After some not-too-subtle prodding, I've decided to write a blog post.

I've begun to settle into a neat little domestic life here (it would almost qualify as quaint, small-towny and traditional if I wasn't surrounded by pride flags). I'm starting to identify my little go-to businesses. I've got a barbershop, a coffeehouse, a little diner, and so on. I even got a chocolate malt craving the other day and satisfied it at Orphan Andy's (yes, I too love the name).

I was listening to public radio the over the weekend. Wisconsin Public Radio was always pretty good about trying to be relatively objective and unbiased. Not the case here. Even though I'm a pretty committed Democrat, I still find it annoying. I suppose that the WPR stations were always closely tied to the UW Extension and, in turn, the State. Here, I think they're much more independent. Think WHA versus WORT back in Madison.

Anyway, there was a pledge break on (yeah, go figure), and the announcer was talking about how terribly "nasty" the weather was outside.

"Nasty weather," in my mind, is bitter -10 degree temperatures. Maybe multiple feet of snow. Or sleet and ice snarling traffic.

But I took the announcement to heart, bundled up, and grabbed my umbrella. I stepped out the front door on my way to the coffeeshop.

It was raining. Not even all that hard.

Californians are pansies.