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I'm considering a move to Oregon; to the Eugene/Springfield area, to be precise. I've never been to Oregon. This would be a completely blind move. Housing seems very reasonable, the climate seems very nice; it seems like a good place, maybe, to escape to. Not that I need to escape from any specific thing; I'm just casting about. I'm not happy with my situation. I need to change my circumastances, guys. I am casting about for someplace where I can live cheaply, but relatively safely, in a place I like....
More and more I seem to have my heart set on Eugene -- though I have no idea why. This is a feeling. A hunch.
Anybody familiar with Oregon?
Anybody familiar with moving somewhere you've never been on a hunch?
Anybody familiar with living cheaply?
Discussion about any of the above topics would be wonderfully welcome.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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Living cheaply is something you can do almost everywhere; your priorities just have to change in response to how much housing, gas, heating, etc. will be where you are, and what's cheap where you are. But some things are constants; shop locally produced food for the best price on the best quality, buy clothes at thrift stores, etc.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I'm from Corvallis. It's about an hour north of Eugene. I'm not really knowledgeable about living costs in Eugene.
When you say the climate is nice, what are you basing this on? The climate in the Willamette Valley (stretches from Eugene to Portland) is mild, but the winters are very overcast and rainy. It's sunny now, but it won't last.
The University of Oregon is in Eugene. Eugene has a reputation as a hippie town.
What else do you want to know?
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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I moved to Portland, OR, someplace I'd never been, on a hunch. I've been here for almost 7 years and still love it.
Eugene is a nice city. It's got a repution for being filled with hippies, which is partly deserved. It's very politically active, and has a small town feel with larger city benefits. It's pretty easy to live cheaply there, especially if you go the route of living with roommates. The weather is moderate, though it does get hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
The only negative thing I've heard about Eugene is that it's very difficult to develop relationships with any depth there. People tend to be very friendly on the surface, but very cliquish when it comes down to it. This, however, is true of most small towns/cities.
Portland is a wonderful place to live, and only a couple hours from Eugene. It retains the elements of friendliness and liberalness, minus the cliquish small town feel. It is slightly more expensive to live in the heart of Portland, but job prospects and wages are much higher. The outskirts are cheaper, and Portland has a great public transportation system that makes it possible to live further out while commuting easily in.
Posts: 499 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I'd read about the winters. I like the rain. I've also read that the temperatures, compared to what I'm used to, don't get quite as hot in the summer, or quite as cold in the winter time.
I've never been very good at implementing all those tips about living cheaply; I eat out, I drive places I should walk to... it's horrible. Last year at this time I was walking everywhere.
I need to do better about it.
The hippie town reputation is one of the things that has me excited.
Do you like Oregon? I live in a state, frankly, that I don't like anymore -- Utah. I loved Montana, but I didn't like the weather. I hated California.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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How's the crime in Portland? I've also thought a bit about Portland, and might be able to slide into another position with my current company if I go there... How's the weather in Portland?
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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I love it here. There is every type of environment you can imagine within a 5 hour drive of where ever you live. The PNW coast is intensely beautiful, and the deserts that comprise most of the eastern part of the state are fascinating. I like Portland better than any other part of the state I've visited, mostly because the climate suites me better. It's lush and green, and reminds me alot of Ireland.
Portland is very similar to Eugene, weather-wise, though more temperate. It rains quite a bit in the winter, but there are sunny days that highlight just how green everything stays. Summers can be pretty dang hot. It's 90 degrees outside right now. But that's unusual. It generally doesn't go above 85.
Crime in Portland is not excessively prevalent. It's a much larger city than Eugene, and crime rates reflect that. But I've never been anywhere in Portland that made me nervous, which I can't say for any other city of comparable size I've been to. As long as you're not stupid, there is very little to fear here.
Posts: 499 | Registered: Mar 2004
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You know what helps with the walking? Not having a car.
