Across the Park

Mattie in Downtown Kenton

Paul Bunyan in the early morning light

First light in Kenton Park

North Portland Harbor

I've been away from Sellwood Street for awhile, but my commute takes me through the old neighborhood every day, right past the old house,which I'm glad to see still looks like it probably did in 1950 - Grey asbestos tiles on a High Victorian with historic details hidden beneath layers of white paint slapped on by the various property management companies over the years...

Today, I found myself a block up from the old apartment, my face on the pavement in front of the pink church. I collected myself and the bike, and after rinsing the blood from my face with a fellow biker's water bottle, I headed over to the gazebo at Dawson Park to wait for Graham to come scoop me up and take me home in the car. As I sat with my elbow dripping blood onto the sidewalk, holding my favorite Powell's t-shirt to catch the blood from my nose, I hear a woman ask "can you help me out with fifty cents?"
I'm a little bit not right at this point, considering which shrub I should throw up in, and if I should maybe start walking across the street towards the Emanuel E.D. I can't muster anything more clever than "I don't have any change," to which she answers, "a dollar would be fine." I think my fat lip and bleeding nose really enhanced the "fuck off" look I gave her. She kept on walking...

lost in translation, or translated much too literally

(A funny exchange with a work friend who's a native Spanish speaker)
In the break room, first thing this morning...
sometimes my co-worker's daughter rides in early with her dad, hangs out in the break room and reads for awhile, and then walks to her school nearby. She's usually already gone by the time I make it to the break room for my first cup of coffee (at work), but as I walked in there this morning, her things are on the table where she'd been studying and her dad is pacing around impatiently. He finally asks a female co-worker to go check on her in the ladies room. As I'm filling up my coffee cup, I make small talk, "is she running late? [for school]"
Without missing a beat, he answers, "No, she's bleeding."
My whole day was instantly filled with way too much information...

Goodbye to the corner of Burnside, Sandy, and 12th ave

Since my first days in Portland, this intersection has been an unavoidable part of life. Three two-way streets and another one way street all come together in a glorious mess, and have done so in one configuration or another since East Portland was a wee city. I'm kinda sad to see it become so safe and uninteresting, but seriously, this is one nasty intersection that needed fixing 70 years ago. I drive my big ol' box truck through here nearly every day and always stress a little as I squeeze through those narrow lanes.
Soon I'll reminisce about this intersection just like I reminisce about 20th, Hawthorne, & Elliot, and how you used to have to swerve around a utility pole to continue south through this intersection. I will miss the old signage, there's quite a few old-school signs from the '60's that will be going away.
I haven't had a moment to get out and take the photos I want to lately, luckily there's this photographic evidence of the last days of the intersection collected over at the ZehnKatzen Times.

Where's the Airport?

Back in December while traveling through the new Indy Airport, I hit up google maps just for a refresher on how to get to the new terminal. I noticed that Google maps was still giving directions to the old terminal (and it still does, even now, eight months after the new airport went online). This morning, I get this friendly little email from the Google team.


Hi j,

Your Google Maps problem report has been reviewed, and you were right! We'll update the map soon and email you when you can see the change.

Report history
Problem ID: A7FD-E0BE-1B3D-B302

Your report: There is a new Indianapolis International Airport. The airport is now accessed via I-70, the official address is 7800 Col. H. Weir Cook Memorial Drive Indianapolis, IN 46241 All searches for IND still lead to the old airport.

--
Thanks for your help,
The Google Maps team


What's at the old terminal now anyway? Did they tear it down? Are there signs warning you that you're no longer heading towards the right airport? I keep imagining rolling up in front of the old terminal, grabbing my bag out of the trunk, waving goodbye as my ride drives away and then turning around to realize the airport is completely dark and deserted.
Seriously google maps, the place opened months ago, and we're not talking about a total backwater airport, its the 14th largest city in the country!

Cute Birds with Suggestive Names

White-Breasted Nuthatch

Tufted Titmouse

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Saab not quite dead yet.

Two random views of Mt Hood

Late morning on the Fremont Bridge, moving vehicle

Sunrise on NE Brodway, from the steps of Thai Basil

DIY public art

Some new guerrilla art is popping up around the neighborhood lately. I'm almost always biking around in the dark these days, spotting these things but not being able to get a decent picture. I just happened to make it out in the daylight with the camera today between storms.

Tire Dragon at the east end of the Failing Pedestrian Bridge.

Little signs with what seem like excerpts of a bigger story have been popping up around the 'hood lately. In this vacant lot on Tillamook St, the signs are placed as if in the rooms of the former house that stood here. Very cool.

TV full of art for sale. Leave cash? N. Williams Ave.

Frogs! Lots of frogs in the Port City parking lot.

A sunny day in the neighborhood

Old school Dead End sign, Overlook neighborhood

Secret unofficial park on the bluff

The onion dome that becomes visible all over the neighborhood every winter

Its the law! Junked Tri-Met bus, off N. Williams Ave.

Stuck in the couch

Olaf thought that corner of the couch right by the heater was great, until he melted down into the cushions and couldn't get out...

Pictures of the cat

Olaf's favorite spot this winter is the corner of the couch, closest to the heater.

He only lays in this awkward position when the heat is running...

Tub Licker!

Random stuff

Oregon State Capitol

You can never have too much Bovadine® brand Teat Dip.

Virginia Creeper fall color in the backyard.

This was the Virginia Creeper back in February.

Hurry up bus, the ocean's about to get you!

Pacific City, Oregon

Morning in Pacific City, before the Pelican and the public access area are crawling with people.

Bunnies everywhere!

The hotel sells little bags of bunny chow for 50¢.

Sunset behind Haystack Rock and the Pelican Pub.

Howdy from Sellwood Street

Still here, just having a weird summer.