Are you glad you moved to the Portland area(or glad that you always lived there)? (Gresham: home, job market)

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by Venusian_Artist

Alright, that's fair. It just makes me wonder when someone puts so much energy into bad-mouthing a place they're glad they left. It's like old wounds aren't healing or something.

I feel the same way about California (nasty septic tank of a region,) only I rarely go into those forums. I guess I'm just not that curious what people there say about a place I used to live. Can't speak for you, but I'm pretty confident in my evaluation of my past, so I could care less if people glow about the places I've lived or damn them to eternal Hellfire. It changes nothing for me.

It's cultural. I was raised to treat people like I'd like to be treated. In the future, I would like such information available to me about possible destinations. Therefore, I am to dispense similar information.

Your'e a West Coaster in possession of all the acrimony, arrogance and indifference to others that's so common for you folks as you've so generously demonstrated in this thread. As I said, you're perfect.

Edit: Regarding arrogance, it just drips from you West Coasters. You lead off with "Alright, that's fair" like I care what you think is fair. You're a nobody to me who tried to insult me multiple times in your pathetic little West Coast way, and you think I care?

That's the left coast. That's what you people are and, once again, you do a stellar job of representing what Portland is... and why I was unhappy to have moved there, but happy as can be to leave...

[Venusian_Artist]

Originally Posted by One Thousand

Your'e a West Coaster in possession of all the acrimony, arrogance and indifference to others that's so common for you folks as you've so generously demonstrated in this thread. As I said, you're perfect.

And would this be an example of said "raised to treat people like I'd like to be treated" behavior?

Edit: Looks like you added some stuff. When in Rome...I wouldn't get all worked up over an Internet forum, it's just people's opinions. Ironically, I've defended many a Mid-Westerner in arguments with Portlanders. Go figure.

[suncat]

Originally Posted by One Thousand

My God, I didn't know one person who didn't have dentist nightmares. Not one good dentist? What's up with that? Mechanics? Good luck.

Actually, I've been lucky with that. I have two good dentists (Dr. Orazio and Dr. Layport) in Tigard. If you have a Honda, I recommend St. John's Honda (or their counterpart in Hillsboro). They've always been straightforward, fair, competent and friendly. I've bought two cars from them and go back for servicing.

But I do know what you mean. I usually encounter it in the independent coffee shops. You know those types of baristas that are so full of themselves they can't be bothered to get you a cup of coffee with a smile or a thank you. They only sneer at you if you're not "weird."

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by suncat

Actually, I've been lucky with that. I have two good dentists (Dr. Orazio and Dr. Layport) in Tigard. If you have a Honda, I recommend St. John's Honda (or their counterpart in Hillsboro). They've always been straightforward, fair, competent and friendly. I've bought two cars from them and go back for servicing.

But I do know what you mean. I usually encounter it in the independent coffee shops. You know those types of baristas that are so full of themselves they can't be bothered to get you a cup of coffee with a smile or a thank you. They only sneer at you if you're not "weird."

LOL. It's not because you're not weird, it's because they want to make customer service weird. LOL. Are your dentists and mechanic from there, though?

Originally Posted by Venusian_Artist

And would this be an example of said "raised to treat people like I'd like to be treated" behavior?

Yes, it is. One day, you might be on the verge of losing the best thing in your life and the person who's about to take it might just rightfully say that the reason you're losing it is because you're a selfish, bitter person who's unlikable. At that moment, perhaps my enlightened description of you will come to mind and you'll realize the need to change your ways for your own good and the world around you.

You see? I'm giving more to you than anyone in your life who's been nice to you has.

[Venusian_Artist]

Originally Posted by One Thousand

Yes, it is. One day, you might be on the verge of losing the best thing in your life and the person who's about to take it might just rightfully say that the reason you're losing it is because you're a selfish, bitter person who's unlikable. At that moment, perhaps my enlightened description of you will come to mind and you'll realize the need to change your ways for your own good and the world around you.

You see? I'm giving more to you than anyone in your life who's been nice to you has.

