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I know I’ve whined about the weather several times in the past, but I’m going to do it again. This is the coolest, wettest spring I can ever remember. We’ve had a handful of sunny days, but that’s it. The rest of the time, it’s been just like today: grey and misty.
Now, as an Oregonian, I’m okay with several months of grey and misty. I like it. That’s why I live here. But I didn’t sign up for eight months a year of this stuff. Like just about everyone else in the Portland area, this weather is starting to drive me insane.
Summer begins at 4:21am Pacific on Monday morning. And the sun had better not be far behind!
As a sort of side effect, however, it turns out we picked a good year to take a break from our garden project. Everything but the peas and blackberries look pathetic. The strawberries taste like California strawberries (an Oregon insult for fibrous early-spring strawberries that have little flavor). The tomatoes are ready to give up. If we were tracking our costs and harvest this year, we’d probably be in the hole.
Enough complaining! Here are a few finance articles I’ve been reading elsewhere around the web:
Kristen forwarded a fascinating article from the San Francisco Chronicle. Author Jonathan Nathan takes a look at the pitfalls of credit reports, exploring what happens when errors creep into the automated world of credit reporting. The credit bureaus insist “there are no mistakes here”, yet consumers continue to report puzzling bits of info in their credit reports — info that often hurts their financial situation. Remember: It’s a good idea to get your free credit report once or twice a year to be sure there’s no misinformation.
A couple of years ago, GRS reader Betsy Teutsch gave us a guest post on her love-hate relationship with wedding registries. At her own blog, she recently posted a follow-up, in which she finds a middle ground. After her son’s recent wedding, Betsy decided there are ways to make wedding registries less onerous.
A recent MSN Money column from Liz Weston features stories of folks who live on $18,000 a year — by choice. Weston profiles three people (ages 25, 44, and 60) who “have chosen to live frugally so they can pursue their own interests”. It’s interesting to see what these people have in common: cheap housing, cheap transportation, and cheap thrills.
Finally, Feed the Sink has a follow-up to April’s recent article about shopping at farmers’ markets. Andre looks at five reasons farmers’ markets are good for you. Kris and I made our first trip to the local farmers’ market last weekend, and were both impressed by the stuff we came home with.
This article is about Spare Change Sunday, 20th June 2010 (by J.D. Roth)
Actually, that “California strawberries” thing has me thinking — what sort of state-based (or city-based) insults do you have in your neck of the woods? Here in Oregon, we also talk about “California drivers” — folks who tailgate, whip in and out of traffic, blast through stop signs, and otherwise act as if the rules of the road don’t apply to them. Yes, Oregonians seem resentful of Californians. If we want to say somebody’s backward or a hick, we’d probably say they were from Texas or Kansas or Arkansas. And anyone rude or overbearing is probably from New York.
I’m not saying there’s merit to these stereotypes — except for the whole strawberry thing — but there you go. I wonder what folks in, say, Minnesota say about people from nearby states…
Wow JD, I hope you didn’t just inadvertently opened up Pandora’s box with your questions haha.
First, how dare you Oregonians insult us Californians. Then again, if you guys were significant for anything, then maybe at least we would bother coming up with insults. But since that’s not the case, we don’t even bother talking about you guys.
Now excuse me while I go to the beach and enjoy our sunny warm weather…
Wow - I’m from CA. I’m really surprised about your comment about strawberries. Where I live, we buy them in flats and half-flats that have been just picked that morning and they are incredibly sweet! And the rudeness of CA drivers? Are you serious? That isn’t my experience at all. In fact, it’s the opposite. Drivers in the area where I live are very respectful and considerate of one another. I don’t take offense to your remarks because your ‘conclusions’ are based on ignorance. What is really unfortunate, however, is when people make life altering decisions based on false information. (Like I won’t move to or vacation in CA because they drive this way — I won’t move or get a job in New York because those folks are overbearing and rude).
Ha. You’ve upset the Californians, JD! (Our strawberries really are a lot better, but I’ll concede on the weather and beaches.)
Thanks for the mention, by the way.
@Sandy E (#3)
I think the reason “California strawberries” are woody and flavorless when shipped to Oregon is that they’re not picked that morning, but several days before, and thus don’t ripen on the vine. Oregon strawberries would taste like that, too, under the same conditions.
And these aren’t my conclusions. They’re stereotypes that Oregonians have about other people. I’m not saying they have merit or that they’re right, but we have them.
I should mention that when Kris and I actually visited New York in 2007, it completely changed my opinion of the city. I thought it was fantastic, and that the people were courteous and interesting.
I know I’m walking a fine line here, but I’m asking these questions in the spirit of fun, not in a spirit of meanness. We all have stereotypes of people from other places, some of which are silly. I’m just trying to point out some of the silliness.
