The New Normal I

There are two things that I already miss about Oregon, things that are so engrained in The Way Oregonians Do Things that I keep forgetting that I'm going to have to learn new ways as I become an Montanan.

The view from the driver seat the last I gassed up before moving.  I'm not normally one to spot inconsistencies in movies, but years ago when I watched Old Joy I noticed a thing that people from elsewhere probably didn't: the main character pumping his own gas at a rural station.  The film takes place and is filmed in Oregon: GOTCHA!

Almost everyone I know who has moved to Oregon from elsewhere dislikes it, but I love not pumping my own gas.  Well, more like I truly dislike pumping it myself.  Of course, I've done it before on road trips to other states or in other countries, but I always forget how to do it so I end up standing there at the pump looking confused and probably dumb and sometimes even failing to accomplish a complete filling.

Or you can just put your completed ballot in your outgoing mail, but these are nice if you wait until the last minute.  Photo from About.com

 The other thing I'm really going to miss is vote-by-mail.  Man, it is SO NICE to participate in democracy while sitting at the kitchen table with the Voters Pamphlet, a ballot, and a beverage appropriate to the weather and time of day.  Not only is it convenient, it helps me be informed by the facts about the measures, not just the advertising and aggrandizing.  Also, a voter can vote and mail it up to a couple of weeks before election day and stop paying attention to the ever-increasing ads for and against everything, because I-already-voted-you-jerks.

In other news: Eric has taken sick (as per usual when traveling) so our area adventures are diminished by that and its effect on dog care.  Also, I ordered our new washer and dryer yesterday from the local Sears store at the mall and they will arrive on October 6 and 26, respectively. I'm inordinately excited about new laundry appliances; I hope I don't end up missing the old ones we sold with the house in Portland.

UPDATE: I pumped my gas today!  Almost all by myself, too!  Baby steps.