Dillards 73: A Bitter Dill

[Naga Viper]

2 hours ago, Hashtag Blessed said:

For real though, I can still say I don't know anyone from Delaware because I've never met Joe Biden. Then again, I don't know anyone from Alaska either. Yet, for some reason, only Delaware feels fake to me. Weird how that works. 

Me too! Between family, friends, coworkers, dormmates, exes, whatever, I've had some kind of association with almost every state—Alaska, Wyoming, North Dakota? Check, check, and check. But not Delaware. Other than the Bidens, the first thing that comes to my mind regarding the state is this:

I owe a friend in Maryland a visit. Maybe I should swing through DE and check out Rehoboth Beach. And that screen door factory.

As for me, I'm from California. It's the big banana-shaped state way on the left side, our main exports are films and various things with silicon in them, and...

(I mean, yes, I'm sure most people know of us and probably what part of the country we're in...but not everyone does. One time I was on a call to Mumbai and when the guy asked where I was located, I told him and he asked if it was close to New York. Um. Not as such? And if I were doing customer service for another country, I think I'd learn more than one geographical reference point before trying to make small talk about it. But instead of being snide and saying that, I just replied that I was about as far from New York as he was from Beijing. From his noncommittal murmur, I'm not sure if he got my point or was wondering what a Beijing was.)

[ViolaSebastian]

15 minutes ago, AreYouThereGothard? said:

@allthegoodnamesrgone

Never been to Iowa, but I do remember it when reciting states. Grinnell was on the list of considered schools for a bunch of people I went to undergrad with. Plus my infectious disease epidemiology prof taught there for a while and my pal went to vet school there (she didn’t know the difference between Iowa State and Uni of Iowa. She went to whichever is in Ames). So Grinnell, infectious disease research, caucuses, and Ames are my associations with Iowa. I’m sure your state has more merit, so please share. And if you want an election break, come to Ohio and get some Jeni’s

Yay! I grew up in Ames, which is home to Iowa State University. University of Iowa has a medical school, but no veterinarian school like ISU does. I haven't been back in 15 years, though. 

[QuiverFullofBooks]

Why do people in the UK associate Maryland with cookies?

[mpheels]

I went to grad school in Baltimore, and for part of that time my parents lived in Delaware. They lived in the next neighborhood over from the Bidens and used to see Joe and Jill in the grocery store all the time. We also frequently saw secret service on lunch/dinner breaks in local restaurants. I used to take the train between Baltimore and Wilmington for holidays and random weekend visits, and was once on the same train as Jill (I didn’t see her on the train, but the extra security was noticeable and I saw her motorcade leave as I was waiting for my mom to pick me up). I also saw Joe pass through the station waiting room - he was taking the Acela that left 10 minutes before my regional train.

[onekidanddone]

Delaware is where we stop to pee and eat before or after the NJ Turnpike

[FloraKitty35]

I am from Delaware and I have lived here all of my life.  The current tourist slogan is "Endless Discoveries".  It's a crock, the only endless discovery in this is state is how far away that steam from the nuclear plant (that is near Salem, NJ) can be seen from. 

One interesting fact sort of related to Delaware.  Finn's Point National Cemetery (which is over in Pennsville, NJ) was used a burial ground for Confederate POW's who were incarcerated at Fort Delaware (which is on Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware River) and for some of the Union soldiers who worked at the fort.  In 1997,  William Reese, the caretaker of the cemetery was murdered by Andrew Cunanan. Cunanan then stole  Mr. Reese's pickup and used it to drive to Miami, where he killed his final victim Gianni Versace.

 

 

[singsingsing]

3 hours ago, Meggo said:

I'm from the Mitten state! But now I live across the border in the tip of the elephants trunk. (If you take Ontario - turn it slightly clockwise - it almost looks like an elephant with a raised trunk) 

Howdy, neighbour!

[Evangeline]

All this talk of states and fake states and countries that are actually states made me think of this: 

I'm convinced there's a Friends clip for every occasion. 

