Portland Must-Dos

I just got back from the Portland Spelling Bee. If you are ever in Portland, you must do it. Monday nights at Mississippi Pizza. I’ll go with you.

This is my second time as a contestant (get there by 6:30 if you want to sign up). Last time, I was eliminated on the third round with “paladium.” It has a double “L.” This time, I made it to round four, a personal record. I vanquished “concerto,” “cuticle,” and “equilibrium” before “sixsome” felled me. I left out the second “S.”

Yes, with regard to shyness a spelling bee is also a safe venue, in that are people but there is a lot of time when you aren’t talking. But, damn, it is fun in its own right, and I’m making acquaintances, perhaps eventually friends, with some regulars. (When in the right mood, shyness is not a roadblock, and certainly not something to whine about.)

While I don’t know if I can make this a weekly event, I will go as often as possible. A couple times a month at least, I hope. If you’re in Portland on a Monday, give it a try, even if you think you’ll dislike it. It really is more thrilling than you first imagine. If you want to spend Monday night with me, of course I’ll give you a choice, but you know where I’ll be casting my vote: toward another attempt for that shirt that says “champion.”