Enough with the complaining... (Portland: fit in, to rent, condo)

[oldtintype]

I just came back from a trip to LA...if that's supposedly lucky (climate, culture) then I guess I'm glad I'm living here. The pollution was terrible. Who cares if it's hot all the time when the air is terrible! No place is perfect.

[Merkin_Ball]

Couldn't agree more with what you said. I lived in Huntsville for a while and was so disgusted. Their parks were dirty, the people were less-than hospitable, the weather absolutely sucked! The AC would be cranked up everywhere you went and as soon as you stepped out is was a wall of hot, humid air. You sweat instantly and become drenched in a matter of seconds, and then as soon as you step back inside, all that sweat makes you freeze!

I think you, and others here really are missing why some of the people here complain. They are really doing you a service. While I was in the Army, I was constantly asked what is in Oregon? I always responded with a question to the likes of, "Have you ever thought about moving there?". Depending on their answer, I would either give them the "it is horrible, it rains, it is boring etc... " or I would give the truth ".. I live an hour from the beach, an hour from the Mtn, an hour from the "big city", and all the while I can step out of my house and be in God's Eden." I am guessing there are a few souls here playing a lot of Devil's advocate... So when you hear someone complain about Oregon, you should shrug it off and realize they are helping to keep it a "private paradise", at least for you smaller towns and parks. And yes, I am referring mostly to the northwest corner, although Bend might want to jump in on this. I could list quite a few towns and parks that have grown and changed for the worse in my short life time...

Just my food for thought...

[argo69]

Some of the negative comments in the Portland thread are so wildly undescriptive of the Portland that I have experienced while visiting that I can't help but agree with Merkin_Ball. At least some of these comments have got to be intended solely to keep more people from moving to the area...

[Stuck in South]

...New Orleans is a cool place to visit. It's a shame it has such an imminently perilous fate because it's certainly unique. But the weather is a deal breaker. That's why "the (tourist) season" runs from late in the year until Jazzfest in spring.

California, I am divided on as I find the northern end more attractive than the southern portion.

[TomMcCall]

Originally Posted by Merkin_Ball

Couldn't agree more with what you said. I lived in Huntsville for a while and was so disgusted. Their parks were dirty, the people were less-than hospitable, the weather absolutely sucked! The AC would be cranked up everywhere you went and as soon as you stepped out is was a wall of hot, humid air. You sweat instantly and become drenched in a matter of seconds, and then as soon as you step back inside, all that sweat makes you freeze!

I think you, and others here really are missing why some of the people here complain. They are really doing you a service. While I was in the Army, I was constantly asked what is in Oregon? I always responded with a question to the likes of, "Have you ever thought about moving there?". Depending on their answer, I would either give them the "it is horrible, it rains, it is boring etc... " or I would give the truth ".. I live an hour from the beach, an hour from the Mtn, an hour from the "big city", and all the while I can step out of my house and be in God's Eden." I am guessing there are a few souls here playing a lot of Devil's advocate... So when you hear someone complain about Oregon, you should shrug it off and realize they are helping to keep it a "private paradise", at least for you smaller towns and parks. And yes, I am referring mostly to the northwest corner, although Bend might want to jump in on this. I could list quite a few towns and parks that have grown and changed for the worse in my short life time...

Just my food for thought...

This! This x 100! I grew up in a small town. Population was <2500 in the 80's then exploded in the 90's and is now around 10,000. It is completely different. I have been chasing to find a town similar ever since. This also happened with Lincoln City. I used to love going there, now I don't. I know it is still beautiful and has lots to offer, it is just not for me anymore. Luckily, there are many coastal towns that have not been made into giant parking lots for the masses. I also used to spend a lot of time at Silver Falls SP. I miss the days where we could make a random trip there, now you have to plan ahead, fight traffic and people to get there first. All of this is because population growth, unregulated development, and IMO people who preach the word of Oregon to the wrong people. I applaud Merkin for bringing this to the attention of others here.

The question we should be asking is each other is: "If you found the pot of gold why on earth would you tell others about it?!" Those that are here know the beauty, know how great it is, know that we really do live in the best place on earth, so why would you want to go and muck it all up?

[juliempdx]

I say let them complain all they want and maybe us Oregonians will get lucky and they will go back to where they came from. We just moved from PDX to Pittsburgh and the locals have been asking me what Portland is like, I have to admit I have been down playing it so more people won't move there.

[Bluesmama]

Actually, I think the worst part of our climate are the winter ice storms. The heavy snow (never "powdery") always compacts into thick ice, and we all know what driving conditions are like. 'Been living here since the 70's when most of the residents were natives, and people still didn't know how to drive in those conditions. I'm just glad that those storms don't occur more often than they do (although it's good for Mt. Hood).

[oldtintype]

We have maybe one ice storm a year and heavy snow?!? I don't think most people define heavy snow as 5 inches or less

[meltinjohn]

In my response to all this, after 4 yrs, I still have not fully adapted to FL weather.
I stay in as much as frikken possible. I was out almost every day in Portland and when it was hot, I was reminded of how FL was again altho not as humid but hot enough. I was still kinda dying getting on the bus especially since I had to stand there and wait for it lol. I could easily live out there tho knowing it only gets that hot for maybe a little string of days in the summer with the heavy sun but most of the yr its cloudy. I don't suffer from seasonal depression at all. I thought I once did when I lived in western PA but in reality, I just hated that area lol. It had no jobs and no life to it. If someone was moving to Portland tho, would anyone suggest NE 82nd at all? I know its not a great area by any stretch but for a ghetto, still not too bad either.

[oldtintype]

Why would anyone CHOOSE to live on NE 82nd, or 82nd in general...tons of traffic/noise, problems with prostitution, etc. There are plenty of other places to live that are inexpensive that don't have those problems.