Acclimating...
Jet lag is harder to kick than I initially thought. It's 3 in the afternoon and I am really wishing for a nap. But to force myself back into this new schedule I won't allow it, so hopefully this big green tea will give me a boost. Later tonight there is a welcome back party being held in my honor, and I don't want to be tired for that. It's exciting to be seeing my friends from here that I've missed for the last 6 months, not to mention my brother (I love my brother!). We are all meeting for dinner in downtown Des Moines, then presumably hitting the local hot spots.
On a side note, I am quite impressed with how cool Des Moines has become in the last 5 years. When I first came to Ames for college in, um... 1993, it seemed like a wasteland. Even though it was only a half hour drive from Ames, we never went down to Des Moines to hang out. But the town has been changing, I think. Maybe it's because I've been living here for so long and am forced to look harder, but there are truly alot of cultural and social activities available, and the cost of living can't be beat. The downtown area is my favorite, with the interesting neighborhoods, shops, and housing being built. I keep telling people that Des Moines is on the cusp of coolness, and in 5 years it's going to be the newest hip place to live. Mostly I get laughed at when I say that....
Today I went with a friend to run some errands at Wal-Mart. It was there that I realized how much I'd forgotten about "sizes" in the US. When I say "sizes", I am referring to many things: vehicle sizes, traveling distances, store sizes, product sizes, portion sizes, and also people sizes. Everything is bigger in the US, so it's not just Texas that can lay claim to that honor. We live in a big country, so I can accept the fact that everything is bit more spread out than in Europe. It's easier to build out than it is to build up. Easier, but not better. So perhaps as a consequence of this our cars are bigger since we spend more time riding in them. I don't like this argument much, but I'll accept it. What I don't understand though, is how our products, portions, and people got to be so big. How did this happen? Is this because the US is such a rich country? Because we have been wealthy for so long, is it a natural consequence? There has to be more to it than that. Europe is not a poor continent. It is wealthy, and has been for quite some time. Yet when you go into the restaurants and supermarkets there, you don't see the jumbo-sized products and portions that Americans have. And when you walk around the streets you don't see the jumbo-sized people that result from the large portions.
So there has to be another factor, and I don't know what it is. I'd love to hear some insights on this.
On a side note, I am quite impressed with how cool Des Moines has become in the last 5 years. When I first came to Ames for college in, um... 1993, it seemed like a wasteland. Even though it was only a half hour drive from Ames, we never went down to Des Moines to hang out. But the town has been changing, I think. Maybe it's because I've been living here for so long and am forced to look harder, but there are truly alot of cultural and social activities available, and the cost of living can't be beat. The downtown area is my favorite, with the interesting neighborhoods, shops, and housing being built. I keep telling people that Des Moines is on the cusp of coolness, and in 5 years it's going to be the newest hip place to live. Mostly I get laughed at when I say that....
Today I went with a friend to run some errands at Wal-Mart. It was there that I realized how much I'd forgotten about "sizes" in the US. When I say "sizes", I am referring to many things: vehicle sizes, traveling distances, store sizes, product sizes, portion sizes, and also people sizes. Everything is bigger in the US, so it's not just Texas that can lay claim to that honor. We live in a big country, so I can accept the fact that everything is bit more spread out than in Europe. It's easier to build out than it is to build up. Easier, but not better. So perhaps as a consequence of this our cars are bigger since we spend more time riding in them. I don't like this argument much, but I'll accept it. What I don't understand though, is how our products, portions, and people got to be so big. How did this happen? Is this because the US is such a rich country? Because we have been wealthy for so long, is it a natural consequence? There has to be more to it than that. Europe is not a poor continent. It is wealthy, and has been for quite some time. Yet when you go into the restaurants and supermarkets there, you don't see the jumbo-sized products and portions that Americans have. And when you walk around the streets you don't see the jumbo-sized people that result from the large portions.
So there has to be another factor, and I don't know what it is. I'd love to hear some insights on this.
posted by ScottyB at
3:11 PM
8 Comments:
I'm going to blame the "bigger" epidemic on urban sprawl. Perhaps our young nation should have hired some regional planners before handing out large tracts of land to single families...If our nation would have been originally settled more densely, we could be looking at an entirely different nation today. That would've been pretty flipping cool. Just my opinion.
By
Anonymous, at 07 July, 2006 16:07
It's funny how much perspective is shaped by specialty - Jamie's comment is right on, from her urban planning perspective, and from my political perspective, but I also an amazing book about how American inventions have been shaped by the egalitarian nature of our government and philosophy. Way back in the day during the industrial revolution, there would be Worlds Fairs and Europeans would show up with gilded washboards, intricately decorated, while Americans had "ugly" metal washing mashines and other, plain and cheap inventions. Inventors here were thinking of everyone being able to have everything were in Europe luxuries like this were meant only for the rich. I think that is still true today - American's love lots of cheap crap because we think we are entitled to it - we think we're all equal. Maybe Europeans are more in tune with getting just what they think of as "their share" of the wealth. Dan and I were commenting on how they spend lots of money, still, but it's on things like fancy coffee, meals out and entertainment. We go into debt buying big houses and cars -tangible things that our neighbors can see. Do we care more about keeping up with the Joneses? Great post - great thing to think about.
By
Anonymous, at 10 July, 2006 09:42
Sorry for all the typos. :P
By
Anonymous, at 10 July, 2006 09:43
Gilded washboards compared to ugly washing machines are quite interesting, and there are probably several ways to interpret it. To me it sounds like a gilded washboard is like fancy coffee, meals out, and entertainment. In effect it makes a mundane task like washing more beautiful, just as eating at a fine restaurant makes something you have to do (eat) more pleasurable.
I don't how to compare this an ugly washing machine. Were they invented because we really wanted more time in the day? Or was it because Americans love to tinker and build stuff?
By
ScottyB, at 11 July, 2006 11:16
I think it was invented as convenience to make women's lives easier. And they did the American thing - marketed and sold it cheap and sold the idea that women should have more time in their day to...do the things that women like to do. I'm picturing a 50s housewife in my head as I'm writing this :). I think how technology and products are marketed in America vs. Europe is as much a part of how we view goods as what it is that we buy - gilded vs. not guilded...hmmm...
By
Anonymous, at 11 July, 2006 13:14
You hippies! Next thing you're going to suggest taking down the fences and letting the bison and antelope roam the Iowa prairie again! Sprawl made this country great! And when is McDonald's going to bring back the SuperSize? And what's with women and their huge flippin' sunglasses these days???
By
Anonymous, at 12 July, 2006 14:49
Hey Birch! How are Waylon and Fallout Boy doing these days? Been to the Sha-Boom Ka-Boom Cafe lately?
By
ScottyB, at 12 July, 2006 16:38
Hey! What I do in my free time is none of your business!
By
Anonymous, at 13 July, 2006 13:51
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