And the rain begins

So, after a beautiful and unusually long summer, Portland's rainy season has begun. To kick off the season, we've seen about 10 straight days with at least some rain. About half of those days saw a serious pissing from the gods. Last winter, my first in the Pacific Northwest, was difficult for me. I was new to Portland, didn't enjoy my living situation, didn't really know anybody, and had no idea how to pass the time away during a perpetual shower.
Well, after being in Portland a year now, I'm a bit more prepared for the 3-4 month drenching that is winter in Oregon. To get a glimpse of how my winter will be spent, here's a recap of the last week.
An education in gypsy hunting: Straight from the genius of a Khazakstani media correspondent, Oldie and I learned how to hunt, capture, and make use of gypsies (gypsy tears are known to ward off disease) from Borat. Of course, this education took place at one of Portland's 374 movie theaters. Yes, Portland has a lot of movie houses, and I expect to be at one (especially the $3.00 ones that serve beer and pizza) pretty frequently.
Beer sampling: Wino's can get away with wine-tasting in the name of sophistication, so why can't I do the same while sampling the many locally brewed beers of Portland? On Thursday, Oldie and I went to Holman's, on 28th and E Burnside, to guzzle a few pints. While walking around the neighborhood afterward, we managed to walk in and out of another watering hole, The Lounge, three times without ever making it to the bar. Apparently we were suffering from severe indecision, and every time we walked into the bar, we decided we didn't actually want to drink there. I'm not sure why we kept returning, but by the third time (within a 10 minute period), we were getting some seriously perplexed looks from confused patrons. Patronizing the many taverns, pubs, and saloons is one way to make it through the rain. I'm not an alcoholic, though, I'm a connoisseur.
Blazers basketball: Oldie, Kesia and I recently stumbled upon a sweet promotion for the Trail Blazers. To attract a larger fan base to a turned around franchise, the Blazers were offering a ticket package of 25 games for $100. The three of us jumped on the deal, committing ourselves to an up and down season of Blazers basketball. Our first game was Friday, and in overcoming a 27-point deficit, the home team won. 24 more games are in store to help us get through the winter.
Football and board games: On Saturday, I got together with a few college football fanatics. Stacey represented for Oregon State; Casey and Chrissie put it down for Texas. I could care less, but seeing them scream and burst aneurysms over their beloved teams was quite amusing. After both of their respective teams lost, we played Scattegories. A bit nerdy, I know. But, like I said, it rains a lot and you have to open yourself up to other forms of entertainment. And, to be honest, I like playing games.
Coffee, philosophy, and good food: In addition to having a lot of movie theaters, Portland also has its fair share of quaint little breakfast/brunch joints. On Sunday, Oldie, Kesia and I met a Junior's, on 12th and SE Clinton(?). Over numerous cups of coffee, we talked about the recent election results, as well as the merits of joining an armed uprising. The question we posed to each other was, "at which point would you feel comfortable taking up arms to revolt against the 'establishment'?" None of us could come to a conclusive answer, but we did thoroughly enjoy our meals. They make mean scrambles, with plenty of potato nuggets.