Meanwhile, check out this poetry slam.

I have not been reporting on the goings on life in Portland. But I have been watching a great amount of TED talks, which is almost as good a time as writing. Here is this amazing Slam Poetry TED talk that caught me by surprise as to how captivating and engaging it is. While yes, it is a whopping 18 minutes of a days time [which, in reality is: 24 hours = 1440 minutes, so 18/1440 = 1.25% of a day's time], if life if busy enough to consider 1.25% breaking the law (breaking the law, dun-dun), just watch the first 3 minutes. That should be hook enough.

Some things on the internet are quite amazing. 

In other exciting news, Michelle and I are slowly getting into the habits of things: reading, cooking, walking, talking, discovering, planing. 
I went kayaking today with a good guy Chris and we chatted about life and retirement accounts (which are cool, okay!) Also, getting myself involved in volunteering at the local library branch, while waiting on an application response. Michelle seems to have secured a three month gig which is great in many ways.

I was just conversing with my beautiful lady earlier today and ended up saying that we are doing quite well in adjusting: in just three weeks, we secured a place to live and moved in, moved cats in, found interesting people to engage in friendships and are working on a steady income in few weeks. Suffice it to say, these three concerns - place, job, people - were on many people's minds, including us. Moving to Portland has been exciting and a bit scary, but overall incredibly successful.

When overcoming obstacles, having a great person by your side makes a whole lot of difference, so cherish people around you and show them your love! With baked goods, if necessary!

People of Portland

While I always say that there are beautiful people (both inside and out) in every country, town, or neighborhood, some places obviously have a higher concentration of nice. Portland is certainly one of those places. Michelle, being an extremely nice person, always strikes up conversations and easily makes friendly with any random folk, but here it goes even further because a larger portion of people are open and willing to be friendly back.

Case in point: We are in a need of furniture, and if we can get it free, wouldn't that be the best. And there are plenty of free things around, especially furniture wise during the summer. One place advertised on Craigslist a good table+top and it was only 2 miles away. Hop in the car we did, and minutes later there we were. Problem was - Michelle's car was just too small to take it all in. Few minutes in our struggle, a woman (Tracy) asks if we'd be interested in putting the table+top in her truck, and she is willing to drive it to our place (it is after all, only 2 miles away). She was picking at the same free pile of things as we did. We quickly agreed and loaded the furniture into her car. I gave her a "Thank You" card and she easily proclaimed that it just made her day, how she had a crappy start of the day and how it is always a good idea to help out good people (us, basically). Thank you Portland Folk! We belong among you.

Case in point numero dos: Farm fresh veggies are awesome for few reasons - they are MAD cheap (I will not stop raving about 39 cents a pound for onions. Thirty nine cents, people!), they are UBER tasty, because they have been picked either that day or the day before, and you can chat with a person who grew these delicious berries that explode flavor all over your taste buds. Things we bought at the farm stands range from multicolor carrots (purple, red, white, orange) to garlic bulbs to fruits and berries to potatoes to honey. One particular place, Cereghino Farms, had a sweet guy (who was also a Red Sox fan), so not only Michelle and Michael bonded over the team love, but he actually gave us his phone number so we can call him and hang out at his BBQ because we don't really know anyone around here just yet. I'm going to text him right now! Bam! Human Connections. Done!

So are people nicer on West coast than East coast? Perhaps... And even more so in Portland? Maybe... Can it be because we are so easy going? I would say so.

4th and 5th

As of yesterday, we have one piece of furniture in our new place - its a tv table with few shelves which we picked up at goodwill outlet for mere ten bucks. After "fitting" it into Michelle's car we were happy campers.
In the evening of The American Birth, we went out to a super fancy sandwich place (for sandwiches, drinks and fireworks). There was live music and free Ben and Jerry ice cream truck. How can you not?! We ordered dry hopped apple ciders and shandies, which was tequila, line, grapefruit and beer mixed together. Yum yum. Lots if people and great fireworks. Oregon also sells alcohol until 2.30am so we grabbed few beverages to go :). This has been the theme practically every day because things are a plenty and tasty here. And because we don't have jobs yet, day drinking is almost okay. Almost. 

Michelle's birthday started with free breakfast sandwich at Einstein bros bagels. We then went and picked up few more awesome pieces from goodwill including trash cans, salad spinner, slow cookers, cups and bowls.
Now we are at a Mongolian grille, for free lunch: pick your meat, veggie, sauce and its all cooked for you at a round grille by a gentleman with stylish facial hair - I'll let your imagination to fill in the rest of the picture/face.
Our plans for the rest of the day include a matinee movie of "Grand Budapest Hotel" (can't beat $4 for two tickets) and a potluck of strangers-soon-to-be-friends which well be all flushed down with more adult beverages, primarily beer and cider. Turns out, drinking beer during a movie is not only acceptable but almost expected, since the bar is located pretty much right next to the seats. 
The evening with Noah and Ameera was fun, loss of fun people and turns it that Noah's birthday was also the 5th. Did i mention that he's also a nurse? Yeah, life. Excellent day overall!

Farmer markets galore, we picked up cherries, blueberries, gooseberies, onions, spinach, multicolor carrots, garlic, potatoes, local honey and apricots. Michelle will make a berry pie soon and we just had a hearty bowl of bean and veggie soup that was cooking up in a new slowcooker. (Thank you goodwill)

Everyone has been waiting patiently for our new address and so it is finally here:

1808 NE Weidler St.
Apartment #2
Portland, OR 97232

We have a tiny small 1 bedroom, so send us love, but nothing bulky please :) We are still trying to figure out where our furniture will go once it arrives.
The internet is set up today (Sunday), so more information will follow. And pictures. Thank you, lovely family and friends for all the warm messages, calls, and frequent attempts to grab a hold of this super couple :)

Welcome to Washington.

Coupe of very exciting things happened: we got approved for the apartment we applied for. This would mean the total number of days it took us to find a place to stay in Portland was exactly two. Definitely a reason to brag,  considering the one studio we looked at had 27 people contacting the realtor. Holy goats! The rent market is going nuts in the city.
Bur, NE Portland here we are :)

Today, our friends took us to the river, at the Dougen Falls in Washington. Very nice and relaxing day on the river, in the full day sun, pleasant nature-sounds galore. While the river was cold, quite chilly, it didn't stop Michelle form going in. I just dipped my feet, every once in the little while.
In the evening we had a fire in the back yard with roommates over some smores, hot dogs and fun stories.

Forth of July, anyone? Should be some exiting stuff, no concrete plans yet. How are the folks across the country doing? Any fun plans to hang out with people over some food in New England? Yes!

Michelle and I will be spending Saturday, her birthday, by going out to a bunch of places for free food and drinks around town, learning the area along way. Should be fun.