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May 29, 2007
Portland
I can't find anything. In particular, I can't find this thing: My little media log book, where I'd like to write that I finished "Razor's Edge" and saw "Waitress" on Monday, May 28, and where I'd like to record my impressions of each.
Today, I bought more books at a nice little shop a few blocks from home. There was a reading underway when I walked in the door. If I buy 12 books, I'll get my 13th free. I love this new neighborhood.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 08:45 PM | Comments (0)
May 28, 2007
Back in Portland
The rock concert Rian and I attended in the Columbia River Gorge on Sunday was so blustery that a band was evacuated from the main stage, and all kinds of re-scheduling and re-locating took place. Faced with mounting hunger and chilled to the bone, we decided to leave early.
There's a concept in economics called "sunk costs." When you've already spent money on something -- say a rock concert -- you shouldn't let that past decision influence your decisions about the next best action. For example, "I've already spent a lot of money on this concert, so I'm going to stay, even though I'll have to buy overpriced clothes to stay warm and overpriced food to stay fed, and even though I'll likely be miserable," is not a good decision.
We drove through downtown Yakima, Wash., instead. Cows, horses, orchards and trailer parks surround this rural desert town. Downtown's wide and well-lit streets, sidewalks, new construction make it a welcoming modern Western city.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 08:38 PM | Comments (0)
May 26, 2007
In memoriam
Rian's on her way up to Portland. She and I are going camping near Yakima today and Monday, with some rock and roll planned at the Sasquatch Music Festival on Sunday.
Ben may go wine tasting in the Willamette Valley, or he may opt to stay in and unpack instead.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2007
northeast 21st avenue
Before the big day, Ben and I packed and sorted all of our books and most of our tools, office supplies, miscellaneous computer stuff and mementos, and day by day we ferried it to our new northeast Portland townhouse-condo by car. On moving day, we rented a U-Haul and paid a couple of very big men to load and unload it with all of our furniture and some other boxes. There was still a lot of stuff left unpacked, unfortunately: dishes, clothes on hangars, home brewing supplies, hanging art, and forgotten items tucked away into various crannies and nooks.
We spent most of Saturday and Sunday packing as much as we could of what was left, loading up the car, unloading, unpacking, repeat, repeat, repeat, with a couple of breaks to visit out-of-town friends who happened to pick last weekend to visit Portland. The moving refrain has continued into the week, eating up all of our spare time.
For a while we were able to unpack as quickly as we moved boxes, but at this point all the easy stuff has been put away and we're left with difficult decisions to make. There are at least three car loads worth of stuff to move between now and Friday, and another two car loads to carry to Goodwill.
We still have a lot of cleaning to do at our old place, too. Morgan and Robin are moving in as soon as they complete their long trek from New York. We also have a decent amount of cleaning to do at our new place. The last owner was a tidy guy, but he never dusted. We've been scrubbing each slat in our vertical blinds and swabbing our wall heaters with Q-Tips. I hope all the crucial stuff is taken care of by Saturday afternoon, when Rian arrives in town and she and I head east for camping and rock and roll.
The cats seem to like it here. So do we.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 10:03 PM | Comments (0)
May 19, 2007
I hate moving
Today's moving day. We're pretty much packed and ready to go, although there's always more to do. We've got some strong guys showing up in about half an hour to help us with the heavy lifting.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 10:50 AM | Comments (1)
May 17, 2007
My autopilot is out of order
Yesterday I fell off the treadmill running at a 9 minute mile pace. My water bottle fell onto the treadmill first. My foot landed on top of it. I crumpled onto the conveyor belt and it quickly conveyed me to the floor. No new bruises or permanent bodily damage, except maybe to my ego.
The crash came not long after I put my street clothes, keys, identification card and money into a locker, then forgot the combination. Over and over and over and over I tried to get the thing open. Ben cleverly got two locks with the same combination, so I found him stretching upstairs and asked him for the code. Over and over and over and over, I still couldn't get it to open. I asked Ben again. I'd heard a digit wrong. Off by one. Finally.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 05:42 PM | Comments (0)
May 15, 2007
Found writing, as we pack
2001:
In the late spring of that year we lived in a blue sedan that overlooked the whole of America. From ocean to mountains, river to desert, and across the plains, we crossed the continent.
We lingered in South Dakota, where in the tall grasses of the Black Hills bison grazed at night with glowing eyes. Sometimes in the dark we heard the distant echo of thunder, and once the stars and the moon disappeared suddenly. The rain was hard and fast that night, and we hid in the car as the red dirt road turned into a river and ran down the curving hills. We slept in the car and by morning the road was hard caked mud and we drove on.
After that, we stuck to bigger roads. Winding highways led us south, then west to the coast.
