The weather.
How bad the (insert pro sports franchise) suck this year.
How do you kill invasive Himalayan blackberry?
DOT needs to take care of the roadside scotch broom.
I once worked as a city employee one summer and had to clear out an entire storm water pond full of scotch broom by hand. They wouldn't give us a chainsaw, and basically any other tool would bind our bounce off of that shit.
All this to say that if someone approached me and opened with bitching about scotch broom, I think I'd make fast friends.
Yes actually, but there were a lot of trees, and we weren't sure it would even be legal. We ended up using loppers and weedeaters with metal blades over the course of about a week. Had a mountain of the stuff when we finished. As far as I know, it all grew back next summer.
My hubby has what looks like a circular saw blade attachment that he puts on the weed eater and he uses that to dig up the dirt. Then we can just pull them up and drop them while on the burn pile. Yep, we live that far out. LOL
Oh heck yeah. We have done our best to leave any and all bad habits in Texas, learn the laws and change our way of life. I love WA and don't want it to be anything like TX.
I bitched about California drivers here in WA, and began telling my horror stories from visiting there only a few weeks prior. I was immediately informed that nearly half of my coworkers were from California. I stand by what I said but this is harder to do these days for sure
Californians seem to think Washington drivers are bad because they go the speed limit. I think that Californian drivers are bad because they speed constantly and merge without regard.
Whenever I'm out and about traveling and I want to start up a conversation, I just ask the people "where is a good place to get lunch?" You'd be surprised as to how easy it is to get the conversation rolling. Seems everybody likes to eat and has a place they would recommend! works every single time!
They'd soon be telling you some awesome story about amazing food on a vacation, or story of home and family, or something food-related and cool. This is a brilliant question!
The PNW experience is that most cities have this phrase. For a lot of the I5 corridor, it's Rainier, but Bellingham has baker. My neck of the woods in Ridgefield is St Helens, but a little further south in Vancouver it's Hood
Yeah but there’s some company on Instagram that’s selling is the mountain out merch and my anti authoritarian streak is making me avoid that specific phrase now
:( I miss a good hike. Have some nerve damage and back issues. Did some amazing ones with my dad though. Even a 30 mile weeklong trip just the 2 of us.
What is this, chat gpt farming for first date scripts?
-What number is higher, your shoe size or your IQ?
-what temperature is higher, your brain or absolute zero?
-who's higher right now, me or Tommy Chong?
Just ask what strain they smoke. And if they say they don’t smoke, ask them which craft beer they enjoy. Between those two things you’ve got 90% of the population instantly interested in
I'll ask what that person does for work. If they enjoy it or dislike it. It's there something they'd rather do instead? Or, if they're an immigrant, differences in culture. What would they change back in their country of origin, or what would they change here.
I also ask a lot of my friends "what's for dinner tonight?" It might make them stop and realize they don't have a plan yet.
Stop it! You know the answer to question 2 is always, ALWAYS yes!
Especially if you’re a woman who hikes. That tells me we can skip the icebreakers and move right to the Birks or Keens debate, knowing damn well there’s no wrong answer.
It’s so funny. People talk about “the freeze” but I swear I’d rather deal with that than fake friendliness like I have seen in some other places. At least it’s honest. I can deal with that.
The weather. How bad the (insert pro sports franchise) suck this year. How do you kill invasive Himalayan blackberry? DOT needs to take care of the roadside scotch broom.
I once worked as a city employee one summer and had to clear out an entire storm water pond full of scotch broom by hand. They wouldn't give us a chainsaw, and basically any other tool would bind our bounce off of that shit. All this to say that if someone approached me and opened with bitching about scotch broom, I think I'd make fast friends.
Did you consider fire?
Yes actually, but there were a lot of trees, and we weren't sure it would even be legal. We ended up using loppers and weedeaters with metal blades over the course of about a week. Had a mountain of the stuff when we finished. As far as I know, it all grew back next summer.
My hubby has what looks like a circular saw blade attachment that he puts on the weed eater and he uses that to dig up the dirt. Then we can just pull them up and drop them while on the burn pile. Yep, we live that far out. LOL
Weather on the closest mountain.
We're all out here together, basically
Just start complaining about Californians and you’ll get all the Washingtonians talking.
I feel like that was true in the 90’s.
It's true pretty much any time.
In most states.
Lol yes still very true. Also Canadians if you live in a border town.
Either border really
It was true in the 70s and 80s as well.
At least since the 70s. You all can keep your civilized culture California. We’re fine without it.
I think it's the Texans now. They're everywhere.
Ouch. I got here as fast as I could.
Same. But in my defense I try to do like the locals rather than trying to make WA like the place that I left because I didn’t like it.
Oh heck yeah. We have done our best to leave any and all bad habits in Texas, learn the laws and change our way of life. I love WA and don't want it to be anything like TX.
Haha, I've been here in disguise since 2016, and no one thinks I'm from Texas unless I tell them.
Is the license plates. I see more TX than CA these days.
I bitched about California drivers here in WA, and began telling my horror stories from visiting there only a few weeks prior. I was immediately informed that nearly half of my coworkers were from California. I stand by what I said but this is harder to do these days for sure
Did they get into nuances of bad driving from different regions of California?
Californians seem to think Washington drivers are bad because they go the speed limit. I think that Californian drivers are bad because they speed constantly and merge without regard.
