Oregonians... thinking of moving

Just don't tell them you're from California, and you should be good to go. Tell them you're from Maine and I'll bet they'll love you.

I was born and raised in Eastern Oregon, and I mean Eastern Oregon - not Pendleton which is really central Oregon. On the Oregon/Idaho border. I note this as the state is conservative except for Eugene and Portland, and maybe Ashland. "Hippie" culture is pretty close to and in those cities.

I think the climate and overall environment is very close to Maine. I've been to Maine several times, and they felt very similar. They are geographically on similar latitudes, so not surprising.

Oregon has great food, beer, and if you love the outdoors you can't go wrong. The beaches are great, but nobody really swims in the ocean. Tillamook ice cream, need I say more? Sports are decent, culture is lacking. Good health center, Oregon Health Science University (OHSU). Crater Lake (stop at Becky's Pies, order ahead if you want banana creme), Hood River Valley (wines and windsurfing), pretty laid back atmosphere and people are awfully nice versus the East Coast (in general).

The only quirk I found is that I believe CCW (conceal carry) you have to pass Oregon's CCW permit process and other states do not transfer or are recognized. If you are outside of the aforementioned cities, it would be odd for you NOT to have a gun/pistol.

As others have mentioned, the school system is in bad shape. Unlike when I was growing up. So if you have kids, something to think about. You can always do private school like Jesuit in Portland. If you're big into theater, arts, and "high society" type stuff, not so great. Canada and the coast is nearby, so nice easy trips. San Francisco is a hop away by plane, as our other destinations and Asia (versus Europe).

I'm trying to think of things others have not covered, but they did a good job. Its my home state, and I now live in Washington, DC. I really miss Oregon, but I guess you always miss your "home".
 
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guarddog said:
Just don't tell them you're from California, and you should be good to go. Tell them you're from Maine and I'll bet they'll love you.

I was born and raised in Eastern Oregon, and I mean Eastern Oregon - not Pendleton which is really central Oregon. On the Oregon/Idaho border. I note this as the state is conservative except for Eugene and Portland, and maybe Ashland. "Hippie" culture is pretty close to and in those cities.

I think the climate and overall environment is very close to Maine. I've been to Maine several times, and they felt very similar. They are geographically on similar latitudes, so not surprising.

Oregon has great food, beer, and if you love the outdoors you can't go wrong. The beaches are great, but nobody really swims in the ocean. Tillamook ice cream, need I say more? Sports are decent, culture is lacking. Good health center, Oregon Health Science University (OHSU). Crater Lake (stop at Becky's Pies, order ahead if you want banana creme), Hood River Valley (wines and windsurfing), pretty laid back atmosphere and people are awfully nice versus the East Coast (in general).

The only quirk I found is that I believe CCW (conceal carry) you have to pass Oregon's CCW permit process and other states do not transfer or are recognized. If you are outside of the aforementioned cities, it would be odd for you NOT to have a gun/pistol.

As others have mentioned, the school system is in bad shape. Unlike when I was growing up. So if you have kids, something to think about. You can always do private school like Jesuit in Portland. If you're big into theater, arts, and "high society" type stuff, not so great. Canada and the coast is nearby, so nice easy trips. San Francisco is a hop away by plane, as our other destinations and Asia (versus Europe).

I'm trying to think of things others have not covered, but they did a good job. Its my home state, and I now live in Washington, DC. I really miss Oregon, but I guess you always miss your "home".
Click to expand...

What's it like living in DC, and the East Coast for that matter?
 
Jumpkix said:
What's it like living in DC, and the East Coast for that matter?
Click to expand...

Here is a good example. In Washington, DC, its perfectly acceptable to ask what a person does for a living, and I mean within the first three or four sentences - followed immediately by where do you live. With that information you can discern ball park salary range, status, social circles, and if you want to associate with that person or not.

