PDX Music to Survive the Winter

Dear friends, I wanted to make you a Muxtape of the Portland bands I've been listening to lately, but my poor little Muxy is involved in some type of lawsuit that has shut down the website.

Oh well, you'll just have to suck it up and listen to this Mixwit tape.

Although I am not a member of the 'Cool Kids Who Make Music' club, I still think I'm a pretty good listener. And don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with the old Portland standards (Decemberists, Thermals, Elliott Smith, Menomena.) I'm going to mix it up!

While Garrett is off carousing in Europe, I am at work cleaning up poop and getting wet, snotty kisses. But seriously, I LOVE my job.

I miss all of our visitors and hope somebody will come see me soon. I've been loving hanging out with the Killpack sisters and am so glad they live down the street! Now I'm just waiting for the Cooke sisters and Booth and Christopher to hurry up and get here! Speaking of the Cooke sisters, Christina wrote a fascinating post about her visit to Portland in her travel blog, "Out to See." Here's some photos from her visit.



*BBQ at the Killpack's



*Voodoo Donuts!



Hiking near Mount Adams

As I've looked over our posts from the past, I've noticed that we talk about all the exciting, new things we are doing and how wonderful Portland is. It sounds like our lives are perfect and that we are existing in some kind of utopia. But I really want to be honest and tell you that it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows (or should I say organic produce and bike rides). Moving across the country was alot harder than I thought it would be. I have felt lost and alone at times, and I miss all of my dearest friends and think of you guys every day.

I guess I'm just trying to say that the payoff has been great, but the sacrifice was kind of big too. So don't be down if you feel "stuck" in your town.

Love you guys.
xoxo

*photos by Christopher Bayerle

It's Like European Vacation Without Beverly D'Angelo or Being on Pig in a Poke

After a month and a half of lovely visitors, I'm checking out of the country for a while. Cary Norton, John Yam, and myself will be trekking across eastern Europe for three weeks beginning Tuesday. Where will we be going? I'm glad you asked. We will be visiting the following countries, perhaps in the following order:

Hungary
Slovakia
Austria
Czech Republic
Poland
Ukraine
Romania
Serbia
Montenegro
Croatia


We will undoubtedly get lost, but as long as the North Star shines brightly each night, we shall find our way.







Here is a clip of how I imagine my time in the Ukraine to go (Substitute "Garrett" for "Rusty"):


I realize that the clip is from the 80's, but my uninformed American mind assumes that eastern Europe is 20 years behind the rest of the civilized world.

What I'm looking forward to the most are 1)Visiting my brother, Trevor, in Vienna 2)Being pounded on by old men the size of bears at the Turkish baths in Budapest 3)Saying I've been to the Ukraine 4)Being in countries where sporadic landmines exist 5)Getting away from a city where it seems like every 10 seconds someone is trying to get you to register to vote, donate to Barack Obama, or save the world via Greenpeace

What I'm looking forward to the least are 1)Body odor 2)Cyrillic languages 3)Gypsies 4)Being in countries where sporadic landmines exist 5)United Airlines charging me $15 to check my bag

Please feel free to call/write/visit/feel sorry for Helen and the cats. I know that I'd miss me dearly if I were gone for almost a month. Also, if you could, please make sure that the Chicago Cubs hold on to win their division so that I can watch them in the playoffs upon my return.

I will return on October 1st with what I expect to be gobs of stories and photos.

Until then,

xoxoGarrettxoxo