We were heading to Portland for the Northwest Service Symposium. Several passengers wanted to stop and get McGriddles. Our driver did not approve, and would actually speed-up and swerve into the left lane every time we approached a freeway exit. We eventually got him to stop, although it was too late for McGriddles, Jack in the Box has a new add campaign that says something to the effect of "breakfast is the most important meal, so now we're serving it all day". I thought this advertising effort is both hilarious and genius, my fellow passengers did not agree.
After several wrong turns and one very angry driver (he threatened to throw each of us out of the car at one point or another), we made it to Portland.
This is the cowboy store. While they did NOT have Andre the Giants boots, they did have some pretty nice clothes. I realized that if your going to wear cowboy boots, they should really be made of AT LEAST three different animals.
We went to Voodoo Donuts. A man in the store was changing into a clown suit. I wanted to get a donut shaped like a "Phillie blunt", my server somehow dissuaded me.
We met up with our VISTA pals; Marry & Elana and checked out the Northwest Service Symposium Art Show. You will have to excuse me for not elaborating.
Our before mentioned "Angry Driver" joined us to get a drink at the Cheerful Turtle. "Angry Driver" was not really any less angry than he had been earlier, he also had no shortage of rude coments regarding our collective senses of direction.
I think this is a costume store. That's Johny Depp in the window on the right.
Our friend Matt had a car accident resulting in the loss of his car. I think this is a pretty good good option for a car buyer on a limited budget.
We went to the Night (or possibly; Nite) Light (maybe; Lite) bar to meet Lucy and her man friend. While we waited we read a pretty good comic involving a dinosaur.
Our server was very friendly and unabashedly flirted with me, Mary told me we were soul mates, Lupita called me a soul mate whore, next week I'm making a t-shirt that says "I am not your soul mate."
Lucy pretended that her graphing calculator was a cell phone. A good time was had by all.
When we left; our server shook my hand and told me to have a great vacation. He thankfully did not tickle my hand or give me his phone number.
This is a stray carrot end.
For the Northwest Service Symposium Lupita, David and I performed our songs; Weeping Willow, Poverty Can't Step to Me, and 501(c)3 Can You C Me . Weeping Willow is about how alone (or as a branch) one is frail and vulnerable, but when branches (individuals, organizations) come together to form a tree (alliances, teams, etc) they are strong. Poverty Can't Step to Me is a rap about how I will "bust a cap" in poverty. 501(c)3 Can You C Me is the song that we kept loosing members on. In it I David and Lupita represent in-need/at-risk individuals (a homeless person, a pregnant teen, and a methamphetamine addict) and I represent the non-for-profit (501(c)3) organizations providing them with assistance. There is a video of the performance, I don't have a copy yet, I here part of it was cut of by footage of someone riding a horse.
"Angry Driver" tried to ditch me and Ben while we got coffee. The barista liked my melodica, she took a picture of it, I told her that I was sorry but I had been forbidden from taking on any new soul mates.
It was never fully explained as to why there was such a rush to get out of Portland.
I Salem we got pulled over for making an illegal u-turn.
If David hadn't been driving we would probably still be in jail.
This trip made me realize that I miss city living. I miss being in a place where the median age is NOT 42.6. I miss NOT being in a place where (according to the US Census) there are only 323 black people in the WHOLE county. But, mostly I miss not being able to go out for "the best ___ in ___" instead I'm stuck with "the only ___ in ___".
At a rest area someone had painted pants onto the man on the restroom door.
