On Blogging Away Debt, I read about a woman named Dee Williams who lives in a house no bigger than a parking space. The story caught my eye for several reasons (beyond the initial shock that anyone could live comfortably in such a small space, much less choose to do so):
1. By living in just 84 square feet, Dee has more time and money. She has no mortgage and very low utility bills. Therefore, she only needs to work part-time and still has money to give to charitable causes.
2. She’s from the Pacific Northwest. She lives in Olympia and used to live in Portland. What can I say, I have a lot of regional pride.
3. Dee built her home. As a woman, I admire her success. She decided to build a small, green, functional house. She researched how to do it. She did it. What’s more inspirational than that? I think that kind of inspiration can be applied to any aspect of one’s life, even if you’d never dream of living in an 84 square foot home.
4. To build her home, she used as many second-hand materials as she could. Her electricity is generated by solar panels.
5. Not only does she have more money, time and environmental karma, she also seems to have more confidence. According to The Olympian, Dee said her decision to live in a small home is “empowering.”
6. Last but not least, this story reminds me that there are a lot of choices out there that work. When it comes to material possessions, there aren’t a lot of needs. Each person has to gauge the amount that’s right for them. Personally, I wouldn’t trade my home for Dee’s, but I respect her choice and her happiness.
To learn more about this story, visit katu.com (click on “Video” under the picture for the full report) or The Olympian.
I just found out from Metroblogging Portland that Portland Parks & Recreation is sponsoring free movie showings at various parks until early September. Weather permitting, movies will begin between 8 pm and 8:45 pm.
Following is the schedule:
Friday, 7/27, Sellwood Park: Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire
Saturday, 7/28, Westmoreland: Jurassic Park 3
Thursday, 8/2, Sellwood Park: Charlotte’s Web
Friday, 8/3, Laurelhurst Park: The Pursuit of Happiness
Saturday, 8/4, Kenilworth Park: Wallace & Grommet
Thursday, 8/9, Col. Summers Park: The Breakfast Club
Friday, 8/10, Dickinson Park: The Wizard of Oz
Saturday, 8/11, Woodstock Park: Shrek 2
Friday, 8/17, Laurelhurst Park: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Saturday, 8/18, Hazeltine Park: Madagascar
Friday, 8/24, Brentwood Park: Happy Feet
Saturday, 8/25, Sellwood Park: Shrek 2
Friday, 8/31, Brooklyn Park: Blades of Glory
Friday, 9/7, Lents Park: Stomp the Yard
Saturday, 9/8, Dickinson Park: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
People’s Food Co-op Free BBQ: Free Tofurky veggie dogs and Hot Lips soda, as well as face painting and music by Coney Island Cartel. People’s Food Co-op, 3029 SE 21st Avenue, 503-ORGANIC, Noon-3 pm
Sunday, July 29:
Music
Portland Lounge Series: Audiocrip, Gulls, Michael Bruce at Towne Lounge, 714 SW 20th Place, 503-241-8696, 9:30 pm, ages 21+
Festival:
Water in the Desert: Music, guest speakers and more at St. Johns Cathedral Park grounds, Cathedral Park, North Edison and Pittsburgh Avenues, 928-274-3247, 2 pm–11 pm
Monday, July 30:
Music
Night Wounds and Twin Crystals at Branx, 320 SE 2nd Avenue, 234-5683, 10 pm, ages 21+
Theater:
“Dido and Aeneas” at Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Avenue, 725-5808, 7 pm
Be sure to check out this week’s WW; it’s the Best of Portland issue. I’m thrilled that thriftmapper.com and Carye Bye were featured this week, two Portland boons that I’ve written about in the past:
On Sunday, July 22, there’ll be a “block party” on the North Park Blocks celebrating the re-opening of the Museum of Contemporary Craft and the completion of the DeSoto Project, a space housing five art galleries—MCC, Augen Gallery, Blue Sky Gallery, Charles Hartman Fine Art, and Froelick Gallery.
At the block party, all museums will have their doors open, and art workshops and musical performances will be going on, free to the public, from noon to 7:30 pm. For more information, visit Craft PDX Block Party.
First is the Just Add Water (JAW) Playwrights Festival. According to the website, JAW is “Portland Center Stage’s developmental festival of new work for the stage. Every summer, PCS gathers together a company of professional playwrights, directors, actors, dramaturgs and other collaborators, who dedicate ten days of intense workshop time to some of the nation’s most innovative works in progress. The Festival culminates in concert presentations of the plays, and includes a full slate of performance events, forums and other free activities.”
This weekend is the culmination of the festival, and free events are happening at the Gerding Theater today, July 19, through Sunday, July 22. Check the website for details on all the events: http://www.pcs.org/season_jaw.html.
PCS is also offering free tai chi classes in July and August. Classes are held every Wednesday and Friday from noon to 1 pm. For more information, visit http://www.pcs.org/communityEvents.html#taichi.
Those looking for inexpensive entertainment, especially during warmer months, should keep an eye on the happenings at Pioneer Courthouse Square (aka Portland’s Living Room).
One of my favorite events is Noon Tunes, a series of free concerts in July and August. Every Tuesday and Thursday, local bands play from noon to 1 pm. On July 31, one of my favorite bands The Dimes will perform. I can’t wait!
For information on events year-round, visit the Square’s online calendar.
I won’t lie to you, I get caught up in Hollywood hype and have a sweet tooth for big-screen eye candy. Every now and then, there’s something comforting about the lobotomizing effect of a movie that doesn’t make any sense but looks really good.
But like a good corporal diet, my celluloid diet needs to be more well-rounded to be satisfying.
That’s why I love what the Hotel deLuxe is doing with their Sunday Movie Nights. On every third Sunday of each month (with the exception of the next showing on July 22), the Hotel deLuxe shows movies by local and regional filmmakers.
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