Reflections on North Dakota

This is my first week in North Dakota for work. Actually, this is my first time in North Dakota ever. After getting off the second plane to get here, I started on my 100 mile drive to the city where my hotel is which brings me to the suckiest part of this trip. The speed limit is 70 on the dark highway with not much in between, well not much except for the short strip of 45 mph speed limit with the cop that hangs out waiting for people like me that don't know the road. Yeah, I got nailed. Getting a speeding ticket going 62 in a 45 zone is not good. Especially when it says on the back of the ticket that it earns me 3 points on my driving record. I've had no points on my record for my entire driving career and now I have 3. I wonder what that's going to do to my insurance. At least the fine was only $19. $19!!! Can you believe it? And I got three points! I'm trying not to think about it. Who knows, maybe North Dakota is so backwards that California will never find out. I doubt it.

Alright, so North Dakota hasn't been too kind so far, but at least the weather has been good. I know that won't last so I'm thankful for that. North Dakota reminds me alot of Smallville except I have yet to see a girl as pretty as Lana. The city of Minot is all about farming. If the Air Force base wasn't here, there wouldn't be a town here. Here are some strange things I've noticed around North Dakota:

- Ozzy Osbourne's song "Ironman" was playing in the Applebee's restaurant.
- People have the name of the dealership their car was bought at stenciled right on the paint of the car. Why do they do that? And why don't people take it off when they buy it?
- For a place so remote and hick, it is suprising at first to pick up radio stations in French, then I remember that I'm spitting distance from Canada.
- Nobody but white people everywhere you look (except on the base).
- My speeding ticket was only $19!

I still plan on talking about the retreat, but probably when I get home.