Portland, Oregon 97213

When I think about Portland, Oregon the image of Mill Ends Park resinates through my mind. Originally created on St. Patrick’s Day in 1948 to be the only leprechaun colony west of Ireland, the park is located in the median strip of a busy downtown parkway.  The park also takes claim as the world's smallest, being a circle 2 ft across and a total area of 452 square inches.  Yes, this is a city park recognized and managed by Portland Parks and Recreation which,  awkwardly enough, seems to symbolize many traits and values of the city of Portland.  Both are smaller in size, unique in stature, quirky in personality, complemented by a bewildering sense of purpose and place all portrayed with confidence and pride.  Not to mention a good sense of humor.  Portland’s slogan is “the rose city” but has been affectionately labeled in some circles as," the place where young people go to retire" and is the setting for the television show Portlandia (http://www.ifc.com/portlandia/)  which takes stabs at the local culture with un-abandoned humor, sarcasm and wit.  It’s a place where forms of diversity (even if not completely understood) are mostly tolerated, accepted and often celebrated.  Ironically enough,  its this same diversity that creates factions of passionate individuals with a sense of entitlement that are so quickly to judge others.  So what if I forgot to bring a dog poop bag to the dog park, honked my horn at the bicyclist that ran a stop sign, put a glass bottle in the trash and forgot to bring my reusable grocery bag to Whole Foods!  I’ll probably never be able to afford solar panels on my house or the cute little water collection systems that will provide water for my non-existent garden next year and I might not vote or share the same passion about saving the pigeons downtown from extinction.  All generalities aside, this is one of the many reason s I have enjoyed Portland.  Its a place to challenge or be challenged with ideas, thoughts and creative expression.  To be yourself or get lost with everyone else.  Or just being able to be surrounded by something you can connect with. Or not. Its a place where nature co-exists with the urban landscape.  A place where neighborhoods embrace their ever-changing identity with creative ideas, businesses and events.  A place where animals have their own parks, bicyclists and pedestrians actually are respected and  have rights, and a free range organic buffalo burger can be washed down with a vegan beer at the local food cart.  It’s a place that I enjoyed calling home for a few years and know I will return often.  Over the last  week I have had the opportunity to mourn over my departure as well as reflect about all the wonderful attributes and experiences that the great place of Portland has offered and provided for me.  To honor this, I have created my " top ten best things about Portland" list.  Goodbye Portland for now. You will be missed.

 Portland Timbers:

The best sports team in America supported by passionate fans.  Seeing games at Jen Weld Field has rekindled my interest in soccer and the belief that American Soccer can be the best in the world one day.  http://www.portlandtimbers.com/

 Last Thursday:

Celebration of the arts on Alberta Street in Northeast Portland.
http://lastthursdaypdx.ning.com/

Pho:

The classic vietnamese noodle soup that is great on those dark, cold rainy winter days.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pho 

Microbreweries:

More here than any other place in the world!  Favorites include the Laurelwood, Lucky Lab and Breakside Brewing. http://oregonbeer.org/ 

The Rain:

Yes, you read this correctly.  There’s something about its consistency that I enjoy and I am a Pisces.  http://portlandor.about.com/od/cityservicesgovernment/a/PDX_weather.htm

Portland Parks: 

There everywhere and important to the city. My favorites include Mt. Tabor, Forest Park, Sandy River Delta and the Sacajewa Dog Park.  http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/

Happy Hours:

There everywhere and you can get by on cheap eats almost any day of the week.  http://www.urbandrinks.com/happyhour/usa/or/portland

Laurelthirst Pub:

Music is free during the happy hours everyday and hosts performers like the Freak Mountain Ramblers and Jack Straw.   http://laurelthirst.com/ 

Multinomah County Library System:

Free and the selection of books, movies and music is unreal.  http://www.multcolib.org/

Location:

Close to the coast, Mt. Hood National forest and the Columbia River Gorge.   http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8_MNNYSKAOUjMeXDfAxg8vh1h4Psw68fJG-AAzga6Pt55Oem6hfkRhhkmTgqAgCHNFDO/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEhWTjBNMDAwMDAwMDA!/?ss=110622&navtype=forestBean&navid=091000000000000&pnavid=null&cid=null&ttype=main&pname=Columbia%20River%20Gorge%20National%20Scenic%20Area%20-%20Home

Worth mentioning:

Movie Madness, Brew theaters, Podnah’s BBQ, Coffee Shops, Powell Books.  