In Oregon, if somebody asks what do you do, the response is something along the iines of artist, cyclist, runner, organic farmer, etc. What you "do" is your hobby. Your job doesn't define you.

There are some great things about the DC area, lot of stuff to do, three airports in the area, major train station, East Coast Corridor (New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC).

That being said, people are Type A, the area makes people hypersensitive and just generally tense and/or angry. A "me" first attitude. My wife and I talked about this, and I think in Oregon, the mentality is still help your neighbor (Oregon trail days), because if you don't help no one else will. And if they should happen to live through the 'ordeal' they'll let all the neighbors know you didn't help. Hope that makes sense.

I guess the best way to sum the East Coast is its great - if it weren't for the people.
 
I know both states. Lived in Portland, OR for 2 years and couldn't deal with the weather. It is grey and damp for 9 months. No big thunder storms. No torrential downpours. Nothing dramatic like that. Just damp and grey with a low cloud cover. I am solar powered and def suffer from S.A.D. It was exactly the wrong place for me.
 
guarddog said:
Here is a good example. In Washington, DC, its perfectly acceptable to ask what a person does for a living, and I mean within the first three or four sentences - followed immediately by where do you live. With that information you can discern ball park salary range, status, social circles, and if you want to associate with that person or not.

In Oregon, if somebody asks what do you do, the response is something along the iines of artist, cyclist, runner, organic farmer, etc. What you "do" is your hobby. Your job doesn't define you.

There are some great things about the DC area, lot of stuff to do, three airports in the area, major train station, East Coast Corridor (New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC).

That being said, people are Type A, the area makes people hypersensitive and just generally tense and/or angry. A "me" first attitude. My wife and I talked about this, and I think in Oregon, the mentality is still help your neighbor (Oregon trail days), because if you don't help no one else will. And if they should happen to live through the 'ordeal' they'll let all the neighbors know you didn't help. Hope that makes sense.

I guess the best way to sum the East Coast is its great - if it weren't for the people.
Click to expand...

+1.

I was born and raised in VT, stationed in DC during my first 2 years in the Marine Corps., and then ended up living in NOVA off and on for 8 years or so.

I don't think I could ever move back - too crowded for me, especially after I got used to so much 'space' after living in other parts of the country.
 
guarddog said:
I really miss Oregon, but I guess you always miss your "home".
Click to expand...

I grew up in Eugene, been in Utah for 15 years. I miss Oregon, but I don't miss "home". The Willamette Valley has turned into a cesspool of whiny activists and I can't stand it there anymore. If I ever move back (probably not) it'll be to central or southern Oregon.
 
I left Maine for Arizona to go to college at the UofA. Just recently I moved to Seattle. Not going to lie I do not like it here but compared to AZ. Climate wise its cloudy a lot and rains but no harsh winter like Maine's. From what I'm told its not quite as humid in the PNW either. Anyway, the weather adjustment you will probably favor. For me I love the sun too much and heading back to AZ when my lease is up here.
 
Well I have lived in Oregon for most of my life and I am old.
I am so old that I was an extra in the movie "Animal House" that was filmed in Eugene. I was in the marching band in the parade scene at the end of the movie. You can see me for about two seconds.

I have lived other place on the west coast but I have always came back to Oregon.
I live in Portland but grew up in the Thousand Valleys of the Umpqua till my mid twenties. And will always call it home.

Bend Oregon, I would move there in a heart beat if the employment was a little better there.

What kinda work are you looking for?

I work in the food industry here in Portland and have been a warehouse manager for 15 years at a company that I have worked for going on 18 years.
Portland has work, just depends what you are looking for pay.

Yes, traffic can be bad here but nothing compared to say L.A. or Seattle.
I live close enough to work were I can drive the 205 freeway to Airport Way in morning and then take 122nd/Halsey on the way home. I have no issues with traffic commuting to and from work.

You like the rain? You had better if you move here. I am used to it and it really does not matter to me. The weather report for the next two day calls for about 2+ inches of rain here in Portland. SOAKER!!!

