People are so nice, I hardly know what to do with myself.

I've been in Charlotte, NC for about a week now. The one thing that continues to startle me everywhere is how friggin nice everyone is. It's almost spooky, but I really like it.

At Bed, Bath & Beyond I am looking for wooden clothes hangers. I can't find them anywhere (because stores are HUGE) and finally ask a sales rep. No fucking lie, she says, "Oh there over here. Let me show you." Then she WALKS me over to the hangers! I almost shit myself.

At Harris Teeter (grocery) I am having a ball walking up and down the aisles with my cart. Previously I could only buy what I could carry because there was no car in the city. I have a cart the size of a Volkswagen and I am shopping away. Then this employee comes up to me. I'm a little startled and he asks, "How are you today? Do you need any help?"

I didn't know what to do. I just kind of looked at him trying to figure out his angle. Does he think I am a shoplifter? Is he a homeless person in disguise trying to steal? Is he going to ask me to pay for my food in food stamps so he can get some cash for crack cocaine later?

No, he just wanted to know if I was enjoying my shopping experience. I asked about their VIP program because you get lots of discounts if you are a member. He explains it and then GOES TO GET AN APPLICATION AND A PEN AND BRINGS THEM BACK TO ME WHILE I AM SHOPPING! No fucking lie. Have you ever seen the Stepford Wives. I kind of felt that way.

Everywhere I go people are incredibly nice. I am living in a house with two friends and we have two dogs. Well the wind blew the door open and they both got out. The border collie thinks this is a game and never comes when you call.

I am terrified. THey are at work and I have let their dogs get out in a strange neighborhood. The neighbors see and see how distraught I am. You would have thought I lost an infant. People freely begin to LOOK AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD for the dogs. They are calling other neighbors, walking the streets. "So and so takes their afternoon jog about this time. Let me call them so they can keep a lookout."

It's crazy. This will take some getting used to.

*ahem* Yes, there's a difference between city living and... everything else living.

Neehai. Where in the hell did you live before? That is pretty much standard behavior here in Phoenix.

Jacksonville is the same way. I am glad that your new home is such a nice place neehai, I have heard good things about Charlotte. I had a business trip there a few years back and liked it too. Try not to mess it up... will ya! hehe (satire)

I have had all these same experiences right here in Brooklyn.

For those not in the know --Brooklyn, NewYork is the home of the nicest people in the universe.

hehehe, I felt the same way the first time I went to the Outher Banks. NC'ers are very nice people. It's quite a culture shock after being in the DC area where it seems to be a competition to see who can be the rudest

People where I used to live in Canada were nice like that. I moved to a new neighborhood in Kamloops and knew no one and one morning after a blizzard I woke up to find my neighbor snowblowing my driveway and porch. When I brought him hot coffee and thanked him he said: Oh it was fun, I just bought this and wanted to try it out.

Yet after every big snow storm, he'd come over and blow off the driveway, even after the novelty of the snow blower wore off. His wife taught me how to make jam and how to can things from the garden.

All in all the people in Kamloops were awesome.

My first experience with S. Florida - I drove through a McDonnalds and had a little trouble understanding the heavy islander accent of the person at the mike and I politely told her that the microphone had a problem and I'd talk with her at the window.

When I got up to the window and paid, she took my hamburger and actually threw it at me - just lobbed it right into the drivers side window. LOL

In the stores here they stand around, have personal conversations on their cell phones and hold contests to see who can ignore you the longest. It's hysterical.

Miami also has the dubious distinction of having the rudest drivers in the country. There is no such thing as a red light that people with actually stop at in South Florida.

Never go to S. Florida and admit your Canadian in a bar because you will never get served - it seems Canadian tourists are notorious here for not tipping.

One thing though - the toll both people are really nice and will give stupid Canadians like me directions and change.

I think maybe the difference is that in S. Florida there are a lot of tourists and transient people and it just makes things like common politeness, apparently not necessary.

It is amazing moving between the two different worlds though.

I was visiting NYC a couple years back. There was a door man at a store that I was in. When he opened the door for me I said "Thank You". He looked shocked, told me that I was the first person who had EVER said thank you to him. Then, I looked shocked.

*giggle* Downtown Toronto is lots of fun. The easiest way to terrify any random passer-by down there (especially those in business suits) is to look them in the eye, smile, and say 'Hello'.

Damn, where the hell'd you live before? Just wait till people start pulling to the side and a bit onto the shoulder to let you pass when you drive.

I've just never had people be so helpful. It's like I have moved to the third world.

I'm a little skeptical with it being a red state and all. I'm not drinking any kool-aid they offer me. I have a sneaking suspicion all these people were once Democrats.

The men who work in shops are also so nice. It's enough to drive me crazy. When the guy at Circuit City where I was getting my satellite radio installed told me, "Don't worry, I'll take care of you," I thought he was going to usher me into a back room for a little afternoon fun. Sadly, he just meant my radio installation.

NC can be a nice place, I live there myself. It depends where you are in NC truely. Around the Winston-Salem area, you will run into a lot, and I do mean a LOT of closed minded people, and those who don't have time to "waste" on others. Of course, that happens everywhere. Anyways, Welcome to NC!

-- I wish we were lucky enough to be all democrats, would be such a better place. ^_~

I live in Irvine as well and most of the folks are nice enough. The pharmacists at the Target actually remember me on sight and have my pills ready as soon as I walk up. That freaked me out at first! The other odd thing is that even the white trash here lives in $1700 a month apartments.

The biggest problems here are psychos with samurai swords at the local food store and people who just cannot drive. And that is not a comment on Irvine's asian population. No one in Orange County can drive!

While I have never been to South Florida, the books and newspaper columns of Carl Hiaasen have convinced me that there is something in the water that makes them all nuts.

South Florida isnt all that great as its made up to be. I live in Palm Beach Gardens. I mean, dont get me wrong, its nice, but your ussually on your own most of the time if you understand what im trying to say.

That was EXACTLY what I was thinking when I read this. I live in San Diego and that's the norm not the exception. Neehai, move. *hugs*

OMG - Hiaasen is just TOO funny. I have read all of his books, my favorite being Sick Puppy. I also really love Tim Dorsey's books - now THAT'S a look at Florida in all it's weirdness. Dave Barry is my hero.

I got to meet Hiaasen signing books at Borders and he says that he actually models his characters after real people.

I have lived in Canada, California and Arizona in the past and Florida takes with "Weirdness" trophy hands down.

Actually without the Florida weirdness, I could not stand to live here. I love the weirdness, the strange people, bizarre crimes and stupid politicians. As more yuppies and normalcy move in, Florida not only becomes unbearably expensive but boring and even more unfriendly.

Didn't the Davester just write his Good-Bye Column?

Where am I supposed to turn now for the latest updates on Exploding Toilet Technology?

Oh, wait...Eggy, Moose...why am I worried? *goes off in search of donuts*

== danny d.

I feel the same way when I visit "the South". I live in Montreal and I'm only starting to realize what an unfriendly city I live in because of several trips I have taken to Tennessee in recent years. It's so odd for me to have complete strangers look me in the eye when I'm on the sidewalk in Nashville and they say hello or good afternoon. The first time I was so shocked I didn't respond and I assumed they were crazy. But then everyone kept on doing it, people who didn't look crazy at all.

I'm used to walking briskly down busy streets in Montreal, looking over people's head, sort of off in the distance and not meeting anyones eyes and everyone else does the same here.