Cool Things I've seen in Portland

• really tall bikes. I asked someone how he got on his (multi-colored, earth flag, anti-war stickered) tall bike today and pointed to his step. someone else told me "faith."i didn't actually see this guy, but plenty of people who look like him.

• weird cars. people like to decorate their cars with tiles and little alien figurines and other bizarro things. so many people, so many crafting opportunities.
  
• international rose test garden! Portland is also known as "Rose City" strange, there must be one nickname for every 25 people in Portland, but this one makes sense since roses grow everywhere and are nurtured. see how happy i am about roses?

• Next to the Rose Garden is this serene Japanese Garden, complete with Yoko Ono inspired wish tree.
• these people like Japanese gardening too, but they have a lot to learn.
• Finally, this is what nerds do on their day off...

Welcome to Bridge City

here is the view from the Burnside bridge on the way to Voodoo Doughnut, best donut shop ever.
here is my new hip haircut.

that's all i've got for now.

I am a bike commuter. That's right, I have joined the ranks of thousands of Portlanders. I read bike maps, I follow bike routes, I hang out at the bike shop and I get passed by lots of people on much fancier road bikes whose legs are ready for hills. Helmet on!

Dance Party USA

Last night we went out. It seems that the 22 other people I'm here with are party animals, and it's nice since we spend about 12+ hours a day together in classes and doing field games and walking the streets talking to people about voting, so sometimes you need to not be talking about politics. Or if you are, you should be playing red state v. blue state flip cup on July 4th, which miraculously ended up in a tie! America wins!

Anyway, I walked the handful of miles from my home to downtown Portland last night and am constantly impressed by the greenery all over the streets and the cats running around. Portland feels like a variety of small towns linked by some big bridges and car busy arteries. Downtown is weird and gritty and the homelessness hub of Portland as well as where the hip clubs and Voodoo donut is, awesome local donut place. It's very bizarre. I think that's all i can do now since I am in class. More later.