One state, two state, red state, blue state

I moved to Texas after growing up in Oregon and I learned very quickly that the left-leaning Pacific Northwest is a different world from right-leaning Texas. Having spent the last two weeks on vacation back home in Oregon, I realized all over again that these states are as different as oil and water, as red and blue.

You know you’re in Oregon when there is a recycling center on every corner, complete with different bins for plastic, tin and paper, but after walking for blocks, you can’t find a trashcan to throw away your leftover sandwich.

You know you’re in Texas when you call the garbage company to ask for a recycling bin and the receptionist chirps in your ear “Recycling bin? No one has asked for one of those in a long time. Let me go dig around in the basement and see if I can find one.”

You know you’re in Oregon when you see a lady walking down the street wearing only a white cotton bra with her frayed jeans and no one bats an eye. In fact, not a single person even stops to stare.

You know you’re in Texas when you see woman wearing five-inch high heels with Armani jeans to the park. Or the grocery store. Or to paint the house.

You know you’re in Oregon when you buy a whole-grain organic turkey sandwich and it comes wrapped in recycled brown paper and your herbal iced tea comes in a reusable, refillable environmentally-friendly cup.

You know you’re in Texas when your double barbeque bacon burger with fries comes in a Styrofoam box and your forty-four ounce Coke comes in a double-insulated Styrofoam pitcher. Shouldn’t styrofoam have been outlawed twenty years ago?

You know you’re in Oregon when 90% of the people on the street are wearing cargo shorts and Rainbow sandals. The woman who are carrying purses have them slung criss-cross across their shoulders.

You know you’re in Texas when every woman you see has a matching handbag to her shoes… even if she’s wearing white converse tennis shoes.

You know you’re in Oregon when there is a drive-through coffee shop where you can buy thirty-two ounce mega-jolt mochas on nearly every corner. As any Oregonian can explain, a caffeine buzz is essential when living under dreary, drizzling skies.

You know you’re in Texas when there is a shaved iced stand on every corner where you can buy sticky, syrupy blue-raspberry ice cups any time of the year, rain or shine.

You know you’re in Oregon when you say the word “Y’all” and people glare at you and tell you to go back to California.

You know you’re in Texas when you say “you guys” and people ask “What are all y’all, Yankees or something?”

You know you’re in Oregon when you can buy chicken bento or organic salmon with vegetables at the ballpark, the mini-mart, the school cafeteria or at a little stand on the side of the road.

You know you’re in Texas when everyone in the office looks at you strangely over their Frito Pie and Brisket-and-Wonder-Bread Sandwiches when you pull a veggie wrap out of your lunch sack.