This from the man who lives "somewhere on the road!"
Yes, I am in the Boston area. I remember several other LFAA locations, but permission isn't granted to share them.
PS, here's a song for Roland (not THE Song of Roland) on his travels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov4epAJRPMw
Reading all your replies, Roland, sparked a memory. My cousin, Joey, was a truck driver, retired in the early 2000's. He knew every nook and cranny of every town you could name. I don't think there's a cartographer who could hold a candle to the likes of him or you when it comes to U.S. geography!
Like I said, IтАЩm a geography nut. And when weтАЩre talking about the US were talking about my home. IтАЩm a complete bimbo when it comes to Canada, or even Mexico which is closer to me than Canada.
We wince in Canada. IтАЩm positive тАЬcomplete bimboтАЭ is grossly exaggerated, but it would not be enough for some Americans.
Admittedly from several decades ago but...
A colleague of mine came from a family in Niagara Falls who owned a motel. They regularly fielded inquiries such as, тАЬCan you walk to Toronto from here?тАЭ
тАЬHow far from here until thereтАЩs skiingтАЭ? (in July).
My wife and I were once doing a baseball trip down the east side of your country. We were golfing one day in Brookline MA (gorgeous public course) and were paired up with the nicest American couple (American friendliness is legendary in Canada). The initial conversation after introductions went something like this:
Him: so where yтАЩall from?
Me: Toronto (we werenтАЩt, but we were 100% sure nobody would have heard of Peterborough, 60 miles away).
Him (lighting up in a huge smile): Toronto? What a coincidence. I *know* a guy from Toronto.
Me: Imagine. Small world.
Him: You probably know him. Ed McAllisterтАЩs his name.
Me (having an idea where this was headed): No, I donтАЩt. Shall we tee off?
Him: You donтАЩt? Seriously.
Me: Nope. Never heard of him.
Him: CanтАЩt be. Big guy, bit of a paunch -
Me (avoiding my wifeтАЩs eye): No. You gotta understand. TorontoтАЩs a city. Everybody couldnтАЩt possibly know everybody.
Him: Yeah Yeah, I get it. But youтАЩd have at least seen him. Really loud voice, red-faced, always wearing boots -
Me (in desperation at this point): Look, you could put at least two Bostons in Toronto. WeтАЩre two million people.
Him: You canтАЩt be serious. Canada doesnтАЩt have cities like that.
There was a kind of chill for the first few holes. But at the very end, when we were saying our goodbyes, he gave me a big smile and a wink and said, тАЬYou say hi to Ed when you go home. Tell him Big John misses himтАЭ. It was a most friendly way of apologizing without actually doing so. I remember that moment most clearly. You guys have a way of making friendships that is very endearing. Canadians, alas, are much more reserved in the main. I think we miss out on a lot.
ItтАЩs a smaller world today. Mass media is pervasive and (relatively) cheap travel used to be common.
Oy, Eric. But I can tell you that I was on a research trip in the UK, on a train from London to Shrewsbury via Birmingham, and trying to get some work done before hitting the archives in Shrewsbury when two "suits" sat down opposite me. One took one look at the uninteresting girl and ignored me. The other decided to pepper me with questions (this was over 20 years ago so the conversation is not entirely accurate but you'll get the picture):
He: "What are you doing?"
Me: "Some preparation for a research trip."
He: "You're an American!"
Me: "Yes."
He: "What are you doing here?"
Me: "I'm a medieval historian." [by this time his coworker was looking very annoyed]
He: "What? An American who is a medieval historian? Where do you teach?"
Me: "You won't have heard of my university: it's a small school in NY State."
He: "WHICH ONE?!"
Me: Names the school. (It is a very small uni with very little name recognition)
He: "Oh My God! I got my degree from [X] University!"
Turned out he was a ceramic engineer and the uni where I taught was the #2 place in the USA to do a degree in that arcane field.
So sometimes these conversations can get really weird.
Oh my goodness. ThatтАЩs an amazing crossing of paths. A truly stunning moment in a world of 8 billion people.
