Liquor, radio stations, and snakes....Oh My!!!

So this blog is kinda ragging on New Haven, but after this, I think we have found all the oddities of this place.

First up....The Liquor Wars.

All Californians...please take a moment to thank your lucky stars that you are able to go to any local Ralphs, Albertsons, or convenience store and purchase beer, wine, and liquor.

I need a moment of silence. Alas, that freedom has been taken away from Jeremy and I. Not that I usually buy large amounts of alcohol or make it a priority to drink on Sunday...but shouldn't I have the choice. Connecticut is another state (like Utah & Colorado) that still have blue laws enforced. If you didn't know, blue laws are "a type of law designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest. Most have been repealed or are simply unenforced, although prohibitions on the sale of alcoholic beverages and occasionally almost all commerce, on Sundays are still enforced in many areas. Blue laws often prohibit an activity only during certain hours and there are usually exceptions to the prohibition of commerce, like grocery and drug stores. In some places blue laws may be enforced due to religious principles, but others are retained as a matter of tradition or out of convenience." Wow! Doesn't seem like these laws are ridiculous and outdated!


In addition to the inconvenience of needed to plan ahead, in New Haven they don't believe that my ID is real. Story time! So...last weekend, we had a lovely day in Branford at the "beach". I put that in quotations because the "beach" had no waves and had boats docked extremely close to shore. Anyhoo, after a day at the beach, a group of us decided to make dinner, so we went to the store to get some food and beer. I said that I would buy the beer and when I got up to the register, I gave the checker my ID and she said I wouldn't be able to buy the beer. I was bewildered! What? We had to call the manager and then I was able to make the purchase. My ID was also questioned when I was buying some wine at the liquor store and the guy asked me if my ID was really a real California ID. I almost started laughing and wanted to invite him outside to look at my license plates. I can tell that this is going to be a problem for all of our years here, since I never plan on getting a CT license.

Now onto...Radio Stations

Right now, one of the things I am missing most about San Diego and California in general is the variety of great radio stations. Radio stations have themes in California. You have oldies, rock, alternative, classical, pop...you get the idea. Here in good ole CT the radio stations are SO random. One moment you are listening to a White Stripes song, so you think you have found an alternative rock station, but then Celene Dion comes on. WHAT? Of course, you don't want to listen to Celene so you change the station, you find what you think is 80's, but then comes Shania Twain. AHHH! The insanity!!! The sheer madness of it all!!! Why does no station follow any kind of format? The only station that seems to have a theme is the oldies station. Basically, there is not one radio station worth listening to and we are no longer hearing any new, current music. Now, this isn't a big problem when we are at home because we can stream Internet radio, but in the car....ugh, words cannot describe the frustration.

Last but not least...A party with snakes?

Saturday seemed to begin normally.... We were invited to a block party, so we went to the store to pick up supplies for skip n' go naked juice. The block party was fun and everyone was enjoying our special juice. Once the block party was over we all decided to stop by a party that a grad student in the biology department was throwing. Now, when you think house party...what do you think of? Close your eyes, let's get a visual of what is typical of this kind of party. People talking, music playing, cheese and crackers sitting out, dancing? Well my friends, none of that compares to this house party!!! In your visual did you picture people sitting and talking and holding snakes???? Yes, that's right snakes!!! When you walked in the door to the house party, did you picture yourself smelling a funk? Was the funk the pee/poop of a snake? NO I DON'T THINK SO!! Normal people don't have a party like this. This guy took us on a tour of this room that was filled with snakes and if that wasn't enough....tarantulas!!! Jeremy shot across the room when that little guy was pulled out. I swear, this was the weirdest party of my life. At least all of the people we went there with thought that it was the weirdest party ever, so that must mean that they are normal and did not expect it to be a hands on biology party.

I know this blog has been filled with gripes, but I really don't know what else I can gripe about after all of this. Nothing can beat the strange snake souiree!!! Next up....it's getting chilly...I have a new job...1 more trip to IKEA should finish off the apartment!

Adios Amigos!!