Possible move to Portland. Help. (how much, buy, sales tax)

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by ceeglass

Making them feel like outsiders! What a joke. My 3 daughters and I were shopping at the Clackamas Town Center. We were up on the second level headed toward where the walkway veers to the left if your facing 82nd and 2 guys were leaning against the rail staring at us. As we got close, one of them said "hey, can I ask you ladies something?" I quizzically said, "okay, I guess." He said, "Are you from California?" Quite surprised and somewhat humored I answered "yes, we are - how'd you know?" He socked his friend in the arm and said "see, I told ya, you owe me 20 bro. I can spot them a mile away." I said, "how could you tell, do people from California look different to you, do we have a 3rd eye or something?" He said no, "you girls are all blonde, all tan and Californian's always look like they're going somewhere even when they're not." I responded "well, we did go somewhere, we came to the mall, should we have worn our pajamas?" He said, "no, it's just I know a Californian's look." So I told him, "yeah, I know exactly what you're saying. I can spot an Oregonian from a mile off myself. Have a great evening guys." And we walked off. And, by the way, I have seen people at the store in their pajamas and fuzzy slippers with Duck heads on the toe in Oregon City at Albertson's in the Berry Hill Shopping Center. Haven't seen that at Albies here yet. I've never had my car broken into and everything stolen out of it, nor my daughters car broken into and everything taken like we did at the Clackamas Town Center in Oregon. I've never dropped a daughter off at school and seen kids openly smoking pot in the parking lot as parents drop off and local police drive by on Willamette Drive like I did at West Linn High in Oregon. And when you look like you can't believe what your seeing have them wave it at you in circles and put it to their mouth, take a hit and pass it on, like they're daring you to do something about it.

I know for a fact I could drive through Milwaukie or Clackamas TODAY and find a non-functional clunker in a yard or driveway and maybe even covered with a half there tarp. Moss growing on roofs is another common lovely site.

....Tennis anyone? No, it's raining today? How about tomorrow? Oh, it's raining then as well. Then let's make it Monday....tsk, tsk, tsk...rain again, hm. Okay, Tues. or Wed. will work. You've got to be kidding, rain's in the forecast for those days, too.
.......Such is life in Portland, huh?

Did you ever think they knew you were Californians from the fake breasts, collagen-inflated lips, surgically taught facial skin that gives you that "surprised" look, the fact that you were probably talking to each other on your cell phones while putting on lip gloss, walking in front of people and cutting them off as if they didn't even exist while trying to get back to your BMW that you parked crookedly in a handicapped spot.

Because that describes ALL Californians. You are not the only one that can over-generalize and stereotype. Maybe people just don't like you and it has nothing to do with the fact that you're from California.

[subsound]

Why not blame Californians for everything? Not just those who lived there, but anybody who visited, looked at the state, even thought about it. Not just for things other people can do, but for natural disasters, hairs in your eggs, and rain.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by subsound

Why not blame Californians for everything? Not just those who lived there, but anybody who visited, looked at the state, even thought about it. Not just for things other people can do, but for natural disasters, hairs in your eggs, and rain.

LOL! This is being done already. My friend who is a native Oregonian and I were riding along in her car. We were commenting about how it was difficult to see some of the road signs because they were covered by over-grown tree branches. She immediately stated "It's those damn Californians!"

Huh? I asked her how that was possible. Were Californians sneaking around at night and covering the signs up with the branches? Where they hiding the signs behind the branches? What?

She never did give me an answer. I think some people need a scapegoat and in Oregon it is outsiders but especially outsiders who are Californians. Don't ask me why. I'm from Chicago and I've had my share of abuse.

[ceeglass]

Originally Posted by LeftCoastee

Did you ever think they knew you were Californians from the fake breasts, collagen-inflated lips, surgically taught facial skin that gives you that "surprised" look, the fact that you were probably talking to each other on your cell phones while putting on lip gloss, walking in front of people and cutting them off as if they didn't even exist while trying to get back to your BMW that you parked crookedly in a handicapped spot.

Because that describes ALL Californians. You are not the only one that can over-generalize and stereotype. Maybe people just don't like you and it has nothing to do with the fact that you're from California.