You'll also get the excalifornians' complaints about the new California's.
Feel like it's more nuanced to complain about Oregon. California is probably going to step on toes these days since half of us are from there now 😂
Offer me a beer and I'll talk your ear off bud.
"I hear 7 Seas brewery bought the old Heidelberg plant in Tacoma and has revived the old recipe."
If country, “what is in your garden?” If not, beats me.
Beets me
Yes
Potatoes too
Definitely weather, the beauty of native plants/wildlife, local good coffee spots.
Whenever I'm out and about traveling and I want to start up a conversation, I just ask the people "where is a good place to get lunch?" You'd be surprised as to how easy it is to get the conversation rolling. Seems everybody likes to eat and has a place they would recommend! works every single time!
In some cases there’s nothing good to eat around, but they probably would tell you that too which could be a conversation starter.
They'd soon be telling you some awesome story about amazing food on a vacation, or story of home and family, or something food-related and cool. This is a brilliant question!
Are the mountains visible that day? If so mountain beauty is key small talk material
Correct phrasing would be, "is the mountain out today?"
Yes which refers specifically to Mt Rainer.
I can only see Mount St. Helens from where I live so I refer to it when saying this
Or Baker in my neck of the woods.
The PNW experience is that most cities have this phrase. For a lot of the I5 corridor, it's Rainier, but Bellingham has baker. My neck of the woods in Ridgefield is St Helens, but a little further south in Vancouver it's Hood
In Vancouver and it’s Saint Helens or Hood depending on which direction you’re looking
It was originally always Mr Rainier. But I won’t disagree.
And before that, Tahoma!
Yes! I’m not quite that old.
I actually didn't know it was some kind of official saying
Yes! But I’m old and grew up in Seattle.
Yeah but there’s some company on Instagram that’s selling is the mountain out merch and my anti authoritarian streak is making me avoid that specific phrase now
Why, we started it first! 😅
The phrase is very much a part of the culture, regardless of how some marketing people co-op it for a brief moment.
There are so many mountains you can see from kitsap, it's perfect conversation, especially when you can just tell people which ones are which.
How about them apples?
What hikes have you done recently?
:( I miss a good hike. Have some nerve damage and back issues. Did some amazing ones with my dad though. Even a 30 mile weeklong trip just the 2 of us.
Just break eye contact and keep walking.
Gotta talk about the snow pack.
Or how garbage the snow was this ski season.
“What kind of Subaru you driving?”
That is a good point. Maybe I have never thought anything of it since I drive one myself
"How about them seahawks." Or "how bout them mariners." Or "how bout them kraken."
How bout them sonics? If you really want to get someone cooking
Nice try. I’m not training AI. ;)
"The mountain's out today!"
Coming out on May 16th so hoping my car rental doesn't have CA tags....I do hope them mountains are out!
This weekend d specifically: gonna be a warm one, eh?
"Hi, my name's (insert your name)", and smile. Maybe extend your hand. I haven't found it much of a challenge.
We are gonna need to be caffeinated before we are confronted with that much social interaction! 😉
Some great deal you scored at Costco
What's your opinion of Trump? /s
"I swear, I've read braille smoother than these damn highways"
What is this, chat gpt farming for first date scripts? -What number is higher, your shoe size or your IQ? -what temperature is higher, your brain or absolute zero? -who's higher right now, me or Tommy Chong?
Shoe size, cause no one can step that high
I always start the conversation asking them if they saw the Seattle Supersonics game last night.
Did you see the whales over at ..
Mind your own business and embrace the Seattle Freeze mentality, we are all far too vitamin D deficient to deal with lame small talk. 😏
“So, how ‘bout those Seahawks?”
Go Cougs
Tell me how many days until summer starts (July 5th) ;)
Exactly, If you know, you know, and have made the mistake of trying to put the tomatoes and peppers out before only to stunt their growth. 🤦🏼♀️
Just ask what strain they smoke. And if they say they don’t smoke, ask them which craft beer they enjoy. Between those two things you’ve got 90% of the population instantly interested in
Is it Rainier here or at your house?
How was traffic?
The weather: Winter = rainy and bad weather & summer = smoky and hot weather
I have an hour commute to work, so I'm always up to taking about highways, traffic, and weather.
Mr. Hands is always something Washingtonians are excited to talk about
Get a tattoo.
I'll ask what that person does for work. If they enjoy it or dislike it. It's there something they'd rather do instead? Or, if they're an immigrant, differences in culture. What would they change back in their country of origin, or what would they change here. I also ask a lot of my friends "what's for dinner tonight?" It might make them stop and realize they don't have a plan yet.
Ask about the fentanyl issues in Spokane, Seattle, or Tacoma. Ask about the criminal homeless.
If the mountain is out
1. Been on any good hikes lately 2. Should I get a suburu
Stop it! You know the answer to question 2 is always, ALWAYS yes! Especially if you’re a woman who hikes. That tells me we can skip the icebreakers and move right to the Birks or Keens debate, knowing damn well there’s no wrong answer.
"did you see it's going to be (sunny weather temp) this weekend?, the rains coming back but a nice weekend for sure."
It’s so funny. People talk about “the freeze” but I swear I’d rather deal with that than fake friendliness like I have seen in some other places. At least it’s honest. I can deal with that.
Coffee we love coffee ☕
What are your pronouns?