jimdahl Posted February 4, 2004 Posted February 4, 2004 From the Salt Lake Tribune Some of my favorites: Being in Grand Forks takes patience and creativity. We had some side trips planned but were prevented from venturing outside of the city because of drifting snow, which drapes the roads and can lead drivers astray. We occupied our time by examining the everyday life of Grand Forks. The bingo game in the mall is popular, ethnic cuisine is not. When I asked the waitress at a Mexican restaurant what kind of cheese is used in the enchiladas, she looked at me with a puzzled look. "Yellow," she said.Still, I can't say that I would like living in North Dakota. It takes a person who doesn't complain much and needs few city comforts to face the physical challenges of the Northern Plains -- at least in winter. Don't get me wrong, I'm a devotee of N.D., but I've gotta agree with her on the "needs few city comforts" to live in North Dakota line (though she did allow as to how Fargo was a bit hipper then G.F., where she spent most of her visit). Quote
WYOBISONMAN Posted February 4, 2004 Posted February 4, 2004 ND is in my heart and soul, but let's be real.....ain't nothin' hip about North Dakota. (Except for the bird hunting). Quote
The Sicatoka Posted February 4, 2004 Posted February 4, 2004 They missed the ND Museum of Art on campus at UND? Shame on them. I've long believed that a North Dakotan can move away to a big city and move back to ND and be just as happy before or after. It's just that folks used to that "big city" can't adjust to the more relaxed pace in ND. Quote
WYOBISONMAN Posted February 4, 2004 Posted February 4, 2004 I don't know...I have lived in the Big City and moved to Wyoming and love being back in a small town, but I have a sister in Seattle that would go berserk back in ND. I think she has been brainwashed out there... Quote
The Sicatoka Posted February 4, 2004 Posted February 4, 2004 ... a sister in Seattle ... See what being too close to too many Starbucks will do to you? Quote
ScottM Posted February 4, 2004 Posted February 4, 2004 Gotta love it when a resident of SLC, and most likely a non-member of "LDS", cracks on any other part of the country. "City comforts"? WTF is that? Panhandlers? Whiny granolas with more metal in their face than "Pinhead"? Rush hour traffic that moves at 0-5 MPH because some dumbass doesn't know how to drive in snow? Overrpriced martinis? Quote
Cratter Posted February 4, 2004 Posted February 4, 2004 My favorite part was how she kept talking up the cold. I expect it to be the weeks of highs in the -20's, but then she claims it's eight above. Today it was five degrees and i was thinking about busting out the shorts. In a related topic, Rick Killion writes excellent editorials in the Prairie Business Magazine (prairiebizmag.com). In one of them, he gently reprimanded North Dakotans that they were shooting themselves in the foot when bragging or boasting about how cold it was to people from out of state. It only hurt and falsified the state's image even more, he thought. Instead, when someone from, say, Georgia was talking to you on the phone during a business transaction, don't go along with the "Man, it's cold up there, isn't it?! I don't see how you can stand it!" conversation. Killion believed that each North Dakotan could be their own PR man for the state in a sense, and not fortify the belief that it's all ice and snow for 95 percent of the time Quote
southpaw Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 each North Dakotan could be their own PR man for the state in a sense, and not fortify the belief that it's all ice and snow for 95 percent of the time but that would be lying Quote
Smoggy Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 My favorite part was how she kept talking up the cold. I expect it to be the weeks of highs in the -20's, but then she claims it's eight above. Today it was five degrees and i was thinking about busting out the shorts. In a related topic, Rick Killion writes excellent editorials in the Prairie Business Magazine (prairiebizmag.com). In one of them, he gently reprimanded North Dakotans that they were shooting themselves in the foot when bragging or boasting about how cold it was to people from out of state. It only hurt and falsified the state's image even more, he thought. Instead, when someone from, say, Georgia was talking to you on the phone during a business transaction, don't go along with the "Man, it's cold up there, isn't it?! I don't see how you can stand it!" conversation. Killion believed that each North Dakotan could be their own PR man for the state in a sense, and not fortify the belief that it's all ice and snow for 95 percent of the time Everytime I tell people what the temp is at home (yes, I consider EGF home), I also tell them that we have very hot weather in the summer. I was talking to some teachers today and said that it's finally gotten to above 0, and now everyone is going out without coats. It was in the low 50's in Cali and they wear winter clothing. I don't think the author has too much to brag about. Salt Lake City isn't special, and Utah is the WORST state I've ever driven through. NO SERVICES. And I've been all over the west/midwest. Quote
