California living - part 3a
Five things I've noticed that are different in California from Texas (besides the obvious).
1. Toilet seat covers in EVERY SINGLE public bathroom. This must be a state law or something because in Texas, the retail establishment may have the good intentions by placing the holder on the wall however, nine times out of ten it's empty. NOT in California. I've been here a year and a half and I believe I've been in perhaps just ONE bathroom that had an empty holder. Now, that's a great record! And can I just say I adore toilet seat covers? I've never been an enjoyer of "crow peeing" like EVER. So, California: you and your toilet seat covers really make my public restroom experiences much more pleasant. Thank you. Now, if we could just get all of the ladies to actually USE them - having the covers in each stall, you would THINK would do it. But uh-uh, there are obviously SOME women out there who revel in their "crow peeing" expertise. THIS is something I will never understand.
2. Another bathroom observation is the variety of hand blowers being manufactured and actually being used. During my years of living in Dallas I ALWAYS tried my best to use the blowers offered however, that was always the problem - blowers AREN'T offered very frequently in Dallas. Rarely are there paper towels offered in California. I think this is to offset the high toilet seat cover usage. Maybe.
3. The lack of drive thru banks is astonishing to me. I actually found one yesterday, for the first time since I've been here however, it's a Bank of America, not my Chase. The convenience factor offered in California is truly strange - not sure why banks aren't providing the motorbank portion of their services here. But, I can honestly say if they did, it certainly would make ME go to the bank more often (well, if I HAD money, that is).
4. Another missing drive-thru service and another befuddlement is the lack of drive-thru car washes. You know how in Dallas (for those of you who live there or have been there) in about 1 in 3 convenience stores you pay for your gas with your card at the pump and the pump speaks to you? It encourages over and over to purchase an automated car wash? And even when you run your card through to pay it asks you again? Zero. Nadda. Not so here. The ONLY car washes I've seen are hand wash locations. And believe me, I'VE looked. My poor car hasn't been washed since I left Texas - mainly because I'm accustomed to driving up, punching in a code, driving on to the tracks and enjoying a good Rage Against The Machine song or Steel Pulse song to the sounds of foamy soap clods landing on my car. The hunt continues.
5. In Texas, we folks are most DEFINITELY, for the most part, meat eaters. "Beef, it's what's for dinner." Right? Well, while there are most definitely beef options here the veggie options are so prevalent that my girl (who's mostly a veggie) and I have absolutely no worries no matter WHERE we go. Tofu, bean patties, veggie patties, wheat meat, mung beans, quinoa, non-dairy cheeses, you name it and it's available. The options are obviously different at each location, but being a veggie is far more friendly here than in Texas.
1. Toilet seat covers in EVERY SINGLE public bathroom. This must be a state law or something because in Texas, the retail establishment may have the good intentions by placing the holder on the wall however, nine times out of ten it's empty. NOT in California. I've been here a year and a half and I believe I've been in perhaps just ONE bathroom that had an empty holder. Now, that's a great record! And can I just say I adore toilet seat covers? I've never been an enjoyer of "crow peeing" like EVER. So, California: you and your toilet seat covers really make my public restroom experiences much more pleasant. Thank you. Now, if we could just get all of the ladies to actually USE them - having the covers in each stall, you would THINK would do it. But uh-uh, there are obviously SOME women out there who revel in their "crow peeing" expertise. THIS is something I will never understand.
2. Another bathroom observation is the variety of hand blowers being manufactured and actually being used. During my years of living in Dallas I ALWAYS tried my best to use the blowers offered however, that was always the problem - blowers AREN'T offered very frequently in Dallas. Rarely are there paper towels offered in California. I think this is to offset the high toilet seat cover usage. Maybe.
3. The lack of drive thru banks is astonishing to me. I actually found one yesterday, for the first time since I've been here however, it's a Bank of America, not my Chase. The convenience factor offered in California is truly strange - not sure why banks aren't providing the motorbank portion of their services here. But, I can honestly say if they did, it certainly would make ME go to the bank more often (well, if I HAD money, that is).
4. Another missing drive-thru service and another befuddlement is the lack of drive-thru car washes. You know how in Dallas (for those of you who live there or have been there) in about 1 in 3 convenience stores you pay for your gas with your card at the pump and the pump speaks to you? It encourages over and over to purchase an automated car wash? And even when you run your card through to pay it asks you again? Zero. Nadda. Not so here. The ONLY car washes I've seen are hand wash locations. And believe me, I'VE looked. My poor car hasn't been washed since I left Texas - mainly because I'm accustomed to driving up, punching in a code, driving on to the tracks and enjoying a good Rage Against The Machine song or Steel Pulse song to the sounds of foamy soap clods landing on my car. The hunt continues.
5. In Texas, we folks are most DEFINITELY, for the most part, meat eaters. "Beef, it's what's for dinner." Right? Well, while there are most definitely beef options here the veggie options are so prevalent that my girl (who's mostly a veggie) and I have absolutely no worries no matter WHERE we go. Tofu, bean patties, veggie patties, wheat meat, mung beans, quinoa, non-dairy cheeses, you name it and it's available. The options are obviously different at each location, but being a veggie is far more friendly here than in Texas.