Hubby has new job offer...considering moving to Arlington (Portland: sales, real estate)

[jiffin4java]

Elle2, I would really take opinions from SOME of the people on this forum with a grain of salt. Some people just simply aren't happy in OR and that's fine, but some of those unhappy people make it their mission to make it known and let their experiences sway the opinions of others. Gather all the information you can and don't depend on one interview or one person's bad experience. Oregon has a lot to offer. No matter where you go there are good aspects and not-so-good aspects. As for my family's move....the good DEFINITELY outweighed the bad and we can't wait to find out if we GET to settle in Oregon. My family has been many places too, all over the country, and I find the PNW to have a much more laid back approach to life than the east. Keep that in mind. I wish you the best in your decision! God Bless!

[Redrover]

Jeez, I should think this entire episode should be an object lesson to all those people who see nothing wrong with exposing every little intimate detail of their lives in such a very public forum. The whole concept of this very public social networking puts its proponents at risk for all manner of unwanted and unanticipated consequences, not the least of which is what this mayor is experiencing. It used to be that people kept their personal and private lives just that - personal and private. Details of one's personal life (real or imagined) have a way of coming back to bite one in the a$$ when least expected. Immature boastings could be ferreted out by a prospective employer and prevent obtaining a sought-after job. Or in the mayor's case, it can become fodder for the national media. To declare that it is narrow-minded to not have certain standards and expectations of one's elected officials is just downright unrealistic. In my own city we are dealing with the exposure of our district attorney's seemingly private emails declaring his love for his executive assistant as well as his sharing very racist and degrading video clips and photos with his male friends. He had no expectation that these would ever be made public and he is now ruined both personally and politically and will likely never again serve in a public office. I live in the fourth largest city in the country and there is nothing redneck, small-town or narrow-minded about us in this city of millions and yet we too have expectations of our elected officials - there is nothing uniquely Oregon about wanting to have one's public figures adhere to a higher code of ethics than the rest of us.

My point is that once you express yourself anywhere other than in your own head, you risk all manner of unforseen consequences. If you open up your personal and private life to public scrutiny then don't be surprised if not everyone responds the way you would hope or expect.

[vanamdva]

jiffin4java: So you haven't lived out there yet but know the place will definitely be for the good? Also, it sounds like you are heading to Portland. West of the Cascades and East of it are like two different planets. Elle: Same thing as before... Not only chat to those people, but take a good look at what I have mentioned before. There are some solid, constructive reasons why one shouldn't go (particularly if you've never been there before.) Where you are moving IS NOT "laid back" It is cowboy country, and there isn't a liberal or moderate in sight... There are PLENTY of hypocrites. In Portland (and basically down I5 to Eugene), That laid back description provided means something different when you arrive out there (particularly if you are from the Midwest): "Laid back" = "Lazy", "Whining", "Victims", "Ego-centric". It gets really old, really fast....

"...There is nothing uniquely Oregon about wanting to have one's public figures adhere to a higher code of ethics"... Serious? This is a question of ethics (and the description of "higher" makes me suspicious...)? C'mon... We don't need to espouse fundamentalist idealism here... It is just a girl in a bathing suit. I remind you that the people there you are pointing out as ethical are the ones that were corrupt and screwed the town up--something she had to, and did, fix. Apparently they are the ones that notified the press about her page.

[jiffin4java]

Originally Posted by vanamdva

jiffin4java: So you haven't lived out there yet but know the place will definitely be for the good? Also, it sounds like you are heading to Portland. West of the Cascades and East of it are like two different planets. Elle: Same thing as before... Not only chat to those people, but take a good look at what I have mentioned before. There are some solid, constructive reasons why one shouldn't go (particularly if you've never been there before.) Where you are moving IS NOT "laid back" It is cowboy country, and there isn't a liberal or moderate in sight... There are PLENTY of hypocrites. In Portland (and basically down I5 to Eugene), That laid back description provided means something different when you arrive out there (particularly if you are from the Midwest): "Laid back" = "Lazy", "Whining", "Victims", "Ego-centric". It gets really old, really fast....

"...There is nothing uniquely Oregon about wanting to have one's public figures adhere to a higher code of ethics"... Serious? This is a question of ethics (and the description of "higher" makes me suspicious...)? C'mon... We don't need to espouse fundamentalist idealism here... It is just a girl in a bathing suit. I remind you that the people there you are pointing out as ethical are the ones that were corrupt and screwed the town up--something she had to, and did, fix. Apparently they are the ones that notified the press about her page.

Wow! Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning or what? I was merely pointing out that she should investigate as much as possible for herself and not rely on one newscast or just the opinions like yours that she sees on this forum. Just because I haven't been there yet doesn't make me unqualified to give her THAT much advice. I also don't think that gives you the right to tell me the opinions I've formed by doing my own homework for the past six months are wrong. People choose where they want to live for various reasons. They don't have to match everyone else's.

