The Portland Chronic- what? -les

Portland, Oregon. I've spent many countless moments in Chicago telling people that it doesn't rain as much as people think it does in Portland. I was just there for 6 days...and it rained everyday. EVERY day. Friday- I arrived around 2:00pm and set out to get the hotel and meet Michele at the photo studio I was borrowing. Got in no problem, set everything up that I needed to and went on my way. Deanna and I ate at Swagat Indian Cuisine before playing a ComedySportz show in Portland. On that note, a big part of my trip back was eating at places I like eating at. It didn't get as big as I would have liked, but I checked some off the list...and Swagat was the first. Unfortunately, Srimanth, the owner, wasn't there. He's a great guy who will rip you a new one when you first start working there, and will still try after you've worked there awhile. I got pretty good at reversing his burn attempts in my four years working there.

After we ate (and we ordered too much) we headed over to CSz and got ready for the show. It was good to be back, and weird to be back. In the show, everyone was kicking ass. It made me think of something Zach Thompson said: "The difference between half-ass and kick-ass...think about it." I've been thinking about a lot of shows I've been doing in Chicago, and the state of Chicago improv today and that rings true. I think a lot of it has become half-assed and I'm done doing that. I'm going to kick ass from now on.

We finish out the show and head over to the common aftershow hang out, McMennamin's. It has changed from a grill pub to a larger restaurant. My favorite thing to order...not on the menu. What I order, comes out wrong. A terrible experience, and I ban them.

Saturday- Today starts bright and early. I am shooting headshots today and I am shooting seven people. The most I've ever shot in a day. We get there around 8:15am to be able to let the stylist in and get set up. The nice thing is, I know everyone. So this is a great "see old friends" time while still being able to do work.

My dad wants to stop by and shows up at 10:00am. He loves my work and is very proud that I'm doing photography. He's always loved photography and has tried to get me to love it since I was a kid. I did love it...I just wasn't patient enough to shoot my film, develop my film, make prints, etc. With digital I get immediate results. Huzzah! So, he's proud. Also, while he's there, one of the ladies decides to get "slinky" in her pics. Whenever I shoot headshots, I reserve the last 10 shots for just going crazy...doing whatever they want to do. For this particular woman, it meant wearing only a man's button down shirt...some shots for her husband (who was in the room). I shoot those and then she goes to change back into her clothes. My dad looks at me and says "I gotta get into this business!"

If you've made it this far..."Hey Eric Lindberg."

The shoots continue. My dad leaves and Phil comes in to just watch what I do...and pick up lunch for Deanna, Joan Marie (the stylist) and myself. The last shoot ends around 4:30. We drop by the hotel quickly then it's off to CHRISTMAS AT APPLEBEE'S! Deanna's mom picked Applebee's for the destination and we all (our parents and we) met there. Apparently they have great soup. Gifts were exchanged. Talk was had. Then we were on our merry way. Hmmm...8:30pm. Time to go to sleep!

Sunday- got to sleep in and didn't need to be to the studio until 10:00. Shot three people and then had a couple couples come in. Jeremy and Carrie showed up and I shot them. They were very nervous in front of the camera, which I found hilarious. Then my mom and dad showed up. That was a fun shoot...plus my dad totally got me back for something I did when I was a kid.

Every easter or christmas my dad would set up the camera and tripod and we would all be dressed nicely awaiting a family picture. One easter, my sense of humor kicked in. Picture one: everyone is smiling, I have my eyes wide open in a blank stare. Picture two: everyone is smiling, my dad slightly less than the rest, I have my eyes wide open in a blank stare. Picture three: my dad has told me not to make a face...He is not smiling, my mom and sister are kind of smiling, I have my eyes wide open in a blank stare. Picture four: my dad has told me a little more harshly not to make a face...He looks angry, my mom looks upset, my sister is looking at me, I am smiling nicely. Cut to the last picture of my shoot on Sunday. Deanna is taking a picture of me and my parents. I'm kind of smiling, my mom is smiling, my dad's eyes are wide open in a blank stare. The ultimate callback.

