building & you just know the inside has to be wonderful? That's what Alison's building is. Her apartment has lots of built-in shelves, fun space-saving touches & a very creative feel. I loved it!

Alison & the White House live in an area of Portland called Historic Irvington & the neighborhood is incredible. The houses are quite unbelieveable, but not in a "Holy crap, they're huge!" kind of way. More like a "Wow, you don't see that kind of craftsmanship every day," kind of way. Check out http://www.irvingtonhometour.com/MainIndex.shtml & take the virtual tour to see what I mean. I told John I would happily buy a house in the neighborhood should our sporadic investments into lottery tickets ever pay off. They're not million-dollar homes (although they look like they should be), but they're still out of our league at the moment.

Alison's friends, Brian & Dana, live just a short drive away from her place in a cute house with a wonderful backyard. It was about 5:00 p.m. when we arrived & I STILL felt strange about not bringing anything to offer our hosts or contribute to the party. Aside from that feeling, I also had that tinge of shyness I always get when meeting a large crowd of new people. The one that makes me want to stay in the safe, little circle of people I already know b/c I'm afraid that the new people won't like me. How high school is that?!

Well, I needn't have worried.

Everyone we met could not have been nicer or more welcoming. I can't tell you how many times we have been welcomed to the city since we arrived. "Welcome to Portland" is a phrase we've heard many times & it sounds so nice every time! It's like the people here actually LIKE where they live & are proud that someone has moved from a far distance to be a part of it. We met more of our neighbors here within the first three hours of arriving than we ever knew in Florida in almost four years. Nobody ever came over & said "Welcome to Orlando". Everyone just stayed inside b/c it was too hot to come out!

We got to meet lots of Alison's friends & they're all excellent. It was a semi-strange experience to be at a party where everyone was our age b/c we've become so used to seeing old people everywhere. I had almost forgotten what a real party feels like, but tonight was great! We laughed, we talked, we ate & we drank all night long. I'm so glad Alison invited us b/c it made me feel like we've already got a little group of friends here & that's a nice feeling. When it was time to leave, Brian & Dana thanked us for coming! Thanked us! Even though we didn't bring anything to their party! They're a class act.

Just an aside here...earlier today, there was a story on all of the major news networks (CNN, MSNBC, Fox News) about some hikers who got stranded on Mount Hood. Helicopters & a rescue team had to be sent out to get them b/c two of the people had serious back & leg injuries. Well, one of the rescue guys was at the party! I just thought that was cool.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Worth a Thousand Words

Well, cut my pants & call them cropped (thanks Marn), I just figured out how to post pictures on here! If you feel the urge, go back through the previous entries & you'll find a few photo enhancements.

Enjoy!
PortlandGirl

Happy Birthday

Not much going on here today...still unpacking, still setting up house, still trying to figure out which way is north. It's all good.

Just wanted to give a quick shout-out to Bonnie & Bob on their shared birthday today. Happy Happy Birthday to you!!! If you were both born on the same day, then it MUST be special. We've been thinking of you a lot & how much you rock. You are our heroes.

xoxoxoxoxo

No Cheating

In doing some research on how to switch our driver's licenses from Florida to Oregon, it would appear we have found the first chink in the armor that is Portland. We have to take a written test! Holy jumpin', I feel like I'm 16 again!

As soon as I saw the words 'written test', I had a brief meltdown. A written test?! They can't be serious. I haven't read a driving manual since I had to pass my second written test when I was 20! In case you're wondering, it was the second test b/c I'm one of the few people whose learner's permit actually expired. I didn't try again until 3 years later b/c I had cool friends who could already drive anyway & we were together all the time. I don't even remember how to take a test! What if I fail? What if I fail more than once? What if I can't see the eye chart? Will everyone laugh at me? What if they have different road rules here? I think I might already qualify for some type of driving infraction b/c I got confused at a dedicated right-hand turn traffic light last week.

