Death Knell

Ladies and gentlemen, friends and stalkers... I'm folding up the blog. I haven't posted since July and had seriously slacked off prior to that.

It's time to admit that I'm done with the experiment. I am seriously preoccupied, what with school, work and raising a teenager. Even when I do find the time to post, I don't usually feel inclined to do so. Part of the problem is that my focus is not just on Corvallis. I often would like to write something up in the blog, but often that something has nothing to do with our fair town. So I'm considering starting up a more typical blog where I can rant and rave about whatever comes to mind.

I feel mildly guilty about this, because I do think that there is a lot to be said about Corvallis and the events that affect the residents here, whether or not others would agree that said events had an impact beyond our borders.

For example, a homeless man froze to death in our fair little city a day or two ago, despite the relatively decent resources offered here and the kindness shown by a police officer. And speaking of kindness shown by police officers, or lack thereof, there is the ongoing incident where Officer Cox arrested a completely sober man for driving under the influence -- a mark that will now stay on this man's record, despite the fact that no charges were brought. Because he was sober. Jesus.

Anyway, if I wasn't going to school, I would likely keep this up. But I can't do it.

Why post a farewell now? Because I just received notification that the URLs for the Corvallist blog will be expiring in January. I am curious, my lovely fellow Corvallists, if there is anyone who would like to take over the website and become the new voice of Corvallis. I would be willing to transfer the URL directly to someone new to avoid the site names being snatched up by those horrid link-spambot sites that currently litter the series of tubes.

I couldn't sign the site over to just anyone, of course. I would want to see a few writing samples, unless the person taking over was a local blogger I already *knew* well. The new blogger also would have to agree to maintain some sort of message indicating that the author of the blog was new since whatever date the site was taken over. And, of course, this new person would have to take over the annual cost of registering the domain names (corvallist.com, corvallist.org and corvallist.net) and find new hosting space, although I could continue to provide hosting space during a transition period.

If you're interested in taking on this project, please email me at corvallist@gmail.com. If nobody's interested, I may renew the domain names for an additional year just to prevent the site from becoming a child porn network.

Thanks for reading, back when I was writing. Happy Holidays to all of you!

Linn vs. Benton

Note: I thought I had published this a week ago, but it apparently saved as a draft instead. Hmph.

An article in the Gazette-Times today reported that the average home price in Corvallis has now topped $300,000. The housing market here has become absurd. We don't really have the economic base for homes that expensive, unlike say the Bay Area or the New York City sleeper communities. Despite having a decent income for a single mom, right around the median income for my household size, I couldn't afford to buy anything other than a manufactured home or small condo at this point. Thankfully, I actually prefer to rent right now. Nobody earning the median income in Corvallis could qualify for the typical mortgage, unless you find a shady subprime lender offering up an adjustable rate deal where you only pay interest for several years then faint when you see what the actual payments will be.

The article goes on to mention that Albany and other Linn County towns have become sleeper communities for Corvallis, as well as Salem and Eugene. At one point, someone says that a little bit of driving is worth it for the added quality of life. Sorry, but quality of life is precisely what keeps me in Corvallis, not in one of the surrounding towns. I like our green spaces, our downtown flower baskets, the sense of community and, yes, I like the tree-hugging, aging hippie liberalism. Besides, in a very literal sense, Albany stinks. Whether it is Wah Chang or the paper mill (a point of endless debate), that factory stench wafts into Albany and lingers. On hot days, it is unbearable. Albany is also very fond of concrete. Not all of Albany; North Albany isn't bad, and downtown Albany is worth visiting sometimes. But most of Albany is bleak.

As for other local communities, another article in the GT neatly demonstrated why I will always vastly prefer Corvallis. A couple in Lebanon decided to enter a contest for their dream wedding, and they won. Their wedding took place yesterday, on the theoretically lucky 07/07/07 (side note: happy birthday to my brother!), at Wal-Freaking-Mart. In a previous article about this couple, it was mentioned that the bride shops there every single day. The Wal-Mart cashier who married the couple, a retired pastor, said Jesus would approve. “I think it’s super,” he said, beaming. “I think if Christ were here on Earth, he’d be in the marketplace. This is the marketplace.”