After the shoot we headed to my parents house and played Fluxx...a card game that is fun, but that they didn't know how to play. I discovered Fluxx while I was in Maine over the Summer. I bought myself a deck and sent one to my parents. NOW they actually know how to play it. We head back and stop at The Spaghetti Factory for dinner...check another food place off the list. Sleep.

Monday- Today is a day I've been looking forward to and kind of dreading. We head out to the beach to visit my Grandpa. It was great to see him, but hard to see him as well. He just turned 90 on the 13th.

I have a hard time watching family get older...especially grandparents. My mom's parents had always been together, but my dad had step-parents. Because of this I hit the jackpot as a kid...SEVEN GRANDPARENTS! Unfortunately, they all started passing away, and it seemed like all around the same time. It makes me angry to think about it. I have one grandparent left and the thought of losing him makes me sad and angry because A) he's my last grandparent and B) that means my parents are next.

It's a nice visit, but sad. We come back to town for a romantic date of food court food and a Gay Cowboy movie. Ahhhhh, romance. I did get bourbon chicken at the Cajun Grill in the food court, check.

Brokeback Mountain was ok. It could have been 30 minutes shorter and still told the same story. I feel like it is way over-hyped. It's good...but since it's about gay cowboys dealing with their forbidden love people think it's great. It's no "Big Trouble in Little China", folks...get over it.

Monday is the day that Deanna realized her Tuesday flight doesn't leave at 11:00am...it leaves at 7:00am. YIKES! Good thing she checked.

Tuesday- 5:45am and I'm off to the airport to drop off Deanna. She needed to be back sooner than I did.

Major accomplishment: Carl's Jr. (similar to Hardee's, but not) Western Bacon Cheeseburger...HUGE check off the list. It's a burger with bacon, BBQ sauce and onion rings IN the burger. I also put my fries in the burger as well.

Today I worked on preparing all the CDs for the people who got headshots. Later that night I stopped by my old Tae Kwon Do Dojang and visited with Master Ha. I was glad to see him, and I showed up at probably the perfect time by chance. From there I went to the ComedySportz rehearsal to drop off CDs. It was a mandatory rehearsal for them, so I didn't want to intrude too much. I dropped off CDs and was on my way.

That night I hung out with Blaine (friend since 4th grade, and ex-co-worker) and Jeremy (friend and ex-co-worker). They still work at the same job I quit 3 years ago. We went out and told stories. They kept me filled in on work gossip, although I forgot to ask if that bitch, Ali, still works there. Way to make a positive impression, Ali.

Wednesday- I stayed one day too long. Not a whole lot to do. Around 1:00pm I went out to Tigard to my old High School to see my yearbook/photography teacher. I figured I would chat it up and show him my portfolio. I used to drop by and chat after I graduated. Bob Skrondal is a great teacher and very down to earth. Just a cool guy. Unfortunately, he wasn't there. They told me at the office that he works on 'B' days...which are Tuesdays and Thursdays. They said he retired, but came back to teach anyway...which really helped them out.

I don't know how screwed up schools are everywhere else, but they are very screwed up in Tigard. Let's start focusing on education, shall we? Portland has been voting against education funding because everytime the option is education or lower property tax. They always seem to be tied together. At this rate, EVERYONE will be as intelligent as our president. Yeah, I said it.

From my high school I head over to my parents. They are not there...it's Wednesday...duh, they're working. I go to the mall and slowly walk around. Come back to my parents...still not there. I walk to 7-11 for a soda. There used to be a trail through the neighbors yard that was a shortcut to 7-11. I decide not to look for it on the way there, but I DO look for it on the way back.

The trek takes me past my old grade school...which is non existant. There is a grade school there, but it isn't my old one. They completely tore down my school and built an entirely new one. It was bizarre to see. I found the trail. It didn't lead me through my neighbor's yard anymore, it went to another house. Close enough.

Still no parents. I watch TV until they get there and we go out for Mexican food. After that I head out to chill and pack and sleep for my morning flight.

Thursday- Fly home.

The whole trip I've been reading "A Million Little Pieces" and it's a good book. I know there is "controversy" as to what is true and what is not in the book, but I don't care. It's a good book. If you can accept the crap our government is dishing out, then this book will seem more than full of truth.