For the AZ newcomers, welcome and be warned

[dublin]

I am passing your list on to my parents, who live in Tucson as I am sure they will appreciate it.

We will be there the weekend of August 24th to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary… should be hotter than you know what!!!

“Of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.” - Dennis Miller

[Cactuskate]

You know you are from Arizona when…

1. You buy salsa by the gallon.
2. Your Christmas decorations include a half a yard of sand and l00 paper bags.
3. You think a red light is merely a suggestion.
4. All of your out-of-state friends start to visit after October but clear out come the end of April.
5. You think someone driving wearing oven mitts is clever.
6. Most of the restaurants in town have the first name “El” or “Los”.
7. You think 60 tons of crushed rock makes a beautiful yard.
8. You’ve signed so many petitions to recall governors that you can’t remember the name of the incumbent.
9. You notice your car overheating before you drive it.
10. Your house is made of stucco and has a red clay tile roof.
11. You can say “Hohokam” and people don’t think you’re laughing or being funny.
12. You no longer associate bridges (or rivers) with water.
13. You see more irrigation water on the street than there is in the Salt River.
14. You know a swamp cooler is not a happy hour drink.
15. You can say115 degrees without fainting.
16. Every other vehicle is a 4x4.
17. You can be in the snow, then drive for an hour and in will be over l00 degrees.
18. Vehicles with open windows have the right-of-way in the summer.
19. People break out coats when temperature drops below 70 degrees.
20. You discover, in July, it only takes two fingers to drive your car.
21. The pool can be warmer than you are.
22. You can make sun tea instantly.
23. You run your air conditioner in the middle of winter so you can use your fireplace.
24. Most homes have more firearms than people.
25. Kids will ask, “What’s a mosquito?”
26. People who have black cars or black upholstery in their car are automatically assumed to be from out-of-state or nuts.
27. You notice the best parking place is determined by shade not by distance.
28. The AC is on your list of best friends.
29. Monday Night Football starts at 7:00 instead of 6:00.
30. You realize that Valley Fever isn’t a disco dance.
31. You can finish a Big Gulp in 10 minutes and go back for seconds.
32. The water from the cold water tap is the same temperature as the hot one.
33. You can (correctly) pronounce the words: “Saguaro,” “Ocotillo,” “Tempe,” “Gila Bend,” “San Xavier,” “Canyon de Chelly,” “Mogollon Rim,” “Cholla,” and “Ajo.”
34. It’s noon in July, kids are on summer vacation, and not one person is walking on the streets.
35. You experience third degree burns if you touch any metal part of your car.
36. You know better than to get into a car with leather seats if you’re wearing shorts.
37. Announcements for Fourth of July events never end with “in case of rain…”
38. When someone asks how far you live from a location, it’s always in terms of minutes, not miles.
39. Everyone’s smiling and talking about the great weather on rainy days.
40. If you haven’t worked for Motorola at some time, you must be a newcomer.
41. You have to explain to out-of-staters why there is no daylight savings time.

And in keeping with the “horsey” requirement,
42. You rush home from work to hose your horse that is standing in the shade in his stall, but looks like he has just run the Derby!

“The older I get, the better I used to be.”

[Coreene]

Drove people crazy when I lived in England.

[akrogirl]

I love it, especially since I am currently a Motorolan (for the second time, I might add!)

[marianne]

For letting our secrets out of the bag. There are enough people in the southwest already. And besides you forgot a few:

Construction work is done at night.
People become nocturnal in May.
Riders ride at 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to beat the heat.

But I must at admit you are in the armpit of AZ, Nothing can beat Yuma and Gila Bend for heat in the summer.

[ponygrl]

Los BEtos all the way!!!

Erin, do you have the new JEW yet? They’re playing a show up in Phx I think tonight or tomorrow, but I’d rather see Further Seems Forever down here in Tucson…

Laura

[Cactuskate]

