I am a Minnesotan. In a broader sense, I am a Midwesterner. Did you hear anything remarkable in either of those statements? I didn't. I've lived around these parts for my entire life. Somehow it doesn't make me feel particularly special. More like blandly mediocre, actually. But that's not how everyone else in my home state sees it. Don't suggest to them that Minnesota might not quite measure up to some other states. See, there's a phenomenon that occurs accross the Midwest in general. It's a vast case of me-too syndrome. Or in my state in particular, what I've come to think of as a Minnferiority complex. It may not be the most ingenious word ever, but it is what it is. Everyone's constantly looking for affirmation that people really like us. All I have to do is turn on the local TV news every evening to be reminded of just how popular we are. Maybe they're right. After all, it was just last summer that Meryl Streep herself found the greatest pizza she'd ever eaten, right here in St. Paul! You can't tell me that doesn't count for something! In fact, Hollywood in general just loves us. Why else would they decide to shoot one of the all time classic holiday films, "Jingle All The Way", in my own backyard of Minneapolis? But that's not the only evidence of our greatness. What about having the no. 2 ranked small town in America (Owatonna)? Or how about this - the 62nd largest city skyline IN THE WORLD! Like I said, though, it's not just Minnesota. All of us Midwestern people have a desire to really be someone, to be famous. For a couple of years I lived in Wautoma, Wisconsin, which just happens to be the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World" (oh wait, sorry, it's now actually the "Pine Tree Capital of the World". can't imagine what caused that change...). Of course Wisconsin is especially well known for this world capital stuff, but it just makes sense. If you pick something extremely obscure to be good at, you have at least a decent chance of being somewhere near top of the list. Who cares if it's rutabagas, backhoe/loaders, ginseng, farm toys, black squirrels, cranberries, or even magic (yep, Colon, MI), if you're pretty good...you're probably the best. To be honest though, for all my sarcasm, I really do enjoy living here. Life is just fine, and even pretty good in some ways. But just some advice for my fellow Minnesotans: quit living for that 15 minutes when Katie Couric stops by to say "Hi" and tells us all how much she admires us. We don't need celebrities to tell us we're special in order to be happy. After all, this is Minnesota, not Idaho.
6 comments:
Hooray for Minnesota! Yes, I know that completely ignores the intent of your post, Kent. But really, Minnesota is pretty special. You know you feel warm fuzzies at the mere mention of Gopher sports...
i agree, kent. sotans are messed up. but so is everybody else, as well. truth is, we're all blandly mediocre.
ummm, so it was a good post. but it was fifteen days ago. sooooo . . .
Shut up and DO NOT tell me that my ALL TIME favorite teacher's youngest son is at college. What in the world!!!??? Man, I'm like a grandma. (ask Jenn Wetzel)
Yes can't, you can never measure up to the infinite coolness of a state like Colorado, i mean think about it, who DOESN'T want to live in denver, i've never heard someone say, Oh i hate denver i never want to live there, at the very least they say, ' yeah denver would be cool to live in" when's the last time you heard someone say, "yeah st. paul, pretty cool place"???
i would have to say, minnesota is probably just about the best state in the enitire world (well, i guess the United States).
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