Medieval historian - what a rich field that must be. I know virtually nothing about it (conversational basics only), but it doesnтАЩt take much to scratch my curiosity. Have you written a book or books?
Can't really remember sadly. I've had so many trips to the United States for holidays. Generally speaking, I loved them all. Naturally, once in a while "stuff happens" that puts a damper on a holiday. I have a fount full of stories.
I've travelled way more in America than in Canada. We took our kids to Myrtle Beach virtually every spring (80s and 90s). Loved it. Was stunned by the social inequality, but not really of an age to appreciate how momentous it was. Drove all the time - loved the Appalachian geography.
My other trips were, as mentioned, baseball related. Baseball is a passion for me. Those were amazing and produced their own stories.
In those days we Canadians held America in awe. We, as a country, felt like the red-headed stepchild. Small. Insufficient. Boring.
Post 9/11, I think we took careful stock and our general impression was that we felt sorry that the America that was was disappearing. It seemed odd how quickly Americans became fearful. The grating "U.S.A. U.S.A. U.S.A." chant disappeared by and large, a happening we didn't regret.
The last four years we have felt appalled, terrified, and amazed that America could have taken such a reckless right turn behind a man most of us regarded as the male equivalent of a bimbo.
And we breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when Biden won.
Well, in this HCR community, pretend you are speaking with Canadians. Because the last 4 years everyone I know (except my dad and co-workers, who were elated) has been appalled and terrified, in the extreme. My wife has been in a heightened state of anxiety and borderline panic the entire 4 years. We are just now coming down from that place of borderline terror. The entire first week of November 2020 we were all on pins and needles. January 2021 is a month I will not soon forget. The emotional whiplash of the heady Georgia Senate election miracle, followed by the Capitol Riot, impeachment, inauguration, impeachment trial. Eric, the reason I am even a participant in this online community is because of 45. I would possibly never have heard of Dr. Richardson otherwise, certainly I wouldn't be a subscriber. Hit the "like" button if you concur, or leave Eric a reply. This is not the place where people chant "USA, USA" although these days I could change my mind about that.
This is a stunning community. I decided to join after I read HCRтАЩs How the South Win The Civil War. I couldnтАЩt be more happy that I did. The diversity, keenness and enthusiasm in this group is madly infectious.
Thank you for all your posts. When I see тАЬRolandтАЭ, I read тАЬRolandтАЭ. :)
My apologies on behalf of my country for making Canada feel the way you describe. I love Canada...in the summertime! While my husband and I went for a short visit to the outskirts of Toronto (Scarborough) to visit our nieces, our best trip was when we packed our bikes one summer and headed up to Nova Scotia for two weeks of bicycling from one end (Yarmouth) to the other (Cape Breton-Cheticamp). I was "wide-eyed" the entire time.
As for the last four years, many of us were also appalled, terrified and amazed, and are still a bit worried about the next election.
I am a veteran of Scarberia, as it is not so politely known in much of southern Ontario. My old running route took me deep into it.
No apologies needed. I wouldnтАЩt be in this post if I wasnтАЩt fascinated by your great (and sometimes not so great) country. It is spectacularly larger than life in its totality.
Thanks for adding "VA by way of DC," it might be helpful to others, but I have you pegged now, since our conversation about Alexandria and Stuart's mention of Potomac.
I get chills just reading your comments about 9/11 and the ensuing downward slide. I was in Germany on vacation in 2016, and someone in Munich commented about Trump, saying that she thought he was great. I'd have preferred that she'd said that Americans had to be crazy to even consider him! I answered that he was a fool, and would never be elected. Stupid me. If he'd been reelected, I can't even imagine where I'd be now. Heather has truly enabled those of us participating in this group to maintain our sanity through this nightmare, and I'm finally allowing myself to believe that we can survive, in spite of the unbelievable ugliness that has emerged.
