doing my homework

So in prep for moving to Wisconsin Derek and I have done a lot of homework. We've crunched numbers, compared tax rates, asked about retirement and compared school test scores and value added scores.

But all that is super boring.

I did stumble onto this video early in my research. It's more fun. Did you know Three Lakes was voted "Single Best Town in America" last year? Did you know runner up was Tennessee's own Bell Buckle? I didn't realize the irony until last night when I sat eating a Moon Pie and staring at a bottle of wine from the Three Lakes winery. (Oh yes, my evenings are quite the foray into elegant living.)

Here's a video about Three Lakes:

Doesn't it look fantastic!?

But we all know a town is measured by more than where you can eat and go to have fun. You also have to get into the culture of an area. Before I leave for any area I try to get an idea of any cultural norms. Even if I can't participate or mimic these norms it's nice to know how to keep from offending people.

So I watched a movie about Minnesota. I know it's not the same, but it's the best I could do. It was very educational. Here's the trailer:

And last but not least: THE COLD.

Everyone seems to want me to understand how cold the area can be. Somehow the idea that Derek and I went for a walk in Edmonton at -19c doesn't stick with people. Yes my face hurt by the time we got to Lily's house. But I have experienced that cold and been made aware that I should have waited for the bus. Note taken.

So I goggled "How cold is it in Wisconsin" and found "How cold it is in Wisconsin" which is a video on YouTube.

Enjoy.