Comments on: Ten Minutes

By: Cas Kopacki

Cas Kopacki — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:16:41 +0000

Why not Portland? Because its crime rate is much lower than Detroit’s. The risk in having not just a personal crime, but a violent crime happen to/near you is exponentially greater in Detroit and other areas of the U.S. I understand that this can happen everywhere, but it was the fact that we moved to remove ourselves from such a risk and then beast reared its ugly head anyway. Understandably, however, we took the risk in putting ourselves in the situation where Kim’s job was the risk in itself.

We’re never totally safe and that is indisputable.

By: deeluxegal

deeluxegal — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:55:25 +0000

i’m busy reading your new post, and it seems silly to post to this when it’s three years old, but there is one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb in this post and the comments of others. why not portland? violent crime happens everywhere. yes, per capita crime in portland is lower than detroit, but it’s not like it’s non-existent. not to dimish your experience (and i don’t diminish it — it is the naivete of thinking it couldn’t or isn’t supposed to happen in one place vs. another that i’m questionining), but so long as we humans continue to live in physical contact with other humans, there is always a chance violence. it sucks and it’s shocking when it hits close to home (a shooting outside your apartment or, say, waking up on the sidewalk with strangers helping you up after being knocked out by a random thug…which was super fun), but let’s not forget that it’s always possible anywhere. i don’t want people living in fear or letting fear guide their decisions, but i also don’t want people walking around thinking they are ever totally safe (and i admit that people’s utopian views of portland, in particular, irk me).

By: I’dDream.com » Brain Drain and Tummy Fill-up: My Days In Portland

I’dDream.com » Brain Drain and Tummy Fill-up: My Days In Portland — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:37:16 +0000

[...] It is rare to not experience life-changing events. Everyone has them in some fashion. September of 2005 proved to be one of those times for me and my family. A sound I never wanted to hear hammered a hole through my self-security. In a matter of weeks, we’d packed our things and found ourselves on the road to Cedar Rapids, IA. The story unravels from there down a twisted and unsettled road to our current home, Carlsbad, CA. It was a very harsh way to make us open our eyes to our situation as it was in Portland at that particular time and that meant it wasn’t good. Something needed to be done. [...]

By: Cas Kopacki

Cas Kopacki — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 20:39:35 +0000

Not yet…we’re heading to Cedar Rapids, IA at the beginning of October. Kim’s mom and siblings live there. It’ll be a good place to recollect and figure things out. It’s cheap as all get-up, too.

By: Dharma

Dharma — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 15:23:47 +0000

Wow-I am so sorry to hear about this, Cas. I would be completely terrified, especially with small children…

Are you moving back to Michigan?

By: Kara

Kara — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 09:09:54 +0000

i love the way you write, cas. i still can’t believe what happened there. portland seemed so nice and peaceful compared to detroit. i’m glad you guys are getting out of there and i am SO excited to see you guys! love you!