Okay, I don't know if that's practical for you, but it sure has worked for me; we are a one-car family and if I want to get somewhere I walk, take public transportation, get a ride with someone, or a combination of the three.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Eugene isn't that large a city, and I'm not aware of any significant crime there. Portland does have some bad areas. Portland weather is pretty much the same as the rest of the Willamette Valley.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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My experiences with Eugene are that it's very much a college town and, yes, the "hippie" reputation is somewhat deserved (biofuel stations, dog walk parks, fast-food restaurants that serve beans and rice with tahini-soy based sauces (very nice, by the way.)) And it's easy to get to green spaces, which is good.
I love Portland. When I first lived in Portland in college, I commented that it was what Anchorage, Alaska (where I grew up) might be if the money Anchorage spent on snow removal was instead spent on, oh, parks... Mass transit... Public spaces...
Portland is the best city I've ever been in to be without a car- there's buses and a light rail system that can take you nearly anywhere you'd want to go (and conversely, if you're unfamiliar and drive around downtown, you may find yourself in a bus-only lane or on a street like Burnside that doesn't allow turns and laughs maniacally at you as it forces you across a bridge.)
I've never felt *seriously* unsafe in Portland, but there are definitely places where you'd be *less* safe, especially at night. There were a string of shootings around nightclubs a while back, and a friend got mugged there several years ago. But then again, I've never confronted people breaking into a car outside my home, which is not something I can say about Seattle. It's like any big city in that regard, maybe safer than some, but it's not a "everyone leaves their doors unlocked" kind of place.
I must also note that Portland's schools are on a downward slide, cutting hours and programs, and that may have unfortunate reprecussions in the future.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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I'm in Corvallis, having moved here about two and a half years ago. It wasn't exactly on a hunch, but was the next thing to it.
The weather here is awesome, in my mind. Yes, it rains a lot in the winter, but it's quite mild usually, rarely getting below the 40s. And it can get hotter than hell in the summer (first summer I was here the high temp was around 105 for something like a week), but generally mid 80s is what you'll expect.
Amazing variability in geography within a few hours is also really nice, and in this town I can usually get wherever I want to go using the bus system. I'm not sure how Eugene compares in that respect. Also, it's quite bicycle friendly, but I can't say to what extent it's the same, again.
Posts: 609 | Registered: Apr 2003
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The climate of this area would be immensely improved if we could spread out the rain we get throughout the entire year.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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You can be happy anywhere. Figure out why you are not happy and change yourself. If moving to Oregon helps you to start over, fine, but you will have the some problem there as anywhere else, yourself.
Posts: 571 | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote:but you will have the some problem there as anywhere else, yourself.
I wonder why you would make this statement without knowing anything about me, my situation, or my problems.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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quote: Figure out why you are not happy and change yourself.
I'm not going to deny that this might help solve some people's problems. However, in my case, what I wanted to be happy could not be solved by changing myself. Only a change in geographic location and career could make the difference. I'll count half of that (the career) as the 'change in myself', despite the fact that I'm essentially the same person as I am now.
Posts: 1813 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote:Originally posted by lobo: You can be happy anywhere. Figure out why you are not happy and change yourself. If moving to Oregon helps you to start over, fine, but you will have the some problem there as anywhere else, yourself.
What an easy solution. Tormented because people throw rocks at you? Change yourself!
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
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It's the gathering place. You'll all get sucked in, eventually.
No seriously, it really is a nice place to be. I've enjoyed my first two months here. I live in a suburb of Portland (Beaverton), and it's relatively affordable. It is a slightly higher cost of living than Utah, though. Gas prices are quite a bit higher here. Rent is a bit higher, but so is the quality of the apartment (at least compared to Provo ).
quote: quote:but you will have the some problem there as anywhere else, yourself.
I wonder why you would make this statement without knowing anything about me, my situation, or my problems.
I think lobo's statement was presumptuous and blatantly rude in tone, but I think his main point is important to consider. Without knowing any specifics of your situation, only generalizations can be made. However, people often make big changes in their lives to try and make themselves happy when the inherent problem is deeper and falls within. If there is an underlying issue keeping you from being happy (depression, family issues, personal issues, anything) it will most likely follow you wherever you go. It is, honestly, an important concept to take into consideration.
