Moving to a warmer clime

[Gilly]

Everybody always talks about "Minnesota nice", but I just don't see it. What did you think when you visited a couple years ago Laurie? Has anybody else visited MN that has thoughts about it? My thoughts are that Minnesotan's are nice to you if they feel you belong there and we divide into cliques. But maybe that's true of any state/city.

[Emerson]

I'd say that of Southerners. I think outsiders, particularly from the East Coast, perceive them as polite and accommodating because they don't act like entitled assholes outright or sound like they've been chewing on rusted metal all day. Nope, they're just passive aggressive, and just as suspicious and territorial as anyone else.

I'm reluctant to speak ill of the Hill - I have mostly sparkling memories. But once, when I lived in Athens, I drove up there with a group of friends to see a Merge Records showcase at Cat's Cradle. I guess we looked like dumb college boys. Anyroad, one of my friends bought a CD at one of the famous record stores there (I can't recall which, and I don't know if any of the ones I remember are still there; Schoolkids, anyone?), and the clerk said, "I bet you're here for MergeFest." Uh, yeah. "How did I guess?" Straight-up dick. They're in overabundance everywhere.

[dave from knoxville]

My son afk has taken to wearing my Schoolkids Records shirt that I have been unable to wear for going on 25 years.

[buffcoat]

I'd say that of Southerners. I think outsiders, particularly from the East Coast, perceive them as polite and accommodating because they don't act like entitled assholes outright or sound like they've been chewing on rusted metal all day. Nope, they're just passive aggressive, and just as suspicious and territorial as anyone else.

I'm reluctant to speak ill of the Hill - I have mostly sparkling memories. But once, when I lived in Athens, I drove up there with a group of friends to see a Merge Records showcase at Cat's Cradle. I guess we looked like dumb college boys. Anyroad, one of my friends bought a CD at one of the famous record stores there (I can't recall which, and I don't know if any of the ones I remember are still there; Schoolkids, anyone?), and the clerk said, "I bet you're here for MergeFest." Uh, yeah. "How did I guess?" Straight-up dick. They're in overabundance everywhere.

My friend worked for WXYC and wrote for the then-legendary station zine.  The funniest thing he wrote was a profile of Schoolkids, which consisted entirely of this: "Do you think the people who work here are cooler than you?  Because they do."


I have been delighting to the rage I feel at the pictures of hipsters on latfh.com.  There are definitely a few of those in Chapel Hill, but it's not exactly Williamsburg South.  In fact, "Williamsburg" to everyone down here is the quaint colonial village near Busch Gardens in Southeastern Virginia.

[Gilly]

My friend worked for WXYC and wrote for the then-legendary station zine.  The funniest thing he wrote was a profile of Schoolkids, which consisted entirely of this: "Do you think the people who work here are cooler than you?  Because they do."

Isn't that consistent for every "legendary" record store?

[Emerson]

I used to go to Chapel Hill with my dad to watch Tarheel games (it was one of our weekend things), and WXYC blew my 11-year-old mind wide open. It's probably the main reason I'm here now.

And I, too, giggled when I heard that the hippest 'hood in America was called "Williamsburg."

[yesno]

My friend worked for WXYC and wrote for the then-legendary station zine.  The funniest thing he wrote was a profile of Schoolkids, which consisted entirely of this: "Do you think the people who work here are cooler than you?  Because they do."

Isn't that consistent for every "legendary" record store?

To be fair, all retail jobs suck.  90% of people are even the best record stores are just waiting for the work whistle to blow.  (I never worked at one.  Anyway, what's worse than the literary snob who works at a Barnes and Nobel?)

I think that the people who are genuinely interested in turning people on to their favorite music outnumber the jerkwads though.  They're just less memorable.

[badgrammer]

Everybody always talks about "Minnesota nice", but I just don't see it. What did you think when you visited a couple years ago Laurie? Has anybody else visited MN that has thoughts about it? My thoughts are that Minnesotan's are nice to you if they feel you belong there and we divide into cliques. But maybe that's true of any state/city.

I live in Minneapolis now, but I'm not a native Minnesotan so I found it really hard to get to know people the first few years I lived here. The "Minnesota Nice" thing to me seems like everyone is really friendly and nice to your face, but really passive-agressive in general --like say when driving on any highway or interstate, for instance, heh.  Although, I've heard native Minnesotans describe "Minnesota Nice" as a type of friendly guilt --as in going out of your way to be nice to "someone just in case"... People are pretty nice here for the most part, but I think you could say that for anywhere in the Midwest really.

I do agree with you on the cliquey-ness of the area. If you meet one person in town, you eventually end up meeting the group of people they associate with most often, making this average sized city feel like a small town. I know way too many people by association.

[badgrammer]

(Sorry for the slightly off-topic post.)

[Gilly]

I brought this up on Facebook and what you said seemed to be the general consensus among my friends.

[dave from knoxville]

Of course, Nashville's always an option. One of the weird things about Nashville these days if you never can tell if you're seeing a lookalike or the real thing. Which of these is Dolly?

[Sarah]

That is a trick question:  Ms. Parton had her frontal burden downsized some time ago.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

i would say austin is a decent town to live in.  i would suggest even atlanta or one of it's suburbs.  i didn't like phoenix, but a number of my friends love phoenix (never cold, dry heat, tons of jobs, etc). 

most people would expect me to say memphis, but it takes a certain kind of person to live in memphis and if you're not looking for trouble (economically or otherwise), then memphis is not for you.