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 sprin…
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 HCR’s How the South Win The Civil War. I couldn’t 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 “Roland”, I read “Roland”. :)
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 wouldn’t be in this post if I wasn’t 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.
Credit goes to "Kelly Sullivan (FL)" from St. Augustine, Florida, born and raised Alabama. Her brilliant idea. She started an HCR fad, inspired by a naive guy who thought a handful of people would just post the words "MA" or "Washington state" or "Texas" or "NC" and be done with it, who did not expect to find himself in the middle of a giant discussion that is threatening to pre-empt immigration and border policy.
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.
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 HCR’s How the South Win The Civil War. I couldn’t 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 “Roland”, I read “Roland”. :)
Well that’s a huge compliment, thank you Eric 🙏
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 wouldn’t be in this post if I wasn’t 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" 😉
Credit goes to "Kelly Sullivan (FL)" from St. Augustine, Florida, born and raised Alabama. Her brilliant idea. She started an HCR fad, inspired by a naive guy who thought a handful of people would just post the words "MA" or "Washington state" or "Texas" or "NC" and be done with it, who did not expect to find himself in the middle of a giant discussion that is threatening to pre-empt immigration and border policy.
"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.