You might be from the Northwest if you:
Published Oct 22, 2003
- 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. vKnow 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 in the dark 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 through the cloud cover.
- Say "the mountain is out" when it's a pretty day and you can actually see it.
- Feel like you've grown up with Bill Gates and can't quite figure out why people can be so mean to him.
- 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.
Originally published October 23, 2003.
