Hey, Kossacks:
As some of you may recall, I recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin. After enduring a snowstorm over the Rockies, losing my Bluetooth just outside of Fargo, and finding out that a piece had fallen off the charger to my GPS unit, I finally managed to get into St. Paul, MN a few days earlier than planned to spend Thanksgiving with some of my family before eventually landing in Madison.
WHEW!
As someone who has never lived in the Midwest (even though I've traveled here for business and pleasure extensively), I'm learning a lot about the people and the lifestyle that comes as a surprise. I was hoping that I could share some of what I learned with all of you, even though my educational experiences are probably both unsurprising and relatively tame to most of you.
- Life is slower here in the winter than it was on the West Coast, and I think the reason for it has to do entirely with the weather. It takes five minutes for me to put on my coat, scarf, gloves, and boots before leaving the house. In parking lots, I have to bang my feet against the door frame of my car so I don't track in mud and ice. When walking from my car to stores and such, I have to walk much slower than I'm used to because of the ice, on which I've now slipped at least a half dozen times. And have you ever pushed a loaded shopping cart through a snow and ice-covered parking lot? WHAT FUN!!!!
- People here have literally gone out of their way to make us feel at home. Already, we have a real estate agent lined up for when we buy a home later next year (and not because of any marketing crap...he was a friend of a recruiter I'm working with who took time out of his life and work to help us with something that had nothing to do with his job). A Kossack has already called and written emails to tell me about local churches, the farmers markets, and a whole host of other stuff. Our neighbors are nice, too, even if they are more wingnutty than is average for the Madison area. My husband and I have said repeatedly that we feel like we're getting hugged every day by the people here.
- Ten degrees above zero with a slight breeze and sunshine is warmer than 37 degrees, wind and rain in Seattle. Cold minus damp equals not as cold.
- The job market here is much more stable. I've been told repeatedly that it's because this is both home of a major research university and the state capitol. Gee, so much for free market stuff, huh?
- There are a LOT of serious whackjobs in eastern Montana and North Dakota. I can't even begin to tell you how many hate-filled bumper stickers, yard signs and billboards I saw in those two places. Once I hit Bozeman, I took my Obama magnet off the car just because I really didn't feel like having my tires slashed while in the midst of a 2,000 mile trek.
- There is NO Drinking Liberally in Madison! Can you BELIEVE that? What a bummer! Fortunately, there are a number of other organizations that I intend to involve myself in as soon as the holidays are over.
- Midwestern women are gorgeous and make me feel like a hag. :( As a California native, I guess I've let myself go over the years!
I followed DKos on the road using my iPhone and Kossack Reader, but it's really nice to say hi again. I hope you're all well and that you'll continue to work to ensure that DKos is a loving, welcoming, respectful community. It's why I come back, again and again.
Hugs,
ANK