I never pictured Jesus in a blue vest with a yellow happy face button before.

Uggly Oregonian trends

Listen up, ladies. I'm breaking my self-imposed hiatus to make an important request.

If it is warm enough outside for you to wear shorts or a mini skirt, please, please leave the Uggs at home. First of all, they were the height of fashion several years ago very briefly. But they were not then and are not now warm weather apparel.

(I know, this is hardly of earth-shattering importance, but a couple days ago I saw a gaggle of college-aged girls walking down the street wearing mini skirts and these hideous boots. It was wrong!)

Corvallisness

Due to recent events, our way of life in Corvallis is going to shift. The changes may be virtually imperceptible or it may rock the town's essential nature. Either way, some of these changes are inevitable, some are deplorable, some likely won't matter to the majority of those who live here.

I personally will mourn two losses that our town is facing. The first is the demise of the Avalon Cinema, best li'l theater that ever was. It didn't even really get a chance to be a theater pub; it was sort of like turning 21 and finding out you already have liver cirrhosis.

I will admit my own culpability; I work evenings, and haven't made it to the Avalon (or Darkside) in quite a long while. But the cause is multifactorial. The town went from five movie screens to 21 in a rather short time and, sadly, people seem to actually prefer checking out the latest Adam Sandler movie in stadium seats with overpriced, chemically-flavored popcorn than watching Pan's Labyrinth with takeout.

The Avalon will have one last great fling with the public by showing Rocky Horror Picture Show on June 30th. I have to work, again. But I do plan on making more of an effort to patronize the Darkside, because I don't want it to suffer the same fate.

The other great loss will be the beautiful stretch of land between Witham Hill Drive and Harrison Boulevard. This popular hiking area will be developed in typical ugly fashion by Legend Homes. Just what Corvallis needs... 220 more overpriced McMansions on teeny lots, just as the vacancy rate starts climbing, yet affordable housing. Two acres of wetlands will be destroyed and the oak savannah warped into postage stamp sod lawns. What a shame.

Some good things are happening, as well. There has been a spate of new restaurants opening up. New ventures in existing buildings are always good. Food variety is also good. I haven't had the opportunity to try Cloud 9 yet, and the new Tokyo Grill won't be open for a while, but Baguettes Vietnamese Sandwiches is amazing. Two shrimp salad rolls for $3.95 with a delicious mint peanut sauce. *drool*

The flower baskets are up downtown and I've just learned that Pink Martini will be playing at Da Vinci Days this year. We've been waiting for them to come back and play a local venue in Portland or Eugene for under $50 per person, only to find out that we can see them for the $15 it costs for a weekend pass at the festival. Awesome! Of course, I'm also supposed to move that weekend, but I'll probably need the break from packing and cleaning by the time the show starts.

The farmers' market still kicks serious fanny. We're all hooked on cherries and snap peas at the moment.

And finally, for now, if you missed Crime Watch this week, it's rather priceless. That suspicious philospher? I live with him. He just graduated from OSU with an actual degree in philosophy and he really is working on a book. He finds it peaceful and relaxing to write in the woods. I find it absurd that the police felt it necessary to question him in a public area at 2:30 in the afternoon, simply for sitting in his car, but that's just one more thing about Corvallis that doesn't really change -- there's not enough for the poor police officers to do. But hey, suspicious philosopher is a fantastic designation for business cards and such.

Hi?

It's been a crazy couple of months. I made it through my first year back at school with a better GPA than I expected. I was awarded a research apprenticeship that I am still trying to wrap up. I even won an award. And Corvallist kid somehow passed me in height and beat the odds to bring home a communicable disease to which she theoretically should have had immunity.

