Oregon Coast

What took so long?

I've been a couple hours (ok, 3 hours) from the coast for the last 3.5 months. Why haven't I made the trip before? I attempted to once and got lost trying to find the scenic route through the mountains to the ocean. Then, I guess I got too busy exploring other things. I should have gone earlier.

This time, we just took the highway. We went through the tip of the California Redwoods. Absolutely amazing. My imagination didn't even touch the size of those trees after actually seeing them in real life. Unfortunately, no pictures of the redwoods.

Drove up the coast a bit, and found a wonderful beach. My first ocean view in over a year, and my, oh my, was it a beautiful view. Every time I see the ocean again, I remember how much I miss it.

Comments from Portland

I made a trip to Portland last weekend. Oh, what an amazing city! I could easily see myself living there. It's almost perfect. Small, with funky neighborhoods, but still has that big city feel, yet I managed to get around with minimal difficulty. Two stories that stand out in my mind to share...

I was walking down the side street off a busy shopping area heading to the car when a car full of girls drives by me. One of them rolls down her window and shouts at me. "Cool pants!" Any city in which some random girl likes my pants enough to say so out of her moving car is alright by me.

The other comment just illustrates the city atomsphere. Maybe I'm missing a city too much after living in this more rural area that I'm in right now. You be the judge. It's Sunday morning, and I'm in the streetcar heading downtown. There's, perhaps, 4 people on the car besides my friend and I. We're standing by the doors, which are 2 double doors, and we are not blocking them be any means. A person could, in fact, comfortably hold onto the rails on either side of the door. My friend and I are getting off in 2 stops. An older lady and her gentleman friend move to get off the train at the next stop. My friend and I don't move. They both can easily get on and off the streetcar and hold the rails on either side of the door. The lady body checks me, and then yells at me as she's getting off the car. "You wouldn't move for someone that's old enough to be your grandma." So, first of all, she was not any where near old enough to be my grandmother. Second, there was no need for me to move as she had easy access to the door and the hand rails. Ah, my city visit was complete as I got properly scolded for no good reason.

Portland...I had so much fun that I'm going back this weekend.

P.S. Jeff, if you're reading this, I visited Mount Tabor while there. One of the only cities with an extinct volcano within its boundaries and made into a beautiful city park.

Alarm Clock Radio

I have no idea what radio station I listen to. When I moved, I plugged in my alarm clock and turned on the radio when I was setting the alarm. Whatever radio station it was set on came through clear, with no static, and wasn't something I considered offensive. And, as luck would have it, when the alarm went off in the morning, I awoke to the news and the weather report. Perfect.

Perfect, that is, until this week. Let's remember what time of the year it is. It is November. It is NOT yet even Thanksgiving. I know it is in a couple of days, but it has not passed yet.

So, why, oh why, am I waking each morning to Christmas carols???

Unbelievable Snippets

I am a traveling health care professional currently on assignment on the West coast. I also have a nose piercing. This is background for the stories I'm sharing tonight.

I was working with a 70 something year old female who'd just had surgery. She was quizzing me about my nose piercing. Usually, at this point, I try to redirect the conversation AWAY from this. Coming from the conservative Midwest, nose piercings aren't regarded highly by the elderly. This lady was not being redirected. She wanted to know EVERYTHING. How was it done? Did it hurt? Did it get infected? Could you choose between a stud or a hoop? Then, she tells me that she's thinking about getting her nose pierced. I was floored. That's right. This 70 something lady wanted a nose ring. Wow. She wanted a nose ring. Unbelievable.

The second and final story for the evening is regarding an 80 something year old male who'd broken his leg. It's pretty common for me to work with older people after they've broken their legs. Usually, they break their hips falling in some way or another. Not this gentleman. Nope. He broke his leg while doing a motocross race. Wow. A motocross race. Unbelievable.

Only on the West coast.

Monster Trucks

A girlfriend and I went to a Monster Truck Challenge last night. Neither of us had ever been to one. My girlfriend is a huge fan of big trucks. The bigger, the better. What better place to go, then, than a monster truck challenge? I just figured I could get some good pictures. (This one is taken with my camera phone. I forgot my real camera. Definitely not the best quality.)



Before heading out for the evening, we'd called a couple of others who had expressed some interest in going with us. My girlfriend also called a guy friend she's interested in, but who's currently unavailable. The conversation went something like this:

A: "Whatcha doing tonight?"

Guy: "Just hanging out. How about you?"

A: "Heading to the Monster Truck Challenge. Wanna go?"

Guy: "NO!" Emphatically spoken, no hesitation, in a "What in the hell are you thinking?" tone.

For the rest of the evening, with any yes/no questions, the answer, as you might guess, was always an "are-you-crazy?", unflinching NO response.

What are friends for?

"What? You can't afford a coat with sleeves?"

It was a little cold the other morning as my dog and I headed out for our morning run. Probably in the upper 30's. Not bad. It was supposed to be in the 60's for the day. A crisp autumn start for the morning. A couple of people were actually warming up their cars before going to work. I didn't think it was that cold.

I took my dog out once again before leaving for the day. Still a little chilly. I could see my breath. I grabbed a vest before making the daily jaunt to work. I didn't think it was that cold.

I walk into the office at work with my hands wrapped around a steaming cup of chai.

"What? You can't afford a coat with sleeves?" was how I was greeted to start the work day.

I laugh and look at a coworker who also hails from a colder climate. She shakes her head. These California boys...They don't even come out of the house if it's below freezing.