Adjusting to Portland (West Linn, Adrian: organic, place to live, safe)

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by YoAdrian

LOL, my wife will be in heaven, politically, if we do make it out that way in a few years. She's a major greenie. I've always been attracted to the PNW for the weather and the proximity to the Pacific, so I'll have to content myself with that ... unless I can find an Oregon libertarian society.

This thread has some great info so far ... thanks to everyone!

No you'll just ditch being a libertarian and become a full fledged socialist
You and your wife will move to Portland and discover people who care about your well being and the world as a whole You'll wonder how anyone with a sober mind could have voted for George Bush You'll take in a deep breath and realize that a new life awaits you, a life full of joy, happiness and challenge. You'll become addicted to good microbrews and cinema, become a thrift store addict and the O in Organic will be your middle name. Cheers to your family!

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

I hope to be moving in late June (the day after I retire).

That is exactly how I feel about weather. When I try to explain that to friends who are moving to planned communities in AZ or NM, they look at me as if I am crazy. But, I do love overcast skies and a climate w/o snow or torrid days sounds just wonderful.

We'll have to do tea/danish in Portland I'm looking at Sept 2008 (tentatively) The weather is the least of my worries. I just hope I can find a neighborhood/area that "feels" like home. I'm in to Feng Shui (so arrangement) and/or environment is extremely important to me. I thrive in a cozy atmosphere and feel frozen in emptiness (suburbia)
I like to see people happy and doing good things for others. It's much like our sixth sense, we feel it as opposed to seeing it.

[nancy thereader]

Absolutely, tea and scones (that was from Portland's native son's Philip Margolin's novel) sound wonderful. Just think , we could be sitting right in a cozy cafe watching the mist through a window and congratulating ourselves for our brave and smart moves.

[gnubler]

I moved to Portland during December, from Tucson. I left Tucson because I was tired of the brutally hot summers and lack of water. The day I arrived in Portland it was gray and drizzling and as I walked around downtown I was in awe of all the bright, fresh flowers, moss, and green grass (in December). My first winter there was atypically warm and nearly rain-free, and I loved everything about Portland: the bicycle culture, the brewpubs, nice little coffeeshops, huge local music scene, endless good restaurants with vegetarian options, hardcore recycling and reusing (eg: the Rebuilding Center and FreeGeek).

But as I've probably said in other posts, by the second winter I lost my steam. It got cold, really cold. In January 05 it rained nonstop for 27 days or so. Riding my bike in the rain wasn't possible most days, so I was stuck riding a packed bus to work every morning.

Some people don't care about weather; I didn't either, at first. I loved the change, it was refreshing. But it wasn't for me and after 3 winters I left and moved back to the southwest desert.

[pw72]

I posted this on another thread, but if you grew up with this kind of climate, it is perfectly natural, and in my case, somewhat comforting when you get those "low cloudy" days. Security blanket? Someone call my shrink!

Actually, I have no shrink, and love both sunshine and clouds, and prefer to live in an area that have both. It's natural! I'm currently living in a climate that has sunshine pretty much everyday from May through September, with the occasional thunderstorm. My, how I enjoy those thunderstorms!

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by pw72

I posted this on another thread, but if you grew up with this kind of climate, it is perfectly natural, and in my case, somewhat comforting when you get those "low cloudy" days. Security blanket? Someone call my shrink!

Actually, I have no shrink, and love both sunshine and clouds, and prefer to live in an area that have both. It's natural! I'm currently living in a climate that has sunshine pretty much everyday from May through September, with the occasional thunderstorm. My, how I enjoy those thunderstorms!

I feel the same. Rain, Snow, Sunshine, is all going to appeal to different people in different ways. In the end you have to go where you will be happy.

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by gnubler

I moved to Portland during December, from Tucson. I left Tucson because I was tired of the brutally hot summers and lack of water. The day I arrived in Portland it was gray and drizzling and as I walked around downtown I was in awe of all the bright, fresh flowers, moss, and green grass (in December). My first winter there was atypically warm and nearly rain-free, and I loved everything about Portland: the bicycle culture, the brewpubs, nice little coffeeshops, huge local music scene, endless good restaurants with vegetarian options, hardcore recycling and reusing (eg: the Rebuilding Center and FreeGeek).

But as I've probably said in other posts, by the second winter I lost my steam. It got cold, really cold. In January 05 it rained nonstop for 27 days or so. Riding my bike in the rain wasn't possible most days, so I was stuck riding a packed bus to work every morning.

Some people don't care about weather; I didn't either, at first. I loved the change, it was refreshing. But it wasn't for me and after 3 winters I left and moved back to the southwest desert.

I'm very happy for you. I guess you went back "home." Maybe the whole Portland experience was part of your journey, something you had to experience in order to realize that it wasn't "home" for you. Have you found a job back home?

[brandonlbrinegar]

For the people who relocated to Portland. Please state how long you have been living in Portland

9 months

where you came from

Boston

and what adjustments you had to make to the new city.

Learned to accept socialism and liberals as an unnecessary force in this hippy town

Was it a a major or a slight difference? In what way?

It's not a city, it's a dive. The food blows and the people are wierd. The drivers are slower than anyone else and nobody cares about big-business. Are we in the US still?

[hazelle]

Originally Posted by brandonlbrinegar

For the people who relocated to Portland. Please state how long you have been living in Portland

9 months

where you came from

Boston

and what adjustments you had to make to the new city.

Learned to accept socialism and liberals as an unnecessary force in this hippy town

Was it a a major or a slight difference? In what way?

It's not a city, it's a dive. The food blows and the people are wierd. The drivers are slower than anyone else and nobody cares about big-business. Are we in the US still?

I'm from Grand Rapids, MI and am moving to Portland in September.

As a biking pedestrian who hasn't owned a car since the age of 17, I happen to love that the cars are cautious and respectful of one another and of people on the streets/sidewalks. As a vegetarian, I love the variety of food available to me. Sure, there are no McDonalds on every corner, but some people aren't down with big-businesses that supply ****ty food, ****ty employment opportunities, or who run smaller businesses out of town.

I'd take Portland’s attitude towards business any day. I hate the dreary, monotonous feel of suburbs and the same strip-malls on every corner next to the wall mart.

And as for the people being weird... why so down on diversity of personalities? Where I live, everyone assimilates to their surroundings and people become bland and boring. I want something different, personally.

[Nature Girl]

Originally Posted by Supernova7

No you'll just ditch being a libertarian and become a full fledged socialist
You and your wife will move to Portland and discover people who care about your well being and the world as a whole You'll wonder how anyone with a sober mind could have voted for George Bush You'll take in a deep breath and realize that a new life awaits you, a life full of joy, happiness and challenge. You'll become addicted to good microbrews and cinema, become a thrift store addict and the O in Organic will be your middle name. Cheers to your family!

Keep in mind that there a lot of Bush lovers and strong Republicans in the Portland areas as well! It's not all "Bush haters" here, sorry to disapoint.