I grew up in Palm Springs, California. I always wanted to get out of there and see what else there is. Now… I sooo wanna move back.
I found this on facebook…
You know you are from Palm Springs if you….
* Can’t STAND when other people complain, “OMG, it’s like, SOoO hot outside!” as soon as the temperature breaks 80.
* Get confused when other people talk about “The Valley” or “The Desert”.
* Still get excited when it rains.
* Have ever attempted to / succesfully cooked an egg on the sidewalk or the asphalt.
* Went to an “outdoors” High School.
* Now feels spoiled to live by an ocean, river, or lake.
* Regularly hit up the dunes at Glamis, or had a regular spot at “The River”.
* Spent their weekends driving to at least Pomona, Riverside, LA, the OC, or San Diego to get to any good clubs, concert venues, or attractions.
* Regularly went to the weekend street fair at COD, or Thursday night street fair and acquired incense, cutting boards in the shapes of animals, awesome paintings of space made with spray paint, religious paraphenelia, or just listened to that weird-ass indian music.
(Haha Mr. Palmer and Michelle’s korian cutting boards – R.I.P. Russ Palmer).
* Remembers when Rancho 16 was brand-new.
* Grew up with the Tram, The Living Desert, and remembers when OASIS waterpark was only $8.00 to get in.
* Has ever hiked the Indian Canyons, the trail behind the Desert Museum, the Painted Canyons, or the Oasis.
* Know that there is no smell on god’s green earth worse than the Salton Sea.
* Just tells everyone they’re from Palm Springs, because no one knows where anything else is.
* Has ever heard, “So, Palm Springs…. WHERE exactly is that?”, and made the San Diego – Palm Springs – L.A. triangle to demonstrate.
* Is STILL afraid of Edom Hill, or ever went to Midget Town.
* Learned spanish in elementary school, either from friends, or from a classmate’s parent who came in and taught the class.
* Know the GOOD ice cream guys come with a little cart, not a f*ckin truck.
* Know “the mall” is ONLY the Palm Desert Mall.
* Ever camped at Joshua Tree.
* Gets sad that your new city is too bright to see stars.
(Downside to NYC).
* Has ever seen snakes, bats, roadrunners, and/or scorpions in their natural environment (like, your backyard).
* Can get a tan anytime April – October.
* Thinks it’s freezing when it dips below 60.
* Has traveled to places with snow, prepped with only a hoodie and sandals, OR, moved somewhere else and had to buy a whole new wardrobe.
(Man… I HATE Jersey).
* Remember Sunny Bono’s funeral and when Bob Hope died.
* Remember the 2 seasons of caterpillar / butterfly swarms, and not being able to walk or drive ANYWHERE without squishing something.
* Have ever watched the Racers in downtown PS.
* Is used to wearing shorts out at night, and laugh when friends ask, “But it’s cool when the sun goes down, right?”
* Has ever gone a day, a week, or a WHOLE SUMMER without air conditioning in the car, or worse, in the HOUSE.
* Has ever been in the prior situation, and slept with ice packs in their bed out of sheer desperation.
* Fed ducks at the Civic Center, or took their dogs to the dog park.
* Hated that billboard, “If you had used the Palm Springs International Airport, you’d be there already!”
* Ever had a Date Shake.
* Went to the casino when they turned 18.
* Know the term “Snowbirds,” and HATE THEM.
* Went to Coachella Fest BEFORE it was huge and 100 bucks/day, and knows Coachella for what it REALLY is (i.e. dirty and scummy, NOT hipster and unique).
* Get scared on the big drops in the new rotating tram cars.
(Haven’t been on them since they got the new cars).
* Know every single entrance and exit to every hotel pool.
* Knows roughly 70% of the staff at Ben & Jerry’s, Islands, or the Cheesecake Factory at any given time.
* Can tell you where to turn on Dinah Shore, Bob Hope, and Gene Autry to get from here to there,, but still know almost nothing about any of those people.
(Actually, I know who they are… c’mon).
* Know that there is only one freeway in the entire valley, and still get lost once we leave our neighborhood.
* Know where the Towncenter is (and it’s NOT in the center of town).
* Can differentiate 100* from 110* from 120* from 126*… and hate when people tell you the desert is no big deal, because it’s a “dry heat”.
* Has attended a birthday party at Camelot, before it was Boomers!
* Is threatened by the word, “SuperWalmart”.
* Know what REAL mexican food tastes like, and/or had someone’s mexican grandma personally make some for you.
* is familiar with UCOD.
* Know where the cops hide out on the I-10.
* Have “burned rubber”, or gotten their car stuck in the sand somewhere, trying to do stupid sh*t with their truck.
(Guilty).
* Get excited to see windmills in movies.
* Know what the nudist bridge is.
* Feel like they’re in a vast, barren wasteland when not surrounded by mountains.
* Rocky’s Pawn Shop…. just hock it to Rock!
* Have ever warned a friend who was coming to visit about the heat. And warned them again. And warned them, “No, seriously, it’s REALLY hot. We’re gonna be inside most of the time, so I don’t want you to hear you complain.” And then listened to them complain the entire weekend about how they were going to die.
* Can describe “the scene” in painstakingly accurate detail.
* Have literally FELT THEMSELVES getting a sunburn, but still only bust out the sunscreen when going to the beach.
* Learned NEVER to try and get the mail without shoes on.
* Has lit off fireworks in an empty lot, a backyard, or the street in front of their house.
* Failed their driver’s test at the Palm Springs DMV, but passed with fffllyyyyiiinngg colors in Indio.
(I can see that happening).
* Has been to a concert at the Southwest Community church.
* Was scandalized / saddened to hear about Mr. Cope, and the Principal from Sunny Sands.
(I remember it but thankfully wasn’t involved. Never had him as a teacher, friends did though).
* Is sick of the “vintage” palm tree decor look.
(?).
* “Yes, I’m from Palm Springs. Actually, it’s not EXACTLY Palm Springs, it’s this little city right near there called… well, i mean, it’s part of the same valley…. you know what? it’s Palm Springs. Oh, you have a SECOND home there? Wow, that’s… great…. oh, no, I don’t play golf…. No, I don’t really know about that course… yeah, the weather can be ok, sure… ok, I just, need to go….”
* Has been to/ walked in the Golf Cart parade.
(Both)
* Has had a birthday party at Bubba Bears
(A few friends did).
* Has spent time around Christmas exploring Candy Cane Lane.
(Lived in the same neighborhood).
* Will always be a DESERT RAT!
