City Slicker

Howdy, readers!  I meant to write a new blog post sooner, but I haven’t been able to think of what to write about in detail.  A few notable events happened (such as visiting a client at a medium-security prison with 5 stars on Yelp and spending a day at the Oregon Renaissance Faire), but nothing has really inspired my muse.  I have some possible big developments on the horizon, but I don’t want to jinx it by stirring up too much excitement.  My business in Tillamook is almost completely concluded, but I still have a few pending matters there.  I could always just post more photos of the Serotonin Squad, but I don’t want to go into full-time animal blogging.  As such, I’ll do something I hinted at last time and talk about working for Salem Municipal Court!

…riveting, I know.

Salem Municipal Court uses a rotational system with an available roster of public defenders (each having a contract with the City of Salem).  On one day a month, I am designated as “Attorney of the Day” (AOD).  That means it’s my responsibility to go to court that morning and afternoon as people arrive as directed by tickets to be arraigned on municipal violations or traffic misdemeanors that happen within the City of Salem itself.  Anyone arraigned that day is now my client, and it’s up to me to represent them going forward.  Court dates are set for later, which gives me time to work with my clients.  At that point, it becomes closer to what I’m used to, with reviewing discovery and working out plea deals taking most of my time.  This rotating AOD system is a little different than what I’m used to in Tillamook (where cases are assigned based more on the availability and compatibility of the attorney), but I’ve been told that it’s an arrangement that’s common in other Oregon courts.  I don’t know if it’s a better system, but it is simple and straightforward.

Other than the new assignment method (and some stumbles with working out the court and prosecution policies), this new court is doing a good job of making me feel like I’m back in the game.  The cases I’m handling aren’t too foreign to me; the docket is mostly trespassing, drunk driving, and probation violations, which I’m an old hand at by now.  The pay is hour-dependent, so there’s a lot of tracking my time to make ends meet, but it’s keeping me and my firm afloat for now.  I’m still looking forward to properly coming aboard with MCAD, but Salem Municipal Court is as good as any court to be working at!

Anyway, that’s enough lawyer stuff.  Time for cat pictures!

a welcoming committee after a long day at work :)

They continue to stalk my Forbidden Room of Mystery, hoping for any chance to bolt on in.

A black panther sits in the treetops, waiting for a chance to pounce.

bathroom duty (since hooman always needs to be watched)

Let's Go to Prison

Hi, everyone—it’s me, your friendly neighbourhood freelance defense attorney!  I haven’t had much to blog about recently due to work; I’m busy expanding my practice in Salem and winding down what remains in Tilamook (I’ll write about that in more detail if there are any major developments).  The biggest thing in recent months is that I’ve started contract work as a public defender with Salem Municipal Court.  I’ll likely go into more detail about that next month, but it’s getting me back in semi-regular action and has been feeding into my workload.  I’m still holding out for a more permanent position, but hourly work keeps me busy and is paying the bills for now (even if it makes me a little obsessive with timekeeping).

However, the thing that finally convinced me to write a new post was a little adventure I had this week: on Memorial Day, I got to go to Oregon State Penitentiary!

…yay?

I did not take any pictures of Oregon State Penitentiary as (a) I did not bring my phone with me for security reasons and (b) taking photos of highly secure government buildings tends to attract the wrong kind of attention these days.  Instead, I will be featuring photos of completely unrelated facilities.  For example, here is the Delfino Plaza jail from Super Mario Sunshine.  I do not have any clients incarcerated here.

This isn’t my first time going to the slammer for professional reasons.  I’ve made multiple trips to county jails in Marion County and Polk County to visit clients (the former of which I spent so much time in the visiting area that I used to call it my secondary office).  I’ve also visited Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (Oregon’s only women’s prison*, which also serves as the intake center for the Oregon Department of Corrections) when I was interning at the Federal Public Defender in Portland during law school.  This was a whole other degree: Oregon State Penitentiary is Oregon’s only maximum-security prison and contains men’s death row and the state execution chamber (which has been used only twice post-Furman**).  Thankfully, my business had nothing to do with capital punishment; I was there to go over paperwork with a client related to a municipal matter not connected to his imprisonment.  For this minor case, I found myself going to the most secure prison in Oregon early on Monday morning.

