Michigan First Impressions

It is interesting what newbies notice as being different, unusual or from the Twilight Zone when they first arrive in an area.  Well this is my list of strange first impressions of western Michigan:

1. They should have a sign at the state border saying, "Bob Seger welcomes you to Michigan."  I mean they play his songs all the time.  Three weeks after moving here I asked my son-in-law what was it about Michigan and Bob Seger?  He was nonplussed, having no idea of what I was referring to; but while driving the first few weeks I would daily hear one or two Bob Seger songs on the "oldies or 70's" radio stations.   They even talk about his upcoming tour (which just happens to start in Michigan).  Compare that with western Oregon where if I heard two Bob Seger songs in an entire year I would be wondering why.  There are times when they play three Bob Seger songs within 30 minutes; and mind you this is not just on one radio station as I regularly switch between four.  Upon investigation, it turns out that Bob Seger is from the Detroit area which may account for some of his popularity here.  It must be an acquired taste, but I admit I'm starting to like his version of Downtown Train. 
2. It appears that 80's and New Wave music never made it to Michigan, or if it did it was no match for Bob Seger.  After diligent searching, it appears that my radio options are limited to rap, country, gospel or oldies.  Of course "oldies" refers to songs by Bob Seger, alternated with Fleetwood Mac, John Mellencamp and the Eagles.  There are lots of 80's stations in the Chicago area.  We were returning from visiting our daughter Bryn in Chicago a week ago and listening to 80's music out of South Bend, Indiana until the signal was no longer clear and so I switched to a station out of Grand Rapids.  I knew we were back in Michigan because it was a Bob Seger song.
3. It was very evident that we were no longer in Oregon when I was driving 73 mph down the freeway and everyone was passing me.  The speed limit is 65 mph on Oregon freeways and supposedly 70 in Michigan, but I think that is just a suggestion here because I appear to be the slowest driver at 73.  I must say that I find Michigan drivers to be very safe, especially when compared to driving on Utah freeways.
4. Michigan lefts are a really oddity.  On major beltline roads they have something called a Michigan left, which means you have to turn right to go left; or you drive through the light, then turn left and make a U-turn so you can turn right onto the street you wanted but were unable to access by turning left at the intersection.  Okay it sounds weird, but hopefully the following link  => http://www.michiganhighways.org/indepth/michigan_left.html>  will help explain how one turns right to go left in Michigan.
5. You don't go to "party stores" in Michigan to purchase balloons and other party supplies, unless you need to get a supply of alcohol.  I don't know why they don't just call them liquor stores, but evidently they like the euphemism of "party stores".  You know you are in Michigan when you are driving down the road 76 miles an hour and have to make a right turn to go left while listening to a radio station playing Bob Seger as you head to a party store to get some refreshments.
6. I was surprised at the apparent prosperity that I see in Grand Rapids area because Michigan supposedly has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.  Maybe it is because I am familiar with Linn County in Oregon which also has a high unemployment, but all the new buildings and construction in southeast Grand Rapids is impressive.  I have never seen so many new school buildings, churches, college buildings (there are at least 8 colleges in the area) and medical facilities.  People tell me that I need to see the Detroit area if I want to understand what unemployment and poverty look like.
7. Lawn care and home maintenance are a big deal here.  It seems everyone has a big lawn and during the summer months there are more landscaping companies working in our neighborhood of Grand Rapids than in the entire city of Albany, Oregon.  It is amazing to witness the lawn care trucks with their standing lawn mowers and the home repair vehicles that descend upon our street weekdays in the summer.  I would never see as many lawn care and home repair vehicles in a week in Oregon as I do on almost most any given weekday here.  I am always amazed at how many homes in the mid-west have lawns that are a half acre or larger.  Mind you, Oregon certainly has larger grass fields, but that's only for raising grass seed or pasturing sheep.
8. There are the usual mid-west differences that are impressive - starting with fire flies, cardinals, lightening storms, and all the wild game that lives in our area of Grand Rapids.  We have rabbits, turkeys and deer living in our ravine that will often come out and feed on our lawn.  I saw a 6 point deer the other day in our backyard.
9. As everyone knows, you see a lot of slugs in Oregon, but not nearly as many in Michigan.  I am of course referring to people and not the small, slimy snail-like creatures one finds in the garden.  Maybe it is just our neighborhood, but  people really appear active here - walking, riding their bikes, jogging, sailing, boating and just getting outside.  It is impressive to see all the people who jog and walk as you drive through East Grand Rapids, particularly by Reeds Lake.
10. The Christian Reform Church is very popular here.  It almost seems that there are as many Christian Reform Church buildings here as there are Mormon chapels in Utah.  I don't know how far one would have to drive to attend a Christian Reform church in Albany, Oregon; but it's only a few block here and you can listen to Bob Seger while getting there.
11. The Mackinac Bridge is no small accomplishment.  In fact it is just a few feet short of being 5 miles long.  That is no small distance for a two pillar suspension bridge.  The incredible scope of this structure dawned on me when I saw the pillars for the first time about 10 miles away.  They stand out like enormous skyscrapers.
12. I don't know if people in Michigan are well read, but the trees certainly are in the fall.  I love driving here in the fall (even with Bob Seger on the radio) or just walking around the neighborhood because of the colorful leaves.  I must be falling for Michigan.