Green Mountain State

Here I am in Vermont at a math conference, and I'm finally adding it to my list of states visited. It's more than just a checkmark on a list -- it's interesting to see how life here compares to elsewhere in the US.

Quaint. That's the word for it. Everything is so darn quaint around here. They seem to take their quaintness fairly seriously -- where they do have chain stores like the Ponderosa Steakhoue near my hotel, it's clear that local authorities have negotiated a tamer look for the signs. Anyone who has seen the new IKEA sign hovering over the Beltway in College Park can appreciate that.