Portland Urban Iditarod

As my boyfriend and I were driving down Naito Parkway, we noticed that the city was in the middle of a celebration. We immediately pulled over to the side of the street and soon found ourselves immersed in the crowd at the Portland Urban Iditarod. Basically, it is an event where teams dress up, decorate shopping carts, and bar hop throughout the downtown area. When the whistle blows, the teams move on to the next bar. Streets outside of the bar were blocked off and packed. It was great, except for the public urination (including women). The event started around 1:00 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon.

Free, Free, Free

Recently I came across a couple of free sites that are absolutely incredible. I am amazed at the stuff I see on there that is free.

1. Craiglist. Check out your local area's "free" space. It is under the "for sale" category.

2. Freecycle. This is a yahoo group that has a Portland branch. From what I can tell there are about 100 items posted there per day.

Below you will find some of the interesting, free things that I have found listed:

1. Pianos
2. Entertainment Centers
3. End tables
4. House (Yep, it was a house built in 1900. The owner of the property wanted to get rid of it so that he could build on the lot. It could be moved or torn down for the wood.
5. Mobile Home (This was in Oklahoma. A farmer had built a house and was giving away his mobile home for free).
6. Clothes
7. Curtains
8. Antiques
9. Dirt
10. Planters
11. Dining room table and chairs
12. Comfy chairs, love seats, and couches

It is a great way to save the budget and recycle at the same time.

Goodbye Tacky! Hello Unity!

I've decided to exorcise the word "tacky" from my vocabulary. Living in Portland, I have come across many things that my Midwest sensibility says are tacky. People in Portland just look at these things as an opportunity to let everyone be their own unique self and express themselves in whatever way they choose. I like this West Coast attitude, and I think I will try to adopt it. The first step for me is to get rid of the word tacky. The concept of tacky is truly relative. Something that I think is tacky may not be tacky to the person who has it in their house, yard, or tattooed on their arm. Who am I to judge what is tacky in the first place?

When I really sit down and think about it, the word tacky is actually just a word that people use to show superiority of taste in some way. It is actually a very judgmental word. It is the equivalent of saying to someone "you really shouldn't legally be allowed to decorate your house, your garden, or pick the tattoos that you put on your arm."

Maybe it is time that I put away my judgments and accept people the way that they are and with the taste that they have already developed. I am currently sitting in the Muddy Waters Coffeehouse on Belmont, and I have just noticed a large, homemade poster that reads, "There is no us and them......ONLY US." I like that idea. It is definitely a call for people to unite and accept one another. I think my first, small step will be to get rid of the word tacky from my vocabulary. Goodbye tacky, I don't think I will really miss you.