We didn't have to do a written test when we moved from Canada to the U.S. & that's a whole other country! In Florida, all we had to do was survive the three-hour wait at the DMV in the hood & apparently that's the only requirement that qualifies you to get behind the wheel down there. Which explains a lot of what passes for driving in Florida. Here, they actually want to know if you've got some type of brain in your head BEFORE you buckle-up. Which, I suppose, is a good thing. So, I guess it's not so much a chink in the armor as it is a slight inconvenience & potential blow to the ego should either one of us fail.

At this point, I feel the need to point out that we DID both fail when we took the online sample test. I blame it all on semantics. They've worded the questions in such a sneaky manner, it's easy to get confused. It's more like taking the English SAT! Maybe when we pick up a copy of the Oregon Driver's Manual, we should also get some type of SAT study guide. It's too bad Marnie & my mum aren't here to take the test with me b/c we're really good at sharing answers during a test without getting caught. That's how we all got A's in our Sheridan College Introduction to Computers course. Did I just say that?

Later,
PortlandGirl

A New Car!

I feel like we just won the showcase showdown on "The Price is Right"! After several test drives, an in-depth inspection of the vehicle (including underneath), two credit inquiries, one discussion of financing options, a CARFAX report review & a few hours of waiting, we got to drive home in our new ride this afternoon! We are the proud new owners of a 1999 Dodge Durango. It's silver with a tan leather interior & as far as I'm concerned, it may as well be brand new. The only thing missing is the new car smell, but it's 100 times better than the one we tested that smelled like wet dog! It's a good, safe car that feels very sturdy on the road.

It seems like a whole new world of options has opened up now that I have a car at my disposal. When John goes to work, I can go out if I need to get out of the house. This was one of our main problems in Florida. Since I worked so close to home there, we didn't need to have a second car b/c I could walk. But, it made the many weekends that John had to work difficult b/c I felt stuck in the confines of our apartment complex. We were also still paying for our first car for the entire time we were down there, so we couldn't afford a second car payment. Our last payment was made in April (hurray!), which is why we can afford another one now. I hate paying for anything to do with cars (repairs, insurance, GAS), but it seems to be an unavoidable necessity these days. However, our new monthly car payment is MUCH more reasonable than the last one.

I'm very happy that when the time comes (hopefully soon!) for me to go on job interviews, I won't be stuck trying to figure out how many different forms of public transportation I'll have to take in order to get there. We just bought a little bit of freedom & for that, I'm willing to part with the money each month.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Livin' on the Edge

I've got a little tip for those of you who share my dislike of heights...find out BEFORE you go hiking that the hike is UP A MOUNTAIN!!!

A few days ago, Alison asked me if we would be interested in going on a hike this weekend. Since getting outside & being more active was on our list of "Things to do once we live in Oregon", I enthusiastically agreed for the both of us. It's exciting when new friends invite you to do stuff with them! So, we got up early this morning to make a quick trip to Target for a few hiking essentials...granola bars, bottled water & a knapsack. John, ever the army soldier, also bought a keychain with a built-in compass. I should have realized at this time, although I'm totally blaming the lack of rational thought on my lingering cold, that a huge necessity for hiking is some type of hiking shoe or boot. But I digress...

Alison & Dave came to pick us up at 11:00 a.m. & soon we were on the road, heading towards the coast. It took a little less than an hour to reach our destination, which was Saddle Mountain State Park. The roller-coaster road into the park to the start of the hiking trail was the roller-coasteriest one I've ever been on! I'm just happy I didn't throw up...wouldn't THAT have been so embarrassing?!

When we got started on the trail, which, hello, went up right off the bat, Alison pointed to some mountainous peaks in the distance & said, "That's where we're going". When she said that, the first things that went through my mind were, "But that looks really high up & it's all rocky. How can people even walk on that?", but I didn't say anything. Maybe the information didn't fully sink in, or I thought she was kidding. But, we had seen a little girl with her parents in the parking lot, so my next thought was, "Well, it can't be that hard if that girl's going to do it.". The sign at the beginning of the trail said that it was 3 miles to the top but that part didn't scare me b/c I like to think I'm somewhat in shape (although I haven't done a workout since we packed up the house in Orlando...I should really get on that).