Richard (from Norfolk, England). We constantly used to get that situation when we went to the USA (haven't been there for more than a dozen years). It goes like this:
We're from England
Oh how interesting. You must know XYZ. He lives in Manchester
Ok, Eric, give me a break. Obviously that's not what I meant by "complete bimbo." I didn't mean I'm illiterate. What you are describing is the kind of stuff my family had to tolerate during my teens in Germany. We were all bilingual German-English. In public, we would often gab amongst ourselves in American English, and then we would listen to Germans making snide comments about how tacky the Americans are. We were taking the heat for the actual tacky Americans, because we were never part of that demographic. Oh well. BTW I lived in Brookline among other towns while I was in Boston. I have a special fondness for Brookline. The house I lived in was a stop on the underground railroad, we believe, based on things we discovered inside the house in a secret room we found. Anyway, back to Canada, I have heard nothing but rave reviews about Canada. My wife has been a number of times, national parks in the Rockies, Vancouver, and more. It's on my bucket list. Trust me, I'm not your golfer acquaintance.
IтАЩm so sorry that came across poorly. What I see even in this post is the trauma Trump inflicted. In my early days it seemed to me that this was a group of pessimistic, but interesting people. Then the thought of universal trauma occurred to me. How horrible.
ItтАЩs all good. You are venting about the clueless side of our society. 74 million voted for 45 last Nov. Your golfers had to have been in that group.
Some Americans think that all Canadians from the same place "know" each other, just like some white Americans think that all Black Americans "know" each other.
Don't do that, Lindsay. *said sweetly* I appreciate your support, and Lynell's, it's very gracious. He's being honest, I like honesty. I'm a big boy, and not conflict averse. Eric is describing what it's like seeing the U.S. from an external perspective. Before 45, we didn't have a name for what Eric is describing, but now we do: Trumpsters. Republicans who don't get it. The clueless ones. The ones that fall for things like QAnon. They still live here, they haven't disappeared. They're not you and me, Lindsay, but we know them, we live with them, they are in our families and at our places of work.
Roland, I stick with my comment: Eric drew such a good portrait of this utterly clueless man. He told the story so vividly. That's what I found wonderful, not Big John's mentality. ;>)
Maybe what I said did seem ambiguous, Roland. -I found Eric's simply-told story a startling portrait of how completely oblivious a person can be. It almost gave me the shivers.
Hello TPJ, good morning. You contributed to the movie script for my sci-fi better-society story project. I realized today that this Johnny Cash song is perfect for one of the scenes. Thank you for your contribution ЁЯЩП
IтАЩve had it in the back of my mind that the movie should have two soundtracks like Back To The Future does, a soundtrack that includes oldies and pop songs that appear in the movie in suitable spots, and an orchestral soundtrack running throughout. Your Johnny Cash song is the first contribution to the pop song sound track.
Roland, regarding the music: I love that idea of 2 soundscores throughout the movie.
The TV series, The Blacklist, does something similar, and you might enjoy listening to the sound tracks to it. It's well over 250 songs at this point, touching on classical, the 1930s - 1970s, hip-hop, indie, and rock. It's a truly eclectic mix of genres and it may lead you to some bands that might fit exactly where you need them to in your story.
Named after Sarah Winnemucca, Paiute Indian, former army translator, writer, educator and strong advocate for Native American rights. Tragically, she died at age 47 with a brilliant career ahead of her.
This from the man who lives "somewhere on the road!"
Yes, I am in the Boston area. I remember several other LFAA locations, but permission isn't granted to share them.
PS, here's a song for Roland (not THE Song of Roland) on his travels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov4epAJRPMw
And TPJ has a song for every moment. Wow, never heard this song before...wish I had!
Boston has very good college and public radio stations at the left end of the dial. Then it's off to YouTube to share the recordings.
Well, IтАЩve been to all the places west of Texas that Johnny Cash is talking about except Catalina. Thanks TPJ that was sweet of you ЁЯЩП
Reading all your replies, Roland, sparked a memory. My cousin, Joey, was a truck driver, retired in the early 2000's. He knew every nook and cranny of every town you could name. I don't think there's a cartographer who could hold a candle to the likes of him or you when it comes to U.S. geography!
