Portland

I've been wanting to leave Portland for a long time but two things keep me here: my job at the university, which I love; my wife, who is connected here in a wide range of activities. As a kind of compromise, we've thought of moving to a suburb like Beaverton, where technically I'd not live in Portland and we both could easily commute to our Portland obligations. This may yet happen.

But my fantasy of old age is very different. I'd live in a small town, within walking distance of a coffee shop, a library, and a market. I no longer would teach or edit the review. I'd still write and shoot video, I suppose. I'd read much more than I have time to do now. I'd have a routine -- you could find me at the same place at the same hour, day after day. I'd become something of a community fixture, in a small way (no interviews!).

This still could happen but probably won't. However, I've taken steps to retire from editing the review. I haven't decided to quit teaching yet.

But like all old men, or all the ones I've known, I find the surrounding community worse off than it was a few decades ago, I find myself out of step with much of what goes on, and this is fine as long as I don't have to be too close to the action (which can be upsetting). I'd be happy to just wander around and observe, shaking my head, and keeping my thoughts to myself or in my work. We start out a stranger in a strange land, and we end up the same way.