PDX
Patrick after linking to Ted writing about Portland: “This is where we are supposed to tell you how much it rains in Portland. That's a tough sell this time of year... typically nothing but blue skies for weeks.”
Every time I've been to Portland, it's been hot and sunny. Except once, last year, during Rememberence Day weekend (the weekend closest to November 11th), when it was rainy like Patrick describes. The gutters seemed to be all clogged with leaves, making for large puddles at crosswalks. That's something worth considering when thinking about moving to the Rose City, since Vancouver doesn't seem to have that problem as much, and it gets more rain than it deserves during the winter. Yes, I'm strongly considering moving here, but that deservers a longer article in which I weigh the pros and cons as well as an investigation into making a move here long-lasting. With any method, perhaps multiple, I would be up-front about the desire to move to America. Some Canadian friends in the audience must think I'm crazy for wanting to move to the USA—thank goodness they think I'm crazy already—but this place appeals to me for severl reasons, which themselves deserve a full article.
Got back from the Portland Coffee House and dropped $7 on a $3 coffee ($4 tip, since the couple hours I spent there while drinking fancy coffee with free wi-fi watching indie girls go in and out was worth that much), having snuck away from my group to hang out there for a couple hours. I'm going to try to sneak out a few more times, probably late at night. Chances are I'll be wearing a Bryght shirt, so if you see someone wearing such a shirt, it's either a) me or b) someone with a Bryght shirt, since we have some to give away. If it's someone else, they're probably cool too, so you can't really go wrong if you're on Alder and Broadway and looking for a geek to talk to. This week, though, you probably won't have trouble finding such a person in Portland, as it's it's geek season in the Rose City, at least more than usual.
Currently in Portland, after a longer than expected drive down. Some border weirdness: Roland took a photos each of my work visa (not really a work visa, but I'm here for work and receipt for said "visa"). Hanging out at Eastside Club Tavern and Clubside in Olympia was really cool: really cool atmosphere with cute indie girls, some middle class, some poor people, and even the bartender's pet dog.
I'm here for OSCON. Homeland Security evidently says I can stay here until August 8th, though surely an extension which is surely a phone call away. Even so, that makes my so-called Portland trip plans a little more interesting, and possibly shorter, as independent car travel is a little outside my comfort zone. We'll see: I just got here, and the week will go by pretty quickly if I don't pay attention.