Valuable Life Lessons Only Washington Could Teach Me

Rain is good.

From the western perspective, rain is part of what makes living in the Pacific Northwest enjoyable. From the eastern perspective, a little rain goes a long way to keep the whole place from going up in flames.

Craft beer is good.

Once you've had a chance to dive into Washington's amazing beer selection, you'll find it hard to go back to Big Beer. It's worth the extra cost.

If a restaurant has fresh fish on the menu, order that.

I learned a long time ago to stop myself from ordering burgers by default if I was at a restaurant, and get what I really want. Halibut and chips.

Have a sweater or coat in your car.

The weather in Washington can feel so unpredictable at times. Just the other day, I stepped out into a hail storm. It was sunny that morning.

Get flood insurance.

The idea of owning ten acres of forested land sounds nice until you realize the land is actually worthless because it is flooded 9 out of 12 months every year, rendering it useless. With the water right up to your driveway, flood insurance may have been the right call.

If it smells like a skunk, it's probably weed.

It's an old classic. Is that stench a dead skunk or weed? It is most assuredly marijuana.

Get sushi from a sushi restaurant and nowhere else.

If you get sushi in Washington, you're getting fresh raw fish. If you get sushi in a gas station outside of Washington, you're getting fresh food poisoning.