sioux fan in phoenix Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 I've long believed that a North Dakotan can move away to a big city and move back to ND and be just as happy before or after. It's just that folks used to that "big city" can't adjust to the more relaxed pace in ND. How true. I could move back to GF tomorrow & it would feel like I never left. The cold weather is no problem, but the lack of meaningful jobs is. Quote
ScottM Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 How true. I could move back to GF tomorrow & it would feel like I never left. The cold weather is no problem, but the lack of meaningful jobs is. I agree. I've considered moving back a few times. However, whenever it comes to compensation, authority, cutting edge tactics, etc., most NoDak cos. are way behind the rest of the world, even rural places like Iowa and Nebraska. Quote
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 I grew up in the TC and need that city "something to do" thing. Grand Forks is a nice town, but I have been too spoiled to live here for long after I graduate. Weather isn't an issue, MN/ND probably has the worst weather in the country in terms of temperature...everyone else is just a bunch of p*ssies Not as bad as I expected though, especially after I turned 21. And the laidy folk ain't bad looking either. People up here even got me liking country music...a little. Quote
sioux fan in phoenix Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 I agree. I've considered moving back a few times. However, whenever it comes to compensation, authority, cutting edge tactics, etc., most NoDak cos. are way behind the rest of the world, even rural places like Iowa and Nebraska. It sounds like we're in the same boat--$$$, opportunities & other big-city trappings are just too difficult to replace with peace of mind & a sense of community. I don't have any kids yet & that probably explains why I still live here. Note to anyone out there with youngins who's contemplating moving to Phoenix: DON'T! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RALPH & HERBIE--JUST DON'T!! Never have I seen a f***ed-up state across the board like Arizona. Pi$$-poor education, rampant crime, psychotic drivers, a gazillion illegal aliens, awful social services, crazy summertime heat, crooked politicians galore...you name it, we got it...the bottom of the barrel, that is. I think, no I know, that God shakes the continental U.S. like a big acorn tree & all the nuts fall down to Florida & Arizona. Geez... The preceding message brought to you by the "Ex-North Dakotans soon to be moving to an actually livable, English-speaking state" Committee. Like the Dem candidates say at the end of their commercials: "I'm Sioux Fan in Phoenix & I approve this message." Quote
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 Note to anyone out there with youngins who's contemplating moving to Phoenix: DON'T! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RALPH & HERBIE--JUST DON'T!! you forgot Zach psychotic drivers They're in ND too. Nobody up here knows how to drive in a city-type environment. They would cause quite a few accidents in Minneapolis...that or get shot, which they don't have to worry about here. Quote
sioux fan in phoenix Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 you forgot Zach That's what I meant when I said God Come to Phoenix & I'll show you the difference between psychotic "I pray I don't get shot when I drive to work today" drivers & rural drivers who just haven't been exposed to large urban traffic before. Quote