Like I said, IтАЩm a geography nut. And when weтАЩre talking about the US were talking about my home. IтАЩm a complete bimbo when it comes to Canada, or even Mexico which is closer to me than Canada.
We wince in Canada. IтАЩm positive тАЬcomplete bimboтАЭ is grossly exaggerated, but it would not be enough for some Americans.
Admittedly from several decades ago but...
A colleague of mine came from a family in Niagara Falls who owned a motel. They regularly fielded inquiries such as, тАЬCan you walk to Toronto from here?тАЭ
тАЬHow far from here until thereтАЩs skiingтАЭ? (in July).
My wife and I were once doing a baseball trip down the east side of your country. We were golfing one day in Brookline MA (gorgeous public course) and were paired up with the nicest American couple (American friendliness is legendary in Canada). The initial conversation after introductions went something like this:
Him: so where yтАЩall from?
Me: Toronto (we werenтАЩt, but we were 100% sure nobody would have heard of Peterborough, 60 miles away).
Him (lighting up in a huge smile): Toronto? What a coincidence. I *know* a guy from Toronto.
Me: Imagine. Small world.
Him: You probably know him. Ed McAllisterтАЩs his name.
Me (having an idea where this was headed): No, I donтАЩt. Shall we tee off?
Him: You donтАЩt? Seriously.
Me: Nope. Never heard of him.
Him: CanтАЩt be. Big guy, bit of a paunch -
Me (avoiding my wifeтАЩs eye): No. You gotta understand. TorontoтАЩs a city. Everybody couldnтАЩt possibly know everybody.
Him: Yeah Yeah, I get it. But youтАЩd have at least seen him. Really loud voice, red-faced, always wearing boots -
Me (in desperation at this point): Look, you could put at least two Bostons in Toronto. WeтАЩre two million people.
Him: You canтАЩt be serious. Canada doesnтАЩt have cities like that.
There was a kind of chill for the first few holes. But at the very end, when we were saying our goodbyes, he gave me a big smile and a wink and said, тАЬYou say hi to Ed when you go home. Tell him Big John misses himтАЭ. It was a most friendly way of apologizing without actually doing so. I remember that moment most clearly. You guys have a way of making friendships that is very endearing. Canadians, alas, are much more reserved in the main. I think we miss out on a lot.
ItтАЩs a smaller world today. Mass media is pervasive and (relatively) cheap travel used to be common.
Oy, Eric. But I can tell you that I was on a research trip in the UK, on a train from London to Shrewsbury via Birmingham, and trying to get some work done before hitting the archives in Shrewsbury when two "suits" sat down opposite me. One took one look at the uninteresting girl and ignored me. The other decided to pepper me with questions (this was over 20 years ago so the conversation is not entirely accurate but you'll get the picture):
He: "What are you doing?"
Me: "Some preparation for a research trip."
He: "You're an American!"
Me: "Yes."
He: "What are you doing here?"
Me: "I'm a medieval historian." [by this time his coworker was looking very annoyed]
He: "What? An American who is a medieval historian? Where do you teach?"
Me: "You won't have heard of my university: it's a small school in NY State."
He: "WHICH ONE?!"
Me: Names the school. (It is a very small uni with very little name recognition)
He: "Oh My God! I got my degree from [X] University!"
Turned out he was a ceramic engineer and the uni where I taught was the #2 place in the USA to do a degree in that arcane field.
So sometimes these conversations can get really weird.
A medieval historian! Sounds fascinating!
Oh my goodness. ThatтАЩs an amazing crossing of paths. A truly stunning moment in a world of 8 billion people.
Medieval historian - what a rich field that must be. I know virtually nothing about it (conversational basics only), but it doesnтАЩt take much to scratch my curiosity. Have you written a book or books?
Yep--several. I use my real name on this forum, so I am searchable.
So, Eric, how was the rest of your trip? Asking for a friend...
Can't really remember sadly. I've had so many trips to the United States for holidays. Generally speaking, I loved them all. Naturally, once in a while "stuff happens" that puts a damper on a holiday. I have a fount full of stories.