Although the first part of the hike left us rather breathless right away, Alison said it was normal. She & I were up front talking non-stop (in between gasping for air) while the boys were behind us, carrying on their own conversation. John had the joy of carrying our new knapsack, which was full of pb&j sandwiches, water, ice packs, granola bars & chocolate-chip cookies. I felt sorry for him to have the extra weight of the sack, so I offered to carry it. Thank god he said no b/c I'm not sure how far I would have made it with the additional stuff on my back.

While we were on the well-marked path, it was beautiful to peek out from amongst the trees to take in the view being created below. Each twist & turn of the trail brought new things to see & it was only when we were on an edge of the trail, without any trees in front of us, that I realized a) it's pretty scary to be so close to the edge where one false step could mean a nasty fall & a high probability of death; and b) we really ARE going to the top of the mountain where it's high up & all rocky.

And that's when the vertigo set in.

For those of you who have heard the word 'vertigo', but aren't 100% sure of the definition, here it is: "a subjective sensation of dizziness in which an individual feels that he, or his surrounding, is whirling about sickeningly". Well if that doesn't hit the nail square on the head, I don't know what does. Oh. My. God. What an awful feeling. No wonder Hitchcock made a movie about...it truly is a scary thing. When you're looking over the edge of a mountain, the words 'dizziness', 'whirling' and 'sickeningly' are the last things you want to know about. At this point, I decided that voicing my fears rather than remaining silent might be a better way to go, so I said, "Whoa, this is freaking me out. I think I need to get back into the treed part.", so I walked forward a few steps to where I felt more enclosed & safe. As more of these open spaces came along during our ascent, I learned that if I just looked at Alison's feet as she stepped, rather than looking out at the majesty before me, it wasn't so scary. Of course, I was missing most of the point of the hike, which was to actually see the views, but in this case, "views schmiews", I was going for personal preservation!

My new technique of following in Alison's footsteps got me quite far...especially considering the fact I was wearing "Simple" tennis shoes. Comfortable? Yes. Cute looking? Yes. Suitable for scaling rocky terrain? Not so much. The tread on them was pretty good b/c I never really slid or lost my footing, but there were times I was cursing myself for being so unprepared! My fourth-grade Brownie leader would not have been impressed. I guess that's what you get when you join Brownies b/c you think you actually get to make brownies.

We stopped for a lunch break fairly close to the top of Saddle Mountain & it was at this point that I truly understood how Maria felt in "The Sound of Music" (I know I've joked about it before but this time I mean it). And, I've come to the conclusion that she must have felt like crapping in her Von Trappe curtain dirndl skirt. When I was sitting down, eating my sandwich, I tentatively looked around at the wide-openness. It really felt like we were in the middle of thin air. And it was very scary to me. Mind you, this was just after we had been through a particularly difficult part of the trail that involved chain-link fencing over loose gravel (so you could have some type of footing on the rock), so my heartrate was already on the stressed side anyway.

I could appreciate the awesomeness of being up so high, & it's not like we were the only ones doing the hike, lots of other people were in various stages of coming or going (all extremely friendly...I'll have to do a separate post about the Portland friendliness soon), but all of a sudden, it occurred to me that we weren't even finished going up yet & I was already concerned with getting back down. I felt trapped. That last part was really scary in my Simple shoes...how could I do it again going the other way?!

It was then that I stood up, looked ahead to the next part of the trail, & became paralyzed with fear. I can't remember ever being THAT scared in my whole life. Click on this link (http://www.nwhiker.com/SaddleMtHikes.html), point to the little camera one down from the very top & you'll see why. Or, maybe that will look fun to you. I wish it looked that way to me. Somehow, I managed to make my legs work a little more to get through that part of the climb, but after that, I lost any feelings of bravery I might have had left. I just knew deep inside that I couldn't go up any more. It was making me too uncomfortable. And to top it all off, I was also worried that John was going to fall any minute, so my whole nervous system went into overdrive. I had to stop & stop I did.

