Oh, Utah!

I can't believe I've lived in Utah for over a year now. I like it here for the most part. Especially, now that the Worst Winter Ever is over. Summer is very pleasant here. Utah has a lot of great qualities, but it definitely has own little culture and oddities. Here are a few that stand out to me (feel free to add to the list in comments):

• Mexican restaurants. For some reason, Utahns don't like having Mexican restaurants where you sit at a table, have a waiter, and eat chips and salsa. Burrito bars are all the rage and you have to buy the chips and salsa. When you want Mexican food, you want the chips and salsa first. They just go together and they don't get that out here. They don't get cheese dip or queso either. I went to lunch with some co-workers at a sit-down Mexican restaurant where they did have chips and salsa, but let me tell you about the queso. I ordered queso, which I know literally translates as "cheese," but in the restaurant world I thought it was understood that it meant, "melted cheese with spicy stuff." I received a bowl of shredded cheddar cheese for my queso. I wish I were joking.
• Yellow lights. I was aware of this phenomenon from my BYU days. Utah drivers are conditioned to slam the gas pedal down as soon as the light turns yellow. A minimum of 3 cars continue through intersections after the light is actually red. Utah drivers do not respond favorably to those drivers who stop for yellow/red lights or those drivers who proceed into intersections when the light is actually green. I've grown accustomed to the 10 second "grace period" before pulling out into any intersection when I have a green light. It took a lot of honking and vulgar gestures, but I gave in to this particularity.
• Signals, lane changes, and speeding. Now keep in mind, I have a lead foot. Back in Arkansas, I generally led the pack on the freeways. Going 10 miles over the limit is SLOW here. People just fly by me and even the cops sitting with radar guns don't slow them down. Utah drivers don't believe in using blinkers or acknowledging them. Apparently, native Utahns are equipped with some sort of telekinetic abilities, because they all seem to just know and expect you to know when they are going to make a lane change or turn. If by some chance, you don't know and honk to let them know you are there, it results in vulgar gestures as well. I've discovered that if you do put your signal on for a lane change, it will cause a Utah driver to speed up and close the gap so you cannot merge into their lane. I'm working on just sending the "I'm-changing-lanes-vibes" rather than actually using a signal to do so.
• Applause in movies. Jen and I went to a movie together a few months ago for a Saturday matinee. People got really excited just for the previews. Now, I like a good preview and may comment to my companion about whether or not I'll see that movie. Utahns will clap and shout if they like a preview. They were very excited for the Indiana Jones movie to come out. Utahns do the same at the end of the movie as well. I get that for live performances, it's a kind of a courtesy really. But a movie? No one involved in the movie will ever know whether or not you clapped or not.
• Don't cut in line. This could only happen in Utah. I was at Target checking out. There were 2 cashiers open and people had formed a line in the middle of the 2 counters. A lady decided to bypass the line go straight to the cashier. The ladies in line weren't having any of it! They at first asked nicely for the 'cutter' to go to the end as they were in line. She refused to acknowledge their line. The line ladies who had the appearance of meek stay-at-home moms literally started screaming, "Kindness is a higher law, don't you care about kindness!" The cutter didn't, she cared about being first.
• It's next to impossible to find children's clothes in a really good clearance sale here. The competition for good deals is just too stiff.
• I find it ironic that Utahns point out and make fun of my accent. There is a very distinct Utah accent. I'm getting pretty good at mimicking it. It's all about not pronouncing 'n's and how you say the 'o's. Of course, should you mention to a Utahn that they have an accent, they will flatly deny it.

I honestly have enjoyed living here, it's just taken a few adjustments. It's a beautiful state and people are generally very nice (when they're not behind the wheel). At least I have Jenny here who can laugh with me about some of these things.