Here is the detention block of RAS Prosecutor from Star Wars: Republic Commando.  I have never visited a client here.

*A quick note for those that don’t know: the words “jail” and “prison” mean different things in the American criminal justice system.  Broadly speaking, a “jail” (also known as a “detention center,” “remand center,” or “lockup”) is a facility operated on a local level (usually by a county sheriff or municipal police department) used to detain suspects prior to trial or for short-term incarceration (particularly for misdemeanors).  A “prison” (sometimes known as a “correctional facility,” “corrections institute,” or “penal institution”) is a facility operated by a state correctional authority or the Federal Bureau of Prisons for long-term imprisonment of those convicted of felonies or incarceration of convicts awaiting appeals or execution.  A prison can also be known as a “penitentiary” or “reformatory” depending on the penal philosophy of the facility—a penitentiary tends to emphasize rehabilitation through constant surveillance and work-based discipline, while a reformatory usually pursues reform through education and rewarding morality.  You now know a bunch of terms in the criminal justice system, and knowing is half the battle.

**Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972) was a U.S. Supreme Court decision that held that arbitrary or inconsistent application of the death penalty was unconstitutional, resulting in capital punishment being de facto outlawed in the United States until constitutional criteria for the death penalty were determined in Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976).  Most modern scholarly analysis of the death penalty in the United States only focuses on death sentences imposed and executed after Furman.  If you didn’t know what the phrase “post-Furman” means, now you know.

Here is the Gizzard Gulch town jail from Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath.  I have not met with any clients here.

I woke up early on Memorial Day (which happened to be the most convenient day for this meeting) feeling fully prepared.  Not only had I laid everything out needed to wear and carry before going to bed, but I learned that Oregon State Penitentiary was only 4 minutes away by car.  After grabbing a quick cold brew, I made it to the prison easily enough.  While I have dealt with varying degrees of security procedures at courthouses and jails, it turns out a maximum-security prison is much more secure than any of them.  I was not allowed to bring anything besides ID, my paperwork, and a pen and had to leave the entire contents of my pockets in a locker out front.  I went through an airport-like checkpoint complete with removed shoes and a metal detector.  Furthermore, I constantly had to show off my ID and a stamp on my hand any time I entered a new room.  In all my years of going to court, going to jail, flying to and from Hawaii, and working in government buildings, I can safely say this is the most security I’ve ever had to get through at once…which, to be fair, is what I expected with a maximum-security prison.  Thankfully, meeting my client and going over paperwork went extremely smoothly, so security was the only unpleasant part of this errand.  Between the professionalism of the staff (at least the ones I interacted with) and the beauty of the grounds outside (which I didn’t photograph for previously mentioned reasons), I can see how Oregon State Penitentiary has 4.3 stars on Yelp!

…Seriously, it has 4.3 stars on Yelp.  To be honest, I don’t think I’d rate it that highly, but I’m not in the business of reviewing prisons.  While being an American Gustav de Beumont (a 19th century French prosecutor who toured and reviewed several American penitentiaries with his friend and colleague, the future political philosopher Alexis de Tocquville—you’re learning so much today!) has some appeal, it’s not what I see in the cards for now.  I’ll stick with my present calling: getting clients out of jail and keeping them out of prison (or at least making sure their stays are short).

This is a solitary confinement cell at United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island (aka USP Alcatraz or Alcatraz Federal Prison), a notorious maximum-security federal prison in the San Francisco Bay.  I have been here twice, but not as a lawyer.  This photo was taken during my second tour there thirteen years ago (...man, I feel old typing that).

Aside from occasional prison-based excitement, work’s been chugging along as well as I can expect.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to gain a more permanent position soon.  In the meantime, I’m making sure to enjoy the little things in life, from the warmth of my morning coffee to the adorable chaos of the Serotonin Squad.  Squeaking of those little monsters, I think the best way to finish this (somewhat pedantic) post off is a few more photos of their adorableness.  Enjoy, and see you next time!