We weren't too far from the summit, but I told the others to go ahead & enjoy it. I'm glad they did. Dave found a nice grassy patch for me to sit in while I waited for them to come back. During that time, I tried to regroup, breathe deeply & calm down! It was chillier at the top & I was happy for my fuzzy zip-up jacket...especially when a cloud rolled in, right over me! I touched a cloud! That part was cool.

You may be wondering if I was feeling discouraged about coming so close to the top, but not quite reaching it. The answer is no. I had already walked beyond my point of comfort & as I sat up there I realized it's just as important to know when you've reached your limits as it is to know when you can reach past them. I did the best I could do today. Maybe we'll do this hike another day & maybe I'll go a few steps further next time. Or maybe not. Either way, John said he was proud of me & I think I'm a little proud of myself too.

As is often the case, the trip back down went much faster than the trip up. Once we were past the sheer rock & treeless parts, I felt much better. Alison & Dave are great b/c they didn't once make me feel like a loser or push me to go further. I think my favorite part of the descent is when Alison suddenly started singing, "Let's Go to the Movies". Could it be true?! Did she really just sing a song from the movie "Annie"?! My most beloved musical from the age of 10?! Yes she did! And that's not even one of the main songs from "Annie" that most people would know like "Tomorrow" or "It's a Hard-Knock Life"! I think I may have found a kindred spirit.

Once we were safely back in the parking lot, we cracked open a few beers & man, did mine ever taste good!

Rather than drive back home right away, we continued west towards Cannon Beach which is right on the coast. On the way, we stopped off to see the largest Sitka spruce tree in the U.S., which is, conveniently, right on the highway we were on (U.S. 26). It's 56 feet around. Around!! It's huge! It's so tall, when you stand underneath & look up, you can't even see the top!

Driving into Cannon Beach felt like another honeymoon time-warp. Even though we hadn't been there in 5 years, it still had that familiar feeling. We drove around the area, saw Haystack Rock, then parked on the main street to go to Bill's Tavern & Brewhouse for dinner. I was totally shocked to see that it was only 6:00 p.m. when we sat down at our table. We packed so much into the afternoon that it seemed like it should be 10:00 at night!

After a great dinner of burgers & beer (I think I'm turning into an alcoholic already), we got some ice cream & went for a quick walk on the beach. It was a beautiful evening, sunny & not too windy for being right on the ocean. It's still hard to believe that we actually live here now - that we can go back to Cannon Beach next weekend if we want to. We don't have to cram everything into a week-long vacation & that's nice. Because there sure is a lot to see & do!

Later,
PortlandGirl

Workin' Man

I'm not feeling so hot, so I've been horizontal on the couch for most of the day, but I just had to do a quick post b/c while I was sleeping-in this morning, John landed himself a job! He made one phone call & got hired...how awesome is that?! He starts on Monday. I'm so proud of him & he's pretty happy that his job search began & ended within 30 minutes of each other. If only mine would go the same way!

Actually, I had an initial phone conversation with the woman I'm really hoping to work for out here a few weeks ago. I called her again yesterday to let her know that we had arrived in Oregon & she said she'd be in touch to set up an interview in a few weeks. I'm keeping my hopes up, but I know I can't rely solely on that one possibility, so I've decided that next week is when I'll kick my job search into gear. As much as I've loved NOT working, I know I have to go back at some point.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Schoolhouse Rock

I have my first official Portland hangover. It feels pretty much like a hangover from anywhere else. Actually, I'm taking a bit of poetic license here b/c I don't feel that bad, plus, I'm still fighting off whatever cold seems to be coming my way, so it may be more of that than too much beer.

