"WHY PORTLAND??"
everybody and their mother seems to be asking me...
well, why the heck not?
how does anyone pick a city to live in?

near their family....i have spent too many years in northern virginia, with its traffic and conservative culture, sorry mom, but you should move to the west coast...
and arkansas is just not where i need to be, sorry dad

um...where they can get a good job....well, i love to work with children, and there are children everywhere, so that doesn't really help me pick.

i know i want to grow my own food, and portland has a really long growing season, almost all year.
i know i want to be really close to big trees and beautiful forests and rivers. it's true there are many places like this in our country, but the northwest is one of the most lush places that i know of.
what else? what is so great about portland?
there is a large alternative community
there are a lot of people on bikes, and not too many big hills
the rent is fairly cheap
most of the houses to live in here have some kind of yard (and you can have chickens and goats!!)
there are a lot of great musicians
a lot of young people
a lot of parks, one of which is full of roses, and it smells so good!
there are free boxes everywhere! (boxes with free things in them)
no sales tax
great farmers markets
vegan restaurants (not that i'm vegan)
unlike boulder(the yuppie town), there is a lot of diversity
a lot of people into different kinds of building, like cob and strawbale, which i want to learn
permaculture and urban farming
doesn't ever get too hot or too cold, although it is gray and rainy a lot
great beer and breweries


i will continue to tell you all the great things about portland as i learn about them.
and you are all welcome to come and visit and find out for yourself
i think i will be here for a long time