The Truth about Portland, Oregon

[nanannie]

Having been an ER nurse I say God Bless the slower drivers.

[Lillietta]

[QUOTE=nanannie;2010613]Having been an ER nurse I say God Bless the slower drivers.[/quote]


"SlowER" is key here. I don't like fast drivers, but I guess if you're retired and have all the time in the world you can drive as slow as you want. But I mean, they are SLOW.

[thompson84606]

The slow driving is fantastic...I'm from San Diego and did not miss the 'freeway tag' people play and people going 95 in the right lane(or on the shoulder). Yes, it rains from November to March, but you don't have to wear any real winter gear, shovel snow, and you get the fantastic 80 degree summers. I live near Las Vegas and I hate the winters here because you'll go out in the day when it's 75 in short sleeves, then I come out after work and it's 40 degrees. It sucks because you can't dress for winter or summer when the temp fluctuates 40 degrees between day and night. There have been days here in St. George when it's 25 in the morning and hits 65 by midday, only to be 40 a couple hours later...I get sick every year from this. I lived in Chicago and you have to shovel snow four times because the plow keeps pushing it on your driveway, and if you live in the city and park on the street 'forget about it', you'll be taking the train unless you want to spend two hours uncovering your car. In Phoenix I was there when it hit the record of 123...WITHOUT AC. Yes, there are people (mostly elderly) who don't have AC out there. I was staying with my grandfather. Well, I guess there are problems with weather everywhere. If you are vitamin D deficient, don't move to the pacific northwest! I think the BEAUTIFUL scenery more than makes up for it. From Puerto Rico to New Zealand, I have never have I seen a city so green. The income tax is garbage, yes, but the state has many more social programs and higher wages than many of the other states with lower taxes. The people were kind and accepting of my interracial marriage(something I valued having lived in southern Utah where any minorities are met with stares and confusion.) There is a distinct sense of safety throughout the metro when compared to Chicago or Phoenix, and especially Las Vegas. I appreciated this because we couldn't afford a ritzy area and for the first time in awhile didn't feel unsafe in our neighborhood (we lived in central Beaverton). The parks there are incredible, I would much rather spend the day in Washington park than Central park or Grant park (which I have visited a number of times). I love that trees and rose bushes are found throughout the city (on ramps, right next to my apartment complex there was a wooded area) when you live in the desert you have to drive just to see a tree. The city is amazingly clean and devoid of ghettos (that's right not even the NE). I think that you have to take the right attitude into life. If you feel that you're not going to like things because it's different than what you're used to, you'll be unhappy, but if you enjoy the unique qualities of ANY place (Cleveland, Detroit, Birmingham, Lubbock, anywhere) you'll be a happy and cultured person. No place is perfect, and all of the criticism is based off of a California point of view, (desire for fast drivers, "recreation" nearby, sunshine, wages) but if you look at the negative aspects of the place you lived you can see why other people don't like it (ridiculous expenses, racial tension (at least in the areas of SD and LA that I've lived), horrible traffic and air, classist attitudes, forest fires, mudslides, and earthquakes, overcrowding, and bland desert landscape in the south) Every place is good and bad. Take a drive to the coast, it's only an hour. Have a coffee and some fresh seafood, enjoy some of the great art and performances in the Pearl district and downtown, see a Blazers game, take a walk around the rose garden (even if it's raining), do something rather than pouting and posting on here about how you hate it. You'll thank yourself in the end. I miss PDX.

[tiffela74]

Thompson84606...
What a terrific post!!!!
Well put, positive and still realistic. Very nice!
Tiffany