originally uploaded by russ.
Saw this guy last night, hanging in a nearby tree. In the ‘burbs, Beaverton to be exact.
He’s been here before. Maybe somebody around here feeds him.
Raccoons are cute, but they have been known to bite.
So watch out for the urban wildlife..
I saw that title on a few posts I found (using the technorati link Alex references below) in what I’d call a ‘flippy-do’ way. Alex uses it himself, although in a much more restrained way. And it crystallized for me just why I’m feeling so disconnected from the rest of the world this weekend.
Memorial Day is not a vehicle for wishing someone a “happy” day. Sure, to many people, it signifies nothing more than a 3-day weekend, the start of summer, and a bunch of sales at retail outlets galore. And for a long time, I felt that way too.
But two years ago today, I lost someone dear to me on Memorial Day weekend. He died in a land far far away from home. He joined the ranks of thousands of other soldiers who died in the service of their country.
Sure, I may raise a glass in memory of Joe at a holiday barbecue later this evening. And I may laugh, tell a joke or two, and enjoy myself. But forgive me if I fail to wish you a ‘Happy Memorial Day.’ For the families and friends left grieving the ones they loved and lost, it will never be a holiday that one looks forward to celebrating. And there’s nothing ‘happy’ about it.
The Bonus Army: An American Epic is on PBS tonight. I want to see this one. Seems fitting for Memorial Day.
Looking up blog items on Technorati about Memorial Day in Portland, I ran across a post by Andrew Dickson, a performance artist, who calls Portland and LA his home towns. He does this act about book being an eBay Power Seller. Ironically, I talked to Andrew the other night about a gig he is doing here in Portland next month. More on that another time…
Anyway, his Dad wrote the book that PBS used as the basis for its documentary.
Frm AC Dickson: eBay Power Seller:
In addition to reforming Luddites, my father is author of dozens upon dozens of books, the latest being The Bonus Army: An American Epic, co-written with Tom Allen. Allow me to quote from one of its many five-star reviews on Amazon:
Paul Dickson and Thomas B. Allen set out to chronicle an event, but wound up giving us a look at how politicians deal with the pesky problem of what to do with returning veterans. One of the most shocking aspects of The Bonus Army is how quickly the same men who cheered from the grandstands as these soldiers went off to war in 1918 now wanted them washed away and forgotten.
As an American war veteran I am grateful to Dickson and Allen for writing this book. It should be read by every returning Global War On Terror (GWOT) vet. Like freedom itself, when it comes to holding government to their promises after the trumpets fade, you only get what you are willing to fight for.
The documentary will include archival footage, photographs and interviews with the veterans–a must-see on this Memorial Day weekend.
Happy Memorial Day.
I have plenty of grapefruit juice and Bloody Mary mix – but am out of vodka. My freezer’s stocked with mango cubes, strawberries and frozen mixed berries. My pantry is stocked with coconut milk. But (you guessed it) I’m out of rum.
Of course, I didn’t discover this minor detail until last evening – well after the liquor stores in my immediate vicinity had already closed for the weekend.
And even though I *could* have remedied the shortage today with a trip to a liquor store that’s also open on Sundays – the weekend lazies had already sunk in deep; it was all we could do to roust ourselves out of the house for mid-day pancakes.
But my friend tells me that the state store at 102nd and E. Burnside is open on Sundays and holidays from 12 noon to six pm. So I’m making up my shopping list, and will trek out that way tomorrow
If you, too are a fellow victim of poor planning – well, I might just see you there, no? (I’ll be the one stocking up on New Deal vodka and Myer’s Dark Rum…)
At Lloyd Cinema to see X-Men III and outside is a family of protesters against the Da Vinci Code. wow, do they realize it is a fictional book?
One has to feel sorry for the kids having to give up their sunday afternoon for what may be a cause their parents want to fight.
eat more pie!
All you diesel car owners, PDXbiodiesel has put together a cool google map showing us where in the city we can obtain Biodiesel.
One thing to remember though, most of these locations are major commercial gas stations, so they have strange business hours. On the weekend, it is rather difficult to find Biodiesel. We had to venture to Linnton for ours. YAY Biodiesel.
I’m confused. Maybe you can help me understand. I want to rant here about the going’s on with development on N. Mississippi, but then again, I think I may have ranted too much, so I’m gonna ask for some perspective from you, the reader.
