Damnportlanders update

[urbpan]

On the <lj comm="damnportlanders"> community, the preponderance of posts has changed from "where can I get booze or food in the snow?" to "hey thanks good samaritans for helping me out during the snow."  One woman had to take her teenage sister to the hospital and had no way to get there.  A series of good Samaritans stopped for these strangers and brought them to the hospital, while others waited 45 minutes for them to fill a prescription for giving them a ride back.  It's a friends locked post or else I would link to it or copy/paste it.  Several other posts are quick notes saying "thanks for coming through on the ride to the airport guys" and "my neighbors helped me did my car out of the snow!" and the like.  Any way, I consider this to be a major point in Portland's favor--people apparently are looking out for one another in this strange weather event which will hopefully not repeat itself in my lifetime.  (Even as it happens half a dozen times a year in Boston.)

Comments

[grrlpup]

It's true-- the neighbors on my block mostly ignore each other, but this week there's been borrowing of shovels and gear, plus cookie exchanges and taking photos for each other.

And when we go out walking, people in their 4wds driving by smile and wave. It's like being in a very small town all of a sudden.

[ideath.livejournal.com]

And don't forget the fun! With the killer metal street monsters mostly trapped under heavy coats of snow and the rest kept to a relatively slow pace, our huge network of paved public spaces are available for fun times. Check out the article about Seattle "street joy (http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2008/12/22/whose_streets_1)" - it's happening here too.