Mountain View
Rose Bak
Where to find help with financial planning in Portland
World Financial Planning Day is a great time to get a handle on your finances. This week we celebrate World Financial Planning Day and given the increasing prices of housing and goods in Portland, now's a great time to focus some attention on your finances.
How should you split the bills when you move in with someone?
One of the hardest parts of taking your romantic relationship to the next level is figuring out the bills. Moving in together, either because you're getting married or decided to cohabitate, is a big step in any relationship. When you make that decision, one of the first hard discussions that have to happen is how to split up bills and expenses, and what comes out of that discussion will likely set the tone for all your money discussions moving forward.
PDX Free Fridge takes grassroots approach to alleviating hunger in Portland
Pantries and fridges provide free food to those who are struggling with food insecurity. Refrigerators and shelves full of food are popping up in neighborhoods all over Portland. They are part of the "PDX Free Fridge" movement, an effort to take the shame -- and red tape -- out of accessing food resources.
Kaiser Permanente and the OFNHP prepare for a labor strike
Strike authorization votes are happening this week. Time is running out in contract negotiations between Kaiser Permanente and 3,400 healthcare workers represented by the Oregon Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals (OFNHP- AFT Local 5017 ).
Examining the appeal of guys holding fishes on dating websites
Guys of a certain age really seem to like fish. Or they think the women do anyway. I was at a party recently and the subject of online dating sites came up. Several people in the group are single, over forty, and navigating the complex world of middle-aged dating.
Alternatives to couples counseling to help with relationship issues
When couples counseling isn't a viable option, you might want to try another path. When a couple is having relationship problems, the first suggestion many make is for them to attend couples counseling. The aim of couples counseling is to improve romantic relationships and resolve interpersonal conflicts by working together with a neutral third party.
Union members and allies rally to support Kaiser nurses in their labor dispute
OFNHP - AFT Local 5017. Over 500 people braved the rainy weather to rally to support the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) in their efforts to negotiate a new contract for nursing staff at Kaiser Permanente.
Celebrate National Coffee Day with a cup of brewed goodness
Portland is filled with unique local coffee shop options. Today's obscure holiday is one that most Portlanders can get behind: National Coffee Day. The Rose City has an unusually strong relationship with coffee, undoubtedly due to the months and months of cold, rainy weather.
Sushi Sushi on 82nd delivers tasty fish, but at a price
The re-tooled restaurant has great sushi, but it has lost its pre-pandemic excellence. The pandemic has put a kink in many of our previous activities, and one of the things I particularly miss is the sushi conveyer belt. Before all the restaurant restrictions went into effect, there were several fun sushi restaurants in Portland where you could sit around a conveyer belt carrying plates of fresh sushi (and in the case of my favorite, Sushi Ichiban, you could sit around a model train of sushi). The sushi train was always a great way to check out new dishes and try something you haven't had before.
Nurses want the public to understand what's at stake in their ongoing negotiations with Kaiser
The union and Kaiser are close to a stalemate and a strike may be imminent. Negotiations between the Oregon Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals and Kaiser Permanente are becoming increasingly contentious.
When one person acts as a parent in a romantic relationship, there's no true partnership
Moving towards a more equal relationship can help ensure long-term success. I recently heard the same story from two different people who are in a relationship with each other. As often happens, there were some significant differences in each person's view of what had happened. But the thing that struck me the most was the way that one person in that relationship is clearly acting like "the mom" and their partner has assumed the role of "naughty child".
Complaining about the boss is becoming a national pastime
Communication and appropriate expectations are vital for a healthy employer/employee relationship. If you work outside of the home, you likely have a boss. And chances are good, your boss sometimes gets on your nerves. Complaining about your boss is one of our national pastimes. It's often it's good-natured or simply a way to let off steam. But it also can be a time suck.
Multnomah County texts all residents to get the word out about eviction prevention money
With evictions ramping up, County officials redouble their efforts to help those in need. Over a quarter of a million Multnomah County residents received a surprise text message on their phones this week. The message, sent through the texting system that is generally reserved for emergency notifications like severe weather or air quality hazards, aimed to make sure that county residents are aware of eviction prevention money.
Celebrating the importance of women's friendships
"National Women's Friendship Day" highlights the enduring strength of women's relationships with their friends. In case you missed it, this weekend was "National Women's Friendship Day". While there are a lot of weird made-up holidays -- I'm looking at you "Talk Like a Pirate Day" -- I have to admit that I fully support taking a moment to celebrate the unique bond that can develop between women friends.
Changes in your relationship may be a sign of infidelity
Here are some things to look for before you have a difficult conversation. Infidelity is one of the worst things that can happen in any relationship. It can be the death knell to not only the relationship but to your self-esteem as well. So what do you do when you have a niggling doubt that your partner is being faithful?
Cup & Saucer Cafe offers consistently delicious brunch options
This long-standing Southeast Portland restaurant continues to deliver great meals. When I moved to Portland in the early 1990s, the Cup & Saucer Cafe was one of the first restaurants I visited, and I've been going ever since.
It's nice to hear giggling: the science of laughter
Like the proverb says, “Laughter is the best medicine.”. I was hanging out before yoga class with a good friend one day and, as we often do, we were laughing. We almost always find something to laugh about when we are together, except this one time we ran out of water with eleven miles left on a long run on the hottest day of the year, but that’s another story.
Tired of Zoom yoga? Here's where you can practice yoga in person in Portland right now, even if you're not bendy
The pandemic has been catastrophic for the yoga industry, but these diverse and inclusive studios have re-opened for live classes that will work for all experience levels. When the pandemic hit and businesses were forced to close, many of us mourned our regular yoga classes. Sure, most studios pivoted to online classes, but it's not the same practicing yoga in your extra bedroom squinting at the zoom images and trying to tune out your screaming children or barking dogs.
In the mood for a cheeseburger? Here's where to celebrate National Cheeseburger Day in Portland
Portland offers many original and iconic cheeseburgers to choose from, from fast to fancy. Saturday is National Cheeseburger Day, a prime example of the quintessential American holiday. Who doesn't love a cheeseburger? The combination of real or imitation beef with melted cheese and toppings appeals to just about any palate.
Rebuilding relationships after the pandemic
Moving from social isolation to socializing will be an adjustment. It's been a long pandemic, and in most areas of the country, things are gradually opening up. Restaurants are offering at least limited in-person dining. People are taking vacations that were postponed for a year or more. Offices are bringing back workers.
Rose Bak
252+
Posts
5M+
Views
Rose Bak is a freelance writer who lives in Portland, Oregon with her family and special needs dogs. She writes on a variety of topics including local news, homelessness, poverty, relationships, yoga, and aging. She is also a published author of romantic fiction. For more of Rose's work, visit her website at rosebakenterprises.com or follow her on social media @AuthorRoseBak.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.