50 Stars: Americans, teach us about your country.

[_a_A_C_c_]

^the midwest doesn't have it much better when it comes to seeing the sun. winters in seattle are gray and misty, winters in cleveland were gray and snowy.

washington is a great state if you like to drink. there are tons of small breweries and wineries throughout the state. i really want to go check more of them out.

and i second ocean, this area is beautiful. even in seattle, there is lots of green space and trees.

 

[papa]

I remember the prairie like terraine up near the canadian border. I used to load some apples up there. I forget the name of the town but it was on a border crossing. I remember that I could see the port of entry when I turned onto some street. One wrong turn and you're in Canada.

 

[AmorRoark]

^the midwest doesn't have it much better when it comes to seeing the sun. winters in seattle are gray and misty, winters in cleveland were gray and snowy.

Topeka, KS - 61% Possible Sunshine (Annually)
Seattle, WA - 43% Possible Sunshine (Annually)

http://www.chemheritage.org/educationalservices/pharm/chemo/activity/percent.htm

That's 18% more possible sunshine. I'd say that's significant. Then again I'm pretty much on the edge of the midwest nowadays. Even Chicago is 53% though... which is still significant to me.

 

[ocean]

^Yeah- If you prefer lots of sun and hot- Washington isn't the place- though the climates varies greatly from place to place........

Papa- There is alot of farmland in that north western corner.........Though it becomes more and more hilly as you travel east- even only 20 minutes from the crossing you are talking about- which was most liekely- Blaine.
And yeah- I can see Canada from the upstairs of my house Pretty weird.

 

[papa]

man, its been a long time since I was up there,..........at least 25 years.

 

[junctionalfunkie]

^A suburb of Houston? I lived in Jersey Village when I was like 6-9 or so and lived in Conroe as a teenager Do you know those places?
Conroe is a town North of Houston.....
Not really a suburb of Houston but thought I'd include it

When I was little I did love the swimming- So much swimming

LOL! I grew up in Spring, just a few miles south of Conroe!

Austin is the only place in Texas I would consider living, now. Everything PIP said is pretty spot-on; the rest of the state is pretty backward. Houston is a hot, humid, crime-ridden, mosquito-infested swamp full of shallow people and a lot of bad, bad memories for me.

Then again, Texas does have some of the best-looking women in the world. IME, only the Netherlands and NYC beat out Texas in this department.

Now.... Washington! I lived in Seattle for a year. The gray weather and the cooler-than-thou attitude of many people there kinda turned me off, but I miss it sometimes. Tacoma is a shithole and the rest of the state is pretty rednecky, but The Gorge is a great place to see shows and the islands in the north of Puget Sound are beautiful.

 

[spork]

I love Washington. My aunt and uncle have a great view of Mt. St. Helens from their house.

At sunset it kind of looks like it's erupting again.

 

[KStoner6tb]

Then again, Texas does have some of the best-looking women in the world. IME, only the Netherlands and NYC beat out Texas in this department.

Hmm I can't speak for the Netherlands, but I'd say we have NYC beat!

I do want to move up to the Austin/San Marcos/New Braunfels area eventually. It's just such a pretty landscape and there's so much to do up there.

 

[KStoner6tb]

Is it also still true that Texas is the fattest state in the US?

Hahah hey watch it!! I'm pretty sure Houston is the fattest city, overtaking Philly recently. Chicken fried steak will beef ya up pretty fast.

They also say Texans are more proud of their state than anyone else? Do all you non-Texans feel that way?

Sorry Jam, but I missed out on the TExas discussion. Excuse my tardiness

 

[ninjadanslarbretabar]

this thread is great

 

[StarOceanHouse]

washington has the most beautiful rainforest that I have ever seen. It reminds me of Ferngully.

 

[lystra]

Ferngully.

the last rainforest

 

[ocean]

Washington does have beautiful rainforests-
I love moss.
Hoh Rainforest.

As far as everywhere other than Seattle being rednecky in Washington- yeah, no.
Some areas....like Spanaway haha but not everywhere.......
Did I mention fresh seafood????

