Friday, September 22, 2006

Observations

I have not blogged for a while and since I will be gone this weekend (rafting on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon) I wanted to get something up this afternoon….

Kristi Motz reports on her blog that Leon, James and his wife returned from their Ray Vander Laan escorted trip to Turkey. Ray is a Holland resident (HCH teacher and speaker/preacher) who is an expert on the Biblical Israel and that part of the Middle East. He made video tapes which had wide distribution around the country, which I have seen and they are quite good. His trips are pricey and there is a long waiting list to go with him. The handful of people I know who have gone with him come back changed in their world view and spiritual perspective. I hope that was the Motz’ experience. I know they were sore from all the walking.

Aleene and I were in Sherwood for lunch today at a New York-style deli. To me that means they offer that type of menu (sandwiches served in that style.) We began to talk about how this part of our country compares to the other places we have lived (PA, NJ, SC, IL and mostly MI) and here is what we observed:
Oregon is more like the Midwest than it is like anyplace on the East Coast. The people talk, look and act more like Midwesterners than East, South, Southeast, or Southwest (mainly Texas.) It may be more like AZ due to the influx of Midwesterners there.

Attitudes here are diverse, but are more progressive than the Midwest, as you might expect. We are not sure whether that is a fact or if non-conservatives feel safe to express their views than they might in the Midwest (at least West Michigan.) Therefore I am going to say that Oregonians are more tolerant of the opinions of others.
Even clergy here (that I have encountered) were not familiar with RCA or CRC. I was surprised. After living in an area with a heavy concentration of Dutch Reformed congregations, I thought everyone could make the distinction between them. None of my Methodist, Quaker or Mennonite friends knew much about them. Then again, not many people in Michigan know about Quakers (not that I am an expert, be we have worshiped among them many times.) We heard this week there are 50 church congregations in Newberg. I wonder how that compares, per capita, with Holland or Zeeland?

I got a good dose of the Oregon Income Tax today. I met with the guy who is going to help me through this transition year. Yikes. Nine percent. They do not treat retirees nearly as well as Michigan does. Remember, we have no sales tax, lower property tax, and lower car insurance rates. Pay me now, or pay me later, as the saying goes.

Last item…Yesterday I met with the Executive Director of Yamhill County Mediation. We had a great discussion. She is going to have me co-mediate a case with a board member to build a comfort level with my skills and then we will go from there. Here is an example of how they do the same stuff here as we did in Michigan. They fund it differently…through U. or Oregon vs. the state court system, but it is based on volume and they try to get local governmental units to participate…just like MI.

1 comment:

Brendon said...

Great news about the mediation! Hadn't heard that yet...