Based on admittedly very limited momentary experience, but here’s some things I’ve noticed: people actually say, with no irony intended, things like “ah appreciate y’all,” and “ain’t you the cutest li’l thing!” (after hearing that for the third time, my daughter said “people are funny here.”)…women wear makeup. Lots of makeup…everybody wears t-shirts with slogans related to alcohol, sex, and NASCAR. Or all of the above…nobody wears black…words are pronounced differently, and it’s not just an accent (a couch, coffee table, and an armchair are a “living room suit” and those delicious chocolates are from “the Godova chocolate store)…Applebee’s and Friday’s and Chili’s are considered not just acceptable (which they’re not) but actually desirable. A rare treat.
The red states (probably suburbs in blue states, too–in a way the red states are all just giant suburbs) really, truly, are different.
Heh … I TRIED to tell ya’ll … ya’ll jest wudn’t buhleeve me whut it’s all about down heyah … lawsy!
😉
And no offense intended, really. There’s plenty that’s good down here, and plenty that’s very bad about NYC, too!
I didnt realise you had gone Southern Joe
Joe … don’t forget, I’m a SoCal transplant to the South (we wuz raised all neighborly like in San Diego, remember?) … 25 years and I am still not over the culture shock!
😉
And I refuse to dine upon some of the southern delicacies … like grits or fried okra … Yech!
I always thought “southern” meant “Southern California!”
But as you say, Lissa, it’s a major culture shock. I had less of a shock going from San Diego to NYC (but I did have time in Berkeley, in between! :cool:)
I didn’t go Southern for long, Mel, just for a quick four days (seemed like four years) of children’s chess.
Next year, they’re talking about having the tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. That’s going to be a whole ‘nother story, isn’t it?
My wife and I made a wonderful weekend trip to Nashville shortly after we started dating, so we have some very fond memories of that place. On another two occasions, I saw King Crimson play their habitual dress-rehearsal shows (each time, a weekend’s worth of them) before beginning their world tours.
On each occasion, I thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of free live music. Like many mid-sized cities, Nashville strikes me as being a very good weekend trip.
I should emphasize that I saw almost nothing of the city of Nashville–so my perceptions are decidedly unfair. I probably should have titled the post “Impressions of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and the Opry Mills Mall” (far from the best representative of any city, admittedly!
(And I forgot to mention the big sign in front of the Grand Old Opry: “No firearms permitted beyond this point, even if you have a permit.” 🙄