Paradise in Smoke

Two years after the 2020 West Coast wildfires, Mike recounts the traumatic events he faced mere months after moving to Portland, Oregon. Bearing such emotional weight has been a lonely journey, as I was reminded while trying to share this with loved ones who would find themselves overwhelmed.

Mike vents about a relentless stream of hardships and trauma that have followed him since leaving Portland, Oregon, during a period of hell that includes being a victim of rape and theft by an ex-partner, an illegal eviction spurred by friends of the ex, and precipitously losing his job after a mental health crisis sparked by the wildfires that besieged the state of Oregon in summer 2020.

Mike provides a raw and personal update on his life in Portland. He openly discusses his recent experience with homelessness, his bipolar diagnosis, and the challenges of being unemployed during the pandemic. Despite his hardships, Mike remains focused on the future of his nonprofit Crimson Rouge Studios and his long-term goal of opening a community-focused queer space.

Mike hosts from Crimson House PDX, sharing personal reflections and music, as well as a map-based crowd-sourcing platform that collects and documents LGBTQ+ experiences and memories tied to specific geographic locations.

Mike facilitates a casual gathering, providing a personal update on his work and domestic life, and interacting with viewers in conversation.

Mike provides a tour of downtown Portland, Oregon, discussing his tenuous housing situation and his frustrations finding an apartment. Passing by Powell’s Books and turning onto Harvey Milk Street, Mike reflects on the challenges of being homeless, including the loss of his personal belongings.

Now unhoused, Mike discusses his financial woes associated with delayed unemployment benefits, as well as his astonishment at the vast numbers of Queer people living on the streets.

Reporting from the streets of Portland, Mike grapples with a sense of isolation and homelessness, from which he tries numerous times to escape through music and socializing with others he meets on the streets.

Mike takes a Saturday morning walk to McDonald’s in suburban Portland against a backdrop of a recent job loss, a breakup, and local wildfires.

In the peaceful pre-dawn hours, Mike outlines the personal turmoil faced in Portland during the Oregon wildfires.

Heavy wildfire smoke has blotted out the sun, creating an ominous and surreal atmosphere where the morning skies around Portland remain in darkness.

Mike reflects on a difficult and strange day in which he feels on edge, wrestling with friction with his boyfriend and the frustrations of complying with social distancing regulations in the city. Exhausted from long shifts and recent toxicity in his social life, he vents about the mental toll of working in a high-pressure environment in tandem with a strained personal life, while in the throes of a global pandemic.

Mike gives a somber and direct update on the intense wildfires affecting the surrounding Portland area, highlighting the severe air quality and the eerie, darkened sky caused by heavy smoke. He discusses the impact of the fires on the Phantasm spring glamping retreat planned for Spring 2021 in Mount Hood National Forest.

Mike mourns the losses, destruction, and emotional toll of the wildfires that continue to burn indefinitely.

Streaming from his apartment amidst a heavy wildfire haze, Mike attempts to foster a lighthearted "apocalyptic" party atmosphere while contending with constant Bluetooth and speaker failures. Concluding with a "safety moment," Mike warns fellow smokers to extinguish their smoking materials completely, urging viewers to travel carefully and monitor official news updates.

Mike describes the ominous and strange atmosphere outside his home in Portland, implying the world ending imminently. Despite the gloomy conditions, he remains upbeat while troubleshooting his wireless speakers and reviewing recent lip sync recordings.

The moon is red in the sky, shrouded by the thick smoke from the wildfires surrounding Portland, Oregon.

Mike checks in from Portland, Oregon, on a bright morning, providing an update on his romantic life, interacting with viewers, and emphasizing the importance of community engagement. He announces plans for a glamping retreat centered around time-related themes and live music.

Reporting from downtown Portland, Mike discusses the differences between hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as the viability of high-speed rail and hydrogen fuel.

Mike befriends the stoner chick at the park.

Mike enjoys a beer and some tomfoolery on the patio of Eagle PDX, chatting with nearby patrons and soliciting the audience to help “choose his adventure” by suggesting who he should vie to swoon.

Mike hosts an interactive livestream from Portland, experimenting with simultaenous livestreaming and teleconference tools following a board game night. He welcomes friends from Montreal and Florida into the broadcast to catch up on life, travel, and mutual acquaintances.

Mike shares career updates as he starts work at Portland General Electric as a transmission operations engineer overseeing the Pacific Northwest power grid.