You know you are from Arizona when…

1. You buy salsa by the gallon.
2. Your Christmas decorations include a half a yard of sand and l00 paper bags.
3. You think a red light is merely a suggestion.
4. All of your out-of-state friends start to visit after October but clear out come the end of April.
5. You think someone driving wearing oven mitts is clever.
6. Most of the restaurants in town have the first name “El” or “Los”.
7. You think 60 tons of crushed rock makes a beautiful yard.
8. You’ve signed so many petitions to recall governors that you can’t remember the name of the incumbent.
9. You notice your car overheating before you drive it.
10. Your house is made of stucco and has a red clay tile roof.
11. You can say “Hohokam” and people don’t think you’re laughing or being funny.
12. You no longer associate bridges (or rivers) with water.
13. You see more irrigation water on the street than there is in the Salt River.
14. You know a swamp cooler is not a happy hour drink.
15. You can say115 degrees without fainting.
16. Every other vehicle is a 4x4.
17. You can be in the snow, then drive for an hour and in will be over l00 degrees.
18. Vehicles with open windows have the right-of-way in the summer.
19. People break out coats when temperature drops below 70 degrees.
20. You discover, in July, it only takes two fingers to drive your car.
21. The pool can be warmer than you are.
22. You can make sun tea instantly.
23. You run your air conditioner in the middle of winter so you can use your fireplace.
24. Most homes have more firearms than people.
25. Kids will ask, “What’s a mosquito?”
26. People who have black cars or black upholstery in their car are automatically assumed to be from out-of-state or nuts.
27. You notice the best parking place is determined by shade not by distance.
28. The AC is on your list of best friends.
29. Monday Night Football starts at 7:00 instead of 6:00.
30. You realize that Valley Fever isn’t a disco dance.
31. You can finish a Big Gulp in 10 minutes and go back for seconds.
32. The water from the cold water tap is the same temperature as the hot one.
33. You can (correctly) pronounce the words: “Saguaro,” “Ocotillo,” “Tempe,” “Gila Bend,” “San Xavier,” “Canyon de Chelly,” “Mogollon Rim,” “Cholla,” and “Ajo.”
34. It’s noon in July, kids are on summer vacation, and not one person is walking on the streets.
35. You experience third degree burns if you touch any metal part of your car.
36. You know better than to get into a car with leather seats if you’re wearing shorts.
37. Announcements for Fourth of July events never end with “in case of rain…”
38. When someone asks how far you live from a location, it’s always in terms of minutes, not miles.
39. Everyone’s smiling and talking about the great weather on rainy days.
40. If you haven’t worked for Motorola at some time, you must be a newcomer.
41. You have to explain to out-of-staters why there is no daylight savings time.

And in keeping with the “horsey” requirement,
42. You rush home from work to hose your horse that is standing in the shade in his stall, but looks like he has just run the Derby!

“The older I get, the better I used to be.”

[Cactuskate]

Yes marianne, but at least Gila Bend has the Space Age Motel!!!

No it is not “gilla bend”, it is “heela bend”.

I have learned to appreciate the “beauty” of a sunrise, after my cup of coffee PUHLEEZE!

“The older I get, the better I used to be.”

[Erin]

Oh yes, construction at night… that was great. I would wait until 7 or so to go to the barn and avoid the mess of traffic on I-17, only to hit the mess of traffic anyway on my way home because they would have all but one lane closed. Joy joy joy…

Now, on these pronunciations, I think I know most of them… except Canyon de Chelly? I’ve never heard of it, much less pronounced it. Someone fill me in…

Ponygrl, I’m planning to hit Tower Records on my lunchbreak tomorrow for the new CD! I’m emailing you.

[Erin]

Hee hee… I love that list. Especially driving a car with two fingers. And no longer associating bridges with water!

One of my good friends is going back to AZ next week (he grew up there), and purposefully planned the trip for August so he’d be reminded why he left!

Erin, former resident of “Temp”, Arizona.

[ponygrl]

Canyon de Chelly = Canyon day Shay

Its so ironic that you’re in MD now Erin, I’m from Harford County

I was the XC starter up at St.John’s last weekend, the TD and I got bored with the BN people warming up so slow and started using the monsoon rolling in as an excuse to get them all out on course faster “Oh man, look at those clouds, thats gonna be some heavy rain!” “You ready? You want a 2 minute or a 1 minute countdown?” “1 minute it is!”

hahaha. was fun.

Laura

[Cactuskate]

My dear, you will wilt! Hydrate, and maybe they could hold the whole affair at the top of Mt. Lemmon. That is #17 for real.

Report back with your lived-to-tell stories.

“The older I get, the better I used to be.”

[marianne]

Gila Bend wants to be a Roswell-wannabe.:eek: The Space Motel is wild with the glow in the dark paint. Actually Cactuskate, we should have our Southwestern Clique (both NM and AZ). We were the last two states in the continental US. We have our wide open spaces to ride in. We can ride every day-no snow to worry about. Or if we do then it melts in a day. Lots of high quality cheap horses. We are in God’s Country

[dublin]

Well, I actually do have one of those stories already.

We had friends who were married outside, early July, in Phoenix!! It was 106 degrees at the time of the ceremony, which was 6 pm…

Thankfully, the reception was held inside, with air conditioning to the max. We survived, but it was certainly an experience.

“Of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.” - Dennis Miller