I'm so glad that that truncated fucking ran-into-a-wall-at-speed tadpole-ass looking squirrel only lives in high altitude forests in Borneo bc this means I am extremely unlikely to encounter one in my day to day life. thank god
ive invented (note: dubious claim) something i call the bear diet which is mostly fruits and vegetables with fish as the main protein source and something like once a month you eat a few hyperprocessed foods of your liking because that is when you, the bear, raid a dumpster in the suburbs
I referred to something as a "real Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra moment" in conversation with someone who has never seen TNG, and let me tell you, that was a real Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra moment
Don't want to dox myself on this webbed site but I just want to say if the government (specifically US) is trying to do stuff that you don't like, it's absolutely worthwhile to be noisy about it on social media and call your reps. For the really big issues it may not make much of a difference bc your reps probably already know about them and have made up their minds, but for the "smaller" stuff, things that may fly under the radar, things that have previously garnered bipartisan support, it can make the difference between an important program getting cut and lots of people losing their jobs and subsequently everyone else losing the benefits of the work done in that program. OR Congress deciding not to do that because it's widely unpopular and doesn't really gain conservative reps any favor with their base to do so bc their base is busy yelling about other stuff.
All this to say, if I manage to hang onto my job through this administration it's in no small part due to y'all being noisy about it and putting a spotlight on it so that they can't just erase it because no one's watching. You're watching. So thank you.
Some Places I Would Suggest To People Visiting Portland, Oregon
I read some tourist guides on Portland last night and got mad and confused and made a list of some of the places I personally think I'd be more likely to suggest to people. Today I am no longer mad and confused, but I still want to share my list of fun spots I like.
This list is heavily biased from being written by an artsy, introverted writer-type who doesn't really drink but enjoys a nice vibe. It's not a comprehensive list of every cool place in Portland. At the time I tried to pick from a variety of areas I didn't find mentioned in lists online.
Portland, with all its faults, has a lot of really cool places and things to do! Maybe one of these places can help give more texture to a future trip!
Lone Fir Cemetery: A historic cemetery and massive arboretum in Southeast Portland. Very peaceful to sit in. Hosts regular tours and other community events.
Overlook/Laurelhurst/Sellwood Park: It's subjective, but these are what I would consider to be my favorite parks. Laurelhurst is the chillest, Overlook has the best view, and Sellwood is cool if you actually want to be like AT the river.
PSU Museum of Art: A downtown museum at Portland State University that's free! Good if you want to scope out some Culture on a budget of No.
SCRAP PDX: It's a secondhand art supply store in Central Eastside, and it's fantastic. So many affordable materials and oddities. A gem. Came in clutch for me on many occasions.
The Portland Insectarium: A small zoo/museum/educational center dedicated to bugs and spiders in like the Overlook neighborhood. The people there are super knowledgeable and kind, and actually let me in for free when I told them I was trying to ease my fear of bugs. And it worked! I got to ask them all the questions I wanted and they showed me all sorts of little creatures.
Wonderwood Springs/Mini-Golf: Mike Bennett is a local artist here who's iconic enough that you'll find signs of his work scattered all around town. His Fantasy-Themed cafe and small mini-golf course is in St. Johns, which is generally considered a pain to get to. But it's a lovely spot to check out if you're in the area.
The Academy Theater: A cheap, second-run movie theater in Montavilla. Cool vibes. There are a few indie/art-house theaters around town like this and they're all very fun if you're into the idea of seeing an older movie on the big screen.
Sinister Coffee and Creamery: It's a coffee shop/custard place downtown with a speakeasy gimmick to get into the back room. There's a password they update monthly on their Instagram (it's in the bio so it's still accessible to people who don't have an account).
Word Virus Books: A modernist/post-modernist bookstore that relocated downtown from it's previous home of Way Closer To Where I Live. I'm fine and normal about this. It's a fantastic bookstore and I'm not at all bitter that it's further away now.
Memory Den - a gigantic multi story thrift mall with dozens of side rooms, a basement theater lounge, artist studios, a cafe, a bar, a library, a goth store, and for some reason a Fallout theme (it's even named after a location in the games), just fun to explore and some of it is beautifully decorated:
Movie Madness - a huge video rental store that's also a film museum, displaying original props and costumes from famous films, they even have the model ghostbusters house used on-screen, the actual "fight club" logo soap bar and a chestburster production maquette. Also has a mini screening room where they host indie films and events. Currently moving to a larger location but still open!
Floating World Comics - not just a comic book store; it sells rare graphic novels and art books from around the world, indie and local books, and vintage japanese imports like kaiju toys and model kits. Fascinating just to browse! Also currently in the process of moving.
Retro Game Bar - a bar with drinks and food that is also a console gaming library, where you can pay to pick out a console and games to play while you're there.
If you like Sinister (which has the best coffee I've had in town), a queer goth screenprinting studio just opened around the corner from the coffee shop! It's called Grave Raiment and it's an awesome stop to get local art and gifts, hang out to work on a project, or take a class like their recent Beanie Baby taxidermy workshop!
Happy pride month specifically to folks on the asexual and aromantic spectrum who oftentimes feel isolated and left out of the conversation. You belong here as much as the rest of us and I hope that you are all loved in a way that is comforting to you.
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