It's raining cotton in my first 50 degree June

....and the culture shock continues. First of all, I can't even explain how weird it is to see sweaters, jackets, and scarves in JUNE. So far I'm enjoying the cool weather, but I can only imagine that time is all that stands between enjoyment and a yearning for some warm sunshine (I think I'm growing paler by the second up here, it's no wonder that there are tanning salons on every other corner - but who are they kidding? At least down south there's at least a chance your tan came from the actual sun...). Next enter the cotton. It's sleet...it's snow...it's bird droppings... NO - it's cotton! So there isn't the yellow pollen overcoat there is down south up here (thank goodness!), but the pollen up here is literally cotton flying through the air. It's so heavy it actually gathers in clumps in parking lots, yard corners, and street gutters - an odd site for sure!

A few other differences I've noticed:

• They don't pick up their roadkill up here - whether it's because they don't have rednecks to scoop it up for dinner or because they are simply lazy, I'm not sure. Either way, it's nauseating to see each evening for weeks on end, especially with the traffic causing nice, slow observances of said roadkill. Blech.
  
• Seattlites think they know humidity, thunderstorms, and good pizza. They don't. (Then again, to be fair, Atlantans think they know lakes and mountains)
  
• This is completely random I know, but I swear there is an abundance of lisps up here. At first I thought maybe it was a company culture thing (as in maybe programmers just don't know how to speak clearly?) but it has become obvious that this condition runs wild up here. So you know what I say? I need to head back to school ASAP to become a speech pathologist - apparently they have none up here! It's how I'm going to make my millions...
  
• Lastly and most upsetting: The locals are completely apathetic (with the obvious exception of the George W hatred that is apparently piped through the city water).
  - They call it laid back and friendly.
  - - I call it boring and unpassionate.
  I have tried desperately to spark a few rivalries, to poke for some feel-good sarcasm, to pit teams against each other.....all to no avail. Let's have some fun people!! Where is the good old fashion hate that is bred in hordes between UGA and Ga Tech?? "Well Erika," you're thinking, "what about University of Washington vs. Washington State?" Nice try. I try and I try and I try. I even have about a 50/50 split of alumni on my team and I try so hard to get them to spar...but...NOTHING. You know what I say to that??
  B-O-R-I-N-G.
  Needless to say, I've been visiting the Good Old Fashion Hate site often to get my fill.
  So bring it on you under-educated, overly proud bulldogs!! ;)

Ok, I'm sure I've offended enough people by now so I'm going back in hiding for awhile ;)

Love you and miss you all,

-e :)