Just FYI, I don't have fake breasts, no collagen injected anywhere, and no face-lift and never plan to get one, I have earned any lines I have. We weren't on cell phones either - we were simply walking down the mall talking with eachother. I never said people don't like me. I said those were comments I got from Oregonians while minding my own business as a normal person does. I AM very well liked. I have been elected PTA President at 3 different schools. When in high school I was voted as a Senior Superlative (best this or best that, you know) and a cheerleader, which back in my day was voted on by coaches, faculty and student government board. Was asked to run for school board and city council, for which I had no interest. Yeah, I guess no one likes me. But, none of that has anything to do with being treated rudely because of California plates or having blonde hair and blue eyes and a tan that all of my girls had gotten at the West Linn Tanning Salon along with hundreds of Oregonians or the salon wouldn't have been in business. I did NOTHING to receive such treatment and it is common in Portland to treat Californians that way. I think what it was, we were not wearing what people in Oregon wear. California is more trendy and people wear a more put together fashiony look than Oregonians. That's how we roll here and flannel, birkenstocks, wranglers, the Gap and Doc Marten's is how many roll there. I think if we stood 100 random SoCalers with 100 Random Portland, Salem and Eugeners and asked 100 random Americans who were the better dressed, Californian's would win hands down. If someone moves here from Portland, we say welcome, enjoy the weather and you're gonna love being at the beach in the a.m., snowboarding in the afternoon and hitting Palm Springs for dinner to discuss whether it should be Disneyland, Sea World, Magic Mtn., or Universal City you visit next. Maybe a camping trip to the Redwoods, great Sequoia's or Yosemite, or the 17 mile costal drive to Carmel, or it could be wondering through the Napa, Sonoma, Medocino wine country. We haven't even mentioned Big Sur, San Francisco, San Diego or Gold Miner's country. And, you know what, you won't have to do it in the rain. And, yes, we have sales tax...and it shows! Welcome to California!

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by ceeglass

Just FYI, I don't have fake breasts, no collagen injected anywhere, and no face-lift and never plan to get one, I have earned any lines I have. We weren't on cell phones either - we were simply walking down the mall talking with eachother. I never said people don't like me. I said those were comments I got from Oregonians while minding my own business as a normal person does. I AM very well liked. I have been elected PTA President at 3 different schools. When in high school I was voted as a Senior Superlative (best this or best that, you know) and a cheerleader, which back in my day was voted on by coaches, faculty and student government board. Was asked to run for school board and city council, for which I had no interest. Yeah, I guess no one likes me. But, none of that has anything to do with being treated rudely because of California plates or having blonde hair and blue eyes and a tan that all of my girls had gotten at the West Linn Tanning Salon along with hundreds of Oregonians or the salon wouldn't have been in business. I did NOTHING to receive such treatment and it is common in Portland to treat Californians that way. I think what it was, we were not wearing what people in Oregon wear. California is more trendy and people wear a more put together fashiony look than Oregonians. That's how we roll here and flannel, birkenstocks, wranglers, the Gap and Doc Marten's is how many roll there. I think if we stood 100 random SoCalers with 100 Random Portland, Salem and Eugeners and asked 100 random Americans who were the better dressed, Californian's would win hands down. If someone moves here from Portland, we say welcome, enjoy the weather and you're gonna love being at the beach in the a.m., snowboarding in the afternoon and hitting Palm Springs for dinner to discuss whether it should be Disneyland, Sea World, Magic Mtn., or Universal City you visit next. Maybe a camping trip to the Redwoods, great Sequoia's or Yosemite, or the 17 mile costal drive to Carmel, or it could be wondering through the Napa, Sonoma, Medocino wine country. We haven't even mentioned Big Sur, San Francisco, San Diego or Gold Miner's country. And, you know what, you won't have to do it in the rain. And, yes, we have sales tax...and it shows! Welcome to California!

I am honored to be in the same thread as you.

Everyone should know that how someone dresses determines their worth. Thank god you recognize that. And well done for getting your daughters to go to a tanning salon.

