When I was in high school, I had a Lit teacher who promoted free-writing. We were to bring a composition book with us to class and spend the first ten minutes or so of class writing down anything that came to mind… with no attention to punctuation or capitalization… just write whatever was on your mind. I found this freeing and meditative. The teacher wouldn’t read it, and only checked that we’d done the writing and so it was peaceful and productive.
Portland feels like a good fit. There’s so much to do here… so many fun things, that I keep having to remind myself that I need to be working… book launches, art openings, museums, restaurants… (Yay!) And I am looking to find a balance of daytime activities and night time work-time. After all, the ideas and good stuff come from doing things… from living life.
The weather has been really warm. I’m not used to 85 degrees and above. I don’t believe that is normal for Portland either… but there’s been plenty of sunshine so the transition has been a little easier… when the rain and drizzle starts up in the Fall, I will remind myself that I was once walking home from the Portland Zine Symposium in 90 degree blazing sun.
Life here in Portland sure is a different experience than living in Salinas, CA. Leaving “freebies” out on street corners is a thing. If you have a box of stuff you don’t want, but want to move on, just stick the stuff in a box with the magic words “FREE” on it… and the stuff disappears. We put out our moving boxes and paper for wrapping out on the sidewalk. People on bicycles, people in cars, people walking by… they made the moving supplies “move on.” Boxes gone. There was a box on the corner (we live at an intersection) of magazines, hats and doodads that disappeared, although it seemed to take about a week… unfortunately, a large ugly orange chair with a busted leg has appeared… and only the neighborhood cat, Phoenix has shown any interest.
In the same spirit, the neighborhoods have many a free library… an enclosed box or some contraption where books live that can go free to a new home. You can also deposit books and CDs in said place. Here’s one with a Doctor Who theme. Yes, there were shelves inside filled with books. It’s kind of fun… it’s like you don’t know what books are being offered and so it’s a bit of a surprise inside.
Since the sun doesn’t go down until 10-ish… people stay out late here. We live near many cool restaurants and a theater and stuff, so conversations can be heard late at night of folks walking by. So far we’ve seen and heard a breakup, many a wailing baby in a tummy pack, discussions about where to eat and other passing by conversations. Also, the sun comes up earlier, and so bicycles and runners and walkers get started early (Laurelhurst Park is just down the road).
As of Monday July 10th… Salinas will be a memory… a place I lived but am not currently living in. It will be, quite literally, in the rear view mirror as we drive up to our new home… Portland, Oregon. Judy, Mouse and I will wheel it on up with a loaded car full of plants, pantry items (and some art supplies) and lots of stories and good times to recall. Drive time: Twelve hours-ish.
Cartoons here and on Squid Row are loaded until the first week of August. So, hopefully, there won’t be a gap in the cartoon stream as I hope to get the house situated along with the new downstairs office… I will do my best to get things up and running as quickly as possible… but forgive me if there is a break in the action. I will let you know, of course.
Too, I will also do my bestest to get the Art-o-rama zine out on time. I wish I could promise… but who knows what will happen on this wonderful new adventure! (*photo is a dahlia from our now former garden… I will be leaving it behind…I shall plant some in Portland).
What!? Randie & Ryan Tuesday AND Wednesday AND Thursday! Say it ain’t so!?
It is so.
I am moving to Portland, Oregon. I’ve lived in the Monterey Bay now for 20 years… and it was no easy decision to move from my beloved Central California Coast… but Portland has been calling. And now it is time to go.
I will keep cartooning away… I may need to take a break for a week or two at some point while the physical moving occurs… but that won’t be until late June or early July. I will, of course, keep you posted to any and all changes. Right now there’s a lot of boxes and packing.
Life is not dull by any means… this is a moving adventure. And perhaps I won’t be the only one moving (????).
Are you feeling like you want a little extra Squid Row this week?
Go to Squidrowcomics.com for a bonus SUNDAY strip (along with the regular Saturday toon!) TWO days of Squid Row… all weekend long! Limited time offer!