 

[mollysmom]

7 minutes ago, Evangeline said:

All this talk of states and fake states and countries that are actually states made me think of this: 

I'm convinced there's a Friends clip for every occasion. 

 

You are my kindred spirit!!! 

[acheronbeach]

3 hours ago, PreciousPantsofDoom said:

I'm from the Canadian Province of Weed,Rain, Mountains, and Money Laundering Through Real Estate myself, but I have to say that every moment I spent in the fine state of Delaware was a joy. 

To quote another poster, hi there, neighbour!  

I'd also like to add to that list the BC "woo" industry (i.e. shops like Coombaya, Lotus Divine Healing, Phoenix Rising Metaphysical Emporium or my personal favourite - Heidi's Holistic Doggie Daycare).  

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

1 hour ago, AreYouThereGothard? said:

@allthegoodnamesrgone

Never been to Iowa, but I do remember it when reciting states. Grinnell was on the list of considered schools for a bunch of people I went to undergrad with. Plus my infectious disease epidemiology prof taught there for a while and my pal went to vet school there (she didn’t know the difference between Iowa State and Uni of Iowa. She went to whichever is in Ames). So Grinnell, infectious disease research, caucuses, and Ames are my associations with Iowa. I’m sure your state has more merit, so please share. And if you want an election break, come to Ohio and get some Jeni’s

How could someone who went to a University not remember the name?  I'm assuming your vet friend went to Iowa State, as they have they veterinary program & Iowa does not.  

I've had Jeni's it is really good. 

[VelociRapture]

19 minutes ago, Evangeline said:

All this talk of states and fake states and countries that are actually states made me think of this: 

I'm convinced there's a Friends clip for every occasion. 

 

I did this just for fun and ended up with 48. HOW DID I MISS TWO STATES?!

(And on an unrelated note, my apologies to the people of Indiana and Missouri. ?)

[Beermeet]

4 hours ago, Jinder Roles said:

Sorry if I'm late to the conversation but a post upthread about racism in other countries reminded me of something. 

I think a previous poster said that many people think racism only exists in America, and that's true. I'm from a country in the Caribbean with a majority black population (though we have a diverse community of people from many and often multiple ethnic backgrounds) and I think we tend to idealize our country as having no racism. So many people use our national motto  "Out of Many One People" as a cop out whenever race discussions come up. 

 In reality, we have rampant colourism and classism - and sometimes flat-out racism. To me,  these issues are just another manifestation of racism because they stem from slavery and white imperialism. But because America is placed at the center of the world and it's issues help to define our own, we view our race-related issues as non-existent.

It's weird. People view racial oppression very narrowly when there are many complex personal and systemic manifestations of it. 

I was wondering if others not from the U.S. notice stuff like this. 

Okay, my theoretical rant is done. 

I used to work primarily with Japanese people. We got to talking about racism because one coworker married an African American man. Anyway, I got curious about Japan. Like, if you're all Japanese, do you have racism? They said yes, they don't like Koreans in their country.  My Filipina co-worker said in the Philippines, they don't like Chinese people because they own a lot of businesses there and treat Filipinos poorly.  So, amoungst themselves it seemed a no. But they did have issues with "others". I guess I have no point, just found it interesting.  

[HarleyQuinn]

4 hours ago, neurogirl said:

@front hugs > duggs Vermont is the one that looks like a "V"! And New Hampshire..is the other one. 

My family is from North Dakota. Which, yes, is a state! Where people live! (AKA "Fargo" on this map)

Home of the Dakota Access Pipeline, strict abortion laws, and the polar vortex (it's -57F with windchill for my parents today), but also small city living, sunflowers, gorgeous summers, fun accents, and lots of cream in cooking. (but not Mt Rushmore, that's S. Dakota)

And it's not all flat! Just on the Eastern side. 

 

 

Also from ND originally, do you know how many people have told me how much I disappointed them because "you sound nothing like the movie!"

Thank you, no one from Fargo does.