What you failed to mention in your fairyland scenario of surfing in the AM and snowboarding in the PM is that you'd be able to get in one wave and then sit in four hours of traffic getting up to the mountains where you'd only have time for 2 or 3 runs before you'd then have to sit in traffic to get back home by midnight. Believe me, I've tried it.

[John Shaft]

Originally Posted by ceeglass

unable to fill it myself because Oregon is right to work state

If you think these two are related, you probably need to study up on what "right to work state" means.

[ceeglass]

Originally Posted by John Shaft

If you think these two are related, you probably need to study up on what "right to work state" means.

I only stated what a gas station attendant in Oregon City told me as to the reason we could not pump our own gas, and I quote his words, "because Oregon is a right to work state." I didn't come up with that an Oregonian explained it that way. Take it up with the gas station attendant for dispensing what you feel is eroneous information.

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by ceeglass

I only stated what a gas station attendant in Oregon City told me as to the reason we could not pump our own gas, and I quote his words, "because Oregon is a right to work state." I didn't come up with that an Oregonian explained it that way. Take it up with the gas station attendant for dispensing what you feel is eroneous information.

The gas station attendant is not the one on this forum stating it as fact.

Lets just end your posts by saying that you clearly do not like Oregon and favor California. I have the complete 100% opposite feeling. So we cancel each other out and now we can move on.

[ceeglass]

Originally Posted by LeftCoastee

I am honored to be in the same thread as you.

Everyone should know that how someone dresses determines their worth. Thank god you recognize that. And well done for getting your daughters to go to a tanning salon.

What you failed to mention in your fairyland scenario of surfing in the AM and snowboarding in the PM is that you'd be able to get in one wave and then sit in four hours of traffic getting up to the mountains where you'd only have time for 2 or 3 runs before you'd then have to sit in traffic to get back home by midnight. Believe me, I've tried it.

#1 - I was never discussing someones worth in comparing fashion trends in Portland and California. You're obviously looking to read something I didn't write between the lines to make it sound as bad as you possibly can for your own reasons. I was discussing differences in attire and which would appeal to more people, that has nothing to do with a persons worth. Because you brush your hair and your teeth in the morning does that make you more valuable than the mother in Darfur with no home, no brush and teeth missing maybe......absolutely not. But you're still going to brush your hair and your teeth aren't you whether she has a brush or not, because it does make you look better and there's nothing wrong with wanting to look better if you can. Portlanders have a different sense and interest in clothing and fashion than Californians, and Arizonans for that matter. I have been to Phoenix and Tucson and they look pretty much the same as Californians. Take Houston, TX for example, they are very stylish, but you can tell it isn't California because it's more classic and less trendy, but it's good well put together fashion. It's just if you've got $95 to spend on shoes, Portlanders are spending it on Doc Marten's and Californians are spending it on BCBG or Tsubo shoes. Most people are going to vote that the BCBG's look better. Trust me, the Oregonians that move here give up the Birkenstocks and mom jeans and start to like trendy. When Californians move to Oregon, they are not going with the Birkenstocks, saltwater sandals and Nike brand or flannel shirts.

#2 - With regard to my girls going to the tanning salon. When you're a Californian and used to having a tan just because you live here and you move to Oregon where the sun hardly shines for 9 months of the year, there's nothing wrong with wanting to feel more yourself and going for a tan along with the thousands of Oregonians keeping the tanning salon business alive and well in Portland. The salon was there and in business for years before my girls showed up. They certainly don't go to the tanning salon here.

