amerishock

mariokart congress sold separately

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:00:34 +0000

important info

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:15:10 +0000

I wonder what kind of tree that was? Let’s read the plaque beside it to find out:

Answer: A significant one. In the U.S., patriotism takes precedence over biology.

(For those interested: I inquired. It was a valley oak.)

bye-bye beer belly, hello wino

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:21:32 +0000

At Whole Foods, nonetheless.

In Quebec, that beer sells for $3. And an equivalent bottle of wine is probably more than $10. Another good reason to shop local.

paying attention during commercial breaks

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:55:06 +0000

I’ve been a football fan since, well, my boyfriend in high school played on the team. In Canada, I’d cheer for the Als in the CFL and occasionally watch American football. And, mainly because it provided a good excuse for a party, I’d watch the Super Bowl. The next day, I’d watch the ads online because the ads in Canada suck. So, during the commercial breaks I’d talk with friends, go to the washroom, fill up the bowl of chips, and complain about the ads being crappy.

Not this year. I kept reminding myself to pay attention for the ads and the whole Super Bowl watching experience was taken to the next level (even though I missed the onside kick because I had to pee).

Safeway never looked so good

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:54:03 +0000

Live in a city where alcohol is only available at the liquor store and the liquor store seems to be closed whenever you want to buy beer, wine, or liquor at the last minute (e.g., Sunday before the game, Sunday before a dinner party, anytime after 11pm)? Welcome to California:

Safeway never looked so good.

hidden in plain sight

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:01:04 +0000

When ordering online (as one is likely to do if living in the US):

Browse
Add item to cart
Repeat steps 1 and 2 (optional)
Begin check out
Enter shipping and billing information (which includes selecting a country from the drop-down menu)
Confirm and place order

All very straightforward. Except maybe #5. Especially when the list in the drop-down menu reads: Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu

My initial reaction: How do they not ship to the US!?

My next thought: Oh, right. United States must be listed at the top. [Scrolling up] And there it is.

Moral of the story: Capitalism trumps alphabetical order in America.

a winning combination

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:32:42 +0000

Imagine this scenario:

You and the boys have decided to go hunting this weekend. It’s actually an impromptu decision, made while driving on a Saturday morning. Naturally, you need to procure hunting paraphernalia, most importantly ammunition and alcohol. But you’re lazy and don’t want to get out of the comfort of the pickup truck to go shopping. You find yourself wishing aloud for a drive-thru that sold liquor and ammo. The boys share your dream, but suggest that the closest Walmart might be the best bet. Then, as you’re driving down a dusty Arizona road towards Walmart , you see something off in the distance. At first, you think it’s a mirage. Then, as you get closer, you discover that your wish has come true. You pull in here:

God bless America.

way beyond books

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:37:19 +0000

In Canada, Amazon.ca is an online bookstore known for selling (obviously) books. In the United States, Amazon.com is an online store known for selling pretty much everything, including books and toilet paper.

When I first found out that it was possible to order toilet paper online, I wondered aloud “who would buy tp on the internet?”. I’ve since answered the question, having placed an order from Amazon.com that included 48 rolls of 2-ply the other day.

When it’s no more expensive than buying it at the store (at least for the eco-friendly kind) and it’s delivered, in bulk, to your door for free, the question becomes “who wouldn’t buy tp on the internet?”. Added bonus: user reviews to gauge softness. Amerishock.

america can be shocking

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:00:38 +0000

A couple of months ago, I moved to the United States. All my life, I’ve lived in relatively close proximity to the US border (in Canada) so I wasn’t a completely naive newbie. But even though US pop-culture, politics, brands, and trends have permeated my consciousness for the better part of three decades, there are aspects of life in America that still stun me.

In my first couple of weeks here, I adopted the term amerishock to describe anything that seemed uniquely American that surprised, astonished, and/or amazed me. The use of the term became a common occurrence and was well-received by those with whom I shared my tales of amerishock. As a result, I was inspired to develop amerishock.com.

The purpose of amerishock.com is to document and share the instances that I proclaim “amerishock!” during my time in the United States. However, as shock value has a tendency to fade with prolonged and repetitive exposure to the stimulus, I anticipate that I will experience amerishock less frequently over time.

That’s where you come in. If you visit the US or move here from another country, contribute your best amerishock moments and I will post them. Oh, and you should follow amerishock on Twitter too.