I've travelled way more in America than in Canada. We took our kids to Myrtle Beach virtually every spring (80s and 90s). Loved it. Was stunned by the social inequality, but not really of an age to appreciate how momentous it was. Drove all the time - loved the Appalachian geography.
My other trips were, as mentioned, baseball related. Baseball is a passion for me. Those were amazing and produced their own stories.
In those days we Canadians held America in awe. We, as a country, felt like the red-headed stepchild. Small. Insufficient. Boring.
Post 9/11, I think we took careful stock and our general impression was that we felt sorry that the America that was was disappearing. It seemed odd how quickly Americans became fearful. The grating "U.S.A. U.S.A. U.S.A." chant disappeared by and large, a happening we didn't regret.
The last four years we have felt appalled, terrified, and amazed that America could have taken such a reckless right turn behind a man most of us regarded as the male equivalent of a bimbo.
And we breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when Biden won.
Well, in this HCR community, pretend you are speaking with Canadians. Because the last 4 years everyone I know (except my dad and co-workers, who were elated) has been appalled and terrified, in the extreme. My wife has been in a heightened state of anxiety and borderline panic the entire 4 years. We are just now coming down from that place of borderline terror. The entire first week of November 2020 we were all on pins and needles. January 2021 is a month I will not soon forget. The emotional whiplash of the heady Georgia Senate election miracle, followed by the Capitol Riot, impeachment, inauguration, impeachment trial. Eric, the reason I am even a participant in this online community is because of 45. I would possibly never have heard of Dr. Richardson otherwise, certainly I wouldn't be a subscriber. Hit the "like" button if you concur, or leave Eric a reply. This is not the place where people chant "USA, USA" although these days I could change my mind about that.
This is a stunning community. I decided to join after I read HCRтАЩs How the South Win The Civil War. I couldnтАЩt be more happy that I did. The diversity, keenness and enthusiasm in this group is madly infectious.
Thank you for all your posts. When I see тАЬRolandтАЭ, I read тАЬRolandтАЭ. :)
Well thatтАЩs a huge compliment, thank you Eric ЁЯЩП
correction: "except my dad, and co-workers who were elated" My dad wasn't elated, but he wasn't appalled either.
My apologies on behalf of my country for making Canada feel the way you describe. I love Canada...in the summertime! While my husband and I went for a short visit to the outskirts of Toronto (Scarborough) to visit our nieces, our best trip was when we packed our bikes one summer and headed up to Nova Scotia for two weeks of bicycling from one end (Yarmouth) to the other (Cape Breton-Cheticamp). I was "wide-eyed" the entire time.
As for the last four years, many of us were also appalled, terrified and amazed, and are still a bit worried about the next election.
Anyway, say hi to Ed for me when you see him!!
Haha. Love your finish.
I am a veteran of Scarberia, as it is not so politely known in much of southern Ontario. My old running route took me deep into it.
No apologies needed. I wouldnтАЩt be in this post if I wasnтАЩt fascinated by your great (and sometimes not so great) country. It is spectacularly larger than life in its totality.
Thanks for adding "VA by way of DC," it might be helpful to others, but I have you pegged now, since our conversation about Alexandria and Stuart's mention of Potomac.
Not that I needed to remember who you are or anything!!
I think it's a great idea that I stole from some guy on this page who went "back to CA" ЁЯШЙ
"Anyway, say hi to Ed for me when you see him." Sheesh. (rolling my eyes to the heavens)
I get chills just reading your comments about 9/11 and the ensuing downward slide. I was in Germany on vacation in 2016, and someone in Munich commented about Trump, saying that she thought he was great. I'd have preferred that she'd said that Americans had to be crazy to even consider him! I answered that he was a fool, and would never be elected. Stupid me. If he'd been reelected, I can't even imagine where I'd be now. Heather has truly enabled those of us participating in this group to maintain our sanity through this nightmare, and I'm finally allowing myself to believe that we can survive, in spite of the unbelievable ugliness that has emerged.