I thought I'd be back to regular posts by now, but my schedule won't allow it for another month or so. I somehow have to sort, sell, donate and pack all the STUFF that has been collecting dust in my garage and closets within the next couple of weeks in order to downsize from house to apartment. I loved this idea at first. I need to simplify. I need to purge. I didn't bother unpacking some of this STUFF since the last move, which means it's time to go. Plus, I decided I'd rather move to a smaller, cheaper place so grad school will be more affordable. The pool will also be nice, as will the location, which will enable both Corvallist kid and I to rely less on our vehicle for basic errands.

Of course, now I actually have to do all those things. In the interim, I'm trying to work overtime, deliver the kid to Grandma's house and squeeze in a visit myself, and finish this research project. Then I start summer classes.

Glutton for punishment? Oh yeah! But I do want to comment on a couple of things that have happened, so another post will be forthcoming before I sink back into hibernation.

Knowing when to fold 'em...

It doesn't look like I'm going to magically be able to fabricate extra time this term after all. A couple of homework-intensive classes, getting the Corvallist kid registered and set up for high school and now the honor of being awarded a research apprenticeship for the remainder of the term... well, you get the idea.

I have tried to keep up with local news, and I sometimes walk around thinking, "Gotta remember that for the blog," but when it comes down to actually finding a free block of time to write? It ain't happenin'.

I had tried writing some lighter "fluff" stories as filler, and was reminded by a local citizen that I was now charged with tackling local issues. But the real meaty issues take more than 5 minutes and I'd rather write nothing than write poorly.

So, ciao for now. If I find time to breathe, I'll come back and post. Otherwise, see you this summer.

April showers bring taxes and fresh produce?

Tomorrow morning, the Corvallis Farmers' Market returns to the riverfront. From now until November, you have the option of supporting local farmers and buying produce that travels less than 100 miles from earth to your table. The food tends to be fresher, taste better, and isn't artificially preserved with wax (like apples from Washington state) or laden with pesticides.

We do have a winter market and Wednesday market at the fairgrounds, but it's just not the same as the full-blown market Saturday mornings. There will be music, food demonstrations, activities for the kids (at least on opening day) and samples galore. You'll find more than just fruits and vegetables; there are always plenty of flowers, plants, honey, jams, free-range/hormone-free/cruelty-free meats, calzones from the First Alternative Co-Op booth and my personal addiction -- multigrain sourdough bread from Alpine Bakery.

The best part? It's all pretty inexpensive. When you buy direct from the farmer or vendor, with no middleman, you save money and the farmer keeps more of it.

The market will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from April 14th through November 17th. For more information, go to the Locally Grown website.

Priorities, priorities...

Doesn't it just figure? Right after the lovely acknowledgment in the paper, right after a challenging term comes to a close and spring break (and spring weather) arrives, the lights in the blog window go out. Sorry 'bout that.

There are some exciting things happening for me rightthisveryminute that simply take precedence. I'm sure you'll understand. In addition to facing my first term with no days off (I've managed at least one day with neither work nor school for both the past two terms), I find myself blessed with some opportunities that require my attention:

• I'm up for a research assistantship in my major that could actually fit into my schedule, which is important. I need one of these to qualify for "real" research positions in the future, and it automatically enhances the grad school application and resumé.
  
  
• I'm in the running for a local scholarship that would permit me to take summer courses without a major financial hit when I need it least (need to save fundage for summer camp and minor travel and a particular teenager's upcoming birthday).
  
  
• I've just been nominated for an honorary award at the university that would make obtaining scholarships a wee bit easier.

All of these things required compiling application packets, writing essays and attempting to wrangle letters of recommendation from the right people. That may not sound like much of a chore, but with a schedule like mine, with a brain that can handle only so many things at once (a limit I test frequently), I haven't even managed to sneak a peek beyond the front page of the GT in passing, let alone pay rapt attention to local issues.

"Yeah, yeah," you say. "We don't care. Get back to work!" *whipcrack*

Hopefully, now that the packets are completed and submitted, I will have some time to do just that.