Late last night we had just left the Hollywood Theatre on Sandy. By the way if you haven’t seen “Crash” you simply must.

The X-chromosomal unit had chosen to park the van on a back street a few blocks east. As we neared the back street, she walked ahead of me in order to open the van.

Walking by myself while she waited in the van, I hear a fairly loud “hey!”

I noticed a woman who appeared to be in her mid-30s. She looked and dressed fairly smart. Not a pockmarked tweaker or tease by any means. Would have looked totally in place at Powell’s.

Not sure if her “hey” was directed to me or not, I ignored her, walked up to, and then entered the van where, by this time, X-chromosomal unit was behind the wheel and waiting for me.

Just a few seconds later, the same woman who had yelled “hey” walked up to the passenger side where she had seen me enter.

At that point I wasn’t sure if she needed directions, or what was going on.

So I lower the window just a bit, and she notices that I am not alone.

“Oh,” she says, and walks off. If she had needed directions, she would have taken comfort from the fact there was a woman there- along with me, two people who were willing to help.

But she did not ask for directions.

I couldn’t tell if she was a prostitute or not, but I couldn’t discount the possibility by any means.

Being trained in Sociology the way I am, I kept on wondering, what led this woman to this path? An abusive boyfriend? Poverty? A drug habit? Her boyfriend’s (or, for that matter, girlfriend’s) drug habit? Homelessness? Some sort of inner pathology of revenge against her father? The latter sounds Freudian and oversimplistic, but I used to know a woman who is now in jail because of repeated DUIs that map back to the fact that she resented the cold parents who adopted her but did not give her the love she needed.

But all I could think of is that if indeed, she was - and is, a prostitute, I hope she takes care of herself. Get tested, baby. Get help. Get off the streets. If faith would help you, then go on that path. And you probably don’t believe it, but there are men in this town, good men, who have overcome some of the same battles you are fighting, and are looking for another heart to heal.

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originally uploaded by russ.

As most Portlanders know, those are some of the “Bridges of Multnomah County.”

I’ve just checked the Portland page on the national SpeedTrap Exchange website, and it appears that the Burnside and Morrison Bridge on ramps and off ramps are the most cited for a “High” level of enforcement.

Unmarked vans, radar cams,cops on motorbikes- you name it.

I have my own theory why. When you come off a bridge that isn’t too crowded, you may be doing 40 or 45 mph. Maybe more. Not a wise pace for city streets.

There’s also a considerable amount of enforcement on the Sunset Highway at Sylvan Hill as well as on the Terwilliger curves.

IMHO the Sylvan problem is largely due to SUVs and other vehicles gunning it to pass trucks that are having a tough time on the vertical lift. After the Highway descends back along the West Slope, it seems that many of those drivers are awful negligent to slow back down to the posted 50 mph.

And the Terwilliger. Don’t get me started. Couldn’t we have built this stretch a bit straighter?

Sexy pants

Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

short shorts
tight muscle t’s
too much cologne
striped socks
headbands
facial hair
synchronized dance moves

i can only be talking about 1 group, Portland’s own - Sexy Pants.

Sexy Pants are made up of 5 guys - 4 singers/performers and the DJ. the guys on stage are all of the above and more. wow. i had heard great reviews of this group, but this was my first time seeing them live. they were at the hawthorne theater and put on a wonderful show. i love when the band engages the audience and vice versa. this was one audience that wasn’t going to allow the band to just perform. i have to say, i didn’t dance my toosh off, but i did groove to the beat. i’m a fan now and plan on seeing them again.

earlier in the evening, we saw Federalli 2 at Acme. i’ve been wanting to see these guys ever since i discovered my friend colin was the bass player. (not really a “friend,” more of an acquaintance from my BJM tour.) Federalli is what some would call spagetti western style music. they write their music based on a yet to be made spagetti western movie, so the music and performance is like listening to a soundtrack. colin is the whistler and boy, he was amazing. i enjoyed the show and ACME.

YAY Portland on a saturday night!

The behavior of Ms. Burdick’s firm is cause enough to not vote for her, in my book.

Link to bix on the subject, via, well….b!x

In my defense, I saw links to his essay on the subject, but chose not to use them because something was preventing the page from loading completely.

After listening to the Portland City Club Debate [mp3, direct link] between Sten, Burdick, Boyles and Lister, I’ve narrowed my personal field of candidates a little bit. In this post, I’ll talk about why I’m for sure not voting for two of the candidates and why I’m split on the other two.

(much, much more behind the jump)
(more…)

When *I* don’t show up for a meeting at my company, I don’t get to use the ‘I overslept’ excuse. Do you?

Do you get to shrug and head out to get something to eat first without first talking to your boss about the issue? I don’t either.

Apparently multi-millionaire Darius MIles feels he can sleep through practice, then just go have lunch once he wakes up (without even calling anyone to apologize for his absence.) Sure, he got benched - but appears to shrug that off too (according to this O article, anyway.)

Yeah, I’m living up to my responsibilities. What more am I supposed to do?

For starters, show up where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there, and then put in some freaking effort already. Every day. The same thing the rest of us poor working slobs have to do - or else get fired.

Couldn’t all of those high-priced lawyers and business-savvy (cough, cough) owners have built in a clause in that mega-spendy contracts so that they could just fire his lazy ass for cause already?

saw this on the news last night. up in Marquam Nature Park, just down the hill from SW Broadway and Council Crest park, someone went through with a chainsaw and cut down a total of 20 trees, willy nilly. the trees included doug firs, maples and alders. Pete Schulberg of Portland Parks believes someone did this to get a better view from their west hills home.
i remember back in the 80’s or 90’s a story like this down off I5 just south of the city where a bunch of trees disappeared for obvious view reasons. it makes me sick to think that someone in a million $$ house can’t be happy with that, they just need more.

if you know anything about this or live up there and saw something, give the police a call.

IMG_7221

Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

The Cirque du Soleil is in town. haven’t you seen them wandering the streets, climbing trees and flagpoles and balancing 15 people on their elbows? just joshing.

Varekai is the latest from the Cirque people and it sounds awesome. the tents are put up down off SW Moody, just under the marquam bridge. and before you get to the new south waterfront project. (you can see it off in the distance if you look hard.

Varekai is going to be here through April 16 and there are still tickets available. check it out, you will not be dissapointed.

I can’t believe it. I’m sitting outside Three Friends, writing, with no rain drops on my keyboard. Is this a rare treat or a sign of the upcoming, outdoor laptop season? Geez, I feel like I am in spring training.

EPA study, based on 1999 data, says Oregon has the third dirtiest air in the nation.

I dunno, I get all around the state and although I have teared up from a field burn or two, I can look at Mount Hood from 40 miles away as the spotted owl flies and can spot the ski lifts. Air looks pretty clear to me.

And this week’s Willamette Week cover story accuses the Oregonian of “manufacturing” the meth crisis.

Why is it that almost every time the late night local news talks about a wife-beater, a serial burglar, a common-law couple that starved their kids- does the next sentence talk about the meth habits of the accused?

And why, as my ex-girlfriend and school therapist The Marpet always told me, she has seen hundreds of families in her coverage area south of Eugene where it goes like this: logger gets laid off, self esteem tanks, acquires meth habit, hits wife, kids get unfed as whatever money they have goes to ice, ice, baby?

I dunno, maybe I am living in a parallel universe. Excuse me while I try to breathe…