Being rich in family I was lucky enough to travel over the holidays, spending a few days in Oregon and Maine. Being at similar latitudes, the climate is comparable depending on area.

The contrast between the two states was interesting.

Oregon being in a state of growth, attracting taxpayers and tax vacuums from around the country. Maine on the other hand has a huge drug problem, bad public health, bad education, besides the statistics the feeling of decay is in the air everywhere you go. Shuttered businesses, struggling families.

While Oregon has a midwestern level of smiles and eye contact. Part of that could be attributed to west coast versus east coast dynamics, but I’ve noticed economic recessions and depressions translate into more literal depression, lack of hopes brought on by lack of opportunities. In a bull economy more people feel that their lives are getting better. In Oregon, people just seem to enjoy being in a nice place to live, and not being California.

If I was born and raised in small town Maine, I’d be lucky to have the drive to get the heck out, more likely I’d take up opiate abuse. If I grew up in small town Oregon, I would be a great snowboarder and be way to chill.

Oregon was good to me, and I wish the best for it, as a state. I might even move out there, but it would be nice to have my degree and move as a professional and not a burnout. Lot of that going around in Portland, but they just don’t stigmatize the downtrodden, which sadly brings in more of the downtrodden from places where they aren’t as well cared for.

If I WAS homeless, I’d like to be homeless in Oregon.