Fits the decor!

surveillance duty

Sometimes, they hop on my shoulders while I'm on the toilet...

...and sometimes, they just put their paws on me and insist to be picked up.

Fortune Favours the Old

   

Hi, readers!  Sorry for the delay in entries, but 2026 has been a whirlwind of good and bad (fairly good on a personal level and mostly bad on a global level, but that’s beside the point).  I’ve finally found some time to breathe and collect my thoughts, so I figured now’s as good a time as any to recap recent happenings and deliver my personal State of the Union (for myself, not the country; I don’t have the temperament to get into that right now).  Let’s go!

Work in the new office is mostly going smoothly; after weeks of scanning, shredding, and having to get a replacement shredder due to all the shredding, my partner and I have closed up all my old Tillamook cases, and we’re ready to take on new cases.  Everything was going smoothly: our interviews with the Marion County Association of Defenders went well, and we were offered full consortium membership contracts.  Unfortunately, we then ran into some funding issues; MCAD put our employment on hold, and we’re still waiting on them to secure funding from the state to support us.  In the meantime, we’ve started doing hourly defense work for unrepresented defendants on behalf of the Oregon Public Defense Commission in a few neighboring counties.  It doesn’t pay the most, but it should keep us in the game until things are resolved with MCAD.  There are other legal work opportunities that we’re looking out for, but we’re mostly holding out for eventual full contracts.

While things in Salem are still taking off, matters in Tillamook have been winding down.  As of writing this, I only have one unresolved criminal trial pending in Tillamook County; after that, the only cases I have left there are DUII diversion cases (where clients complete treatment programs in exchange for having charges dropped).  Soon, I’ll have no more professional reasons to return to Tillamook…though I feel that I’ll still want to visit from time to time.  The smell of dung may be strong, but it’s hard to avoid the siren calls of high-quality ice cream and fresh(er) seafood.

I’ve been living in Salem for seven months, but it still feels like I’m settling in.  It could be because I haven’t experienced a full yearly cycle yet, I’m still locking down relevant medical professionals, I have the aforementioned consortium complications, or just because I still haven’t figured out how to organize things in my room.  Nevertheless, I’m still doing what I can to make myself comfortable in this new community.  I’ve expanded my social circles by going to local bar association events and becoming a regular attendee at the nearby synagogue.  I’m still working on making new friends and reaching out to old friends, but these new frontiers have made me feel more at home more quickly than I did in Tillamook.  I look forward to seeing how this year goes for me as I continue my metamorphosis into a proper Salemite.

Work aside, the most notable event for me this year so far was my 33rd birthday (which therefore inspired the title of this post).  Given that it was on a Tuesday this year, I had to save my celebrations for a later weekend.  I was only able to get Cthulhu and two other friends, but the quality of celebrations more than made up for the small quantity of celebrators.  We were able to enjoy back-to-back feasts at two of my favourite local restaurants.  Being able to enjoy these restaurants in the company of friends made me realize how fortunate I have become: two years ago, I was unable to enjoy this company and these settings.  I’m still finding my way in an occasionally uncertain career during unstable times, but I think I’m right where I need to be.

But I know you didn’t click on this blog post just to hear my philosophizing and self-affirmations; you want cat pictures!  Don’t worry—the Serotonin Squad have been as adorable as ever these past four months (even though they’ve gotten soooo big), and I’ve got the photos to prove it.  Here’s some pictures of the chaos gremlins I live with, with a few bonus pics:

I've gotten in the habit of using my briefcase as a makeshift baby gate to keep the goblins out.

"Personal space?  What's that?  Did you mean purrsonal space?"

They continue trying to break into my room.  They succeeded one night, which led to fifteen minutes of literally herding cats.

They've gotten into the habit of demanding pets while going up or down the stairs.  I'm more than happy to oblige!

