11 Weeks 5 Days: Dear Baby

Dear Baby,

I just want to make sure you know how lucky you are. Not because we're going to love you and take care of you. Not because you could be born in some third world country with no food. This notice is for much shallower reasons.

Baby, you're very lucky that you are going to grow up in a cool city. And I'm sure the people who grew up here don't think it's that cool, but they didn't grow up in Bremerton. You are so lucky to not have to spend your childhood hanging out in the Safeway parking lot because there's nothing else to do. Or going to the Mall. You're lucky that you don't have to go to CK High or Olympic High or Bremerton High, all equally shitty schools. You're lucky you won't have to see half of the girls in your high school knocked up by the time they graduate. You're lucky that you won't have to look over your shoulder when you're out on the town to make sure some drunk Navy guy isn't going to jump you because he's just a douche bag (or because you're a black punk rocker). You're lucky that you won't have to spend countless hours on a ferry boat so you can get to Seattle and actually have something to do. You're lucky you won't have to live anywhere even remotely near the Main Stage. You're lucky that you don't have to grow up in a town where going out to nice restaraunt means going to the Olive Garden. And you're lucky that if you decide you don't want to go to college, you're only other option won't be to work at the shipyard.

You'll be here in Portland. You'll be accepted by 90% of the popluation no matter what weird phase you're in. You can get all over the city with the expanding public transportation system. Or you could ride you bike. In less than an hour you can be at the Columbia Gorge or on Mt. hood. You can go to any of the 6 to 8 parks that are within minutes of our house. If you're a girl, you're chances of rape are lower since Bremerton has a forcible rape rate of more that 3 times that of Portland and 6 times the national average. Not mention the murder rate is lower here. If you do go to college, you have the choice of a dozen community and tech colleges and a couple of universities. If you want to own a chicken, that's aloud in Portland apparently.

So just remember how lucky you are that your wonderful parents decided to move out of the hellhole that is known as Bremerton Washington and reloceted to beautiful Portland Oregon. And thank you Portland for welcoming us and out upcoming child.