Not long after we moved to Portland, the Portland Art Museum hosted an exhibition entitled Splendors of Imperial Japan–Arts of the Meiji Period from the Khalili Collection. I really wanted to see it, so even though we had two small children, we journeyed downtown, put on the headsets, and wandered through the exhibition.

Well, we tried to wander through the exhibition. The children were profoundly bored. It was impossible to pay attention to the exhibits while simultaneously trying to keep the children quiet. I was dripping with sweat from trying to maneuver the stroller through the crowd, soaking the headset. While struggling down the stairs, one of the wheels of the stroller left a big black mark on the white wall. I couldn’t imagine being any more flustered and embarrassed.

Until we were in the gift shop, and my son squatted and proceeded to generate a pool of urine on the beautiful wood tile floor.

I was sufficiently scarred by the entire ordeal that I would break out in a cold sweat whenever anyone even mentioned the Art Museum.
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As we all know, the mainstream media quite often can’t get their story straight, and they instead produce a bunch of journalism of varying quality. However, when dealing with missing persons, you’d think that their attempt to work in the public interest would at least inspire them to figure out the story before the send it out through their various publishing means…

KATU just published (at 1:04 PM today) this story about a missing 12 year old. Which is all well and good, except that he’d returned home 12 hours previously and was no longer missing. The O reported that several hours ago. I know it’s Sunday and all, but seriously… maybe KATU needs to start reading OregonLive to find out what’s going on.

I understand that Starbucks is actively marketing their “Make it Your Drink” program, and that by offering a variety of sizes, additional flavors, types of milk, and other options, you are encouraged to order exactly the kind of coffee that you want.

Nevertheless, when you insist on ordering your venti sugar-free vanilla latte with two and-a-half shots, you’re just being a dick.

I’ve never used public transportation as any part of my regular commute. I’ve always worked in situations where my personal automobile offered benefits that outweighed the costs. Until now. I recently accepted a job in inner southeast Portland and when considering my options for commuting from Vancouver it seemed to make sense to give transit a try. It’s now been a week, and here are my random notes as a first-time TriMet commuter:

• Day 1: I attempted to use transit; I arrived at the Parkrose Transit Center at 7am. TriMet’s website indicates this location usually fills by 8am. I found it completely full at 7. I drove in rather than attempting alternate transit arrangements.
• Day 2: I started an earlier schedule which put me at the park and ride by 6, and I found it about half empty. I got parked and had a perfect experience coming in with both MAX and my connecting bus being entirely on schedule. A smooth transit day other than Murphy working hard and the weather being rainy any time I was getting on/off transit. But hey, this is Portland…
• Day 3: TriMet must have understood my frustration with the rain, for I found a brand new bus shelter at the location where I catch the bus in the afternoon. Thanks TriMet!
• Day 4: I came to work super-early and encountered light crowds on the train/bus. Had my first people-watching amusement in observing a neat-looking man around 40 years old, wearing blue scrubs, reading “Psychology for Dummies” on the train.
• Day 5: Another smooth transit day. Had my first “Wish I had a car about now” moment at lunchtime. I survived without it.
• It makes sense that I have the same driver on #6 every day at the same time, yet I’m confused why #4 has a different person each morning.
• I wonder why I haven’t seen a single fare inspector anywhere on MAX yet.

It really isn’t bad. Yes, it takes longer than it would to drive. But I’m getting a lot of podcast-listening done as well as some reading. The people-watching is amusing. Honestly, there are a lost less “strange” people than I thought I’d see… my previous perceptions were wrong. And in theory I’m helping the planet and stuff.

This just cracked me up…

On this day in 1910, Portland women met in mass to protest the high steps of the city’s street cars. Demands were issued by the women to lower the steps so that they could step up and down without being leered at by passing males.

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, morally and politically, the Mayor intervened and convinced the street car company to lower its steps immediately.

ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew.

First of all, I have nothing against the Girls Gone Wild juggernaut. That a-hole Joe Francis yeah, but you know, dvds of girls flashing the camera, to me as a concept just isn’t that big a deal.

Or it wasn’t, until this morning when I heard a Portland Police Officer was filming his own version with local high school girls.

This whole story creeps me out so I’ll start at the beginning. Here’s what TheO says went down:

Portland police discovered the misconduct when Graichen’s sergeant asked to see what he thought was Graichen’s copy of a professional “Girls Gone Wild” video, which typically shows women removing clothing or acting in a sexual nature. Graichen accidentally handed over his knockoff version, filmed at a local high school while on duty.