#3 - Your comment about traffic is ridiculous. I've never sat in 4 hours of traffic anywhere in California...ever. When we moved to Oregon we said we'd never complain about California traffic again. Your freeway, expecially the 205, backs up at 3:30 and moves at a snails pace! It only has 3 lanes and sometime 1 will fall off with an exit. Before they fixed the on and off ramps at Sunnyside exit off the 205, it was a complete and total nightmare. Trying to get from downtown onto the 5 headed south after 3:30 took sitting an hour winding down a one lane street through a neighborhood just to get to the on ramp! The car tires have worn ruts into the fwy (your sales tax dollars hard not at work), you never see that here. If I wanted to go from one side of the river to the other I had to go 5 miles up the fwy just to get to the Sellwood Bridge and go 5 miles back down. You have not one whit of justification to complain about our traffic. Portland's is horrible! And you only have 2 N/S fwys and not one E/W until you get into Portland. We have scads of fwys going all directions allover. And just FYI, if you get to the beach at 8:30 am (5 miles from our home - not a lot of traffic through Laguna Canyon) surf until 10:30 am, go home to switch boards and clothes, leave at 11:30 am, hit the drive thru for lunch and arrive at Wrightwood for snowboarding at about 1:30 or 2 and snowboard until 5 pm - leave for Palm Springs from Wrightwood and arrive at 7 pm (there's not a lot of traffic in the desert) be done with dinner by 9, you'll be back in Orange County by 10:45 pm. And we've done exactly that at those times. If you want to take the toll roads and fast trac lanes, it costs but you can shave even more time off. You say you've tried it, there is NO POSSIBLE WAY, short of some disaster, you sat in traffic for 4 hours to get to the Mountains I don't care what time of the day it was. I've lived in LA, Ventura and Orange Counties and I know the traffic here like the back of my hand. You obviously don't.

#4 - Yes, thank you, Leftcoastee, it does seem like a fairyland here sometimes, especially at the Disney Parks, or the Mountains after a new snow, or a sunset at Laguna Beach, or looking at Bridalveil Falls in Yosemite or seaside at Morro Bay or viewing crystal clear Lake Tahoe to it's bottom, and I almost forgot Santa Catalina and the Channel Islands. Have a nice day!

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by ceeglass

#3 - Your comment about traffic is ridiculous. I've never sat in 4 hours of traffic anywhere in California...ever. When we moved to Oregon we said we'd never complain about California traffic again. Your freeway, expecially the 205, backs up at 3:30 and moves at a snails pace! It only has 3 lanes and sometime 1 will fall off with an exit. Before they fixed the on and off ramps at Sunnyside exit off the 205, it was a complete and total nightmare. Trying to get from downtown onto the 5 headed south after 3:30 took sitting an hour winding down a one lane street through a neighborhood just to get to the on ramp! The car tires have worn ruts into the fwy (your sales tax dollars hard not at work), you never see that here. If I wanted to go from one side of the river to the other I had to go 5 miles up the fwy just to get to the Sellwood Bridge and go 5 miles back down. You have not one whit of justification to complain about our traffic. Portland's is horrible! And you only have 2 N/S fwys and not one E/W until you get into Portland. We have scads of fwys going all directions allover. And just FYI, if you get to the beach at 8:30 am (5 miles from our home - not a lot of traffic through Laguna Canyon) surf until 10:30 am, go home to switch boards and clothes, leave at 11:30 am, hit the drive thru for lunch and arrive at Wrightwood for snowboarding at about 1:30 or 2 and snowboard until 5 pm - leave for Palm Springs from Wrightwood and arrive at 7 pm (there's not a lot of traffic in the desert) be done with dinner by 9, you'll be back in Orange County by 10:45 pm. And we've done exactly that at those times. If you want to take the toll roads and fast trac lanes, it costs but you can shave even more time off. You say you've tried it, there is NO POSSIBLE WAY, short of some disaster, you sat in traffic for 4 hours to get to the Mountains I don't care what time of the day it was. I've lived in LA, Ventura and Orange Counties and I know the traffic here like the back of my hand. You obviously don't.

Um...I live in Los Angeles (Marina del Rey) and have for the past three years. You are obviously the one who does not have a clue and likes to give statements that are not based in fact. I can tell you, without a doubt, that it has taken me 4 hours to get to Big Bear without any major natural disasters. Its longer to get up to the Mammoth area.

I can even do you one better. I had to pick some friends up in Burbank one Friday evening recently. Its 22 miles door-to-door from Marina Del Rey and it took me almost two hours.

The fact that you don't believe it can take four hours to go 117 miles in LA traffic shows the kind of delusional hatemonger you really are.

I'll be the first to admit that California is beautiful and has some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere in the US. Unfortunately, its some of the people that can make it utterly disgusting.