Not cat-related, but worth mentioning: while cuddling a rescue puppy at market last December, I came to the realization that my longtime fear of dogs has vanished in recent years! :)

My Halloween 2025 costume :)

 

Before wrapping up this entry, I have one more pleasant surprise.  I tried the 34th trial of my career last month, and it ended in a way that was both amusing and satisfying.  As such, I am triumphantly (albeit briefly) bringing back:

GREAT MOMENTS IN TILLAMOOK JURISPRUDENCE

*insert sophisticated music*

Episode X: Running Reckless

[An assault case has reached the halfway point, and the prosecution has rested its case.  The defense makes an oral motion before proceeding with its evidence.]

Benjamin D. Fischberg: The defense moves for a judgment of acquittal.  The state has accused [my client] of recklessly causing physical injury.  Under Oregon law, “reckless” means that a person disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk.  The state has not explained what risky behavior [my client] is alleged to engaged in.

Judge: Counsel, what is the state’s rebuttal?

Prosecutor: Your honor, the state has proven that the defendant was running around the house while holding a case of bottled water.  It was therefore highly risky that someone could have been injured.

J: Counsel, are you saying that running around in your own house is substantially risky behavior?

P: It is when you have an elderly relative.

[Judge stares into space for a minute while thinking.]

J: …Running in your home is not reckless behavior.  Motion granted; case dismissed.

[My 34th trial ends in acquittal.  My client is reunited with their family.  I head home with a spring in my step and without having to present any evidence to the jury.]

Hail Salem

It’s been over two months since my big move.  There’s been quite a few headaches, and I still have things to finish, but I can now say that I’ve officially settled in!

The main headache for me these past few weeks has been unpacking everything at my new residence.  There was a lot of things to move from my old place, and there’s only so many places in a room you can put things.  Thankfully, my new bed has a lot of space under it for keeping short boxes, so I’ve been able to store a fair amount there.  My new closet also has a lot of space, so anything I can’t find a place for can be put there for now.  My new desk is still cluttered, and my chairs are less than ideal for sitting (as they frequently are used as makeshift short-term placement of random s***), but I have a feeling that I’ll find opportunities to declutter as I go.  As things are needed, I’ll find the best place to keep them.  It’ll take a while to make things optimal, but I’ve at least unpacked everything.  Now, I can focus less on making myself at home and more on enjoying home.

On a similar note, unpacking the office is going well.  Assembling the necessary furnishings and finding spots for everything has not been easy, but I’ve found a place for everything, and my business partner is satisfied with our current progress.  After weeks of delays, we finally managed to get internet connection to the office and get the printer/scanner up and running.  While there are still some technical snafus here and there, and there’s a lot of case files and financial paperwork to finish reviewing, the office is effectively operational.  Once we’ve finished tying up loose ends, we’ll be able start taking up new cases.

Speaking of loose ends, I still have business in Tillamook over the next few months.  This means that my days of wearing a suit are still not behind me; instead, I now must put on a suit about once a week after waking up at 4am and going on the customary 1.5-hour drive.  Still, it’s not all doom and gloom; living in Salem, Oregon means I have access to various quirky vintage and thrift shops.  On one such shopping trip, I recently picked up a dapper fedora to complement my suits (and to keep the sun out of my eyes).  Between this fedora and my new prescription glasses, I feel like a new man who’s all about business anytime I go to Tillamook.

