Discomfort Zone: A Hipster Goes to the State Fair

Back to article

Comments

Oh man, what a horror show.

Graham on September 8, 2011 at 1:12 PM

Oh, Jesus! What a horror show! I'm so sorry Alison.

Graham on September 8, 2011 at 1:22 PM

I think the next incarnation of Discomfort Zone should make the commenters be discomfited. Yep. Espesh Todd Mecklem.

kiala on September 8, 2011 at 1:29 PM

You sonna of a bitch rabbit lover! Joking aside, you went to the fair. Seriously , that is supposed to be a challenge?

on September 8, 2011 at 1:33 PM

I usually like what AH has to write, but this is not so discomforting. Girl raised in rural SW metro area goes all the way to the state fair to get out of her comfort zone? Come on. You guys need to kick it up a notch.

C-

Demondog on September 8, 2011 at 1:45 PM

I'm with Kiala. Send Todd somewhere and let him write it up. I've given up on you guys being discomforted. I'll sacrifice my own comfort, gladly.

DemonJuice on September 8, 2011 at 1:50 PM

I like this post. The Oregon State Fair is where I saw my first live musical performance. It was Belinda Carlisle and awesome. I also liked the State Fair because it had the huge slide you can ride on potato sacks, which my dinky county fair was too poor for.

on September 8, 2011 at 1:54 PM

I'll sign up!

I'd also love to see Frank Cassano include coverage of the week's worst comments.

Reymont on September 8, 2011 at 1:54 PM

"...the apotheosis of this year's failure to generate actual discomfort was Blogtown's collective decision to send me to the state fair."

I don't understand what you mean by apotheosis. Did you perhaps mean nadir? That's assuming you consider the failure to generate discomfort to be falling lower, i.e. less discomfort. Or zenith if you consider the failure rate as rising? Either way, I don't see how the failure to generate discomfort has been deified.

on September 8, 2011 at 1:59 PM

If you read the text, you'll note that she wasn't actually uncomfortable, having gone there plenty of times. So that should have sufficed in preventing comments 1,2, 4 & 5.

on September 8, 2011 at 2:03 PM

Definition of APOTHEOSIS
1
: elevation to divine status : deification
2
: the perfect example : quintessence

(the second one.)

Alison Hallett on September 8, 2011 at 2:04 PM

Although zenith would have worked too.

Alison Hallett on September 8, 2011 at 2:10 PM

Impressive QR Codes. Was anyone scanning them? I have yet to meet someone who regularly uses them but they are showing up on fricking everything.

catbot on September 8, 2011 at 2:10 PM

@catbot: QR codes are stupid.

Graham on September 8, 2011 at 2:17 PM

A full length blog post by Todd Mecklem? Not sure we could withstand that many puns in one place.

Is the Colene Copeland book self-published and only sold at state fairs? I couldn't find any online evidence of its existence aside from this post and the link.

geyser on September 8, 2011 at 2:20 PM

Looks like you can get her pig books used on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Priscilla-Colene-Cop…

(the reviews are cute.)

There are Kindle editions of those too, for a buck, but I can't find any evidence of the newest one.

Alison Hallett on September 8, 2011 at 2:32 PM

She also apparently wrote a book with the excellent title "My Favorite Hobo":
http://www.amazon.com/My-favorite-hobo-Col…

Alison Hallett on September 8, 2011 at 2:34 PM

I don't want to read anything Todd writes. I just want him to be miserable.

kiala on September 8, 2011 at 2:35 PM

I notice that two or three of the staffers took a "companion" or "friend" along to their Discomfort Zone adventure. Along with soothing alcohol, a supportive companion SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED if we ever try this again. Suffering alone should be the order of the day!

Todd Mecklem on September 8, 2011 at 2:48 PM

I've been to the State Fair many times. Well, I hope you had fun. The write-up is a nice trip down memory lane. :)

Fruit Cup on September 8, 2011 at 3:00 PM

@kiala: I'd rather he didn't anything. Just a complete cessation of everything. But a boy can only dream.

Graham on September 8, 2011 at 3:02 PM

I'm kind of glad we came full circle with this series, moving from "worst" to "discomfort" to "oookay". I feel like this should be retitled "Big Top Alison" or "Pussy Footin' with Hallett".

Did you eat a blooming onion or some other fair food? I enjoy that stuff, just once a year.

cat & beard on September 8, 2011 at 3:27 PM

That "Are You Going To Heaven?" trailer has been at every Oregon State Fair for decades, I think. I'm glad that they park it near the quasi-Stalinist sculpture, makes it easier to find.

Todd Mecklem on September 8, 2011 at 3:31 PM

@geyser: There you go, spouting off again...

Todd Mecklem on September 8, 2011 at 3:52 PM

I like that "Where's Waldo" Steven is having a helluva time at the Selena concert in your first photo.

Tom [______] . on September 8, 2011 at 4:01 PM

Tom wins!

c&b - I was gonna have a scone, because that was always our fair treat (presumably 'cause they're cheap but seem kind of fancy), but it was way too hot to eat real food. Had some ice cream.

Alison Hallett on September 8, 2011 at 4:11 PM

@Tom[_____]: He's also behind that QR codes sign, keeping watch over passing children. Kind of like the Guardian Angels, only without the cool berets and good intentions.

Todd Mecklem on September 8, 2011 at 4:21 PM

Apropos of mutton, here's the best photo I've ever taken at the OSF (in fact, it was just last year):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toddmecklem/4…

Todd Mecklem on September 8, 2011 at 4:36 PM

I'm massively disappointed with the people who voted for this, but the cute animals made it kinda-sorta worth it.

Joe Streckert on September 8, 2011 at 6:12 PM

@Alison. I hope you got your ice cream from the Oregon Dairy Women's Red Barn booth by the livestock pavilion. If you didn't it's obvious that you hate Oregon and America.

on September 8, 2011 at 7:26 PM

@catbot I use QR codes. I am a person who prefers life through my smartphone screen, and QR codes give me that. I am not joking.

PDXwahine on September 8, 2011 at 9:17 PM

So, you call yourself a 'hipster'?
ugh.

frankieb on September 8, 2011 at 11:08 PM

^Way to completely miss the point of the very first sentence of the post.

geyser on September 9, 2011 at 10:02 AM

It wouldn't be the first time, nor likely the last.
Well, was it supposed to be ironic then?
Because I thought refering to oneself as a 'hipster' was tasteless.

frankieb on September 9, 2011 at 10:39 AM

I used to stop by to see Colene Copeland every time the fair came around. She's a really sweet lady, and nothing makes her happier than hearing that so many people grew up on her Priscilla books.

Ovidius on September 9, 2011 at 3:24 PM

Discomfort Zone: A Hipster Goes to the State Fair

Comments

Please wait...

Add a comment

Preview

Editors' Picks

Sassy Trivia Questions About Loudmouth Frat Boys, Annoying TV Hosts, and Local Rich Dudes Misspending their Moolah!

POP QUIZ PDX: Obama's Sneaky Visit, a Dragon Is Eating the Sun, and Lotsa Music Trivia for You Nerds!

Republican't Congress, John Lennon Was a Narc, Girl Chips, and Poor Cats

Montana GOP Wants to Make Life Hell for Trans People

Portland City Council Approves Incentives for Office-to-Apartment Building Conversions

THE TRASH REPORT: Bad and Better Billionaires, Connor Roy v. Pizza, and Relationship-a-palooza!

Support Portland Mercury

Comments

Please wait...

Add a comment

Preview

Editors' Picks

Just Can't Get Enough?

Sign up for our newsletter for news recaps, updates, and more!