lowering expectations

Originally uploaded by kristalynn.

about three years ago i was traveling across the united states with a broadway show. we visited several different cities and portland, oregon was by far a popular favorite. it's got old stone buildings, great restaurants, and an overall liberal, intelligent vibe. i tried to reconstruct that great vacation during a side-trip on this current jaunt in vancouver.

i yet learned another one of life's precious lessons: never try to recreate a good time. you had a blast in tijuana and purchased a large sombrero that didn't fit into the overhead bin? that's great. don't do it again. you met a really bright guy in a jazz club in paris? fab. he's no longer there.

it started really well in portland. i walked into the room i booked for half its price on hotwire and instantly declared that i loved it. i browsed at powell's until it closed and then went back to the hotel and took a bath. i was finally relaxing away 5 months of 7-day work weeks.

the next day my sister saw my room and usurped it. i moved into their room that had a reminiscent smell of toad. i bucked up and had a talk with myself: i was going to be spending most of my time outside, exploring the city, right?

it rained the entire weekend and i'm convinced it was only a few degrees above freezing. i moped my way over to an old high school friend's work.

"you're underdressed again!" she said as she swathed me in polar fleece and draped me in ponchos.

"it's almost june." i rebutted.

i walked around looking for the memorable times i had on my first visit. i accepted my smelly frog room, the rain falling on my head, and the fact that i was missing my boyfriend. the sun eventually came out for about 45 minutes. and that's when some guy forced me to pose for a picture with his dalmatian, i witness a man wearing glossy stretch pants a-la-olivia-newton-john in grease (boots included), and i got into a skirmish with a band of pimply pre-teens wearing bible-quoted t-shirts in a pro-life rally.

sometimes in the pacific northwest, you gotta walk softly and carry a huge umbrella. you may come across a heron, who is also walking softly looking for a little lunch.

OR you may see a burly guy walking down the street, with great intent, wearing a tutu.