Top 10 Californian rules

Today´s blog is going to be a bit of a jumble of thoughts and experiences about California/USA. Since I'm big on structure, I made them into a set of top 10 Californian rules.

1. I write (my licence plate), therefore I am: Personalized license plates.
I don't know what the deal is with these things, but they are hot around here. Today I saw this one: C BLSNGS. Other ones: PRGRMMR. USEDATA. GRNPEAS (bright green car). I'll try to remember more of those.

2. A clean slate is a good state: Hygiene.
Wipes, tissues, handkerchiefs, antibacterial fluids, toilet seat cleaners, you name it, they got it and use it. Even on kids, which I think is completely useless.

3. See it, like it, mention it: Ask away.

Ok, this might need more explanation I guess. As I mentioned in another blog, my creative outbursts have been getting worse. It now comes to the point that I´m actually sewing clothes for my children AND let them out in public in them. I made Lucas a dragon vest. He's into dinosaurs and dragons right now (to the point he's been having these nightmares and is thus not allowed to watch Discovery's dinosaur programs anymore). I found a nice blog about sewing fun stuff for children, and the dragon vest looked just right for him. The result: lots of smiles and laughter and questions. But no, it's not what you think. Everybody loves it. And apparently everybody feels free enough to mention that, or ask me where I got the vest from.

4. Know thy neighbour. And thy neighbour's neighbour. And thy neighbour's neighbour's hair stylist. And of course thy own hair stylist: Networking
Big deal too. Even at the local hair dresser. Mention your personal history, they take your name and number and try to set you up with another client to help you out. Oh, and apparently the boy who packs my groceries  thinks it's useful to know me. But I suspect he has alterior motives.

5. The hills are alive with the sound of your car, UNLESS you forgot to go to the gas station: driving.
Driving is fun. Driving is good. You need to drive! Far. Because USA is big. And you need to remember to have gas in your tank. No gas, no drive. And this is even more true when you are driving in the hills.We actually ran out of gas in the hills. Well, according to our car who notified us that we had zero miles left. But we managed to go 6 more miles to the closest gas station.

6. Forewarned is forearmed, and they are after you: warning signs.
Yes, American people love those signs. There are so many, I can hardly see where I am going. But Bart already wrote about this in his blog, so I won't.

7. A day without discount is a day 'well spent': discounts.
'Well spent' as in expensive. But that's fine, because you always get discount. Always. And they always mention that, and put a nice circle around the money you saved. Ain't that grand?

8. Recycling makes the world go round: recycling.
Apparently living 'green' is getting to be more important these days. And they're really trying here. That is if you forget about two things: plastic bags and leaflets. But that's ok, because I've got myself a special bag to put all the plastic bags in, and I can put the leaflets in our paper-only container and then it will grow back on the trees.

9. Ok. Truth be told? I'm running out of ideas. I will have to live here for a little bit longer to come up with a longer list. Until then, number nine on my list will stay open. Because the next one needs to be the last one.

This one's for you guys back home:

10. Always wear sunscreen: summertime.
Yes, we have it and you want it.

FYI: about the picture. No hidden meaning there. We went to the Monterey aquarium again, and I just loved the complementary colors of the jellyfish and the water.