airmail Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 I thought this applied well to this thread... Issued by the North Dakota Tourism Bureau to ALL visiting Urbanites: 1. Don't order filet mignon or pasta primavera at Kroll's Kitchen. It's a diner. They serve breakfast 24 hours a day. Let them cook something they know. If you upset the ladies in the kitchen, they'll kick your ass. 2. Don't laugh at the names of our little towns (Minnewauken, Rolla, Gackle, Osnabrock, Cando, Walhalla, Zap, etc.) or we will just HAVE to kick your ass. 3. Don't order a bottle or a can of soda here. Up here it's called pop. Accept it. Doing otherwise can lead to an ass kicking. 4. We know our heritage. Most of us are more literate than you. We are also better educated and generally a lot nicer. Don't refer to us as a bunch of hicks or we'll bust your ass. 5. We have plenty of business sense. You have to to make a living up here. Naturally, we do sometimes have small lapses in judgment, but we are not dumb enough to let someone move to our state in order to run for the Senate. If someone tried to do that, we would kick their ass. 6. Don't laugh at our giant fiberglass cows and our turtles made out of car parts. Anything that inspires tourists to buy 50,000 postcards can't be bad. When you're in Jamestown, don't point at the genitalia on the giant buffalo or we'll kick your ass. 7. We are fully aware of how cold it gets here in the winter, so shut the hell up. Just spend your money and get the hell out of here or we'll kick your ass. 8. Don't order the vegetarian special at the local diner. Everyone will instantly know that you're a tourist. Eat your steak rare like God intended and have some potatoes with it, for heaven's sake! Also, don't ask what a hot dish is or you will get your ass kicked. 9. Don't try to fake a NoDak accent. We don't have an accent. Do NOT mention the movie "Fargo" as that will incite a riot and you will get your ass kicked. 10. Don't talk about how much better things are at home because we know better. Many of us have visited big-city hell-holes like Minneapolis, New York, and LA, and we have the scars to prove it. If you don't like it here, Northwest Airlines is ready when you are. Move your ass on home. 11. Yes, we know that ice fishing is "not your thing." We don't care. If you don't understand the beauty of being out on a lake when it's 10 degrees then you should go home and try fishing in New York Harbor. Also, don't hog the heater in the fish house or we'll kick your ass. 12. Don't complain that North Dakota is flat and that there aren't enough trees. If you whine about OUR scenic beauty we'll kick your ass all the way back to Cleveland. 13. Don't ridicule our mannerisms. We only speak when spoken to. We hold doors open for others. We offer our seats to old folks because such things are expected of civilized people. Behave yourselves around our sweet, little grey-haired grandmothers or they will kick some manners into your ass just like they did ours. 14. So you think we're quaint or losers because most of us live on the prairie? That's because we have enough sense to not live in filthy, smelly, crime-infested cesspools like New York or LA. Make fun of our fresh air and we'll kick your ass. 15. Last, but not least, DO NOT DARE to come out here and tell us how the prairie should "go back to the buffalo." This will get your ass shot. Just mention this once and you will go home in a pine box. Minus your ass. Enjoy your visit in the Peace Garden State! Quote
NDSU grad Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 Airmail, that's funny stuff. Speaking of ND monuments, far and away my favorite is the pyramid of tin cans wrapped in chicken wire in Casselton. It's awesome in its simplistic beauty. Quote
Hansel Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 From John Edward's Top 10 list on Letterman last night 5. "We're gonna cut the deficit by selling North Dakota to Canada" Quote
PCM Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 5. "We're gonna cut the deficit by selling North Dakota to Canada" And because they'd pay with Canadian dollars, it would cut the deficit by approximately 50 cents. Quote
Smoggy Posted February 6, 2004 Posted February 6, 2004 And because they'd pay with Canadian dollars, it would cut the deficit by approximately 50 cents. LOL!!!! Quote
U2Bad1 Posted February 6, 2004 Posted February 6, 2004 Interesting article. I moved to salt lake city in august for graduate school and the only way i ever notice it is a fairly large city is when i go on the freeways during rush hour or venture downtown. It's a very friendly city for big city friendliness standards (if that makes sense). Weather-wise the city probably gets more snow on average, but it actually comes down vertically and the high temperature rarely ever falls below 20. WHen you guys were suffering -40 it was about +40 here Quote
sioux fan in phoenix Posted February 6, 2004 Posted February 6, 2004 WHen you guys were suffering -40 it was about +40 here And a bonechilling +65 here...Brrrr Quote
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