As promised I would post my next blog when I could come up with 25 reasons why I like ND. It took me a while, but to be fair it probably would have taken me this long to make a list about Washington. Here it goes...
- Summer is sunny and hot
- No one is pretentious or really stuck up
- There is little to no traffic (although the locals disagree)
- Cable is cheap (no Comcast)
- Gas is cheap and super unleaded is the cheapest grade. Ok most things are cheap here except food and housing.
- Living here has given us opportunities we wouldn't have in Washington because of the job market, like buying a house (closing Monday or Tuesday on the new house!)
- Since there is such a high smoking rate instead of looking 27, everyone thinks I look 20!
- People don't care about the latest fashions or trends. For example skinny jeans still haven't make it here so it takes the pressure off (but you'll have to excuse me when I still look like I'm living in 2011 but it's 2014).
- Lack of good restaurants has forced me to make a lot from scratch. If you know of any good Mexican, Indian, or Thai recipes send them my way.
- Accurate weather reports (well compared to Seattle area)
- Very hard to get speeding tickets and when you do, they're like $20
- Dr. Pepper is EVERYWHERE!
- It's light longer, especially in the summer which helps on the electrical bills
- Mostly polite people that live here (the locals, not necessarily the transplants)
- FREE air at gas stations. This is very helpful when you have a slow leak. Air should be fee anyway!
- Less or no bees than Washington. (I have a big fear of bees)
- If you miss your flight they will change it for free. Ok probably not all the time, but it happened and probably would only happen here.
- Free birthday dinners at restaurants. Places still do that!
- There are people here that really understand why we moved here, which some of our family and friends still don't completely get.
- Even though it gets significantly colder here than Western Washington, I am not cold more days here than in Washington.
- I will learn how to drive in the snow. Really, this is a life lesson. You shouldn't be afraid to drive when there's white stuff on the ground.
- Everyone has a truck here which means people are constantly asking them to help them move. So we never had to ask anyone to help us move. Multiple people with trucks offered to help us move :)
- The sun shines year round. This means you won't lose your sunglasses because you use them year round.
- People are conservative (I know I'm surprised it's coming out of my mouth too, but let me explain). Our home inspector explained it the best, people aren't just conservative socially they are with their money as well. This could explain why the state has such a surplus of money, it's not just because of the oil (sure that helps), but they are conservative with their spending. For example they sand the roads instead of salting them because salt eventually eats at the pavement which would mean they would have to do more road repair. This can be irritating, but fiscally responsible. This is also why North Dakota never had a mortgage crisis like the rest of the country. Realtors weren't greedy and people didn't buy a house they couldn't realistically afford. With all of that said, ND did just elect a democrat senator...
- No matter what you think of North Dakota, as of sometime around May 28th our oldest's child will forever have "Minot, ND" as their birthplace on their birth certificate just like Josh Duhamel :)