Anyone in Munich who thinks Trump is great is left over from the Hitler years, could be my grandmother.
You are preaching to the converted, Big Boy.
Richard (from Norfolk, England). We constantly used to get that situation when we went to the USA (haven't been there for more than a dozen years). It goes like this:
We're from England
Oh how interesting. You must know XYZ. He lives in Manchester
No we don't actually, we live in Norfolk
Well isn't it a small world..............
We lived in Norwich when I was little.
Ok, Eric, give me a break. Obviously that's not what I meant by "complete bimbo." I didn't mean I'm illiterate. What you are describing is the kind of stuff my family had to tolerate during my teens in Germany. We were all bilingual German-English. In public, we would often gab amongst ourselves in American English, and then we would listen to Germans making snide comments about how tacky the Americans are. We were taking the heat for the actual tacky Americans, because we were never part of that demographic. Oh well. BTW I lived in Brookline among other towns while I was in Boston. I have a special fondness for Brookline. The house I lived in was a stop on the underground railroad, we believe, based on things we discovered inside the house in a secret room we found. Anyway, back to Canada, I have heard nothing but rave reviews about Canada. My wife has been a number of times, national parks in the Rockies, Vancouver, and more. It's on my bucket list. Trust me, I'm not your golfer acquaintance.
IтАЩm so sorry that came across poorly. What I see even in this post is the trauma Trump inflicted. In my early days it seemed to me that this was a group of pessimistic, but interesting people. Then the thought of universal trauma occurred to me. How horrible.
ItтАЩs all good. You are venting about the clueless side of our society. 74 million voted for 45 last Nov. Your golfers had to have been in that group.
This is a wonderful story about Big John, Eric!
Some Americans think that all Canadians from the same place "know" each other, just like some white Americans think that all Black Americans "know" each other.
Never heard that before. Our less broadminded complain (sigh) that all Asians look alike. Unpleasant.
Most of us look alike. Two arms, two legs, only one head.
Don't do that, Lindsay. *said sweetly* I appreciate your support, and Lynell's, it's very gracious. He's being honest, I like honesty. I'm a big boy, and not conflict averse. Eric is describing what it's like seeing the U.S. from an external perspective. Before 45, we didn't have a name for what Eric is describing, but now we do: Trumpsters. Republicans who don't get it. The clueless ones. The ones that fall for things like QAnon. They still live here, they haven't disappeared. They're not you and me, Lindsay, but we know them, we live with them, they are in our families and at our places of work.
Roland, I stick with my comment: Eric drew such a good portrait of this utterly clueless man. He told the story so vividly. That's what I found wonderful, not Big John's mentality. ;>)
Ah, excuse me, I thought you were getting back at Eric, my mistake. I should have known better.
Maybe what I said did seem ambiguous, Roland. -I found Eric's simply-told story a startling portrait of how completely oblivious a person can be. It almost gave me the shivers.
Funny! Made me laugh! I needed a good laugh! Thx
Hello TPJ, good morning. You contributed to the movie script for my sci-fi better-society story project. I realized today that this Johnny Cash song is perfect for one of the scenes. Thank you for your contribution ЁЯЩП
IтАЩve had it in the back of my mind that the movie should have two soundtracks like Back To The Future does, a soundtrack that includes oldies and pop songs that appear in the movie in suitable spots, and an orchestral soundtrack running throughout. Your Johnny Cash song is the first contribution to the pop song sound track.
Roland, regarding the music: I love that idea of 2 soundscores throughout the movie.
The TV series, The Blacklist, does something similar, and you might enjoy listening to the sound tracks to it. It's well over 250 songs at this point, touching on classical, the 1930s - 1970s, hip-hop, indie, and rock. It's a truly eclectic mix of genres and it may lead you to some bands that might fit exactly where you need them to in your story.
Named after Sarah Winnemucca, Paiute Indian, former army translator, writer, educator and strong advocate for Native American rights. Tragically, she died at age 47 with a brilliant career ahead of her.
For a change TPJ drops history on us that I already know. Now how often does that happen??