Given my relative free time in the wake of settling in, I’ve also been looking around for ways to do some good in the community.  One such way is gradual involvement in political activism.  Recently, I attended a meeting of the Marion County Board of Commissioners to lend my support to something important to my work and values.  For those not attuned to 2025 American politics, there has been a lot of controversy regarding the heavy-handed enforcement of immigration laws.  Across the country, there have been disturbing trends of masked immigration enforcement officers apprehending, incarcerating, and deporting unauthorized immigrants and those suspected of being unauthorized immigrants.  As someone who is descended from refugees and economic migrants alike, and as someone who deals with immigration law on an occasional basis (part of providing competent defense involves going over immigration consequences with non-citizen clients), this situation is extremely troubling.  One bright spot is that things are slightly better in Oregon than in many other states thanks to Oregon’s sanctuary laws, which restrict when and how local or state law enforcement can enforce federal immigration laws.  I’ve seen the benefits of this in my line of work; one positive aspect of police work I’ve noticed through hours of body cam footage is that police investigators almost never ask suspects or witnesses of their immigration status, even if the person clearly doesn’t speak English.  Recently, the Marion County Board of Commissioners sued the State of Oregon to partially challenge Oregon sanctuary law regarding communicating with federal authorities about record subpoenas (that’s admittedly a big simplification; here is an article from the Statesman Journal (my main Salem-based newspaper) with more details: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2025/08/19/marion-county-lawsuit-kotek-bondi-sanctuary-law/85725460007/).  I believe that this lawsuit is an inappropriate use of resources, as any ambiguity could be resolved by consulting with Oregon’s Attorney General or similar such authority.  This thereby comes off as political posturing at the expense of Oregon’s vulnerable immigrant population.  I, along with several dozen others, attended a public Commission meeting to protest the Commission’s action (here’s an article from the Statesman Journal with more details: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2025/09/04/marion-county-commissioners-get-earful-over-lawsuit-about-illegal-immigration/85960426007/).  While I didn’t get a chance to testify myself, I wore my suit (though not with a fedora) to lend an air of professional community to the assembled protesters (I also had to stand behind a pillar due to a lack of seats, so you won’t see me in the photos/videos in the Statesman Journal article).  The Commissioners tried to keep dissent silenced (we were forbidden from loudly applauding, despite applause being allowed earlier in the hearing on separate matters), but I hope we made our voices loud and clear through testimony and presence.  I don’t know if I’ll get more opportunities to socially contribute in this matter, but I plan to try; Oregon’s sanctuary laws make the state a haven for economic refugees and their families, and this is a cause I am willing to continue championing when not in court.

On a more cheerful note, one thing I’ve been dealing with a lot more these days is the presence of cats in my residence.  My landlord and landlady took in three adorable kittens around the time I moved in, and I’ve been seeing the little kitties gradually start to grow.  Their names are Pete, Delmargaret, and Ulysses (named after the main convict characters from O Brother, Where Art Thou?), and I call them the Serotonin Squad (my landlady sometimes calls them “Ben’s Fan Club,” as they seem to get excited any time they hear my door open or me come down the stairs).  These cuddly little critters are always a treat to run into, though they have presented their share of nuisance.  Their insistence on attacking my feet and sneaking into my room at every opportunity have led to more than a few groans and have been hindering my plans to get back into cooking/mixology experiments, but it’s a worthy price to pay to see these furry purr machines on a regular basis.  I’ve gotten used to carrying a cat toy around with me anytime I move around the house in case the fuzzy little delinquents want to play.  I think I can only describe their cuteness so much in writing, so here are some photos of the wee beasties from the last few weeks.

My first photo of the Serotonin Squad (at least, of two of them).  Look how tiny they are!

All three of them, enjoying one of their favourite pastimes.

Ulysses here has discovered that he enjoys climbing onto me.

Awake and on the move.

Pete, here seen with his vanquished prey.

Sleepy Ulysses, taking a break from attacking/climbing me.

Not cat-related, but still cute: I got to hold a little opossum at a pride event recently!  For those wondering, his name is Luigi (note the green markings on his head).

Those are the most interesting things going on in my life for now.  I’m holding off on going to conventions or other major excursions until I’ve got work underway and a steady cash flow into my firm.  Nonetheless, I look for joy wherever I can find it, and I’ve been finding little victories here and there.  Aside from video games and the Serotonin Squad, I’ve been hitting up local markets with Cthulhu and finding my feet in setting up new routines.  I’ve gotten back in the habit of regularly working out, and I’ve been experimenting with a new point system to reward myself for enforcing good habits (like going to bed at a reasonable time and saving money).  Hopefully this will help mold me into a more successful person on a day-to-day basis.  Since I just finished an entire law office transplant and marked the sixth anniversary of my admittance to the bar (six years…wow), I think I’m doing alright on the lawyer front.  I just need to declutter, wrap up some loose ends, and keep fighting the good fight; Salem will improve me, and I hope to make my mark in Salem’s legal world.

