America: &%$# Yeah!
Ashley and I are currently back in Silicon Valley for a quick trip to visit with friends and attend MacWorld. It’s kind of weird to be back – has it already been a year since we left? The time back in Vancouver has given me an opportunity to get a little perspective on the time we spent in the US, and come to conclusions about what I like and dislike about each. But that’s something for a different post – this post is all about the things I missed about the US:
- Crazy products: It’s an historic time in the US – with the election of Barack Obama, change is in the air, and it’s time to celebrate…with a sweet collectible commemorative plate! Only $20! Comes with a certificate of authenticity! And a warning that you shouldn’t use it to serve food!
- Sweet tea: There’s iced tea and then there’s sweet tea. Sweet tea is sugar held in suspension by the minimum amount of water possible. It makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it. Two gallons for $5, this week only at Walgreen’s.
- Carnitas: Technically not an American thing, but I’m not about to travel to Mexico just to get a decent taco. If eating fried pork is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.
- Bumper sticker politics: Why bother to articulate your thoughts carefully through public speaking or other political discourse when you can say it all with a humorous yet topical bumper sticker? Tell the world how you support John Kerry in 2004!
And in the Midwest and South US, you can’t actually get hot tea. The whole word “tea” has been hijacked by the “sweet tea” phenomenon.
Go into any restaurant, and if you ask for “tea” they bring you an ice-cold glass of corn syrup with tea flavoring, i.e. sweet tea. And usually if you specify “hot tea” they give you a funny look, go back and mumble with the chef, and bring you out a coffee mug with lukewarm water and a dusty old teabag on the side. Maybe a slice of lemon for presentation.
Now that’s what we fought the Revolution for! YEAH!