 

[junctionalfunkie]

^ Well, perhaps not everywhere, but most of the state east of the Cascades....

Just my experience.

 

[ThaiDie4]

Did I mention fresh seafood????

This is a win.

 

[papa]

I remember hanging chains on my drive axles so I could get down Snowqualmee (sp) pass.

 

[socko]

^if you are going to come out with a statement of fact, interviewers tend to ask you to elaborate a bit more. Possibly wanting you to talk more on environmental issues or find out if you have a pure hatred for gas guzzling vehicles. I think we've all been asked daft questions during interviews & they throw silly little things like that to put you off.

You must have answered it to be offered the job. What did you say?

In answering the question, I avoided the politics and etihcs of driving. I mentioned that I live within 5 miles of where I currently work and that I just enjoy bicycling more than driving. I also mentioned taht I can often get there faster by bike than by car or public transit due to the bike lanes and that where I currently live, having a car is more of a inconvience that a neccessity. It's usually easier to get around by bike, bus, BART, train, even car pooling. So, I did elaborate somewhat verbosely.

Anyway, his question triggered a train of thought and emotion that plagued me that night which I was spending in Houston exploring the area - mostly at bars- trying to get a feel for the place. For a time, I felt like I was back in Irvine, the p;lace I think of as the most superficial place in the world. I also felt like I would never be able to relate to the prospective boss (and I was subconsciously seeing him as a representative of Houson in general) and taht we would neverr be able to understand where the other was coming from. 6 figure salary aside, I saw his question as car culture vs. bike culture, and I believe that anybody who asks "Why aren't you in a car?" is someone who will never understand an answer. I won't live somewhere taht will suck my soul like I feel Houston would.

 

[ocean]

^That is exactly what Houston does! hahahaha
Oh, it is an awful place but I do have this strange fondness for it only because of my teenage years
Really all of Tx and Louisiana.......
I would never ever want to go back for so many reasons but i do have this strange love for it.

 

[Pander Bear]

hurry up and do GA do I can stop checking this thread.

 

[panic in paradise]

yeah NW WA is home, seafood HAH. i would drive up and down the island with the tide fishing for steelhead, dollyvarden, and an array of salmon, rockfish, dungeness crab, butter clams, muscles, and oyesters, so would local eagles. we lived on the beach facing BC, and i would catch a 6-10lb coho salmon and have it cooking with in 20 minutes. the sun sets here last for 30 minutes plus and are amazing.

pacific NW cuisine is unique and intimidating to most non foodie types, but its very simple really. you have no choice, if you have half a green thumb, some knowledge of cooking, and a bit of imagination w/e you tried would be fresh, delicious, and unique. there are berries galore - lots of odd hybrids, apples, pears, peaches, plums, squash, wild herbs, amazing wild flowers, mushrooms, farmers markets, organic farms, overwhelming amounts of next door type local produce, cheese, milk, wine, herbs, meats, and other greens. we have indigenous species of several plants and animals, and there is a million unexplored acres still.

some fine wineries are through out the state, especially in the red mountain area - old world bordeaux style blends, old world methods are most common here now compared to most other non european fruit forward reds. check out di stefano, kiona, or chateau st. michelle for fine chards and small batch late harvest whites, especially if you see a riesling with dr. loosens name is on the bottle.

i love this place, i like the fall and winters here, it has that halloween feel half the year. the temperature is mild and the range from winter to summer is low. the misty rain and creeping fog is hypnotizing to me, we dont get thunderstoms or lightning, but we do get some amazing wind which can be a big thrill. we have seen sever aurora displays ine of which was utterly humbling, a few minor earth quakes, and there are tsunami evacuation routes in different areas complete with illustrated signs.

i love being able to be in a rich valley then by the bay and islands, the olympic or cascade mt ranges are always near and can act as land mark guides actually they are all so prominent, or 2 tolerant major citys and several small cities are close too. some of my ashes will be here, NYC was as impressive to me, complete opposites but equally amazing.