Memorable trips in 2012 include February's excursion to DC, May's to St. Louis, June's to Seattle, July's to Smith Rock and Manzanita, the epic Papa Brown/Aaron Brown trek to Ecuador and Argentina in September, and my visit back to the Twin Cities this December.
2012's highlights include painting the city of Portland's flag on the speed bump outside my house, a raucous weekend in Latacunga, the Sunset-at-Rocky Butte Pedalpalooza Ride, following the trials and tribulations of local and national politicians of varying degrees of trustworthiness, my first podcast appearance, a few too many nights of karaoke, spending entirely too much time on the internet, organizing the third incarnation of a pub crawl that's sprawled out of control, and of course, David Horst's goal against the Seattle Sounders.
The year ends much as 2011 did, in which I reflect on a wicked awesome year of good times with good friends, both old and new, in a tiny little town on the Willamette that continues to reveal itself in new ways with every passing year. Every month seems to open my Portland-bubble world to a new bike route, an undiscovered coffee shop, a new set of friends who live in those new apartments, a new scrappy nonprofit working on some awesome cause that intersects with my own, another stakeholder advisory committee for me to join and another reason to feel warmly about my continued commitment to attempting to live out my own little paradise here in Portland. I definitely found enough things to do with my time this year. I spent considerable amount of time out in East Portland with my job, spending time with some inspiring young students at David Douglas High School who are already, inevitably, growing up and shaping their own Portland bubble. I also spent a full year in North Portland, learning quite a bit about everything from how much people love automobile parking to how many people I care about all seem to live within a ten minutes walk. Yet, just like the year before it, the year comes to an ending at an awkward time. I may be pumped about my community and the ways in which I'm engaged in it, but I'm saddled with the continued frustration of underemployment, drizzly winters, underperforming soccer teams and the feeling that maybe it's time to get out and explore somewhere else. My trip back to Minnesota, first since I graduated, revealed to me just how many good friends I've accumulated across the entire country, and how many new friends are out there awaiting for me to jump on a train and start somewhere new.
Special thanks to The Alabama Shakes, Real Estate, First-Aid Kit, John K. Sampson, The Helio Sequence, Two Door Cinema Club, Hey Rosetta!, AU, Dana Buoy, Onuinu, Frank Ocean, Lost Lander, The Lower 48, Tennis, Sharon Van Etten, and Youth Lagoon for writing music that I listened to quite extensively in the past calendar year.
life in boxes, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
good morning from michigan haus, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
dc brau, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
WOULD YOU TRUST THIS MAN WITH A BICYCLE, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
michigan haus, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
is spring coming?, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
16, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Food Carts, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
St. Louis, MO, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
pedalpalooza 2012 begins, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Reunited with Surly Furious, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
nopo transportation, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Ginger Ride, Portland Oregon, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
There's beauty in the tiniest of things., originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Not a bad day at the office., originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Sharat Ganapati, ULTRA., originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Next time you see us, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
is there anything people won't pull by bike in pdx?, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
The scots, reunited at last, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
390932_3632367695067_2045212070_n, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
66589_3793040471786_691684882_n, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
BA Bookstore, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Palermo, Buenos Aires, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
scan139770, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
scan139776, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
St. John's on a lazy Sunday, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Minneapolis., originally uploaded by _ambrown.
The Midwest is best., originally uploaded by _ambrown.
@firenzian and some local urban wildlife on the Yellow Line #trimet, originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Seriously, what a mysterious, charming and magical town I live in., originally uploaded by _ambrown.
Good morning., originally uploaded by _ambrown.
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