Don't get me wrong, I love living here, but there are things I didn't know I absorbed living in Oregon my entire life. I'm very conservative, relatively oblivious to the environment and pretty open to letting people do their own stupid thing as long as it doesn't interfere with me. But, there have been a few things that freak me out!
First, I would like to write a law regarding motorcyclists and their lack of headgear. In order to get your motorcycle designation you should have to do a couple of things. First show your proof of medical insurance, that way, when you end up on life support, the state of Texas won't be liable for the price of your care. Secondly, you should have to sign an organ donation card. So, when you do end up on life support, we can use your organs to help others. I believe head trauma is the easiest way to procure organs.
Back in Oregon, there were a couple of reasons I used the recycling bins. One, it was the easiest thing to drop the newspapers into. Two, I was able to fit more trash in the little trash can if I put our cereal boxes and milk cartons into a recycle bin. But here, we have a trash can, plus we can put out all sorts of sacks full of trash with our trash cans. It just seems weird not to put stuff in recycle bins. We haven't gotten our first trash can bill yet, so I don't know if I can call and get recycle bins or if they even have them. I haven't found one house yet using them.
Fireworks!! In Oregon, they only set off innocuous fireworks on July 4th. Here, someone has set off fireworks every day since Christmas vacation started. The girls' friends were over on New Years Eve and they invited the girls to watch the fireworks from 7 to midnight. Since, they are little kids, I thought maybe they didn't understand when the fireworks were actually going to occur. They were off by an hour or so....in length. They went on past midnight. And we aren't talking about sparklers and squealers, at one point hubby wondered if someone had gotten their hands on 1/8th sticks of dynamite. AND it was coming from both sides of the house.
Last but not least, the smoking!! I thought most people didn't smoke any more. I also thought most places were smoke free. Not here. When we went into our first Denny's and they asked us smoking or non, I think the waitress was a little taken aback at my vehemence when I said, NON! I could seriously do without the smoking.
7 comments:
I have never been to Texas, but I haven't been too impressed with what I have learned about it either.
I am going to have to assume that Texans want a shorter life expectancy. With the smoking and helmet-less motorcycle riders. And I am with you on the whole organ donor thing.
I say check into the recycle bins. You could start a trend.
And lastly, you missed the fireworks here too. It started at 11 and continued on the hour until 2am.
It is a whole different mentality down there.
That smoking thing was shocking to us when we lived in the south too -- haven't they heard?
I really like recycling. Even if you're not that environmental, doesn't the idea of stuff being re-used instead of just filling up landfills seem appealing? In Ohio, we could pay extra to have it picked up or take it to a recycling center ourselves (we chose option B). Utah is surprisingly progressive about recycling, and we recycle more than we throw away most of the time.
I worked in a trauma ICU for a long time and I can be a total lunatic about the whole helmet thing. When we pass someone on a motorcycle without a helmet, my kids all shout "PINHEAD!!" at the top of their lungs. I know it's rude, but I don't care. How can people be so stupid?
I love your dining room from your last post, and agree with you totally about the pub chairs. I'm the same height as you and have spent a lifetime of crunched knees!
Well, you know EVERYTHING is bigger in Texas ... including the landfills. As for the lack of head gear... I just don't get that one either. A teenage boy was actually killed in a motorcycle accident when we lived there. You guessed it: head trauma!
Holy frijoles! I just moved from Oregon to Houston at the end of November. I'm also LDS and read Suzie and M&M's blogs all the time (I don't know them personally...I just happened upon them in Oregon and now they're on my bloglines feeds!). How funny! I found your blog by googling "lds moms blog in houston". What a small, small world. I can't even begin to tell you how totally RIGHT ON you are with everything in this post. In fact, I've been getting ready to post all those same opinions on my blog (probably still will!). If you get a chance, drop a line! It would be great to have someone to chat with about all these changes!!
staceynerdin AT msn DOT com.
My sister lives in Arizona and they have the same motorcycle craziness. The most insane moment for me came when I went to one of her prenatal visits to the hospital and saw a DOCTOR pulling out of the parking lot on a motorcycle without wearing a helmet. I think you've got a great idea with those laws. It took us a week to get in for an MRI when Lillian was diagnosed so we have very little patience for people who take up valuable hospital space due to their own stupidity. That includes smokers. I can't believe a smoking section still exists!
ok, i guess i'll stand up for texas a little bit here! A. i think anyone who rides a motorcycle is crazy, but, coming from California, where you have to wear a helmet to ride a bicycle, i'm still shocked by this one.
B. my town recycles like crazy. maybe you should've moved down here! my recycle bin is overflowing onto the street every tuesday. i have recycling guilt. can not make myself throw it in the real trash.
C. the fireworks thing is all about that rebel spirit. they're illegal in our neighborhood, but, just like yours, they were going off every night. does anybody rat on the perpetrators? heck no! that would be un-Texan. :)
D. i'm not standing up for the smoking thing. it's got to go. texans just aren't into liberties being taken away for the sake of other people. it's all about that rebel thing again.
and yes, pappasito's. we need to schedule. would your husband and girls be up for it or shall we do lunch?
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