Living in Utah isn't what I thought it would be.
Well, some of it lives up to what I thought it would be: 8 Mormon churches in town, no liquor sold in town, three-two beer outside the town limits, most everything closed on Sundays, etc.
But what I didn't see coming was the prevalent "be and let be" attitude. Never stepping foot into Utah for more than a couple days on a layover prior to this, I was expecting the stereotype that had been built up by those around me, as well as my own misconceptions. But I wasn't shunned, wasn't hounded by missionaries; I've actually been harassed far more in Kayenta by both Baptist and Mormon missionaries than I ever have in Blanding.
Don't get me wrong, there are places where the stereotypes exist, with polygamy and conservative dress and what not, but that is by far the minority.
And while Utah does has some straight up retarded liquor laws and what basically amounts to a Mormon puppet government up in Salt Lake, they are making steps to join the 20th century (though I wouldn't hold out hope for Utah joining the 21st century for some time). Case in point: Just last year they finally made it legal to brew your own beer and wine, not that the lack of legality stopped people from doing it.
Now if we could just work on some common sense items, like putting people who aren't teetotalers in the Dept. of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Well, some of it lives up to what I thought it would be: 8 Mormon churches in town, no liquor sold in town, three-two beer outside the town limits, most everything closed on Sundays, etc.
But what I didn't see coming was the prevalent "be and let be" attitude. Never stepping foot into Utah for more than a couple days on a layover prior to this, I was expecting the stereotype that had been built up by those around me, as well as my own misconceptions. But I wasn't shunned, wasn't hounded by missionaries; I've actually been harassed far more in Kayenta by both Baptist and Mormon missionaries than I ever have in Blanding.
Don't get me wrong, there are places where the stereotypes exist, with polygamy and conservative dress and what not, but that is by far the minority.
And while Utah does has some straight up retarded liquor laws and what basically amounts to a Mormon puppet government up in Salt Lake, they are making steps to join the 20th century (though I wouldn't hold out hope for Utah joining the 21st century for some time). Case in point: Just last year they finally made it legal to brew your own beer and wine, not that the lack of legality stopped people from doing it.
Now if we could just work on some common sense items, like putting people who aren't teetotalers in the Dept. of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
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