Noviembre 21, 2004

Anniversaries

A year ago yesterday I escaped from Portland for 4 months, I suceeded in my plan to exempt myself from the worst time to be there. Of course I have to state once again, I love Portland for so many reasons but I just can't stand the climate. I remember the day before I left it snowed, like it was Portland's weather god getting one last parting shot at me. It basically NEVER snows in November here. Maybe sometimes in January but never November.

I'm sad because this year I'm stuck here, at least for a month or two, and winter has descended. A plan is forming to permanently escape, but it will be awhile before I can make that happen, because of finances (if you'd like to make a donation to the Steev Escape From Portland Fund, click here. hah.) . So I'm stuck, and it's REALLY COLD here.

I know, it's tough all over. I know, it's cold where you are too, that's what happens in winter. Yeah but did you ever think about how you COULD live somewhere ELSE? Why do you stay? I just don't get why so many people put up with shitty winters. Please add your comments and tell me why you do, if you do.

Also about a year ago, or 13 months ago, Elliott Smith stabbed himself in the heart and died. I remember the extreme sadness people felt around here. He's from Portland. Now his new album is out and I'm downloading the mp3s from Gnutella. I felt a reflexive twinge of guilt and then I thought, no, wait, he's dead, there's no way my $15 would do him a godamn bit of good. I bought 4 of his records when he was alive and I sure hope some of that cash went to him, but now I feel no obligation to help out his record label and other beneficiaries of his celebrity.

Posted by steev at Noviembre 21, 2004 08:13 AM
Comments
I live in the mountains in Washington state and can see Portland and Vancouver (WA) from my view from my front yard. I sure wished I'd escaped last winter! We were snowed in for over a week and the power kept threatening to go out. To keep from going stir crazy on my family, I revisted many old art projects that I'd been neglecting for years and started new ones. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to break with my routine and (re)explore that aspect of my life now. We've had relatively mild winters up till then. I'm getting to really not like winter though, especially in a place where it rains 3/4 of the time in spring, summer and fall. Oh well. The climatologists say that we only get major snow events in the NW every 2 years or so; so maybe we'll get off easy this year. And Elliott Smith. I always thought it sucks when someone starts selling CDs after they die. I, too, wonder who gets fat off of his postmortem success. Save your hard earned dollars for your escape fund. Posted by: Rich at Noviembre 22, 2004 11:16 AM