We went out last night with Alison & Dave. Alison is the PortlandGirl we met in Orlando through Kirk & Chris & I'm so happy we know her b/c she's totally fun & cool! Dave is her boyfriend & he's equally as cool, so they're a great match. We drove into Portland to meet up with them at The Kennedy School which is such an innovative place, I wish everyone was with us to experience it. We learned that it's part of a chain of McMenamins pubs around Oregon & Washington state, but it's so much more than a pub; it's part restaurant, part hotel, part art gallery, part movie theater, part brewery & part movie studio (ok, I made that last one up, but the rest is all true)!

It's called The Kennedy School b/c it used to be an elementary school & the wave of grade school nostalgia that comes over you as soon as you walk inside is hilarious! Each bar (there are several bars within the building) is in what used to be a classroom. There are chalkboards everywhere & signs in the hallways that point to 'Home Economics' & the 'Gymnasium'. The smoking room is called Detention. There's a Principal's bench that looks just as scary as an adult as it did as a kid & don't even get me started on the bathrooms with that tile floor that just screams fifth grade. How smart is that (pun fully intended)?! It's just the coolest place! If you've got time, check out the website (www.mcmenamins.com), it's a good one.

We had one of those great nights where the conversation flowed as easily as the beer. We hung out in the Cypress Room bar for a few hours before going out to the patio of the Courtyard Restaurant for some dinner. The food was excellent. I had the Marrakech chicken sandwich with apricot chutney & lemon-pepper aioli...a great combination of flavors. Alison called Kirk & Chris to let them know we were all missing them & even though it was 12:00 a.m. their time (oops!), Kirk called back on his way home from hockey practice. Has it really been just over a week since we had dinner at their house? It feels like a long time ago & it made me realize yet again how much we're going to miss having those guys nearby.

For some reason, this all feels very normal, like we've been here for longer than just a few days. I haven't once had my 'uncomfortable' feeling, which happens to me sometimes in new situations; it makes me feel unsettled & anxious, like my body is telling me something doesn't quite feel right. It happens often during job interviews, when I know the place I'm in isn't the place I'm supposed to be. But so far, Portland just feels right.

Later,
PortlandGirl

The Honeymooners

After spending yesterday (Sunday) doing more unpacking & returning the worst moving truck ever (I will no longer buy so much as a cardboard box from U-Haul & I would urge everyone else to do the same), we decided today would be a good day for exploration. We drove around our little area of Beaverton & found some cool places. In my opinion, the best one is The Streets of Tanasbourne (www.streetsoftanasbourne.com), which is an outdoor shopping experience just 5 minutes away.

Once we were finished with the Beaverton part of our tour, we headed to Portland. Rather than going on the freeway, which gets you downtown in about 15 minutes, we took one of the back roads & it was incredible! A twisty, turny path through what looks to be the country slowly leads you down into the city. The whole trip is filled with views of the mountains & you can't believe you're going to end up in a busy metropolis, but you do.

John & I must have been on the same wavelength b/c although I didn't say it, I really wanted to drive by the White House (www.portlandswhitehouse.com), the B&B we stayed at on the first two nights of our honeymoon, & that's exactly where we ended up. It was funny to be in front of it again b/c it feels like we were just there! And so began our walk down memory lane...we had lunch at Sammy's Restaurant & Bar, where we had our first dinner in Portland almost 5 years ago & I had the best steak I've ever eaten; we walked up & down 23rd Street, which we both remembered from our previous trip b/c it's full of totally cool & hip shops & boutiques (Jode & Jeannette...I think you'd like the music scene out here); we drove around the streets & semi-remembered our way around. Portland is always described as a very walker-friendly city & I think that might be the best way to learn the layout b/c I'm confused! I found myself getting frustrated at not being able to figure it out right away b/c I'm impatient with that kind of thing....I want to know it ALL, right now! Patience grasshopper.

By the time we headed back towards Beaverton, it was about 5:00 p.m. We came home via a different route, just to learn more of the area, & ended up driving through the less-than-savory part of Beaverton. Man, am I glad our apartment complex isn't in THAT part of town. It's not totally disgusting or anything, I just wouldn't want to bring visitors through it. We really did luck out with our location.

