Yo Sup!

Sup! I mean sup sup. SUP!!! Been a whilesup! I miss all of you traveling bearcatzzz (or should I say traveling binturongzz)!

Last time I wrote, I had just found my job at the Industrial Cafe and Saloon, so I feel the need to post again as I have just completed my last day of work and thus ended the chapter (for now) of mustard stains and ever-exciting rides on Bus 15. (I think that my most interesting Trimet trip of the summer actually occurred aboard Bus 20 when the woman sitting directly behind me was in labor.)

I had two goals at the beginning of the summer: Really get to know Portland and its public transportation and reconnect with old friends in order to develop some kind of roots.

As for the former, I am confident that I will always be able to return to this city and find new funky neighborhoods and awesome hang outs, but I definitely feel that I have gotten much more comfortable getting around town these last few months. Working at the Industrial Cafe has enabled me to be downtown every day and get pretty well acquainted with cool areas of NW PDX.

In regards to my second goal, I feel that slowly but surely I have (re)developed a family of friends who I know I can count on for late night adventures and general good times whenever it is that I return to this place. The beginning of the summer was difficult for me as I had hoped to reconnect with friends from high school who now seem more like strangers. However, I made a conscious choice not to let their apathy get me down, and I wound up hanging out with a different crowd of friends who have been so warm and welcoming to me. It's hard for me to leave now as I feel so comfortable and happy surrounded by these great people, but I am confident now that these friendships will still be strong whenever it is that we are all in the same place next.

An added bonus of living in the Portland Metropolitan Area has been frequent trips to Salem to see all of the bearcats who are hanging around this summer.

I had a party Saturday night in celebration of summer's glory, and I wish you all could have been here. It was the perfect way to cap off this beautiful season.

Incidentally, I got a call from our fellow Sup Sup blogger Tyler McMonkey today, and he was in Northampton, Massachusetts, which is where I will be in three days! Hearing Tyler describe the town a little and realizing how soon I will be there has gotten me so excited!

I am thinking of you all and hoping to hear from you soon!

Sarscat