Fischberg Flashback 49: Ben There, Done That

Original date of post: September 4, 2014 

Though the weather is hot and the sun is bright, my new load of schoolwork is all I need to prove that summer is finally over.  I’ve had a truly grand time working this summer and working on this blog (as infrequent as my updates were), but it’s time to bring it all to a close.

This summer was quite a trying time for me…and not only due to the trials I watched.  This summer, I held down the closest thing I’ve had to a full-time job, handled more loneliness than I’m used to, lived completely on my own for a time, tried to become decent at the culinary arts, and endeavored to enrich my cultural mind through a host of books and movies.  Did I succeed at all of these things and grow into a more mature adult?  Though I can’t come to any conclusions at this stage, I can certainly say that I tried my hardest and walked away with a wealth of valuable experience, most of which will definitely come in handy in my ever-continuing search for living right.

OK, that’s enough gloomy seriousness!  Here’s the wacky s*** I got mixed up in!:

I nearly got arrested (twice!), watched four trials, functioned as a good-luck charm, learned to bake a delicious cake, spent too much time playing Mario Kart 8, spent too little time studying for the LSAT (which isn’t a huge deal, as I’m planning to take a gap year before law school), almost got incinerated by fireworks, watched the Spider-Man trilogy about 9,000 times (according to my calculations), flirted with a thief, made exactly $0.00 in salary profits (Livin’ la Vida Pro Bono!), saw Guardians of the Galaxy three times (I AM GROOT!), visited the Oregon State Capitol, facepalmed at all manners of idiocy within the criminal justice system, swam in the Silverton Reservoir, had an excellent family reunion in Portland, bounced around houses, and had a blast in general.  This summer may have been tough in some regards, but these fond memories will stay with me alongside my valuable experience.

To recap: this summer, I tried new things, succeeded on various fronts, worked hard at an excellent job, and had plenty of fun.  If that’s not a great summer at the core, I don’t know what is!

This has ben (er, been) Ben Around The Block! Special thanks to those who followed this blog this summer (or at least who are reading this now)--I couldn’t have done this without you all!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some new memories to make and an independent life to continue!

Reflections:

Looking back, this summer really was packed with action.  It was certainly challenging at times, but I'm glad I sucked on life's marrow and recorded it for further review.

As mentioned here, I played a lot of Mario Kart 8 over the summer.  All this practice came in handy when I participated in a Mario Kart 8 tournament at Willamette, where I won 1st place by a very close margin.  All throughout my senior year of college, I held an unofficial title as the champion of Mario Kart 8 among my friends.  To this day, Cthulhu is the only person since the tournament to have defeated me in a four-race grand prix (though to be fair, I don't play as much as I used to).  I'm probably not that excellent on the global scale, but it's nice to be known for being great at something.

As predicted here, I did take a year off between college and law school.  I definitely needed it; the LSAT was a beast that absolutely needed more attention than I could afford with other academic commitments.  The life experience I got as a museum docent and budget analyst in the public sector certainly didn't hurt, either.

Well, that does it for Fischberg Flashbacks!  I hope you've enjoyed these looks into yesteryear and my pithy reflections.  Time to return to the present and head for the future!

Fischberg Flashback 48: Moving Out

Original date of post: August 27, 2014 

So it finally ends…my summer of independence.

On Sunday, August 24, I finally made the move.  My father and roommate had helped me transfer everything from my storage locker to my current dorm room, so the move wasn’t quite as arduous as it could have been (Before my parents left for good, I made sure to see Guardians of the Galaxy with my father.  Second time’s the charm!).  It required a lot of lifting, and unpacking, but thanks to an old friend, it all got done in a matter of three mere hours.  As for how successful it was, behold my current room (at least, the part I felt like photographing)!

