Paradise in Smoke

PDX is a paradise in the biblical sense - heavenly from far away, but hellish beneath the veil of perfection.

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Humility, Listening & Understanding
Humility, Listening & Understanding

Mike shares his thoughts on the declining state of American society, emphasizing the loss of humility and genuine understanding in online and real-life conversations.

Mike also expresses his deep concern for the political shift in his home state of Ohio, attributing it partly to demographic changes linked to the shale gas boom and an exodus of college-bound graduates away to coastal cities.

The Portland She-bacle
The Portland She-bacle

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.

Connecting Coast to Coast
Connecting Coast to Coast

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.

Aboard the MAX
Aboard the MAX

Mike rides the MAX towards the suburb of Beaverton, Oregon.

Shenaniganza
Shenaniganza

Mike joins a gathering around a fire for “Shenaniganza,” a ritual of the Celtic New Year in which participants cleanse themselves of past disappointments from the preceding year 2020.

MAX, Mike, & TJ Maxx
MAX, Mike, & TJ Maxx

Mike takes a walk in downtown Portland, gushing about some of the Queer spaces he’d recently discovered in the city’s east side. He discusses Halloween costumes with his friend Todd before entering a TJ Maxx downtown for a gander.

Evening in Portland
Evening in Portland

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.

Backpacking around PDX
Backpacking around PDX

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.

Silverado
Silverado

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.

Friends at the Park
Friends at the Park

Mike befriends the stoner chick at the park.

The Apocalypse is Nigh
The Apocalypse is Nigh

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

On Deck at The Eagle
On Deck at The Eagle

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.

Finding Renewed Purpose Out West
Finding Renewed Purpose Out West

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

PDX After Dark
PDX After Dark

Mike drives around Portland late at night, in search of his ex-boyfriend, cannabis to purchase, and a place to pee.

Breakfast with Leah
Breakfast with Leah

Mike spends a lovely morning in Portland, enjoying breakfast with his friend Leah.

The Game of LIFE
The Game of LIFE

Mike joins Leah and Matt in Portland as they gather to play the board game of LIFE.

Teleconference
Teleconference

Mike catches up with friends and viewers while broadcasting from his vehicle.

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Down in the Bayou
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Pardon My French