10.19.10 - 8:55 am

i found a lot of enjoyment in my weekend.

A poorly planned but perfectly executed saturday and sunday expedition to seattle.

seattle.

the closest major metropolitan city to my home in portland. only about a three hour drive, and with a speed limit of 70 mph (or 85) nearly the whole way, the drive is made additionally tolerable by the photographic views of water and mountain. the city holds some intrinsic fascination for me. ive been there twice this year and still feel as though its only slipped past my finger tips. i want to get a solid grasp of it before i let it go. its huge. expansive. its downtown structure is made of massive skyscrapers dangerously close together. major freeways seem to dip below the city and buildings before spiraling off in every direction. without having any sort of reference point, the road system seems random and incoherent. i am the only one who struggles with this, the other vehicles have no problem blasting down crowded narrow streets with dozens of intersections and parked cars and cables and lights and pedestrians.

would i mind the weather? this weekend was beautiful and sun filled. i imagine i could do a year of the continuous soul crushing dampness. maybe thats part of the allure of seattle. just as one goes to phoenix and expects the permanent sunshine, one already knows that there will be low hanging malaise drizzling down on seattle. anyways, it was sunny that day. and its reminiscent of an alternate version of portland. same types of people. same sort of trees and weather. but different buildings.

whoah....double rainbow.....a hemson would say to something so profound.

i thoroughly enjoy the tension static in the air in college towns. the rivalry business between sports teams, in this case huskies versus the beavers, is such a powder keg. most people could give a shit and just love to support their school/team. but there are always those dudes that thirst for the confrontation. some mutter insults under their breath, others stare right at you as they verbally entice you to fight them because of your oregon state loyalties. or where ever. in college this tension was exciting, but at the first sign of conflict i would fold. nearing thirty, i suppose i probably would still cower but it feels far more ridiculous now watching someone trying to start a fight over a goddamn football game. how embarrassing for them. oh to be young and in college again.

we walked through a part of the city next to an urban college. a recurring theme among the current local fashion is something from the early 90s. when people were blending the denim punk of the late 80s with the acid wash yuppies during the first years of the 90s. over done hair styles. big blocky sunglasses. tights. neon colors. fashion forward...from their parents closets. maybe they know what theyre doing.

my next visit in seattle will include many locations over the course of 48 hours. bars. taverns. dark alleys. underground tunnels. tops of sky scrapers. space needles. markets. ferry rides. i want a years worth of experience over the course of a weekend.

then ill feel okay about letting it slip from my fingers into memory.