Two weeks ago, the Boise neighborhood met yet once again to hear a presentation by the developers of Mississippi Lofts. Another 2 developers also presented designs for condo/loft style projects on the street that night. Kirisu, a family who owns a bunch of property on N. Shaver and Mississippi had plans and designs ready to go to the city.
That night, the neighborhood voted to write a letters of support to the developers of both the Mississippi Lofts and Kirisu projects. The numbers were definitive and supported the projects.
Yet, I guess that’s not enough for some neighbors and the city. The week following the vote, some individuals, including members of the Boise neighborhood board filed an appeal to force the developers of the Mississippi lofts to go back to the drawing table. This was done in front of the Portland Landmarks Commision.
So, here is where I am confused. The Mississippi Lofts will replace a one story cinder block building that appears abandoned (but isn’t.) The Kirisu project will replace a park with a play structure on it. Where is the uproar with that project? Also, I feel there is a conflict of interest going on with members of the Boise board going directly against the vote of the neighborhood.
So, BHT, Lupin and others who oppose the project, please enlighten me as to why you feel you as individuals have more say than the neighborhood as a whole.
last week, i ate more junk food than a family of four could put in in a month. i was away in Denver for work and the options to eat were overwhelming. i lost all self control. i’m back for the weekend and decided to eat light. friday night it was soup, saturday morning, an energy shake. when saturday lunchtime came around, i was troubled. yes, i do want to go get fish and chips honey….yes, sushi sounds great…..a burger? mmmmmmm…. but in the back of my mind, i was hearing the voice telling me i’m bloated and need to cleanse.
so, we ended up at Roux’s Bon Temps, a deli up in North Portland. You may know Roux, it has emerged as one of Portland’s newest brightest restaurants, serving New Orlean’s and creole style food. i haven’t eaten there, but hope to soon. Next to Roux and owned by them is a small deli named Bon Temps. They offer housemade salads, Soups and Gumbos, sandwiches, Po’ Boys, and my favorite, Muffuletta Sandwiches. i was once again torn. i wanted something light, so i looked to the soup and ordered a bowl of gumbo. then, i just couldn’t resist, i ordered a quarter Muffuletta Sandwich. the gumbo was great and truly filling, more than i could eat in one sitting. it had chicken and andoulie sausage along with rice and stock. yum yum. i looked at the muffuletta – it was calling to me, but i resisted. a muffuletta is a traditional New Orlean’s sandwich made with airy light foccacia style break. in it is layers of salami and other thinly sliced meats, along with olive oil and olive spread. it is a hearty sandwich, ergo, the offer of only a 1/4 size.
wow, a great place. i plan on going back soon, once this weather lifts. you should go check out Bon Temps. you won’t be dissapointed.
Bon Temps
1700 N. Killingsworth
Portland, OR
M-F 7am-4pm
Sat: 11am-4pm
…that I’m going to stop reading The O’s coverage of the premature quints at OHSU now that Tom Hallman Jr’s on the story.
Yeah, yeah, yeah – the guy wins awards. But I’ve always found his work long on pathos (how many ways can one deliberately try to tweak those heartstrings, anyway?) and short on actual substance. Not to mention in desperate need of a less-indulgent editor. I’ve felt this way for some time, even before the controversy about his latest story about the mathematician. In fact, I remember bailing out on that story somewhere in paragraph two, to be honest – and haven’t followed the outcry since.
I know a bit about the subject of preemies (although nowhere near the first hand experience the parents of the Ford quints are getting, of course.) My own daughter was delivered at St. Vincent’s eight years ago this week, almost seven weeks premature. And as a result, I’m definitely interested in the outcome of the three surviving babies.
I’ll just be getting the updates from a source other than The O, is all…
Clark County Ampitheater’s Rock & Roll bus option from PDX is no more – despite what the website says. It’s been discontinued for good, according to the woman I talked to in the ticket office this afternoon.
Oh, and – while I’m performing public service announcements here, I should inform you that the Enterprise car rental outlet downtown is out of cars.
Which is just fine with me, actually. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing Nine Inch Nails on the lawn, in the rain – and since the tickets were free? We feel (well, *I* feel – my friend was actually looking forward to this) pretty guilt-free about bailing on the show as a result.
Instead, we’ve got potatoes roasting in the oven. Some steaks lined up for broiling. Movies that have been in the queue for a while. I’m well stocked for adult beverages, thank you very much. And I’m baking homemade cookies later to try and put a smile back on the face of the guy who’s missing his concert.
I think that sounds much better than listening to Trent Reznor and company live, don’t you?