On the way home, we came across the Beaverton Town Center & for this I am truly grateful b/c I found my Trader Joe's!! Trader Joe's is a specialty grocery store (can you tell I like food?!) that offers new & interesting products at great prices (www.traderjoes.com). A lot of their inventory is quite healthy, although technically, I don't think it's considered a health food store. I've been waiting to go to Trader Joe's for several years (there aren't any in Florida), so I was overjoyed to see it! We picked up a few fun items, including 4 bottles of "Three Buck Chuck", which is Charles Shaw wine that Trader Joe's carries & sells for $2.99/bottle. When I originally heard about it, it was called "Two Buck Chuck", so either inflation has upped the price, or it's cheaper in California b/c that's where the wine comes from. Either way, $12.00 for 4 bottles of wine is a pretty sweet deal!

What a fun day! How can I get a job as a professional explorer?!

Later,
PortlandGirl

The Eagle has Landed

Something must be wrong...how can this have all gone so smoothly?! We're in our new place, we've got about half of the truck unpacked, we're back in the land of internet & cable and our new grocery store rocks! Our expectations have been exceeded. We even got a "Welcome Home" basket from our property management company...a nice touch.

Really, I'm just happy that our big furniture (couches, yellow chair, coffee table, king-size bed) is out of the truck & into our apartment. That was the part I was dreading, but now that it's over, a weight has been lifted (literally & figuratively!). Next time we move, we're definitely paying someone else to do the heavy lifting parts.

How's this for service? John called the cable company today at about 3:00 p.m. to set up an appointment to hook up our cable & high-speed internet. We were thinking it would be great if he could come as early as Monday. The guy said he'd be here at about 5:00 (today!) & he was!!! All jokes about the cable guy coming between 11:00 a.m. & next Tuesday are off!

We've got lots to do in terms of unpacking boxes & setting up our new place, but right now, we're going to relax & enjoy our dinner of meatloaf, twice-baked potatoes & salad. I wish I could say I just whipped it up, but I'm not that together yet. It came from the amazing, ready-to-go section of the previously-mentioned ruling grocercy store, which is just 5 minutes away. Love that place! Oh, we also picked up some beer called "Hazed & Infused"...couldn't resist the name.

Later,
PortlandGirl

We're in Oregon!

We got off to a very early start today (7:00 a.m.) & had our longest driving day yet (12+ hours), but the payoff to such craziness was that we finally reached Oregon! After a long & pretty boring trip across Idaho, where we saw no potatoes & not much else, we crossed into Ontario, Oregon (how's that for a coincidence?!) at 3:05 p.m. It started to rain the second we entered the state...no joke! But, the rain didn't last long & even if it had, it wouldn't have dampened our spirits. I stuck the camera out the window to snap a photo as we passed the "Welcome to Orgeon" sign & amazingly, the picture turned out.

The drive through the eastern part of Oregon was so pretty, especially after the boringness that is Idaho. John kept saying he had never seen anything like it. The hills & mountains we wound around were vibrant green & absolutely breathtaking. Everything looks like it has been draped in a huge emerald quilt, stitched down by immense evergreen trees. Beautiful. Now I know how Maria felt in "The Sound of Music"!

I was VERY tired & somewhat out of it for most of the drive today. I now have the sore throat that John's been fighting for the past few days, as well as an overall "I'm getting sick" feeling. For the first time on this trip, I actually slept in the truck when I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore, so it was a pretty quiet day for conversation. I guess the past week is finally hitting me. I hope I feel ok tomorrow, otherwise, unpacking the truck is NOT going to be fun for John. I think a good night's sleep will do wonders.

Oh, the other highlight of today was that I finally solved a Sudoku puzzle!! The lowlight was that we found out that gas is pretty pricey out here. But, on the other hand, it's against the law to pump your own gas so all of the gas stations in Oregon are full serve. Nice when it's raining; not so nice if you're in a hurry & the station is busy.