Posts: 1635 | Registered: Aug 2002
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I do not want to get trapped in the life I'm living.
I never made very much money before, but for the past few years I've done well (for me). I've worked hard to get ahead at work, and I've had some success... Now I find that my life has not improved as a result of this hard work and extra money. I am learning these lessons as I go. I make more money but I spend more money. Things are more complicated now than they were when I was broke, but now I work 50-60 hours a week and no longer have the time or energy to pursue my purpose, which is to be a writer. I badly want to simplify my situation and figure out if I can live, cheaply, working part time, so I can focus on things that matter. I'm astonished to find that I'm already 30 years old, and living a life, with a career, that was almost completely unintentional. I don't want the responsibility that I have anymore; you get wrapped up in it. My boss is very negative. I could write an essay about my work entitled "The Saga of Unacknowledged Accomplishments." My last boss was much better, clearer with his expectations, less contradictory, in terms of giving me tasks and then punishing me for doing them, and more supportive -- all of these things made it easy to slowly give more and more of myself to the company. Now that it's not so easy, I take a step back and think: "Troy, what are you doing?"
The years seem to fly by. Yesterday I was 20. Tomorrow I'll be 40. And I don't want to be in the same position, looking back, thinking "What are you doing?"
I am looking for the freedom to try to live in a way that matters more (to me). Finding a cheaper place is a big part of that, but I don't want to move to the heart of Detroit; I want to live near people with whom I share interests, in a city where I can be happy.
I don't know the perfect solution to any of this, but one thing about me is I've never been afraid to make mistakes. This might be a huge mistake or it might be the best thing I could choose to do; won't know until I try.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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TL, best advice I can give you is to come up with a budget and make room in it for savings. I'm a big fan of savings accounts with an automatic deposit feature. When the money comes out on payday, you're not tempted to spend it.
I'm also a big fan of finding the job that's right for you. Most people I know poo-poo the idea and claim that all bosses are lousy. I maintain that no boss is perfect, but you shouldn't feel trapped with one who is honestly bad. A new job really can make a world of difference.
On the bright side, after working 50-60 hours a week, even a 40 hour a week job will feel like part time. Happy writing!
Posts: 2283 | Registered: Dec 2003
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TL, I recently did something similar to what you're thinking of doing. In January of 2007 I visited Seattle for the first time. Something about it just struck me. I lived in Chicago for my whole life and never thought I would want to live anywhere else, but Seattle just called out to me.
I moved here in September. I basically saved barely enough money to get me out here and had no job lined up. Things have not been easy. My first month here was frankly hell on earth. Things have finally settled, but I am working a job I don't like, and my roommate situation is a little rocky.
That said, I have never regretted for single moment my decision to move to Seattle. It is so beautiful here, the Cascades are just 45 minutes away, and when it's clear out (which it has been a lot lately) there is nothing more satisfying than seeing Mt. Rainier looming in the distance. I have met some truly wonderful people, and I know that my job situation will work out eventually.
I guess what I'm trying to say is: DO IT! You'll never know what it's like until you try, and if you don't do it, you'll always wonder if you should have. The Pacific Northwest is an amazing part of the country, and I'm sure you'll find something here to make you happy. Posts: 511 | Registered: Mar 2006
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TL, you're 30? I had no idea... Where's that thread on how old you think people are vs. how old they actually are (or was that another forum?)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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(Also, what exactly in this thread is bringing up "The Fedora Store" in the ad space? Do people in Oregon wear lots of fedoras?)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I did missplace about four years or so of my life when my Dad died, so if I seem like a guy in his mid-twenties, let's just chalk it up to that. If something else, I don't want to know. Let me keep my self-esteem, here. Please don't say you thought I was 16, or something.... Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Luet13: I lived in Chicago for my whole life and never thought I would want to live anywhere else
Whhhaaatttt!!! It smells wierd here the summers are horrible and the winters are getting shorter and shorter.
Posts: 1574 | Registered: May 2008
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T:man, I never thought Chicago smelled weird. And I adored the summer, even if it was ridiculously muggy. It made up for the ridiculously cold winters. And honestly, I've yet to see a city in this country with a better looking skyline.
