tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post4421043101008776345..comments2011-01-18T00:13:34.971-08:00Srahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09654911015547100987noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-48504645793959003282011-01-18T00:13:34.792-08:002011-01-18T00:13:34.792-08:00Claire: Right, I forgot that I have several Ohioans and a few other random midwesterners who read my blog... so, er... there&#39;s nothing wrong with your creepy, I mean, completely charming style of friendliness... Yeah. ;)<br><br>Personally, I think you would make a great linguist. I think I have a natural talent for language-related things, but I suspect you might have it more so than I. But as a warning, unless you are going to pursue an academic career, or if you are interested in computational linguistics (human language replication with computers), there&#39;s not much of a clear career-path with a linguistics degree. Not that that should stop you from doing it! <br><br>Mary: When I read through the post before publishing, I wondered if that opening paragraph might be misleading. I think my relationship with Ian is pretty darn stable. I&#39;m betting we&#39;ll even make it out of the ringer of law school intact.<br><br>B.R.: Thanks very much. I&#39;m really excited to enter this new chapter of life. The more I&#39;ve let my trip marinate mentally, the more convinced I am that this is going to be ok. I remarked to Ian how happy I felt while in Portland, in contrast to how I usually feel in Salt Lake, and I think a lot of that has to do with the culture. Over there I feel like I&#39;m not an unusual person, whereas here I feel like I have to repress part of myself a lot. Not that I don&#39;t love Salt Lake, but I think living in a place more like me will be more rewarding.Srahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09654911015547100987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-32806665196642655532011-01-18T00:13:34.491-08:002011-01-18T00:13:34.491-08:00Ok, first, I&#39;m going to have to respectfully DISAGREE about your jab about Midwesterners. I think we&#39;re a very genuine bunch. Definitely different than the west coast kindness, but far from creepy. =)<br><br>And second, it&#39;s cool that you seem to have gotten a pretty good feel for Portland. Sounds like the people there are REAL and not afraid to share a little bit of themselves (in an uncreepy way, of course) with a potential citizen. Seems to me, that would be a great place to plant yourself for a few years.SoMi's Nilsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474642034399063234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-27882091367802027742011-01-18T00:13:33.899-08:002011-01-18T00:13:33.899-08:00Here&#39;s a blog you might like. She posts a lot of green around Portland: http://www.nestmaker.com/<br><br>Sounds like a great trip! My ex and I always talked about moving there. But I am not at all nostalgic for the ex or our plan of moving there now that I am here!Erinhttp://www.poorpenmanship.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-13731118822374381732011-01-18T00:13:33.693-08:002011-01-18T00:13:33.693-08:00Jeez--this is so GREAT. I am so happy for you that things are coming together. And to have them come together near copious amounts of book AND moonshine? Kismet.The Over-Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027583884045527896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-65126382446604709372009-04-04T09:35:00.000-07:002009-04-04T09:35:00.000-07:00Jeez--this is so GREAT. I am so happy for you that things are coming together. And to have them come together near copious amounts of book AND moonshine? Kismet.The Over-Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027583884045527896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-35530469041541589602009-03-30T14:02:00.000-07:002009-03-30T14:02:00.000-07:00I've never been to Portland, but it sounds great. I'm glad you liked it and were able to look at the good and the bad. The park/forest around the law school sounds awesome. I wish I had that option near my workplace. Good luck making your decision.natabirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17520972808286708244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-42432937405763847202009-03-30T11:01:00.000-07:002009-03-30T11:01:00.000-07:00Pants: I didn't grow to truly appreciate Salt Lake's mountains until recent years. After hiking Mt. Olympus last year, every time I see the mountains I stare in awe. That's no exaggeration. I will miss them the most when I leave Utah. But at least Portland has hills, and mountains an hour's drive away or so. (Volcanic mountains at that - score!)<BR/><BR/>Nilsa: When my car broke down in Illinois on a cross-country roadtrip, I was slightly taken aback when the mechanics presented my tripmate and I with a flower while we waited. Creepy to me, because it's very different from how things are out west, but nice, yes. :)<BR/><BR/>Sov: No, Portland doesn't feel like Salt Lake. It is a slightly alien land that will take getting used to, but culture wise it is a better fit for me.<BR/><BR/>Erin: Thanks for the link, I've been enjoying her pictures. The coast has so much bizarre plant life that fascinates me.Srahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09654911015547100987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-490060986462262482009-03-26T12:52:00.000-07:002009-03-26T12:52:00.000-07:00Here's a blog you might like. She posts a lot of green around Portland: http://www.nestmaker.com/<BR/><BR/>Sounds like a great trip! My ex and I always talked about moving there. But I am not at all nostalgic for the ex or our plan of moving there now that I am here!Erinhttp://www.poorpenmanship.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-21617231707986829162009-03-24T17:09:00.000-07:002009-03-24T17:09:00.000-07:00I'm from the Midwest, born and raised. We're all a bunch of dicks.<BR/><BR/>Look at all the green stuff in those pictures! Look at all of that water! I miss water. I don't miss green stuff though, because it makes me sneeze.<BR/><BR/>I think Portland will be a good fit for you. It feels a little like Sugarhouse, only a lot bigger. Well... that's not exactly right either. Seattle feels like Sugar House. Portland doesn't feel like Salt Lake though, that's for sure. You know what I mean.sovhttp://sovknight.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-26762291703790414952009-03-24T15:46:00.000-07:002009-03-24T15:46:00.000-07:00wow, i also love MLS!! cool! i didn't know portland was getting a team. <BR/><BR/>i love the maxx train in portland. <BR/><BR/>i love powell's. <BR/><BR/>there are mountains there, even though they are kinda far away.