When we arrived in Portland, Laura and I watched the rain fall. Looking out of the window of the blue sedan at the rain coming down in great round droplets, we knew it was all over for that spring. A short sidewalk led between green bushes and pink flowers to a fenced-in house, white with a blue door. Soon we would knock, but for a moment we sat and watched. The car radio filled the air with quiet music. The house was not yet ours. That was left for the summer, and this was the last day of spring.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 09:22 PM | Comments (2)
Busy weekend ahead
My friend Ross, who's been dissatisfied with his recent job experiences in Seattle, decided to apply for English-teaching work in South Korea. Not only did he get an offer, but he was given two weeks to move. Good thing they have a speedy visa office. He leaves a week from tomorrow, but before he takes off he wants to visit me in Portland (and mooch of my storage space by leaving me with some books he can't bring with him and doesn't want to sell).
My friend Rian, a former roommate who now lives two hours south in Corvallis, is also thinking of visiting Portland this weekend, in part to wish Ross bon voyage and in part to accompany her boyfriend, who is visiting family. While she's here, I want to steal what time of hers I can.
My friend Sara, college roommate, Tucson resident and recently wed, is visiting her new husband's family this weekend. They'll have some kind of "celebration of marriage" party on Sunday, and I'm hoping to attend.
Have I mentioned this running group I've joined? We get together every Sunday morning. This week I'll be running 7 miles.
Oh, and Ben and I just bought this house-thing. We're moving there on Saturday.
Yeah, it's gonna be a bit hectic.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 08:31 PM | Comments (0)
May 13, 2007
Da room mates
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 10:22 PM | Comments (2)
Old age, gradual change
Someone I once knew was named to an annual "30 top journalists under 30" about six years ago. This year's list came out recently, with all the New York Times and Washington Post and Wall Street Journal hot shots on it, yet again, and my unaccomplished name absent, yet again. And I'm forced to reconcile with the fact that I'm never going to be an under-30 person to watch. By the time the list is next released, I won't be under 30 any more.
A few years ago I was involved in an effort to launch a young journalists association. Soon after I moved away from the city, at a time when I didn't have the stomach for the long drives to the group meetings, the organization collapsed. Now I'm back in an area with the population to sustain a young journos group again, but I'm not sure I'm young enough to qualify anymore. So I've renewed my Society for Professional Journalists and my Investigative Reporters and Editors memberships, and I'm going to make do with the groups that already exist.
I feel like I've fallen into a rut at work, though I'm not sure if anyone at work would agree. I'm covering the news that's expected of me, and more. I'm digging up stories. I'm keeping moderately busy. My writing is reasonably strong. I'm engaged and involved as much as I know how to be. I feel that an invisible, indescribable spark is missing from my work, however. I think it's been gone for a long time. I need to kick myself into action, to formulate a plan, to do great deeds and produce amazing work. I'm young enough to do something amazing still, I hope. This is the only life I get and I don't want to waste my fleeting days.
I wish a single barbaric yawp would do the trick, lift me out of my rut and get me on the road to earth-shattering story telling and rock-solid reporting. Instead I have to think my way to where I want to be, work harder, and will myself there.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 08:30 PM | Comments (2)
May 10, 2007
Rawk
Ben and I just joined the Lloyd Athletic Club, a swank gym in our soon-to-be neighborhood. There's a basketball hoop-shooting area, lots and lots of exercise space, towel service. The locker rooms have wet and dry saunas and a great big hot tub. They sell your standard power bars and energy drinks, but they also have espresso and a bar. There's a lounge that overlooks the raquetball and squash courts. No pool, but membership gives us free access to another pool a Max ride away. It's super classy, and with Ben's work dicsount, the price is pretty much the same as no frills 24 Hour Fitness.
We worked out there for the first time today, and left gushing.
Also today, we bought a house. We get the keys on Sunday and we move on May 19.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 07:23 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2007
This is only the beginning
Swaying trees and showering petals and blue skies washed white and honeyed pollen and the sun: If this is all there is to life, I'll take it.
Darkness, rain and endless gray weigh me down, compress me and diminish me. I had a hard time this winter. Today we have a hint of summer.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 05:42 PM | Comments (0)
Eep!
We signed away a vast sum of money today. If all goes well, Ben and I should have full access to our new home by the end of Sunday. We plan to move on May 19.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 09:44 AM | Comments (4)
May 05, 2007
food
The growing news of poisons from China is really making me think about the origins of my food. I want to make a point of buying foods from trusted local sources.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 10:14 PM | Comments (1)
May 01, 2007
recent events
Ben thinks it is hilarious that vanilla is my favorite flavor. I don't quite get it.
We have been watching a lot of basketball lately. It's playoff season. The Golden State Warriors, ranked eight out of eight playoff teams, have been playing well against top-ranked Dallas. Who will win the series?
We bought a new bookshelf for our new home, and we drooled over stylish low-priced furniture, when we traveled three hours to the nearest IKEA recently. We had to restrain ourselves, because we only have a single small car between us. As it was, we could barely fit the two of us and the large piece of furniture into the car together for the long drive home.
We close on the house next week. On May 19 we move. We went back for a final look with our real estate agent, and were surprised to discover that the seller's parents were in our future home. We still haven't met the guy we're buying the house from, although I've googled his name. I don't know if we'll ever meet him. His parents seem nice. I know, intellectually, that we have enough room in our budgets for this new expense, but I'm still terrified.
I ran seven miles on Sunday. I kind of like running.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at 08:59 PM | Comments (5)