So they only found out ON ACCIDENT when someone wanted to borrow a professional copy and got the “local edition” instead? And we find out in the story the officer in question resigned in August so he wouldn’t be fired. (carry the two…) August was SIX months ago! And according to TheO, “Portland Public School’s own school security division was advised of what occurred when Graichen was removed from his post in the fall 2005…” So this went on for quite some time and today it’s news?

Go read the story, it’s quite an explanation. When you’re done if you believe him let me know, I have a lovely Arizona home right on the ocean I’d like to sell you.

I’m not sure what I think after reading the whole thing. I’m impressed it stayed quiet all this time, I’m curious why the girls didn’t take any action (if they did it’s not in the story and I don’t recall hearing about it), I’m wondering why the girls parents didn’t do anything, I’m embarrassed that something with a long drawn out process STILL wound up last summer and finding out now apparently passes for reporting, and I’m confused about what made it come out now after all this time. I’m also secretly amused by imagining B!x’s reaction to the bit where it says Robert King had declined to comment.

I’m confused why it’s news now, I”m confused about why it took so long to be news, and I’m definitely confused by the story the cop fed the investigators. Can we go back to Britney being in out back in back out checked into rehab please? It was far easier to follow.

Downtown trees being protected

Originally uploaded by dieselboii.

With the construction on the bus mall, it is a given that some of the trees would be removed as a result of street widening and such. I remember seeing a statistic that 190 trees would be removed, but 150 would then be re-planted. I may be off by a few digits.

Well, along the entire mall now, most, like 90%, of the trees have these signs stating they are to be protected. Way to go Mall project.

Unless…..this is the work of those late night eco-terrorists. Hmmmm.

evil-smiley-face
Originally uploaded by jonashpdx.

Kid:

As much as I appreciate you wanting to honor your parents by getting each of their faces tattooed on your forearms (and I actually thought it was a pretty cool idea, especially since you were getting both your mom and dad), before you go to “some guy” who “does faces real good” in “about 10 minutes”, please, please get a second opinion.

Unless your dad looks something like the face to the right, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll be disappointed. Oh, and $100 for 4 good-sized tattoos, even if they all do only take 10 minutes? Not the bargain you think it is.

Although I love Portland’s mild winter’s, the one thing that I do notice is the dark – the daylight hours here are considerably shorter than they were in my more southern (but NOT south!) homes of Kansas and Iowa – so the whole driving to and from work in the dark can be a real bummer. But for this year – that time has passed – the sun is almost peeking up as I go into work – and it’s definitely still light when I’m headed home.

However one thing about the evening light does make me a little sad. It makes it much harder to peek into people’s windows.

Now get your finger off 911 – I’m no Peeping Jane – I’m at least as far away as the sidewalk – and I never linger longer than it takes for my dog to do his business or the traffic in front of me to move, but I’ll confess I love walking or driving past people’s homes in those twilight hours when it’s dark outside, but lit up inside – and they have yet to pull the blinds.

Just as it’s fascinating to observe people in public – I am even more enthralled with seeing them in their homes – how they’ve decorated, if they’re sitting around a dinner table, or with the size of TV’s these – you can even see what shows they’re watching from the street. Is there an entire family in one room – or is there light and activity throughout the whole house. Are the people young or old – does it look like there are kids or dogs or joy of joys – they’re having a party – it’s almost too much to take in as I go by!

My husband thinks I’m nuts when we’re driving down the street and I go “hey – they’re watching that great movie we saw last week!” , “wow – they eat dinner really early” or “Oooo – I really like that lamp.” (However since I’ve started driving more lately and he’s in the passenger seat – I challenge him to avoid doing the same thing!)

The best neighborhoods are those where the homes have big picture windows – not only better viewing – but also less likely to have blinds or drapes. Laurelhurst and Irvington are two of my favorites from that perspective. Although I am also always interested watching people in offices working into the dark hours.

Am I crazy….do I need help?

Or admit….you do it too, don’t you?!

Originally uploaded by PAgent

I fell madly in love with Andrea McArdle in junior high. I had the soundtrack album from “Annie”, and I played that sucker to death. Then I bought the sheet music, and played it until it fell apart. I pored over each picture of her that I owned, with straight hair from Act I, to the shocking curly wig from Act II.

Of course, I moved on to other crushes: Judy Garland, Kate Bush, Joanna Gleason… but Ms. McArdle was the first in a long line of women with whom I fell head-over-heels in love, after merely hearing their voices.

Which is why my heart stil gives a little flutter when I see the “Annie” logo, as I did on the back of this van. But this is not merely the vehicle of a crazed Martin Charnin fan. No, it turns out there is a touring production of “Annie” playing at Keller Auditorium, starting tonight and running through Sunday.

I kinda wish I could ditch all my responsibilities and go see it. But as cute as Marissa O’Donnell may be, she’ll never replace Andrea in my heart.