What I Love, Hate, Like, Dislike about Portland Oregon (garden, beaches)

[Koale]

from the original post... can someone please explain 'Electrosmog'?
Koale

[Sprightly]

Originally Posted by Koale

from the original post... can someone please explain 'Electrosmog'?
Koale

That is the amount of wireless signals in the air from cell towers and wireless networks on top of radio/tv signals. There are those who are sensitive to wireless frequencies - it is a recognized medical condition in some countries though treated as paranoia here in the US. These days the only way to avoid electrosmog would be to live out in the country.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Minervah

If you are addressing my post, you are missing my whole point which is I am not blaming Portland for my medical conditions at all. Quite the opposite in fact.

No, wasn't addressing you, but the poster who declared it a "clear and present danger."

[PNWdreamin]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

Moderator cut: discuss the topic and not each other I have had plenty of neighbors that moved here from other places move right back out in two to three years.
But everyone else is right also. If you learn what it takes to cope with the wet weather you can learn to love it.
AND NO IT DOES NOT CONSTANTLY RAIN FOR NINE MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR. (*it just seems like it)

It kind of goes like this:
First year: Oooooh I love the rain and the cool damp weather, it's cool and green and nature is everywhere and it's so cozy, I just curl up with soup and a good book or drink microbrew or go out to eat!

Summer!!!! This place is great! (Forget all about the rainy season)

Second year: It must be raining more this year, and I'm tired of hanging out inside and my butt is getting big from all the soup. I'll try going out and doing things, but I'm tired of it being wet outside all the time even when it's not raining. Where are all the summer foodcarts? I'm not going to ride my bike in the rain. I should get carpets the color of mud! Gosh look at the size of that slug!!!!!!!!!

Summer! This place is great! (Forget all about the rainy season)

Third year: Everybody warned me about the weather but I didn't believe them 'cause I love the rain! People even showed me scientific data that it doesn't rain that much here. But boy, it really seems like it rains all the time. Summer was wonderful, but I need more sun. Summers are way to short here. It's not going to stop raining and warm up until July? I'm moving to Austin before it starts raining again!

If they make it a fourth year, they usually stay.

So you would say that it takes about four years for most to really acclimate to the weather? I told my hubby that if and when we move there, he needs to give it about three years to really adjust to weather. But do you honestly think it takes four? I keep reading that some people are fine the first year, really dislike it the second, but then grow to either be okay with it or love it! Would you say this is accurate for most? Well, other than those who freak out and move right away

I know my dearest friend lived in So. Cal her entire life. After meeting her now hubby, she moved to Sheridan Wyoming and cried for the first 2 years! She was in culture shock and depressed all the time, but she stuck it out for love. It's been about 8 years now and she is married with 3 kids and loves it! They moved out of town because they didn't want neighbors and now live on 40 acres with lambs, hens, horses etc. Her favorite time of year is now the freezing cold winters of Wyoming because she thinks it's quiet and beautiful. It is the opposite of all she ever knew and she wouldn't trade it for anything. But it took her a while to get there

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Well I believe the time to acclimate depends on the person.

But I think in the first year, when everything is new and exciting, transplants have other things to concern themselves with besides the weather.
Getting the kids in school, learning the new town, figuring how things work around here, that kind of thing. They are to preoccupied to let the rainy weather get them down.

In the second year, some of the newness has worn off, but there is still a ton of stuff to learn about and explore about your new locale. It still feels fresh.

By the third year, most of that is old hat, and people start to focus more on their own situation, daily life seems normal again instead of the adventurous feeling of the first couple of years in a new town. It stasrts to feel like home.

I think that's when people really begin noticing that the weather here is different than say Arizona or Texas or New York.
They may have absolutely loved the cool wet weather at first, but now realize that our glorious short summers may not be a fair tradeoff for the rainy season.

Someone is bound to point out that it is not gloomy wet and raining ALL the time, and that's true.
But in the winter days are short, clear sunny days are infrequent, and if you work inside all day, it seems like it's dark all the time.
Personally I think the weather is perfect, but I grew up here. (well honestly, February and March seem to drag on forever.)
My favorite season is the Fall.

But like I said, it depends on the person and I think most people dwell on the weather too much.
It is what it is.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

No, wasn't addressing you, but the poster who declared it a "clear and present danger."

Ah, okay. I wasn't sure.

[amwxx]

I would have to say the number one thing about Portland that bothers me is that it seems so bland. Even down to the weather. Also it seems like a lot of people here have been sheltered somewhat from the rest of the country.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by amwxx

I would have to say the number one thing about Portland that bothers me is that it seems so bland.

Do you mean from a diversity standpoint?

[UrbanAdventurer]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

Well I believe the time to acclimate depends on the person.

But I think in the first year, when everything is new and exciting, transplants have other things to concern themselves with besides the weather.
Getting the kids in school, learning the new town, figuring how things work around here, that kind of thing. They are to preoccupied to let the rainy weather get them down.

In the second year, some of the newness has worn off, but there is still a ton of stuff to learn about and explore about your new locale. It still feels fresh.

By the third year, most of that is old hat, and people start to focus more on their own situation, daily life seems normal again instead of the adventurous feeling of the first couple of years in a new town. It stasrts to feel like home.

I think that's when people really begin noticing that the weather here is different than say Arizona or Texas or New York.
They may have absolutely loved the cool wet weather at first, but now realize that our glorious short summers may not be a fair tradeoff for the rainy season.

Someone is bound to point out that it is not gloomy wet and raining ALL the time, and that's true.
But in the winter days are short, clear sunny days are infrequent, and if you work inside all day, it seems like it's dark all the time.
Personally I think the weather is perfect, but I grew up here. (well honestly, February and March seem to drag on forever.)
My favorite season is the Fall.

But like I said, it depends on the person and I think most people dwell on the weather too much.
It is what it is.

I'm sure the weather seems normal to people who grow up with it, while transplants will find it noticeable and possibly hard to tolerate. I've been a Pacific Northwesterner (Seattle and Portland) for over 20 years combined since I was 10 and you're right, it eventually just becomes a non-issue that you jokingly complain about but aren't really bothered by that much. Having come from SoCal, where year-round sunshine is the norm, Seattle was totally different, but you don't really think about that stuff much when you're a kid.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by amxx

I would have to say the number one thing about Portland that bothers me is that it seems so bland. Even down to the weather. Also it seems like a lot of people here have been sheltered somewhat from the rest of the country.

That is an interesting observation since many people here are from other parts of the country. I do think though that people raised on opposite coasts often have a little different view of them if they have never been there.