Easter, etc.

I spent Easter in the most pagan city in the United States. Really. I think Portland, Oregon, has the least amount of church attendance in the entire county. The State of Oregon has the highest proportion of religiously-unaffiliated and self-identified "nonreligious" residents. But, as Devon reminded me, I am NOT living in the most pagan nation in the world (by traditional standards....we are total pagans when it comes to our obsession with the individual freedom, death, money, choice, Self). She, on the other hand, resides in France, where they're about outlawing religious head-coverings in schools. WTF, mate?

Melissa, Jacob, and I had a nice, nice time - good beer and coffee. And we visited the farmers' market which was, as always, very cool (and wet) and the Saturday market. It was great to see the folks again at l'Arche, too. I miss Enner (Erin) a lot. Marilyn is still as out of control as ever but seems to have settled into the changes as they've come. And Joni continues to want her nails painted and listening to her IPod. And Adam has taken up tennis. It was nice to be back in a l'Arche home, however briefly, that's been in existence for two decades, where things are a bit more simple, a bit less complicated. Even though Marilyn is out of control, it definitely feels calmer there. Perhaps it's the West Coast thing, as well. Things in the North-west are...nice. Green, organic, quirky, bike-friendly, with mountains that look like mountains rather than mole hills.

I wish I lived in Portland. I'm sure the hipness would grate on my after a while, but I'm still in my Let's-be-hip phase (with one foot out the door), so I think I could handle it for the time being. And I miss living with/near Melissa and Jacob. They live in a nice, tiny apartment with nuns...and rich people down the street. We watched a lot of movies and ate good Cuban Creole food (it exists!) and went to church a lot (take that!). Our friend Tim became Catholic at the Easter vigil service on Saturday night and that was exciting, especially the party afterwards where I stuffed myself with sweets and felt a bit ill. We celebrated Melissa's birthday on Easter, as well. She's old....27. I can't believe I'm going to be 24 next year. I'm almost a quarter of a century old. Dear Lord.

So...maybe I should postpone graduate school (again) and move out to Portland. Mom and Dad said they would follow if M/J and I decided to stay out there. Hmm....I love ending my posts with a thoughtful 'hmmm....'