Guns? Yeah I got them. It was a way of life where I grew up. All you really need to carry a long rifle is a hunting license.

You like to 4wheel? Yeah we got that also. Sand, Rocks, Mud, and Snow, the finest in the country. Actually Oregon is pretty unique, We have the Coast, the Forest, the Mountains and the High Desert. I like the desert, as which my handle refers to. The Void of Oregon, unpopulated desert.

I like Oregon and have been to just about every part here and exploring all of it.

Some people say if they ever won the lottery that would travel the world. If I ever won the lottery I would travel Oregon...Then travel the world.

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Central Oregon! Bend/ Redmond specifically. Great people pretty low crime. Police suck but they don't really enforce speed limit as long as your being "safe". Great trails for off tossing April to November. And in Redmond cost to live is reasonable. Bend is a little high tho. Portland and the valley suck rainy and higher drug issues and a shit ton of hippies.
 
I am so old that I was an extra in the movie "Animal House" that was filmed in Eugene. I was in the marching band in the parade scene at the end of the movie. You can see me for about two seconds.
Click to expand...

Wow - VERY cool!
 
guarddog said:
Here is a good example. In Washington, DC, its perfectly acceptable to ask what a person does for a living, and I mean within the first three or four sentences - followed immediately by where do you live. With that information you can discern ball park salary range, status, social circles, and if you want to associate with that person or not.

In Oregon, if somebody asks what do you do, the response is something along the iines of artist, cyclist, runner, organic farmer, etc. What you "do" is your hobby. Your job doesn't define you.

There are some great things about the DC area, lot of stuff to do, three airports in the area, major train station, East Coast Corridor (New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC).

That being said, people are Type A, the area makes people hypersensitive and just generally tense and/or angry. A "me" first attitude. My wife and I talked about this, and I think in Oregon, the mentality is still help your neighbor (Oregon trail days), because if you don't help no one else will. And if they should happen to live through the 'ordeal' they'll let all the neighbors know you didn't help. Hope that makes sense.

I guess the best way to sum the East Coast is its great - if it weren't for the people.
Click to expand...

I was born and raised in the northern Va area. So, pretty much DC. If you live there you know what I mean. While I agree with you with the 'me' first attitude, it also depends on where you live. If you're in the suburbs of DC, your neighbors determine the attitude. I have friends that are in row houses in DC and the neighbors are fantastic. It's assumed that if someone's BBQing, you're invited. My parents live in South Riding. That's a horrible, horrible place to live if you want to talk to neighbors. They are in a bubble of society where they don't even have bike racks at the local grocery stores which are walking/biking distance. That neighborhood encourages the use of your overgrown SUV.

One of the things I miss about DC is the culture. I've lived in Boulder, Co and now Vancouver, Wa. The Smithsonian Museums are all FREE. Almost anything to do in DC is FREE. Most people don't even know there is an aquarium there. And it's FREE. It's by no means like the Baltimore Aquarium, but it's nice.

What I've also learned about living west of the Mississippi is that life is slower. Some people are drawn to that. Some people want it. I like the option. That's why we moved to Boulder and now Vancouver. There are still 'major' cities to go to when you want someone to speak to that is a little more educated. Sometimes you want to talk to someone that knows what's going on in the world. Sometimes you want to not be anywhere close to another living soul. It's hard to find those types living arrangements, but Boulder and Vancouver have done pretty well.
 
IntoTheVoid said:
Well I have lived in Oregon for most of my life and I am old.
I am so old that I was an extra in the movie "Animal House" that was filmed in Eugene. I was in the marching band in the parade scene at the end of the movie. You can see me for about two seconds.

I have lived other place on the west coast but I have always came back to Oregon.
I live in Portland but grew up in the Thousand Valleys of the Umpqua till my mid twenties. And will always call it home.

Bend Oregon, I would move there in a heart beat if the employment was a little better there.

