Verbal Tics Of The Phoenicians

In every conversation, a Phoenician mentions the weather. Note that I've only been here a few weeks, and pretty much think yes, it's hot but I kinda like it, surprisingly. And I'm from central New Jersey--look, when you can't go out side and walk 10 steps before being unable to breathe, then it's humid and hellish. And I've lived without air conditioning for 10 years, once in a 3rd floor apartment during a heatwave where it reached 100 degrees in the bedroom. Even in my house, the second story was over 90 degrees for at least a month of summer and it was tolerable. Not that I don't love a/c and think it makes this place livable. And the misters!

So the Phoenicians ask me where I'm from and then comment on how hot and humid it is, and then bust out "I just tell myself it beats shoveling snow!"

Yes, as someone who was shoveling snow as recently as March, and has been hit with 18 inches of snow on April 18th, I concur. It may be 98 degrees at 10pm, but if you can walk to the grocery it is pretty sweet.

And is it just me, or is Phoenix a really friendly town? Three times today I got involved in really nice, friendly conversations with people. Maybe they were all just bored, but even if people are bored in Cleveland, they won't talk to you. My god, it was like I was speaking Russian most of the time to get more than a grunt out of people. They also only want to discuss sports teams as their verbal tic, and I'd rather get asked where I'm from and is it hot enough for me?