"Would you like a sack for that?"

The first comment I ever heard here in my new home state that threw me off-guard was, "Would you like to drive up?" I was in the local grocery store, and apparently you have the option to take a ticket and have teenage bag boys load your car up for you after you drive up to the front of the store. I paused and said hesitantly... "um, I think I can carry it out right now."

So with all of my previous rantings, which I tend to do via blogs and news posts, I realize that I haven't devoted anything regarding the Mid West, even though i'm in my second year. For all friends and family back home, who I doubt read this; as I don't advertise this blog too much, this is for you.

Officially the "Hawkeye State," unofficially "Tall Corn State." This land in the middle of the country is home to about 3 million people, which is a third of the population of New York City, you can think to yourself, "that's a lot of extra space." Indeed it is. Despite living in an urban area, it doesn't feel cramped at all. When people here complain about what they categorize as "rush hour," they obviously have never been to a major city. To get from West Des Moines to downtown around 7:30-8a will take about 20-25 minutes for 12 mile drive. Take that distance and translate it to Boston, you might as well bring a book-on-tape CD, cause you'd be able to finish it, one-way. Even on Friday and Saturday nights, I have never had a problem parking around downtown. After 6pm, it's free for all parking, no paying for meters, and minimalized corporate lots. Though downtown has it's own public transportation, via trolleys, there's no need. One can peruse around the city freely and not get lost, or walk briskly from one end to the other in about a half hour. It's great, I love it. Des Moines has big city opportunities and offerings with a small city feel.
People = Friendlist group of natives in the US I have ever met. Now, I know there's the Southern hospitality, and then you've got the care-free Californians, but the Mid Westerns are completely approachable and very family oriented. You can 'shoot the shit' with anyone and practically talk about anything (outside of politics and religion) without being turned off or worry about offending anyone. Not like my daily conversations center around sensitve topics, but it's a great feeling to be able to chat openly with a far reaching span of people. Reverting back to religion, Iowans are relgious, many of them. There are six churches within five blocks of my apartment. I have to be extra careful driving on Sunday mornings as there is always 'that family' racing to church trying to get the best pew in the house. With a hundred churches in the city, I don't think crowds roll too heavy in the congregations.
Speaking of driving. The friendliest people I have met can't drive. There's no such thing as a passing lane (they freely drive 10mph under the limit in the left most lane), yellow lights mean 'stop abruptly', 5mph under the speed limit is in fact speeding to them, and for more than a few drivers - there's no such thing as a directional. Pghhhh... there's been some close calls on the road. All in all, i'd rather be stuck behind Slo Mo Joe than have to be worried about being rear-ended by some Masshole.
Iowans also love representing their colleges/universities. T-shirts, license plates, flags, banners, hats, art work, scupltures and wood carvings, trinkets, etc. are allllll over the place. Unv. of Iowa and Iowa State are the two most represented schools whose mascots and emblems are everywhere. If you look at an eagle eye view of the state all you'll see is a smear of red, gold, and black. Even the kids' cereals are named "Cyclone Crunch." The best day to go golfing? The Saturday of the ISU and Iowa football game. Nobody is on the course. I don't even have to look at the newspaper or watch the local news to find out if Iowa lost any particular weekend. If people are somber on Sunday, they lost.


There's a ton of more stuff that I have witnessed and made mental notes about, but I just wanted to share a piece of the idiosyncracies of life out here in the Mid West. Ultimately i'm surprised that many more don't sport Life Is Good apparel, because that's exactly the mentality that many Iowans have.