But it may be better to just leave this conversation alone.
I live in BC and we consider California strawberries a disappointing second to the local ones too. I am originally from the UK, where Spanish strawberries would be the Californian equivalents!
I happen to enjoy stereotypes that people have about other areas, as an expat I hear ones about the UK and Ireland on an almost daily basis and they are entertaining to me.
I’ve never met anyone who has made a life altering decision based on stereotypes(!) so I don’t share the same concerns as Sandy.
Man, the weather has just been brutal this year. I’m glad we moved here in time to enjoy last year’s spring/summer, or we’d be worried!
You mean Oregonians aren’t all crazy spiritualists who live in treehouses? Or is that just Eugene?
Interesting to see this post, since I just hit some nearby farm stands this week and have been calculating the costs. At various stands and farms I bought onions, peppers, oranges, strawberries (the dreaded CA kind!), blackberries, limes and eggs.
The limes were 20 cents each, when they were 60 cents at the grocery store. Same sort of savings on everything else. The key, for us, is to do something with the produce and fruit right away, so we don’t lose any to spoilage.
So far, the strawberries (solid red all the way through and incredible, btw) have been eaten, the blackberries pureed and either made into ice cream or frozen, the other fruits have been juiced/zested and frozen, the peppers and onions have been used to make sofrito to accompany just about everything and the eggs have been eaten or used to make fresh pasta.
The proper use of farm stands, plus making the effort to eat, use or properly store what you find, can improve the quality of your food while cutting the costs. It’s a great deal.
I read the article when it came out and noted that they also all had in common the fact that they were single (except the guy living with his girlfriend) with roommates. And that none of them owned their own home. If you have a home that’s paid off, you could cut your expenses as much as paying for an apartment.
Definitely do-able though.
I read on someone’s Twitter that summer might skip Oregon this year. Hmm, I must try some Oregon strawberries. & last summer when I was in Portland, I got into a conversation about how drivers seem so patient and nice in Portland with a Portlandian and he said that usually if you notice someone driving impatiently, honking, speeding in and out, they are usually a California driver. harhar, but I guess when you live in CA traffic, it’s a way of survival..
As a fellow Oregonian, I have to agree-this is the most dismal summer I can remember in 20 years of living here–and I tried gardening again for the first time in years. Oops. My poor basil finally drowned and rotted.
I completely hear you, J.D., about the strawberries and the weather, and the wetness that just needs to go away. As a recent Oregon transplant I can say that it’s definitely time for some sunshine and beauty. That’s why we moved here after all. And also, our garden is indeed pathetic.
omg, there have been highs in the 90s EVERY DAY here in mid-Illinois! It’s horrible! We do have rain, though. The LOW on Tuesday is 75 degrees!
lol, Karen I’ll take your 90s (which we are also currently having) all summer instead of the 110+ that we’ll have later this summer down here in Texas.
My younger brother recently took a plane trip that required him to transfer planes in New York. He’s never been to New York before. His first words when he called home were, “The people are so rude up here.” (Granted, it was the airport, but still funny.)
I live in VT. We have a name for people from Massachusetts, MOSTLY related to their driving habits. Nobody wants to be tailgated by a Masshole!
Actually, I grew up in Mass, and I know that insults directed at Vermonters are very common.
Better than where I live in Canada. We get 8 months of snow and -25C weather, and now it’s so hot I can’t sleep. You either suffer inside or outside here
New Yorker chiming in…
First, I think New Yorkers are some of the nicest people around. In an extremely busy, faster-paced, highly populated and ethnically diverse town, as a general rule, most of us take time out to give directions, suggestions, help, etc. to most people visiting our city. We are more than happy to show you what makes this city so great as well as unique and hope to ensure that you leave with a good experience. That is not always possible, when people from elsewhere are trying to impose their idea of the city or their way of life on the city as they visit (and when they have not done any homework).
I am not saying that I do not run into rude people here, I do– but I also run into them in every other part of the U.S. As a whole, New York is more tolerant and accepting of all walks of life and is most likely the best example of the idea of a melting pot— no state beats our reputation for that. I think that is pretty nice. Lastly, don’t get me started on groups of tourists who walk five to seven abreast on the sidewalk, refusing to move to the side when all I’m trying to do is squeak by on my way to work… talk about rude. Because of the fast pace, we may not be middle america’s version of “nice”, but who says those people are the end all be all judges of etiquette? Rant over.
As for state bashing: New York likes to bash New Jersery a lot, but interestingly, there is also inter-borough bashin’: Brooklyn drivers versus Queens drivers. (Brooklyn is worse - ha!)