[Satan'sFortress]

1 hour ago, FloraKitty35 said:

I am from Delaware and I have lived here all of my life.  The current tourist slogan is "Endless Discoveries".  It's a crock, the only endless discovery in this is state is how far away that steam from the nuclear plant (that is near Salem, NJ) can be seen from.

I knew there was another one of us here!

[Beermeet]

 

Ooooo!  Wyoming. I finally get to share my favorite Garfield episode!!!!

Wyoming is not a state! Lol!

 

[FaithAndReason]

I'm a graduate of the University of Delaware. Go Blue Hens! It's a great little state!

[Vivi_music]

6 hours ago, apandaaries said:

I completely agree. Interesting that a "good" slave owner like Washington had false teeth probably obtained by slaves. People and history are fucked up, in good and bad ways. This is an excellent depiction of learning new, challenging ideas and the backfire effect:  https://theoatmeal.com/comics/believe

I am probably late to the conversation, but this reminds me of a college professor of mine, who at first seemed to be very keen on ''debunking'' historical figures in his lectures. At one point he explained that he had a problem with the idea of an historical hero in and of itself. Glorifying a figure from the past meant that we were bound to eliminate the ''bad'' sides. When someone is elevated as a hero, it dehumanizes the person. Every person is human, may they have been very important and influencial, they are still humans. His point was that yes they can be important figures and should be studied but they should not be glorified.

He was even not convinced of putting up statues in public space.

That professor was also very much of a social historian. He had a lot of different field of study, mainly all about New France and pre-industrial Québec. He used to be more into social history and by the time I was in his class, he has switched more to cultural history. I remember I took a second semester with him later and it was about written correspondances in 18th to mid-19th century Quebec. He started his class by saying: ''Well this semester we will give THIS and THIS person the rightful place they deserve in my syllabus, which means they are no where to be found.''

 

[Beermeet]

@HarleyQuinn  Um, can you guys step it up, please?  I think I can speak for us states that are not ND when I say, we need you to. What if there was no southern or NY/NJ accents?  Do. Your. Part.  ???

[Topaz]

I once went to the post office counter (in the UK) to send a letter to Yemen. The person serving me looked at the address and told me she didn’t realise that Yemen was a real country, she thought that it was made up for the episode of Friends where Chandler pretends to move there.

Another time I had a letter with an obviously non-English address that ended Tbilisi, Georgia and had to stop them adding USA to the end of it.

My sister worked for Royal Mail deciphering the postcodes that were not readable by machine. If there was one she couldn’t work out she had to flag it. She once flagged a letter addressed to Czechoslovakia (in the ‘00s) as she wasn’t sure whether to send it to the Czech Republic or Slovakia, and got pulled up by her supervisor who thought that they were still one country.

[HarleyQuinn]

8 minutes ago, Beermeet said:

@HarleyQuinn  Um, can you guys step it up, please?  I think I can speak for us states that are not ND when I say, we need you to. What if there was no southern or NY/NJ accents?  Do. Your. Part.  ???

You get "ope" and that's it! 

[Glasgowghirl]

2 hours ago, QuiverFullofBooks said:

Why do people in the UK associate Maryland with cookies?

Their is a popular brand of cookies here called Maryland.

[Beermeet]

2 minutes ago, HarleyQuinn said:

You get "ope" and that's it! 

You really don't go "oh yeah, that's for sure" or "ok Margie, I'll maaake yu some eggs".  Nothin'?   Bummer. 

[Bad Wolf]

Back before the dinosaurs, Perry Como sang a song called "What did Delaware?" I currently live in northern Nevada, formerly from Connecticut and California. Life is good here. Don't tell anyone.

[Rowan]

8 hours ago, Audrey2 said:

Also, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Cedar Point, with the awesome roller coasters. (Kings Island, another amusement park, is close to Cincinnati.)

 

Don't forget Grandpa's Cheesebarn, which is an hour into the Cleveland to Cincinnati trek. Or "Where will you go when you die?" and "HELL IS REAL" billboards that are about an hour from Cincinnati. With the 10 commandments on the other side when you are driving the opposite direction. Good times. And no, can't blame those on the Maxwells I don't think.