A glance at the forecast shows steady rain for five days out at least. The rainy season is officially back in Portland. Most of us who have lived here multiple years know what to expect. Constant, driving rain and a thick coating of clouds are going to be constant fixtures in the sky. The rain is something we take for granted here in Portland. After a week or two of it we even stop complaining and carry on business as usual.
This got my mind wondering, as many things tend to do. How does the rain affect the creative culture of Portland? Do we spend more time indoors creating when it rains out? Through my official polling (chats w/ a few transplants) and personal research (my own habits as a rain drenched Portlander) I’ve reached a few conclusions.
Portlanders do spend long winter hours isolated in their respective abodes. For all of this talk of community building and collaboration, the majority of people’s free time is spent on individual pursuits. I’ve heard complaints from out-of-towners that Portlanders are always on their own personal agenda. This is something I can’t really argue. That being said, I do try to foster collaboration amongst my friends whenever possible. It can be tough though, as it is hard to get a group of people here on the same page. This proves the earlier point.
This brings me back to the rain. While other regions may experience intense snowfall, the rain in Portland isn’t enough to spark a fight for survival that may cause people to band together. When it rains, people are much less likely to go out. You have much less motivation to get done up and hit the town, because by the time you get to the bar you’ll be soaked anyways. The smoking ban that went into effect at the beginning of the year means you’ll be standing in the rain and cold to get your nicotine fix. In the winter here, people stay in more. To keep themselves occupied they will draw, make music, craft, write or even play X-Box. Anything that takes your mind off the deluge outside and how miserably cooped up you are is a welcome activity. After enough time here, one eventually gets attached to the rain and the misery it brings with it. People say it fuels the creativity. Being a creative person, I certainly get a lot more work done in the wet wintry months than in the summertime.
I guess all I’m trying to do is mentally prep myself for the long, dark months ahead. Suit up folks, it’s gonna be a wet one.
-JDH