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00952924523610953137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-24002748884178535272009-03-24T12:13:00.000-07:002009-03-24T12:13:00.000-07:00Ok, first, I'm going to have to respectfully DISAGREE about your jab about Midwesterners. I think we're a very genuine bunch. Definitely different than the west coast kindness, but far from creepy. =)<BR/><BR/>And second, it's cool that you seem to have gotten a pretty good feel for Portland. Sounds like the people there are REAL and not afraid to share a little bit of themselves (in an uncreepy way, of course) with a potential citizen. Seems to me, that would be a great place to plant yourself for a few years.SoMi's Nilsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474642034399063234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-84391924543960482009-03-24T04:00:00.000-07:002009-03-24T04:00:00.000-07:00Wow, you had an excellent trip! <BR/><BR/>My guy visited Portland a few months ago and fell in love...we've talked about moving there, but probably not for a few years. I need to get my butt there and see what I think!<BR/><BR/>It's funny how living someplace makes you adjust to everything...moving to SLC from the bay area, it drove me INSANE that there were no hills here. Sure, there are glorious, enormous mountains (that are gorgeous and I've grown to love) but I missed seeing green everywhere and not always being able to see EVERYWHERE. Well, at least not being able to see everywhere when the air quality is decent, which is an entirely different SLC rant.Miss Pantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08265064473412574363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-69457870971290495672009-03-23T13:13:00.000-07:002009-03-23T13:13:00.000-07:00Claire: Right, I forgot that I have several Ohioans and a few other random midwesterners who read my blog... so, er... there's nothing wrong with your creepy, I mean, completely charming style of friendliness... Yeah. ;)<BR/><BR/>Personally, I think you would make a great linguist. I think I have a natural talent for language-related things, but I suspect you might have it more so than I. But as a warning, unless you are going to pursue an academic career, or if you are interested in computational linguistics (human language replication with computers), there's not much of a clear career-path with a linguistics degree. Not that that should stop you from doing it! <BR/><BR/>Mary: When I read through the post before publishing, I wondered if that opening paragraph might be misleading. I think my relationship with Ian is pretty darn stable. I'm betting we'll even make it out of the ringer of law school intact.<BR/><BR/>B.R.: Thanks very much. I'm really excited to enter this new chapter of life. The more I've let my trip marinate mentally, the more convinced I am that this is going to be ok. I remarked to Ian how happy I felt while in Portland, in contrast to how I usually feel in Salt Lake, and I think a lot of that has to do with the culture. Over there I feel like I'm not an unusual person, whereas here I feel like I have to repress part of myself a lot. Not that I don't love Salt Lake, but I think living in a place more like me will be more rewarding.Srahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09654911015547100987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-8190592914392184722009-03-23T12:55:00.000-07:002009-03-23T12:55:00.000-07:00Dear Sra:<BR/><BR/>Congratulations! I am convinced the cleanliness and quietude of the place will be most conducive to your studies and life.<BR/>I didn't fall in love with Portland till after my first visit.<BR/>I have kept going since.<BR/>Apropos, that first pic of Portland is almost the same as one we took a while back.<BR/>I enjoyed your post. It's informed, careful, the opposite of impulsive: in short it reflects careful consideration. It made me reminisce re: things Portland. <BR/>An exciting chapter in your life is about to start for you and we're rooting for you.<BR/>Cheers.B.R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00224691839509403692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-17049008999003045562009-03-23T08:29:00.000-07:002009-03-23T08:29:00.000-07:00At first I thought this entry was straight-up telling me you broke up with the great guy, and I was more pissed than I should have been considering, hey, I don&#39;t really know you ;-0. <BR/>I get what you are saying here. A friend of mine vacationed in Portland twice and the second year came back saying that was were they&#39;d be looking for a home. What?<BR/>She lived in sunny California and had a great job, so did her husband. No no, she and her husband fell in love with Portland. I did gently suggest to her that since at home she worked a lot, the draw of Portland may have partly been the free time &amp; fun, that if she was having in Cali, she&#39;d enjoy just as much.<BR/>~MaryFrankandMaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02258761679081671836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282622450893966209.post-70176334937826050862009-03-23T07:47:00.000-07:002009-03-23T07:47:00.000-07:00Well, good for you, sister. That was a lovely little portrait of Portland in a nutshell. <BR/><BR/>I've long desired a trip to Portland, and not just because I enjoy moss and gushing about environmentally responsible urban climes. Powell's is a sort of mecca for me, and I fully intend to visit it one day soon.<BR/><BR/>My ex, Venessa The Crazy, was from Portland, but please don't hold that against it. I'm sure it had no idea what it had produced until it was far too late.<BR/><BR/>Also, one small note in defense of Midwestern Friendliness: it may seem creepy, but chances are, we like you. We like you already. Need a lift to the bus station, total stranger? Hop in, it's on my way. Need a buck for the soda machine? Sure thing, chief. And, yes, we will say "hi" to you, because that's the way we were raised, and it's one of those fragments left from an age where all the men wore hats and nobody spat on the sidewalk.<BR/><BR/>The ironic flipside to this, of course, is our sometimes total contempt for people we already know. I guess Midwest Nice is different from Minnesota or Portland Nice in that we assume we like you, but once we get to know you, act like we hate you.<BR/><BR/>Reading about your impending voyage into law makes me want to have an adventure of my own. Perhaps it's time I go back to get that linguistics degree I'm always carrying on about.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing, and for the inspiration!Clairehttp://labarceloneta.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com