My Portland

Earlier this year, a very slick and cool video about this city made the rounds.  I was impressed by the production and even sent it to some of my relatives who like it here, but I started thinking about how it seems to leave out a lot of aspects of this city that are familiar to me and many others.  You know, people who don't spend all their time at Powell's and Voo Doo Donuts.

So here are some things about my city that are familiar to me:

Long stretches of this kind of weather.

 

Green parks where my dog can run free.

Moss on most every surface.

When it's not raining, dudes sitting outside waiting on beer.

Immigrants learning to read and write in English.

Inspiring graffiti.

Whimsy.

On clear days, everyone with their cameras pointed up to the sky.

The sand dunes.

Amazing community centers.

Pink carpet in the spring.

This elder practicing her letters.

Urban chicken coops that are way fancier than yours.

Cool architecture even in the boring parts of town.

Waterfalls right outside of town.

Old Russian ladies waiting on the bus.

The smell of the street outside this bakery with the rotating loaf.

The bins of the discount food store near my work.

Little kids riding bikes to school.

Slugs everywhere, including those lying in my yard in mason jars that were captured by my son.

This is my Portland.  I usually go days, sometimes weeks, without seeing the river or a single bridge.  I don't see the downtown buildings, sports games, hipster donut shops.  This is a city full of all kinds of people.  And a lot of slugs.