In terms of timing, we could have made it all the way to Portland tonight, but in terms of me feeling crappy, by 7:30 p.m., I couldn't imagine going one more mile. So, we stopped for the night in a place called The Dalles, which is about 80 miles outside of Portland. We're staying at a Comfort Inn & there are roses everywhere around the parking lot; big, beautiful roses that I just had to stop & jam my nose into. It totally reminded me of "Alice in Wonderland" & the garden of the Queen of Hearts...except nobody was painting the roses red & no one was playing croquet with a flamingo mallet.

I'm going to try to sleep now, but it feels a little like Christmas Eve. Tomorrow is the day we've been waiting for for the past 5 years!

Later,
PortlandGirl

Flintstones - Meet the Flintstones

I'm pretty sure we drove through Bedrock today. We stopped for lunch in a cool little town called Rock Springs & it felt like Fred & Barney could have been there, working at Slate Quarry. Actually, I shouldn't say stuff like that b/c with our crappy U-Haul, we may have to start powering the truck with our feet soon like they did on the Flintstones.

The drive through Wyoming today was absolutely beautiful & full of incredible scenery that I couldn't take my eyes off of. The best way I can describe it is that it looks fake; like an Acme backdrop that Wile E. Coyote set up to catch Road Runner. We're seeing more color in the landscape now rather than the 'plains brown' of the past few days & the mountains look like watercolor paintings. We were at 7000 feet above sea level today & it's pretty cool to be surrounded by such wide open space. Aside from a few telephone poles, technology out here is almost non-existent. All day long, I just kept saying, "Look at where we are!".

Since John is doing all of the driving (thank god! I wouldn't want to be behind the wheel of this thing), over the past few days, I've settled into something of a routine to help pass the hours (aside from my DJ & navigating duties of course). When we start out in the morning, I look out the window for about the first hour, just sitting & enjoying the view. I feel bad for John that he can't do the same b/c he actually has to pay attention...I can zone out if I want. Then, I pull out my crossword puzzle or Sudoku book to make sure my brain doesn't turn to mush. Is it possible that I'm getting worse at Sudoku the more I try it? I can't even finish one puzzle & I'm still in the easy section! Once I get frustrated at my lack of Sudoku skills, I put the puzzle away for a while & look at a magazine instead. Five minutes later, I feel carsick from reading & put that away too. After that, I talk to John for a while about whatever topic happens to come up. Then, I lather, rinse & repeat. It's a good little sequence of activities & so far, it has served me well.

We made it to Salt Lake City, Utah today & we're spending the night with my good friend Amy (Hoeppner) Taylor & her family at their UNBELIEVEABLE house. I have pictures & I'll try to post them soon b/c I don't think I can describe their view better than a picture can. Their house is brand new & it sits in a canyon...getting up here in our rattletrap truck made me a bit nervous b/c at one point, it felt like we were going straight up along the edge & I could just see us falling right off! Amy & I haven't seen each other for 9 years & it's so great to see her & get caught up. Her husband Ryan is a really nice guy & their two kids, Zach & Kaitlyn, are totally cute!

We went out for dinner at Ruth's Diner, which is just down the canyon road from their place. It doesn't look like much from the front, but out back is a fabulous patio with twinkly lights & a small stage for live music. It felt great to be outside, surrounded by towering trees & cool, fresh air. Utah really is a beautiful state...if you can go, you should! Of course, the evening went by far too quickly as is usually the case when you have lots to talk about. I wish I could have hit the pause button to have more time with Amy. But, now that we'll be living on the same side of the country, we're hoping to be able to see each other more often.

I've been thinking about the saying, "Life's a journey, not a destination" (I may have paraphrased there, or I'm just ripping off Aerosmith lyrics) today. I think the saying is true, but in the case of our road trip, it's about both. I've really been enjoying this time with John & I've been trying to stay in the moment & appreciate the journey. But, every once in a while, I let my mind wander forward a few days to the destination, to when we actually arrive in Portland, & it gives me butterflies in my stomach. I can't belive we're almost there!

Later,
PortlandGirl