The City of Portland gave a $125,000 grant to PICA for the Time Based Art Festival. The Oregonian estimates “the festival generates $400,000 for local businesses during its 10 days.”

The TBA is the yearly event I am most excited about in Portland. it used to be the PIFF, but the TBA is so much more challenging. Performance based art intimidates me, and last year I didn’t go to as many things as I should have. It’s also exciting to have people I know be a part of such an important city event.

I hope I’m not the only person who appreciates nature’s sudden decision to play catch-up for the last month of bliss.

I mean, really, had we any right to enjoy the last month of late-spring-like sunniness and joy?

As a Portlander, I feel offended if I don’t get my full 6 months of Seasonal Affective Disorder in. And it really makes it hard to really enjoy the summer.

So, today as I sat in my office that has no windows, I was gratified when the metal roof of the building that I work in started to reverberate with the sound of a torrential downpour that has been too-long in coming.

Why, really, am I glad it’s raining? It gives me an excuse to not walk my dog, who I love dearly, but who isn’t taking too well to my new attempts at the “Heel” command. It’s not like I’m doing it wrong. I swear, I spent a whole 10 minutes reading the “Heel” command section of some book at Petco (being to cheap to actually buy it), and implemented what I learned immediately last night.

Whatever. Point is, I now get more time to play X-Box while I continually try to re-interest my dog in whatever chew toy I’ve provided her to keep her occupied.

Of course, give me three days, and I’ll be lamenting the blotting out of the sun by Oregon’s infernal rainy weather. But, until then, I think I’m gonna find a puddle and stomp in it.

See you out there!

Iím a huge U2 fan. U2, as you may have heard, is coming to Portland on December 19, 2005 to finish up their world tour.

I expect this to be an epic offering.

Just think about it. First, the last show of the tour. Iíve never been to a last show, but being a last show must be good for something special, right?

Second, itís the week before Christmas. That oughtta be good for a ìItís Christmas, Baby Please Come Homeî or something. Somewhere I have a version of U2 doing ìI Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clausî at a concert, so I know they can do seasonal bits.

Anyway, I made a futile attempt to acquire tickets on Saturday. I was afraid Iíd have to miss out entirely on this grand masterpiece, until my friend Joe reminded me of stubhub.com. After a brief visit there, I was able to acquire tickets for myself, JLowe, and two other friends with only a faint wince at the mark-up (after all, U2 is worth an extra $40, no?)

So, see you at the Garden, my friends. Iíve already got shivers.

Catch ya later.

From the Press Release:

You are invited to attend the world premiere of Gimme Doughnut, a documentary short about Portland, Oregon’s notorious late night doughnut shop, Voodoo Doughnut. Located in Portland’s Old Town district, Voodoo Doughnut has received inernational attention for their elaborate, unusual, and tasty doughnuts, the annual “Cock Fest,” free Swahili lessons, weddings, and more. Much more.

Friday night – March 18th at 7pm.
Hollywood Theater on Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR

Being the consummate metrosexual is not easy. First of all, it necessitates spending hundreds of dollars per year on your face alone. Add teenage acne into the mix, and it can be fairly daunting.

However, I have a quest. To be shaved by a barber with a straight razor.

Following on Mike’s post about Bishops, let me say something. They will shave you, for a good price, but they don’t do it with a straight razor. Too bad, too bad.

Bishops is, according to CNN, the barbershop with an edge.

You’ll remember my last post about Bishops was complaining about their lack of originality. I ended that entry with, “Well, until I learn more, I plan on staying away from Bishops.” I was there last Saturday, needing a haircut before a wedding later that day.

I still find it frustrating that Bishops gets press for their “original” idea.

…that this (presumably) much older woman has a huge crush on The O’s Back Seat columnist Steven Beaven?

I can also say unequivocably that the Back Seat column is one of the few (very few) things I look foward to during my Monday morning O read.

Perhaps it’s just because he interjects a sense of humor, not to mention style, in what otherwise could be a deadly dull topic. And today? We got a two-fer, no less!

How can you resist lines like “it’s enough to give a nerd a headache” inserted into what’s supposed to be a straight news story about the TriMet “251 cars are at home…” calculations? Well, maybe you can. But I can’t…

So thanks to the Joy That Is Customized Google News, my Portland Oregon feed showed me that Albuquerque wants a basketball “farm” team. It showed up because one of the key figures in this is a Portland Oregon native (which has nothing to do with the story, but they mentioned it anyway).

So, they’re short a coach anyway, (even though some think there’s hope), and they certainly aren’t the institution they used to be, let alone loved, why don’t we give the Blazers to Albuquerque? As a novelty they’ll have higher attendance, and maybe being so excited to have them, the city will let some of those ‘jailblazer’ allegations slide…
(more…)

There is a link to an article about the green flaming thing flying through the air.

But first the green flying thing needs to be described. It came burning down out of the heavens and disappeared (as I saw it) over the City of Portland. My girlfriend said (as we sat on the Burnside Bridge waiting for the halves to reunite) that it must have been a firework. I had my doubts, but kept my mouth closed.

Apparently I was not the only one to see it, for it has ripple across both the local, Portland blogs and blogs across the US.

Here’s the KATU article I was speaking about.

http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=75661

sleater-kinney w/ mr. fuzby

Originally uploaded by elphster.

Sleater-Kinney apparently have been shooting a new video in Portland, or somewhere in the general area. elphster has a few pictures from the shoot up on Flickr.