Jake's Diner--Old School Central Oregon

I just got done reading the most current post on "Diner Life" @ http://jakesdiner.blogspot.com/. If you're not familiar, it's a blog written by a man named Lyle Hicks. Now I don't personally know Lyle, but I know a few things about him.

I know he was born in Bend, on Hospital Hill, a good while ago (so was I). I also know that he does a lot of good for the people of Central Oregon. He is involved in helping veterans, Habitat for Humanity, senior citizens, and as far as I can tell, many other groups and individuals in this area.

In his most current post (11/23/07), he tells of how he and his staff and volunteers, fed & entertained 350 senior citizens Thanksgiving dinner, AT COST! Nothing in it for them but the satisfaction that they helped some people out.

This is truly "Old School Central Oregon." It seems to me that many of the recent transplants to this region know nothing about helping thy neighbor. They do, however, know a boatload about helping themselves. And that appears to be the only thing that they do know about. Yes I know that there are a lot of new people living here that have a lot of giving in them. And I also know that there are some old-timers around that are just pure mean. But I guess why I take note of this, and what disturbs me the most, is the trend. People in C.O. just aren't as nice to one another as they used to be. And in my case this often causes two reactions, sorrow and anger.

Sad not for the growth in C.O. We have first rate medical facilities, much better restaurants, stores, cultural activities, etc., etc., etc. In many, many ways, C.O. is a richer and more diverse area than it used to be. No, it makes me sad when I have to deal with a bunch of fucking assholes. The majority of which, came from somewhere else.

It used to be that when waves of people moved to this area, they acclimated. They liked the way things were here and tried hard to fit in. Now, this new breed of selfish fucker, wants to move here and have everyone here adapt to fit into their little bullshit, selfish, meaningless lives. If you can't tell, that's where the anger comes in.

But enough of that, let me get back to Lyle and his friends. He's a good man, and stands for what C.O. was, and should still be, about. You should read his blog. You should dine at Jake's Diner. You should strive to be more like these people, and help to support them. Whether it's with their cause, or your own. I DO!

Tuscany Pines...Welcome Home!

I just had the not-so-distinct pleasure of meeting two of the stupidest fuckers in all of Central Oregon. Their names are Jason McAlister and Sheri Herrick. No, I didn't meet them in person. I was reading BendBubble2(http://bendbubble2.blogspot.com/2007/11/rip-breeze-wurzels-plaza-we-hardly-knew.html) and saw mention of a real estate development called Tuscany Pines. I Googled it and poked around the web site a bit.

Let me give you just a few reason why these two smiley faced, yuppy fucks, are such stupid bastards. First of all, they're just now getting into the nuts and bolts of building what looks to be a pretty good sized development, at about the worst time to do so in the last 25 years. The real estate mkt. in this area is tanking, and going to continue to do so for probably the next 3 years, or more. Everytime I see "What's Going Up" on the front of The Bulletin's business section recently, I just have too sit back and chuckle to myself and think...those stupid mother fuckers. NOBODY SHOULD BE BUILDING ANYTHING IN THIS REGION RIGHT NOW!

And folks, that Tuscan themed bullshit is sooooo played out. Fuck, you might as well build Shire 2 (in 3D). "Tuscany Pines is a unique walled community of 99 Tuscan-style town homes on 11 acres of gently rolling meadows full of old growth ponderosa pine trees. The site design is a result of joint efforts between the developers, engineers and arborists. More than 70% of the large trees are preserved and protected to enhance the livability of the community and our neighborhood." --- Just how many rolling meadows and old growth ponderosas can you really put on 11 acres, anyway? Especially when its got 99 godawful townhouses, a clubhouse, and a pool on it! Oh but wait, there's more.

These two are probably the most highly qualified real estate developers on the planet. Get this, he's a professional snowboarder and she's a fucking T.V. anchorwoman. I shit you not. But it says that Jason has been mentored by his daddy-in-law Pat Gisler...and that Pat and his family have over 100 years of successful experience in all aspects of real estate. Well no shit. My god, if Pat Gisler is still alive, he's most likely well over 100 years old all by himself. Hell, I think I even saw Willard Scott with his picture on a jar of strawberry jam the other day.

Then came the piece of the puzzle that set my mind at ease. These beauties are going to be sold by none other that the famous Cate Cushman, of Cushman and Tubbs. Cate the one who reportedly thought that Matt Tomseth was just another Les Schwab tire monkey and sent him on down the road when he and Diana were looking at places in Broken Top.(Way to do your homework, Cate.) Jason, if your a bettin' man, I'll put up Matt's grand-daddy-in-law, even though I know he's gone, agin Ol Pat, any day! That's all just rumor, mind you.