I am at it again, here goes

What can I say, I finally get two messages on email about my entries so now I have changed my settings so anyone can comment directly on my blog.

March 30, 2008 and it is still winter, I guess we are paying for the last few years of almost no winter, this year it has been more like the winters I remember when I first moved here in the early 70's. Then it was fun, now it is an annoyance. But there are worse things and a wonderful summer is coming. After this a few bugs and a little humidity will be a welcomed change.


I keep hearing the comments about how hard it is to meet people here and of course, being who I am, I have a theory and lots of comments. This shall be my rant of the week.

Minnesotans are wonderful, warm and sincere folks but they don't understand what it is like to be NEW and after all why should I try to change them, when they have built a society I want to be a part of for whatever reason. It is amazing to me how many natives here that I know still have the same friends they had in kindergarten. I guess it shows one thing, people here make friends for life. Friends here are not discardable.

But still, how about us new folks? We are capable of that as well, just give us a chance, but that is another topic for another "rant."

I have basically been here over 25 years and I am still sort of a newcomer. Those of us that are new have learned that over the years we make friends with other folks that are new here too. I really think this is the reason the "Minnesota Miracle" is quickly slipping away.

Minnesota used to be a place that literally embraced it's community in its entirety and genuinely cared about each other. Sure there were racial issues like everywhere and that is not to excuse it but everyone had to learn and some still are. Social programs were great for those that needed them and they really were not abused that much. Sure sometimes they were but heck, what isn't? The schools were fantastic, consistently in the top 3 even in the inner cities. Roads were always well maintained in the summer and winter (at least we didn't have bridges falling down into rivers. The streets were basically safe for kids and everyone really. The jobs were well paying, you really could live the good life on average wages here as an average citizen. It was cold but there was a pride in surviving yet another blizzard. It was not cause for complaint but cause for pride.

With the lack of interaction between the locals and new comers, the new comers have not been educated about the benefits of taking care of the least among us and enjoying what we have here. Some of the new comers come from places with less taxes, less government "interference" and less kindness. Since they come here and really like the place for the great society that was built, they want to being with them the parts of the place they left that just so happened to be in direct conflict with what is here and what caused this place to be what it is keeps them here in the first place.

Selfishness was not the norm here, generosity was. Sure we paid more taxes for "good schools" and "good roads" and "safe streets" and "plentiful libraries with extended hours" and "forward thinking planning" and "great parks systems" and "clean water and air." Even the corporations headquartered and founded in Minnesota are different. They mostly believe in giving back to the community that is loyal to them. Target for example, they have always had a policy of giving 5% of pre-tax profits directly back to the community in the form of support for the arts, parks and education and countless other community endeavours. Can you say that about WalMart, or Halliburton, or Mobile Exxon, or even Macy's or how about Nordstrom's, a great company but do they give back? The others don't do this because they were not part of the Minnesota culture when they were founded and they don't "get" the benefits of this kind of philanthropy.

Any of you reading this, please, the next time you have an actual conversation with someone from Minnesota, ask them how many good friends they have that are not natives, not just friends but good friends. Then ask them to think about it for a minute and then tell you why. What a great place to start a conversation that could actually lead to something more than a general "hello how are you?" If you already have the habit of putting Minnesota down because Minnesotans are passive aggressive, or cold or unfriendly, or the weather is so freaking cold, or what ever the complaint is, stop it. This is no way to make friends. No one wants to hear you complain. If you don't like it, the US is temporarily a free country and you are free to move about the country. Mississippi has low taxes, warm winters low government interference and the welfare spending is very low, they would love more residents I am sure. No matter what the locals complain about, remember it is like family, I can call my sister a bitch and have many times, but you better not.

My experience here has been wonderful almost all the time. I do have great friends and some are locals, not many but some. Sure I hate the long winters, but you know what, I have lived in California and Washington and Ohio and Iowa and Puerto Rico and Illinois and Indiana and I will tell you something you all know and may have forgotten, no place is perfect but there are many many things worse than cold weather and the new comers that have not figured out what makes this place tick are bringing those things with them.

Vickie, Happy Birthday a day late!! Ruthie, I can't wait to read your comments.

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