[vanamdva]

Good luck with your move to Portland. I suggest SE, or out in Gresham or Troutdale...LOL

[spiritbear928]

Forget the mayor crap. Arlington is a weird place. I live in Albany and travel thru Arlington when I go to Idaho to visit relatives. Here is my take on it:

1) Its tiny
2) Its in the Eastern Gorge so its more like treeless desert but seems very windy
3) Its claim to fame is bad water and a landfill of sorts where they plan on burying the remains of the chemical weapons from the Umatilla Depot once they incinerate them. I heard they have some nuclear waste there too. I think thats dumb since its on the Columbia and 90% of Oregons population is DOWNSTREAM.

Arlington is a place I sometimes stop to pee if I cant make it to Pendleton or Biggs. It has a small grocery store and some weird named restaurant that made me think of roadkill cafe.

Personally If you are interested in Oregon, go for somewhere else. If you like the Gorge, Cascade Locks is BEAUTIFUL. If you like it drier try the The Dalles.

Arlington is also 140 miles from Portland

[exarlingtonresident]

I used to live in Arlington and work at a major company in that town. Before we moved there the people were very friendly and courteous however, as soon as we BOUGHT a house and property and moved in they became very snobbish, close minded and clannish. If you weren't born and raised in that town you are an outsider and they will NOT let you forget it. I would NOT move back to that town for any amount of money. It is the most red-neck, cross-bred, in-bred bunch of backwoods people I have EVER had the misfortune to meet. DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF LETTING YOU FOOL YOU, SWEET AT FIRST AND ON THE OUTSIDE BUT THE INSIDE IS SOUR AND UGLY, the people, attitudes, the whole shebang. To make it short, ARLINGTON, OR TRULY SUCKS.Three families run the town, the only major industry and all that goes on there. If you are not a local, married into, a family member or family friend of one or all of these families they treat you like feces on their boot. Don't believe me if you like, that's your choice, but also your mistake if you are considering moving there. If you are considering moving there, get prepared for a ride you'll never forget or forgive. GOOD LUCK!!!!

[kickerofelves]

Originally Posted by bobmulk

Yes, classy people can only live in the metropolitan areas. Like all the classy people with their veiled racism and hatred in Portland. Like their disrespect and refusal to accept diversity of opinion. Yes, let's ignore the rural areas because they obviously have nothing to contribute; it's inconceivable that their opinions, beliefs or values system could EVER have any merit. Let's remember that the urban areas are the REAL areas of "progressiveness".

I spent years in Arlington. It's got a rather mean-spirited sub-culture of cliquishness and gossip that strikes me as worse than any other place I have ever lived. Not sure why, maybe just that particular mix of people.

Ignorant and uneducated? Yeah I'd put that on them. Classy, it ain't.

I don't disagree that there are fine small towns in Eastern and Central Oregon where the people are pretty decent or even 'classy'. Arlington just ain't one of them.

[kickerofelves]

Originally Posted by exarlingtonresident

I used to live in Arlington and work at a major company in that town. Before we moved there the people were very friendly and courteous however, as soon as we BOUGHT a house and property and moved in they became very snobbish, close minded and clannish. If you weren't born and raised in that town you are an outsider and they will NOT let you forget it. I would NOT move back to that town for any amount of money. It is the most red-neck, cross-bred, in-bred bunch of backwoods people I have EVER had the misfortune to meet. DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF LETTING YOU FOOL YOU, SWEET AT FIRST AND ON THE OUTSIDE BUT THE INSIDE IS SOUR AND UGLY, the people, attitudes, the whole shebang. To make it short, ARLINGTON, OR TRULY SUCKS.Three families run the town, the only major industry and all that goes on there. If you are not a local, married into, a family member or family friend of one or all of these families they treat you like feces on their boot. Don't believe me if you like, that's your choice, but also your mistake if you are considering moving there. If you are considering moving there, get prepared for a ride you'll never forget or forgive. GOOD LUCK!!!!

There is a lot of truth in this unfortunately. Cliquishness is worse in Arlington than anywhere I've ever lived. There are some decent folks there, even in some of those main families though. The women are, for some reason, the worst in terms of meanness although there's a couple of a-hat guys as well.

The school board chairman is a particularly stupid and uneducated individual in my opinion, while some of the schoolteachers are horrible gossips and care more about city politics and 'drama' than doing their jobs. That's at least how I see it.

Apparently a lot of people are writing in the old mayor's name--the myspace girl--in this election last I heard. Pretty funny is she wins!

[scone]

Originally Posted by kickerofelves

There is a lot of truth in this unfortunately. Cliquishness is worse in Arlington than anywhere I've ever lived. There are some decent folks there, even in some of those main families though. The women are, for some reason, the worst in terms of meanness although there's a couple of a-hat guys as well.

The school board chairman is a particularly stupid and uneducated individual in my opinion, while some of the schoolteachers are horrible gossips and care more about city politics and 'drama' than doing their jobs.

This pretty much describes my little corner of Oregon, as well. Luckily, we've been able to vote out some of the more outrageous good 'ol boys, and we're working on getting the rest of the county cleaned up.

Oregon is a funny place. Get out of the cities and it can be really hostile to outsiders, as well as politically corrupt in a petty, vindictive sort of way. I think it's because there just aren't enough people in the mix-- but that's changing rapidly.