IT was oregon, and I wanted nothing to do with it

I grew up within a 90 minute drive of the portland japanese gardens. when I was a kid There were two things that kept me from exploring all oregon had to offer: poverty and stupidity. When poverty wasn’t a problem, stupidity took over. This was the case with the japanese gardens in portland.

I didn’t like living in oregon. I wanted to be in california where i was born — and for good reson, I’m weather-driven. nevertheless, I had a pretty good idea the gardens would be beautiful, after all i loved the forest.

The problem was if I liked one thing about oregon, I might find something else to like about it and then I’d be in real trouble. So… I avoided things I suspected I might enjoy. On this trip to oregon I decided I will revisit places and activities I was too poor or stupid to see and do.