Posts: 511 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Yeah the skyline is cool but the heat around here lately has been horrible. (I love the winters)
Posts: 1574 | Registered: May 2008
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quote:Originally posted by TL: I'd read about the winters. I like the rain. I've also read that the temperatures, compared to what I'm used to, don't get quite as hot in the summer, or quite as cold in the winter time.
The thing about the winters in western Oregon is that 1) the rain isn't all at once -- it drizzles for hours and hours, instead of raining hard and getting it over with, like most everywhere else; 2) you don't see the sun much for a few months, and that's depressing; and 3) while it doesn't get below freezing much, it still feels cold because of all the moisture; there's a damp chill. I've felt warmer living in states that're colder (New Jersey, Missouri, Virginia) because the cold is a dry cold that's easier to insulate against...
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I live in Eugene... I'll come back to this thread later, because I am about to leave for a wedding in Corvallis.
It's a great place.. There are tons of houses for sale... although not THAT many for rent (which is annoying to me as I look for another place)
And it's a decent place to be without a car. I live downtownish and can walk/bike/bus to everything I need typically. (Don't know how I'm going to pick up a keg for my birthday party yet, but I'll figure it out)
The availability of local produce is nice. Our food is great out here...
Job situation is a little tight, of course...
Posts: 1592 | Registered: Jan 2001
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Chilly, drizzly, grey winters make you excited? Hmm.
Things I think that are definitely cool about Oregon winters:
--Everything stays pretty green --Mild winters make it possible to grow huge amounts of food (greens, root crops) --Low heating bills
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:Originally posted by TL: Things are more complicated now than they were when I was broke, but now I work 50-60 hours a week and no longer have the time or energy to pursue my purpose, which is to be a writer.
Troy, I would like to encourage you to do whatever you need to to be able to write. You have a lovely way with words and imagery. I usually have a terrible memory for such things, but some of your stories still blaze in my mind. So go for it.
A few years ago, my husband and I made a similar move. We wanted to have a small farm, and Arizona is no place for that, so we packed up and moved to Ohio where the cost of living is a tiny fraction of what we were used to. Even though I'd never lived any further east than Texas before, somehow the community we landed in feels more like home than anyplace since I was 11. So our rash move worked out well for us.
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The fiction is languishing, I'm afraid. I've been pretty faithful about blogging, so at least there's some writing, but I think the last story I wrote was over a year ago. (Speaking of, were you the one that provided the trigger that was something like "Time is water" ? If so, thank you. The imagery that produced has been fermenting away nicely.)
However, I seem to be coming out of a long creative dry spell. I just spent several hours sketching out illustrations for a story my daughter told me, and I can't even remember the last time I did anything that creative. So I'm hopeful that I'll be back into fiction-writing pretty soon.
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Get a copy of the Complete Tightwad Gazette. It's the best book for suggestions, encouragement, and organization you can find for advice on how to live cheaply.
Posts: 1757 | Registered: Oct 2004
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TL, four years would just about do it. I was thinking you were about my age, within a year or so either way (I'm 25.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Well, no one here uses umbrellas; if you do you're either a wimp or a tourist.
We RECYCLE! Yay! The latest, greatest thing: commingled bins! <3 No more removing labels, stomping, and sorting.
There are two season here: rainy season and construction.
Oregonians don't tan, they rust.
We also like to complain about all the Californians moving up here.
My advice to someone looking for a house in Oregon: Avoid living in a flood plain. If it's flooded there before, it will flood there again. Rivers naturally wander. If you must live in a flood plain, make sure your insurance covers flood damage. Some hills -I'm thinking in P-town mostly- are highly susceptible to mudslides. Check your property for rotting trees as well. It really sucks when those monsters falls on your house in a winter storm.
One last thing: The Beavers are the best! Ducks suck. Posts: 4 | Registered: Apr 2007
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How's the weather in Portland?
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boo hoo it's so hot here ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
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And I adored the summer, even if it was ridiculously muggy. It made up for the ridiculously cold winters. And honestly, I've yet to see a city in this country with a better looking skyline.
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