You might be from the Northwest if... (Jack Bog's Blog)

Here's a nice one that graced the inbox today:

You might be from the Northwest if you:
Feel guilty throwing aluminum cans or paper in the trash.

Use the expression "sun break" and know what it means.

Know more than 10 ways to order coffee.

Know more people who own boats than air conditioners.

Feel overdressed wearing a suit to a nice restaurant.

Stand on a deserted corner in the rain waiting for the "Walk" signal.

Consider that if it has no snow or has not recently erupted, it's not a real mountain.

Complain about Californians, as you sell one your house for twice its value.

Can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle's Best Coffee, and Veneto's.

Know the difference between Chinook, Coho, and Sockeye salmon.

Know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Issaquah, Oregon, and Willamette.

Consider swimming an indoor sport.

Can tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese, and Thai food.

In winter, go to work and come home in the dark-- while only working eight-hour days.

Never go camping without waterproof matches and a poncho.

Are not fazed by "Today's forecast: showers followed by rain," and "Tomorrow's forecast: rain followed by showers."

You can't wait for a day with "showers and sun breaks."

Have no concept of humidity without precipitation.

Know that Boring is a town in Oregon and not just a state of mind.

Can point to at least two volcanoes, even if you can't see them through the cloud cover.

Say "the mountain is out" when it's a pretty day and you can actually see it.

Put on your shorts when the temperature gets above 50, but still wear your hiking boots and parka.

Switch to your sandals when it gets above 60, but keep the socks on.

Have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain.

Think people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists.

Knew immediately that the view out Frasier's window was fake.

Buy new sunglasses every year because you can't find the old ones after such a long time.

Comments (5)

Oh, my. That made me really homesick.

It also was one of the funniest things I have read in a long, long time, because I'm that guy who, standing in the pouring rain at midnight in Evanston, waits for the light to cycle before he crosses the empty street.

Posted by Wes Meltzer | December 4, 2003 11:34 PM

You missed items from a major category, so allow me:

Know the difference between an IPA and hefeweizen.

Describe a drizzly, cold December night as "Guinness weather."

You take your 7-year-old to the McMenamins Pub because kids love it there.

Posted by Emma | December 5, 2003 11:14 AM

This was so great!! Every statement made me think of someone I know or myself. Thanks for sharing!

Posted by barb | December 5, 2003 3:05 PM

I only remove my sandals below 37 degrees. And I use umbrellas for the real downpours. I can't say that I can pronounce all the locales right yet (I can't even say where Sequim and Issaquah are). I regularly jaywalk on deserted corners. And (gasp!) I don't much care for any salmon enough to distinguish them by name.

Oh, yeah, I've only called myself an Oregonian since '76. Therein lies the difference.

Still, your post caused many, many mirths. I'd only add that akin to the Hindus and cows, we elevate to the realm of the sacred our webfooted waterfowl.

Posted by Cowboy Kahlil | December 7, 2003 5:09 AM

It's "Squim" (like squid with an M) and I've actually been there...

Thanks for the giggles. I started carrying an umbrella since I started bothering to "do" my hair in the morning--can't stand to see 10 minutes of hairstyling destroyed by the rain on the walk to the Max stop...but I always feel like such a weenie. I proudly get wet on the weekends...

I'll send this to my non-Pacific Northwest friends, they should find it amusing.

Posted by Claire | December 7, 2003 8:47 PM

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Thursday, December 4, 2003

You might be from the Northwest if...

Comments (5)

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