Something we all can relate to.

Report · Feb 22, 2017

We can make this a thread to post relevant cartoons, photo edits, memes and other assorted witticisms.

Report · Nov 14, 2017

A friend of mine has a Siberian Husky kennel, and she has a colleague in Finland, who posted this on her website.

Bear in mind that Finnish is not an Indo-European language. (along with Estonian, Sami and Hungarian)

It's quite hard to learn, so I imagine learning English can be difficult for the Fins too ...

Puppies for sale. Call me if you're interesting.

Report · Nov 14, 2017

I assume cat lovers are dull

Report · Sep 28, 2017

I've spent a few days in the area near the War Memorial Opera House, including wandering the streets after dark, which really scared the counter guy of the Major Hotel I was staying in. Yea, there was a lot of rustling in spots and a couple people started out towards me as I neared there spot of shadow, but when I just stopped & turned at them, decided to go back to the shadows.

Pleasant enough place.

Loved the mash of ethnicities, cultures, and languages on the streets during the daytime. Rather different than backstage at the WMOH, or the dining establishments one habits while out with The Involved.

Great time in SF. And for about 7 years I took voice myself from a gal who'd been raised near to SF, sang with the Merola program, and was on-stage there in a number of productions. Her husband was a character tenor, sang there or in nearby venues occasionally. So ... heard lots of SF stories.

Not my place to live, but to observe ... fantastic!

Report · Sep 29, 2017

"Great time in SF. And for about 7 years I took voice myself from a gal who'd been raised near to SF, sang with the Merola program, and was on-stage there in a number of productions. Her husband was a character tenor, sang there or in nearby venues occasionally. So ... heard lots of SF stories.

Not my place to live, but to observe ... fantastic!"

The area east of Van Ness, which includes the Tenderloin and the Civic Center is a notorious open-air drug market. That and rents doubling and tripling. It's a good thing you had your fun and left. I visit the Hayes Street west on Van Ness, which is a lot nicer since they tore the freeway down.

I see you are in Oregon. Not far from Portland. Must be beautiful country up there and the seashore is a few hours away and Portland, not so far.

Gene

Report · Sep 29, 2017

Living on the edge of Monmouth & Independence, 8.6 acres just outside town, once the center of a large grass-seed farm, the previous owners separated this bit off and besides the grove of oak trees and many others and a few large firs, planted many interesting trees and made a pond (40x100 foot or so) in one area ... much of this feels like a park. 5 acres mowed, which is ... work. Use it a lot for our portrait sessions, all sorts of beautiful surroundings to shoot in.

View from this custom octagonal house is mostly west/northwest across rich fields to the Coast Range foothills a couple miles away. Pacific is 60 miles thataway. Crest of the Cascade mountains (roughly 5,000 foot pass levels) is 120 miles east. Snow-capped mountains year round. The massive Columbia is just over an hour north, and start east from there (Troutdale, just east of Portland) and you are in the Columbia River Gorge. Two-thirds of Oregon is east of the Cascade crest, and it's very dry, some parts less than an inch moisture per year ... average elevation 3,000 foot or better, quite a number of mountain ranges. High desert except in those mountains where they get more moisture. Mostly winter snow.

In all, not a bad area to live ... yea, in the Willamette Valley the winters feature rain and clouds most days, but it tends to be gentle rain most of the time. Soft lighting, I love the winters. Summers are very dry & moderate to warm, humidity much lower in summer than winter. Very little rain mid-June to mid-September.

Ate once at ... something or other Grill & Bar, a block or two from the opera house. A couple hours before a Turandot was starting, the two of us had no reservation, the maitre'd was humming but not seeming to find anything. My bud managed to start playing with his back-stage id tag hanging round his neck ... just sort of idly so. Looking off across the room, you know?

Maitre'd saw that, quickly read it ... and we had a table for two immediately. We were ... charmed. Can be handy to get a table with one of the leads, you know? Food was awesome, Alan had the pork chop which was to die for. Thought if I ever get back, I'm having the pork chops!

Neil

Report · Sep 29, 2017

I'm lucky to have a small studio in the East Bay with access to Bart. I do have the freedom to make it to the city and take in all the good things.

But should that ever fall flat, I would consider a move to the Pacific Northwest and the beauty of Oregon. Not sure I want to hang around Portland, but at least have transit there just like SF. (I've been to Tacoma, but that seemed a bit soggy.)

Sounds like you landed a great spread out in Monmouth. As much as I like SF, you would end up being priced out eventually, so you chose your destination wisely.

You didn't mention it, Neil, but can you see Mt. Hood from where you are?

Gene

Report · Sep 29, 2017

Anyway, caught this gem as to why others may not reply as fast as you would like. Maybe it isn't any of the below, but why think the worse of anyone??

Report · Sep 30, 2017

gener7 wrote
Anyway, caught this gem as to why others may not reply as fast as you would like. Maybe it isn't any of the below, but why think the worse of anyone??

I think I might have told this story before, but Gene's post reminds of a middle aged lady who worked in our lab (Calibration lab at Ford UK Research & Development). She was not very friendly, and when she left our Maurice, who scored a 10 on the Aspergers scale, too it upon himself to take round the card for people to sign. Most people refused because thew lady was so unfriendly, and Mo honestly thought he was doing her a favour when he told her.

"Not many people signed your card, because they don't like you."

Report · Sep 30, 2017

Most people refused because the lady was so unfriendly, and Mo honestly thought he was doing her a favour when he told her.
"Not many people signed your card, because they don't like you."

I read that in Ric Romero's voice. Thanks for the laugh, Trevor.