Rose Colored Lenses

To catch up a bit on the last few weeks of bloglessness:

• I finished my prison rotation with mixed feelings. Overall very good experience to have so much autonomy, have a fun classmate to share the ups and downs (and the 1.5 hour drive) with, and great to be living at home and seeing Audrey every day. But for the most part, Tom said it best: "Its time to move on, time to get going ..."
• Had a week of "class" which was a nice vacation. (Stayed up past 8:30 pm on more than one occasion!)
  
• Onward to Roseburg and a rotation in surgery. This town of about 20,000 has potential written all over it. A nice historic downtown, a river running through it, free concerts in the park (I drank beer with the surgeon and an anesthesiologist as we listened to Susan Tedeschi), and a veritable hotbed of recreation opportunities in the nearby Upqua River corridor. For example....Not to mention the whitewater kayaking, an 80-mile hiking trail, proximity to the Pacific Ocean, and the arid climate (compared to soggy Portland.)
  

This place is destined for an Outside magazine exposé entitled "America's Top 10 Secret Towns You Should Move to Now". You know the article. We've all read them. Where is the next cool place? It's too late for Telluride, CO. It's over for Burlington, VT. Bellingham, WA? That's so 7 years ago. Authors dig deep these days: Salida, CO, New Paltz, NY, Boone, NC....Enter Roseburg.

But something is just not right. Like many of the obscure locales, there is a reason why it remains a secret. The economy here seems like a sinking ship. Vacant storefronts outnumber the operating businesses. A Friday evening in the historic town center reveals an eerie silence. An aging population may keep the hospital busy but the overall vibe here is one of decay. The new subdivision I reside in has halted construction. The developer brought his cows down to the pasture that was supposed to house new homes. The coffee shop is only open Monday through Friday. Time will tell if this town can truly become an Outside Magazine posterchild. Or will remain the impoverished Douglas County Seat, with bad schools, no jobs, and vacant storefronts? Either way, the river, the mountains and the lakes will be here when you arrive.