 

So, I am currently in the process of settling down.  I’ve had my first day of classes, I’ve met of with a few of my college friends (I saw Guardians of the Galaxy with some of them.  Third time’s the charm!), and thanks to the Wii U in my room, I’m becoming a most popular neighbor.  However, I get the feeling that work will intensify soon, and the cycle will repeat…

Goodbye, Alpha House.  Hello, Willamette!

Reflections: 

I don't have much to add here, other than observing that I've had to do a lot of packing, unpacking, and solving storage issues in Salem over the past fourteen years.

Fischberg Flashback 47: Portlandia

Note: this was originally posted to Ben Around the Block on August 19, 2014.  I have made minor edits. 

 

If the title and surreal photographs didn’t make it clear, I’ve just come back from a relaxing weekend vacation in that center of institutionalized weird: Portland, Oregon!

Last Thursday, the first work-free weekday I had had in a while, was smooth yet busy.  Between quickly packing up for my trip and the continuing trickle of housemates, life at Alpha House is no longer the marathon of peace and splendid isolation it was in June and most of July.  That’s fine by me--I like the company and I won’t be around for long anyway.  Packing went well and the trip went perfectly smoothly (aside from a late bus).  Wandering the streets of Portland and snapping up dinner, I found the rendezvous hotel and finally got to see my loving parents for the first time in three months!  After this beast of a summer, it was nice to see such friendly and familiar faces, a pattern that was kept up all across the weekend.  This meeting in Portland was actually a family reunion, so I got to see plenty of my aunts, uncles, and cousins over the next few days.

Friday was very relaxing and mostly consisted of various shopping trips, restaurant hopping, and drinking.  Saturday consisted of shopping trips at various markets, eating at delicious restaurants, and more drinking.  Finally, Sunday brought us various degrees of shopping, some great restaurants, and yet more drinking.  Are you noticing a pattern here?  I jest--every day wasn’t exactly the same.  Friday was one of my aunts’ birthday and was spent properly in a quirky wine bar, following trips to Deschutes and Powell’s City of Books, the two mandatory Portland stops for my family every time we visit.  Saturday had several market trips and was finished with a touching memorial service to my Grandpa Bruce, a wonderful man who passed away last year (this service was the first time since his death that the entire family was gathered together).  On Sunday, we visited a tranquil Chinese-style garden (pictured above) and finished it all up with a wonderful final dinner all together.  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen most of my family, let alone spent time with them.  I owe a lot in my life to them, ranging from support in my childhood to always being there in my adulthood.  The fact that I got to see them all together in Portland, a city that features prominently in my recent life, felt like a perfect milestone in my young adult life.

(I know that this all seemed kind of concise, even for me, but to be fair, I’m still in relaxation mode, meaning that my writing mind is kind of on an informal hiatus.)

After a weekend with extended family, I was privileged enough to spend Monday with my immediate family in the sleepy little town of Hood River.  Here, we did the natural thing for three adults in an area full of breweries would do: more drinking (responsibly)!  On Tuesday, we finally headed back to Salem, passing by the Western Antique Aeroplanes & Automobile Museum (WAAAM, a fun acronym, if I say so myself).  All in all, it was an outstanding outing and a great reward for finishing the summer!

…Well, the time will soon be upon me.  Whether it’s tomorrow or in a week, I’ll be moving into Baxter Hall, away from Alpha House, thereby terminating my summer and this blog with it.  I’ve got some stressful planning and packing to do (sound familiar?).  May Fortune favor me!…as long as I don’t get too distracted by computer games.

Reflections:

Portland's always a fun city to visit, so I'm glad I was able to work it into this hectic summer.  It's a good thing my family likes visiting Portland as much as I do, as it was awesome to see them again.

I originally posted photos of my trip to WAAAM, but (stop me if you've heard this one) I no longer have those pictures.

At the tail end of this trip, I fell back into the thrall of Star Wars: Empire at War, which is why I refer to computer games at the end of this entry.  Eleven years later, I'm still hooked on that game, though I've also gotten more knowledgeable to the point of developing my own mod for it.