What kinda work are you looking for?

I work in the food industry here in Portland and have been a warehouse manager for 15 years at a company that I have worked for going on 18 years.
Portland has work, just depends what you are looking for pay.

Yes, traffic can be bad here but nothing compared to say L.A. or Seattle.
I live close enough to work were I can drive the 205 freeway to Airport Way in morning and then take 122nd/Halsey on the way home. I have no issues with traffic commuting to and from work.

You like the rain? You had better if you move here. I am used to it and it really does not matter to me. The weather report for the next two day calls for about 2+ inches of rain here in Portland. SOAKER!!!

Guns? Yeah I got them. It was a way of life where I grew up. All you really need to carry a long rifle is a hunting license.

You like to 4wheel? Yeah we got that also. Sand, Rocks, Mud, and Snow, the finest in the country. Actually Oregon is pretty unique, We have the Coast, the Forest, the Mountains and the High Desert. I like the desert, as which my handle refers to. The Void of Oregon, unpopulated desert.

I like Oregon and have been to just about every part here and exploring all of it.

Some people say if they ever won the lottery that would travel the world. If I ever won the lottery I would travel Oregon...Then travel the world.
Click to expand...

You sir, are a legend. My Dad was a student at the UofO during the filming of Animal House. He belonged to the Beta House fraternity where a lot of the movie was shot. I wonder if you guys know each other? Happen to know anyone by the name of Seefeld or Warberg?
 
That's funny!
The father of a high school girlfriend of mine went to that frat house. He used to talk about it all the time! Had a full on photo album and autographs... Man if only....I mean, the stories he would tell when his daughter wasn't around were epic! And I can't stand that word!....lol
 
Jumpkix said:
You sir, are a legend. My Dad was a student at the UofO during the filming of Animal House. He belonged to the Beta House fraternity where a lot of the movie was shot. I wonder if you guys know each other? Happen to know anyone by the name of Seefeld or Warberg?
Click to expand...
I was in high school when your dad was in collage.
I took my driving test in Cottage Grove where the parade scene was filmed.

Never met John Belushi or any other actors but I was pretty close to them. John was high or drunk all the time when I saw him.
Got paid $2.50 an hour for it and lunch. Got to keep my marching band uniform. My dad still has it and lives in Eugene with one of my sister.

Years later when we heard that they were going to tear down "Delta Animal House" on West 11th, a bunch of us got together and took off to Eugene. We pulled up some lawn chairs, sat and drank beer while they did the demolishing.
 
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Dont do it if you have a problem with drug addicts... I have a bit of family in Oregon and gone several times and every single time i went the beauty of the state is exactly that. But the people felt dirty to me. Dope dope dope everywhere I saw.


Not sayin the members here from Oregon are tweakers... Just sayin I saw allot of it in Oregon
 
White 4x4runner said:
Dont do it if you have a problem with drug addicts... I have a bit of family in Oregon and gone several times and every single time i went the beauty of the state is exactly that. But the people felt dirty to me. Dope dope dope everywhere I saw.


Not sayin the members here from Oregon are tweakers... Just sayin I saw allot of it in Oregon
Click to expand...

Man what a f'd up thing to say about my home town! You dirty. Rotten....oops I can't lie your completely right! Some places are worse then others but it's hard to not notice how drugs are ruining this state. I used to have a job that had me driving all around town and a couple hours of down time to boot. I once foiled the attempt of a drug dealer trying to distribute what I can only believe to be meth or crack by the looks of his clientele. The dealer got so worried about me that he took off out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell, with a trail of addicts yelling after him, it was a good 7 people at least. I phoned the police and followed the car till he ran a red light trying to get away from me. Later on I had to kick myself in the ass for doing what I did, if he had hit another car while running the light I would have never forgiven myself if someone got hurt.

I'm originally from San Diego, and have come to really love Oregon, now the people on the other hand are a different story.
 
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