Do tell? I guess I should put you on my Christmas card list then.

[Metlakatla]

Well hell. I'm just a hick from Alaska; spending a bit of time at my place in the Oregon hills these days, strumming my banjo on the porch with a straw between my teeth and communing with the critters. Someone up there in this thread was saying something about cultural elitism? Wouldn't be me, no, not ever, even though I get anxiety every time I go on the wrong side of the Rocky Mountains.

[Metlakatla]

I love Portland, by the way. I drop in off the jet to see the offspring as often as I can and usually stay at the Ace Hotel and have cocktails at Clyde Commons. Then I take the train to my cabin in the hills.

[checar]

I have a quick Portland story.
I have a neighbor who has a home colon hydrotherapy business. She does hydrotherapy in her basement. We both moved in around the same time, otherwise I may have passed on the house had I known she had a business. Anyway...

It's an old neighborhood with skinny driveways and not a lot of space between homes.
On multiple occassions her clients couldn't fit into her driveway (though if you have good driving skills it is not a problem) and they parked partially on our lawn.

This was in the winter when the ground is soaked and spongey and large ruts form very easily. It doesn't take much to turn a lawn into a mud pit here in the winter (or fall, or spring for that matter)...

It was a real mess. Nobody ever apologized!

Once, my husband asked someone to move her car off of our yard (in a direct way but without screaming); after that everyone acted terrified of him. I guess he needs some passive-aggressive lessons.

Our neighbor had this attitude like it was our responsibility to pave the area to solve the problem! Again, never an apology.

A month or so after the lawn was first torn up by her clients we had a water main break and we had to dig up much of the front yard to fix it.

So the neighbor used that as a way to try to justify her clients' damage. You see, by her logic, we ended up digging the yard up anyway so what's the big deal?

The point here is that this is a very Portland experience, from what I have seen. Granted, she may be a little extreme. No apology whatsoever - I can't imagine doing that to someone and not even apologizing! And I came here from California, I'm supposed to be the bad guy

A side note - our local elementary school's PE field gets taken over as a very heavily used dog park during eves. and weekends. I've never seen this anywhere but Portland. A school play field full of dog poop, yuck. This is way too dog friendly in my book, and I love dogs.

[Minervah]

Bingo! Smug, self-satisfied, arrogant... it all describes the Portland attitude. I also apologize if I realize I've accidentally done something rude or thoughtless. Portlanders -- if you call them on their bad behavior, ie., asking a parent if their child could please not run around your table in a restaurant, or honk at someone who blatantly cuts you off, you don't get an apology. You get a snotty passive aggressive reply basically telling you it's YOUR problem, or you get flipped off.

Oh so true! I would like to use the example of bus riding. I don't drive so I take the bus everywhere. I have taken the bus in many other cities including London and I have never met such a bunch of rudeness in a "who me?" kind of way.

Passengers constantly block the doorway in the back of the bus even though there are seats open and other places to stand. They sprawl over a seat purposely so no one can sit next to them. I actually had a woman rise, give me a dirty look and look towards the back of the bus obviously looking to see if there were other seats available because I dared sit next to her.

Rarely do I see people getting up to give a seat to the elderly or handicapped. They are growly and surly. This is a kind of Portland attitude I see a lot of also when waiting in a line. They can't do it they just can't stand in a single line one behind the other. They have to step to the side confusing those who newly joined the line to que up behind them forming a new one. I had one lady do the "stand aside" thing and actually had the nerve to try to push in front of me by rearranging the line. Since I am not originally from here, I told her to get back in her place and quit trying to get ahead of me. She looked at me in abject surprise probably expecting me to do the passive-aggressive thing.

I am tickled others see this Portland attitude. It's something I have never witnessed anywhere else and I don't know how it evolved since I cannot remember it being here 30 years ago when I first moved here. Then all I had to contend with were some native co-workers threatening to beat me up because I took a job away from an Oregonian. Ah, good times, good times.

[oldtintype]

I think probably MOST cities have changed a lot in 30 years, not just Portland. I look back on where I used to live and think "the good old days" too.