Saturday, January 10, 2009

A pacific northwest gal?

Though perhaps with just that one word in the title I've blown my cover...do people in the PNW even say gal? I know when I said that in New England people looked at me funny. I'm not sure I've heard it used much outside of the midwest, come to think of it. But as usual, I digress.

How long do you suppose it takes before you become part of a place, and that place becomes part of you? My Wisconsin roots were born and raised, and will always be there no matter where I live. Part of that is reflected by the pink Green Bay Packers hat that's currently adorning my curly-head. And try as I might, the accent just won't go away either. (I'm the go-to Sarah Palin impersonator in my office for that very reason!) While two years in Rhode Island didn't leave me with any obvious baggage, I did absorb a love of seafood, good coffee, the ocean, and ADVENTURE while I was there.

So what leads me to believe I may be transforming to a PNW-er? Well, what I was wearing when I went to get coffee this morning, of course. It's January, 40 and overcast, and I went out in capri-length baggy yoga pants, a hoodie, the previously mention hat.....and flip flops. FLIP FLOPS! In JANUARY! The pants are also about as close to shorts as I get these days, and the combination at this time of year boggles my mind, to be honest. In my old stomping grounds of Provy it's 25. In my hometown, it's a whopping 6 degrees. Yes, I do mean farenheight. YIPES!

I stood at the top of the steps that lead down to my backyard, coffee in hand, surveying my domain. Grass. Misty rain. Green mysterious somethings poking through the earth in one of the flowerbeds. A deep breath of rain-washed-crisp-cool air. I saw all this, and it was good.

But seriously...shorts in January? In PUBLIC?? That's how I know I'm converting.

That, and my need for multiple grande americanos to get through the day. Naturally!


And in other news....I'm going to get my running shoes today! I'm so excited!

Have a great weekend!

7 comments:

ami said...

I have the opposite problem - I'm losing my accent! It makes me kind of sad...

I think I realized I'm a PNW'er when I started needing chai to get me through the day. Or when I had to start making conscious efforts to not be passive-aggressive. Or when my first impulse on a sunny day is to go for a hike. Or when I visited home and thought it looked really flat...

little girl BIG VOICE said...

Those running shoes better be Nikes or you've got some more assimilating to do ;-) You've ditched the umbrella too right?

Thanks for the lovely comment on my blog! Glad to have you here in the Great Northwest!

Unknown said...

I just moved to Seattle a month ago from Arizona. I always forget I have to wear "real shoes" here. For me, this is cold!

on another note- My whole family is from Wisconsin and I only have a few lingering strong "O's" from when I lived there.

Love the blog!

-Ali

Unknown said...

Thanks!


I'm liking it here so far... I think the only hard part is finding a job here and meeting people in a new place. I am just glad to be here though!!

audu2 said...

you ARE a pnw gal. seriously. you don't realize how much of one you are. that area is perfect for you. and quite frankly, if you were back east, no flip flops or shorts for you this week. so enjoy your pnw-ness. i figure i might make that category in another 20 years or so. grin.

The Spicers said...

As long as you didn't acquire a Rhode Island accent and start saying "quoi-fee" for coffee!

Wondering K said...

ha ha, definitely no Rhody accent here! :) I have an A at the end of my first name, so for the two years I lived there half the people added an r to the end of my name too. Funny!