Headaches and the last minute details.

I have been thinking about headaches a lot lately.  Perhaps it is because most of the clients I have been working with having been dealing with tension headaches, or more likely that I am organizing all the final details as I prepare to drive across the country this Thursday.  I recently stumbled over this article and thought I would pass it along.  Enjoy.

Use your hands to relieve tension headaches naturally

Thursday, March 24, 2011 by: Dave Gabriele

(NaturalNews) Sooner or later, we all get headaches. Usually, we tend to shut down the pain by taking an over-the-counter drug. Drugs are usually pretty good at removing pain, but they do not address the root cause of the problem and often cause unwanted side effects. Pain is actually very important because it is one way our body communicates a problem with us. By taking a drug to remove the pain, we only dull our senses. However, if we take the time to learn the language of our bodies, we can understand what the causes of our headaches are and address them directly. This is by far the healthiest course of action.

In the case of tension headaches, the culprit is usually tension in the upper back, shoulder and neck muscles. Here are six simple steps that will reduce or remove the pain associated with tension headaches:

1) To start, take yourself away from the computer screen, get comfortable and close your eyes gently. Take a deep breath and let out a long and relaxing sigh as you drop and relax your shoulders. Repeat this 3-4 times or as many times as you like.

2) Use your focus to release the tension in your upper body. Start with your face - take a few seconds to release all muscular tension and completely relax. Then move in a general backwards direction, continuing at the top of your head and then moving to the back of your head. Follow with your neck and finally your shoulders and upper back. Allow a few moments to completely relax each area.

3) Locate acupuncture point GB-20 on either side of the spine on the back of your neck just under the edge of your skull. Press firmly and deeply with your thumbs for about 1 or 2 minutes while keeping your breath gentle, deep and relaxed.

4) Put your hand on the back of your neck. Use four fingers on one side and the heel of your palm on the other side to grasp your neck. Start at the top of your neck and work your way down. Use firm pressure to grasp and then release the muscles a few times before moving down about a finger width and repeating. Massage all the way to the base of your neck about 5-10 times or until your hand gets tired, then switch hands and repeat.

5) Locate Acupuncture point GB-21 on the top of your shoulders half way from your spine to the outer edge of your shoulder. With the same "grasping" technique as #2, massage the muscle at GB-21 with the opposite hand for about 30 seconds to one minute. It will feel quite tender and sore since the muscles may be very tense. During the massage stay relaxed with soft and deep breathing. Switch sides and repeat.

6) Roll your shoulders in large slow circles to stretch and relax any tension that may be left in your shoulders and upper back. Roll them 5 -10 times in each direction while you keep your breathing even and relaxed. To finish, roll your head very gently around in a circle 5-10 times and then switch directions.

At this point, your tension headache should be either reduced or gone. If it is not, wait a few minutes and try again. However, this time do each step for twice as long and make sure to breathe in a deep but relaxed manner. Put an effort into becoming aware of any tension that you may be unknowingly holding in your body and let it go.

GB-20:http://www.holisticonline.com/remed...
GB-21:http://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/A...

Deadman, Peter (1998) A Manual of Acupuncture. England, Journal of Chinese Medicine.
Xiangcai, Xu (2002) Chinese Tui Na Massage. Boston, YMAA Publication.
Yang, Jwing-Ming (1989) The Root of Chinese Qigong. Boston, YMAA Publication.

About the author

Dave Gabriele, D.Ac, BA, is a registered acupuncturist, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and a health researcher helping people in and around the Greater Toronto Area. He is the founder of Life Balance Family Health Care (www.balanceyourlife.ca), an organization committed to providing people with the information and guidance they need to make positive lifestyle changes. Dave has been a teacher of Chinese martial arts since 1997, including the arts of Taiji and Qigong.

Learn more:http://www.NaturalNews.com/031814_headaches_tension.html#ixzz1a2T5Bvc9