When I flew into PDX to stay I knew that some changes were coming into my life. I was ready for them. At least that's what I thought. I am a native New Yorker and spent 27 years in and out of Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island. I could handle anything...couldn't I?? I had a feeling of suddenly being that little painted metal man who moves up the cliff in the TV game show "The Price is Right" 's famous challenge called "Cliffhanger." I just needed some serious boots. Flying in I began to see the terrain and then Mount Hood. I seriously started to cry. I wish I was lying because I like to think of myself as one of those cool alternative chicks like the one on the cover of "Salem Monthly" this month. I was crying because this was the most beautiful vision I ever layed my city girl eyes on. It has been love ever since.
Sometimes though, in my limited brick and mortar mind, I have trouble understanding the ways of Oregon and my hometown of Salem. I feel so left out that I don't know who the Oregon Ducks are. Even my daughter has a sweatshirt by now and I am still clueless! I just don't like sports. I know-I said it, and I feel I should have some guilt. I think I was made defective. I am not into fishing either. To make things worse, I am an animal welfare activist and a vegan. It seems everyone is eating whole cows-not just pieces. Just a big hunk of dead cow on a plate. And then there is me with my lettuce. There is also this pronunciation thing too like Aloha. It is not like the Hawaiian "Aloha." It is "a LOH a." I also thought naturally that Portland's "Couch Street" is pronounced like the thing you sit on to watch TV. I was told this was not so and was reprimanded. It was explained to me that the pronunciation of things was taken very seriously. I once again had guilt. I say this all out of love because I consider this to be my hometown now, and there are many many great things here. What I find to be really cool is that Salem has put in seperate little street signs with so-and-so church down this road or this and that community center down this way. The wooden signs come with the pointed arrow and everything! I thought they were only on TV in movies. They are real! I love them! I should tell you that many people say "Don't you miss New York?" or "You are crazy for leaving there and moving here!" I tell them that they can have it and they're crazy!
There is so many nutty things I think or write about in regards to the differences from Manhattan to Salem, but the bottom line is I love it here. All week long I wished I had a good camera so I could take pictures. In case the native Salemites have forgot, this place is like a living, moving, growing, wind-in-your-hair, extrodinary picture. I am so glad I get to live here.I hope I get to write more weird stuff because I love to laugh. I think it makes us all forget for awhile.Mercy Jean