Re: farmer’s markets— I love them and wish for more. Depending on which on you hit in NY, however, can mean savings or lack thereof. Manhattan’s biggest is the green market in Union Square which is amazing– but sadly is not very convenient location-wise for me (prices=good; knowledge=great). One opened up close to my apartment in Queens, so I hit it on Saturday’s when I can (prices=very good; knowledge=good). For two weeks in the summer, Rockefeller Center has one (prices=pricey; knowledge=okay). CSAs seem to be something that is growing in popularity here– because it’s easier to have farm goodies delivered when the the farmer’s market is too far away.
Up here in Western Washington the weather is worse, we have broken the record for the longest period of not having a high above 75°F. 270 days+. Anything in the greenhouse is doing great, but the momment I transfer them out (due to space) they just start to give up.
Also up here in Washington we have pretty much the same local insults for Californians. I think ours is based on all the Californians moving up here in the 90s to work at Microsoft and other tech companies that were really taking off.
Hood strawberries are the classic ‘Oregon’ strawberry… there is nothing else that compares. They are smaller, darker, and much sweeter than the California counterpart. Unfortunately, the season is about 3-4 weeks and the shelf life is almost negative making them a local only privilege.
JD - do you have problems with squirrels eating your strawberries? There’s nothing worse than gradually watching a group of strawberries ripen only to disappear into the stomach of a hungry squirrel…
Having lived and driven in southern CA, northern CA, upstate NY, Manhattan, Westchester, Dallas, and now Portland, I can say hands-down that Portland has the slowest, most patient drivers I’ve seen, with Dallas second and Westchester a distant last. Every once in a while I come across an aggressive idiot driver in Oregon, but it’s the exception rather than the rule. People who complain about the traffic here clearly haven’t gotten out much.
As a former Bay Area girl who is now a Portlander, I will say that the general west coast rule is to mock the area south of you. Northern Californians hate Southern Californians. Oregonians hate ALL Californians, and Seattle seems to think Portland is pretty lame. Southern Californians, as far as I can tell, don’t hate a geographic area, but they do bash on the food (especially Mexican food) everywhere else. Though they are the home of In-n-Out, so maybe that one has some truth to it.
And Portland drivers! J.D., please. You guys drive like grandmas in the left lane (which is for PASSING, not plodding along at the speed limit in your clunker), you can’t handle hills, curves or fog, and you seem to have no knowledge of where your car is versus the others around it, figuring that if you just meander down the road surely you’ll figure out where it is you need to go, which isn’t helped by the fact that all road signs are tiny, nonreflective, and obscured by tree branches. Not to mention the constant road construction and suicidal, stop sign-running and/or sidewalk riding bikers, who will go right ahead and pull up directly next to your passenger door, at night, at a red light even though your right turn signal is on. Just a little Californian perspective.
Here in New Mexico the natives have all sorts of mean things to say about Texans.
In Northern Nevada we had a problem a few years ago with a LOT of people from the Bay area moving in, mostly retirees. I think a lot of the Real Estate bubble there was due to the Californians moving in. In Reno the boom resulted in a lot of traffic congestion and really put a lot of pressure on the power company that it looks like might collapse them. But considering the impression most people have of Nevada, people there didn’t worry about looking down their noses at much of anyone.
Regarding driving, I have never known anywhere like Albuquerque. Drivers will stop traffic to let people pull in to traffic. In construction zones you know the open lane because it’s the one moving the slowest as people let everyone in in front of them. They say it’s the land of mañana [tomorrow]. But some of us say it’s because when people move so slow nothing will ever get done until tomorrow. Q: “When will this be finished?” A: “Eh, mañana.”
Oh, and the weather in ABQ has been very mild until recently as well. I don’t know if it’s coincidence, but I heard that global weather patterns were noticeably effected for three years after MT St. Helens exploded. It’s possible your mild summer is due to the Icelandic Volcano.
this weather here in Portland is exhausing. I’m so displeased that it’s the longest day of the year, and still cloudy and 60 degrees outside. Bah humbug.
I’ll trade you some hot and sunny for some cool and misty. I would love a nice, cool 60 degree day! And some rain would be nice so I don’t have to water my lawn.
I was born & bred in PDX and after 21 years of that rainy “Stuff” - I had it!
Hence 23 years later I am still living in L.A. - thankfully I live in a smaller community somewhat near the beach - I benefit from great weather, close to work ( so no freeways & crazy CA drivers), and hence why I am always perusing this site - finding more ideas & ways to live within my means in this very expensive part of the U.S.
The only problem I’m having with the weather here is all the complaining. Knock it off, people!!! jeez. We may have gray clouds and rain but we have NO flooding, NO tornados, NO one dying of heat… So you have to wait a bit longer for the sun? Get over it - or go take a vacation in Arizona. Seriously. I am not depressed by the clouds or the wet, but the whining miserable people are really starting to get me down.
ETA JD, my tomatoes are doing just fine.