Carry it 'well'
1 year ago
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Not a good sign
I recently visited a ladies room, and this sign was inside the bathroom door. I took a picture with my phone in case I couldn't remember 2180 (area code? any other numbers?) for security.Sunday, July 12, 2009
Local cultural observation #3: There's plenty of time
There's plenty of time, always. The first 3 major events we attended, we arrived embarrassingly early. Hours too early.
Our (old) thought process: Everyone will be trying to park and taking all the good parking. Everyone will be getting all the good seats. Everyone will be crowding up the place. If we want any good seating or parking, especially at free events, we should get there early, like the time the gates open, before everyone else.
Flaws in our thinking: There is no "everyone." First, because there are so many free or $5 events, there is no rush to any particular free event. Second, there are not that many people in Louisville. Unlike Chicago, a small percentage of the population is actually not that many people. Third, no one else around here is in any hurry. They are taking their time going home, meeting up with whomever, getting in the car, getting there. There is plenty of time.
New (improved) thought process: Whatever time we are planning to get there is probably 2 hours too early. Take our time. Lolly gag. Don't bother loading the car early.
Exception: The Derby and Thunder over Louisville are reportedly like Chicago events, old rules apply.
Our (old) thought process: Everyone will be trying to park and taking all the good parking. Everyone will be getting all the good seats. Everyone will be crowding up the place. If we want any good seating or parking, especially at free events, we should get there early, like the time the gates open, before everyone else.
Flaws in our thinking: There is no "everyone." First, because there are so many free or $5 events, there is no rush to any particular free event. Second, there are not that many people in Louisville. Unlike Chicago, a small percentage of the population is actually not that many people. Third, no one else around here is in any hurry. They are taking their time going home, meeting up with whomever, getting in the car, getting there. There is plenty of time.
New (improved) thought process: Whatever time we are planning to get there is probably 2 hours too early. Take our time. Lolly gag. Don't bother loading the car early.
Exception: The Derby and Thunder over Louisville are reportedly like Chicago events, old rules apply.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Local cultural observation #2: Driving
Driving is always fun to observe.
1. My husband says "The traffic reporters on the news are stealing a paycheck" reporting 2 small accidents a day. It's true. They will spend 6 whole minutes discussing a 3 block back-up.
2. When you live in a city with true, real, actually bad traffic, no other traffic is bad. In Louisville, "bad traffic" means a drive that's usually 10 minutes with no other cars on the road may be 15 minutes and people are driving the speed limit. Wow, that's so bad. It's all relative (which you already knew), but we have to keep our comments on how "bad" the traffic is here to ourselves. We laugh inside at what locals think is bad traffic.
3. Passing is out, tailgating is in. That's right. All the cool drivers will ride your tail instead of changing to either of the 2 lanes. All the kids are doing it.
4. Park your car anywhere. For example, if there is an event downtown, it's easier for the cops to just let everyone leave 4 hours later, than to attempt to enforce parking rules. This means cars will not only park in parking spaces, but all the driving lanes in-between, are also acceptable for parking during the climax of a big event (see "there's plenty of time" observation coming later).
5. You can get most places in Louisville in 15 minutes, from anywhere. You can get EVERYWHERE in 30 minutes. This is amazing since you couldn't get anywhere in Chicago or Dallas in less than an hour.
1. My husband says "The traffic reporters on the news are stealing a paycheck" reporting 2 small accidents a day. It's true. They will spend 6 whole minutes discussing a 3 block back-up.
2. When you live in a city with true, real, actually bad traffic, no other traffic is bad. In Louisville, "bad traffic" means a drive that's usually 10 minutes with no other cars on the road may be 15 minutes and people are driving the speed limit. Wow, that's so bad. It's all relative (which you already knew), but we have to keep our comments on how "bad" the traffic is here to ourselves. We laugh inside at what locals think is bad traffic.
3. Passing is out, tailgating is in. That's right. All the cool drivers will ride your tail instead of changing to either of the 2 lanes. All the kids are doing it.
4. Park your car anywhere. For example, if there is an event downtown, it's easier for the cops to just let everyone leave 4 hours later, than to attempt to enforce parking rules. This means cars will not only park in parking spaces, but all the driving lanes in-between, are also acceptable for parking during the climax of a big event (see "there's plenty of time" observation coming later).
5. You can get most places in Louisville in 15 minutes, from anywhere. You can get EVERYWHERE in 30 minutes. This is amazing since you couldn't get anywhere in Chicago or Dallas in less than an hour.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Local cultural observation #1
When I move to new places, I spend the first year intently discovering and identifying cultural tendencies and nuances (thank you Dr. Gossett at UNT). I have been living in Louisville, KY since March, 2009. It's about time to put some things in writing. And yes, I will be comparing my observations to other places I have lived, that's just how it works.
Observations:
"You're Fine" can mean "okay", "no big deal", and "sure", especially when used as a response to a mild confrontation. A conversation may go like this,
Boss: "Hi, I noticed you were late to work today. I know it was only a few minutes, but I will need you to be here at the start time from now on. Okay?"
Employee: "You're fine."
This really bothered me, at first. I would hear other people say it to each other, and it struck me as "I hear what your are saying, and I'm telling you it's okay that you made the mistake of pointing this out. I forgive you." That was the yankee in me being offended by such a comment. However, I had to reach inside to the southern roots in me, and realized it is very similar to "bless your heart" in it's backhanded and mega-polite way of saying something without any actual malicious intent.
Observations:
"You're Fine" can mean "okay", "no big deal", and "sure", especially when used as a response to a mild confrontation. A conversation may go like this,
Boss: "Hi, I noticed you were late to work today. I know it was only a few minutes, but I will need you to be here at the start time from now on. Okay?"
Employee: "You're fine."
This really bothered me, at first. I would hear other people say it to each other, and it struck me as "I hear what your are saying, and I'm telling you it's okay that you made the mistake of pointing this out. I forgive you." That was the yankee in me being offended by such a comment. However, I had to reach inside to the southern roots in me, and realized it is very similar to "bless your heart" in it's backhanded and mega-polite way of saying something without any actual malicious intent.
Friday, June 26, 2009
What?
So, I'm driving town the road, happily looking down and texting on my phone, and I look up to see THIS:
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
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