Originally Posted By RoadTrip My wife and I went to see 'The Prairie Home Companion' movie tonight and I thought it was excellent. [Admin - Please do not move this to Gen Entertainment; that is not what this post is about.] After the movie I asked my wife what people must think of Minnesotans if their only experience with us is through the movies "Fargo" and "Prairie Home Companion". She said although the movies presented stereotypes, there was much truth in them. She especially thought the line in 'Prairie' about "If you are feeling kind of good about things don't worry about it; something will come along soon enough to make you feel bad" was classic Minnesotan. I had to agree there was truth in that. I don't consider myself a negative person, but I usually figure that if you hope for the best but expect the worst you will generally be disappointed the least. I guess I have to agree that is a very "Minnesota" attitude. There were also many subtle things in the movie that were clearly Minnesota related to Minnesotans, but I’m not sure if anyone else would pick up on them. So... have any of you folks seen 'Prairie Home Companion', and what did it make you think Minnesotans were like? (Be gentle... we Minnesotans bruise easily.) ;-)
Originally Posted By idleHands Loved the film. Love Garrison Keillor. Love MPR. Love Robert Altman. Plenty of love to go around! That being said... I know some folks from Minnesota. And I must confess... Lake Wobegon is pretty much their home planet. (sorry folks) One of my favorite "classic Minnesotan" lines from a Guy Noir skit goes like this: "You're in Minnesota. We don't complain here. That's not how we deal with things. In Minnesota, when things go wrong, you resign yourself to it, and you nurse resentments for years. You hang on to your resentments, and you punish people by being extra nice to them. When you just can't stand it anymore, you say something passive aggressive behind their backs." Does that answer your question? 8^D
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<I know some folks from Minnesota. And I must confess... Lake Wobegon is pretty much their home planet. (sorry folks)>> All right!! I love being unusual. <<One of my favorite "classic Minnesotan" lines from a Guy Noir skit goes like this: "You're in Minnesota. We don't complain here. That's not how we deal with things. In Minnesota, when things go wrong, you resign yourself to it, and you nurse resentments for years. You hang on to your resentments, and you punish people by being extra nice to them. When you just can't stand it anymore, you say something passive aggressive behind their backs.">> I must admit... the only thing more Minnesotan than that is Ice Fishing and Lutefisk.
Originally Posted By mele Dang it. Candice and I were going to see this movie on the 4th but we forgot we were going out. (It was the rum punch!) I agree with the "hope for the best, plan for the worst" scenario. I'm a planner, I like to cover all my bases. ;-) I LOVE this: "You're in Minnesota. We don't complain here. That's not how we deal with things. In Minnesota, when things go wrong, you resign yourself to it, and you nurse resentments for years. You hang on to your resentments, and you punish people by being extra nice to them. When you just can't stand it anymore, you say something passive aggressive behind their backs." That is sooo my family but we're from Canada and South Dakota. LOL
Originally Posted By AladdinAZ I grew up in Minnesota, right across the river from Fargo, North Dakota. Some of the those there accents were a bit overdone, don'cha know?!?! And it does get snowy looking like what ya see in "Fargo", but none of my neighbors didn't even have a wood chipper. Worse thing about some of them is that there Norweigen, but they can't help it, cuz it's genetic. Garrison did have a radio show by the same name, when I lived there, and sounds like he still does. I heard bits and pieces of the show, while channel surfing the radio. But never really stop to listen to it. Had to look for something better to listen too, Paul Harvey HAD to be on one of the other radio stations! Now HE is real a radio star! Oh, one other note about the movie. When I went to see "Cars" at my local multiplex, each theater had a digit marquee showing the start time and that particular theater's current movie. I walked by one that said: "9:00 A Prarie Ho" That was it, "A Prarie Ho" So, I suppose I might just have to go and see the movie to see if that's the truth!
Originally Posted By idleHands <<Worse thing about some of them is that there Norweigen, but they can't help it, cuz it's genetic.>> OH YES! The 'Norwegian Bachelor Farmers' of Minnesota! Another favorite Garrison Keillor line from yet another Guy Noir skit: "Miss Duke... lemme give you a warning here just upfront if I may. When it comes to finding single men in Minnesota, the odds are good but the goods are odd. Know what I mean? I don't know if you've ever met Norwegian Bachelor Farmers, Miss Duke, but you know, whatever you get from 'em, it's not companionship." "The odds are good but the goods are odd." LOVE THAT LINE!!
Originally Posted By Labuda "I agree with the "hope for the best, plan for the worst" scenario." As do I. That's just good sese, that's not Minesotan!
Originally Posted By wonderingalice *LMAO* I'm going to have Mr. Alice read this thread and take me to the movie. From what I can see, it explains a LOT. Heh heh heh heh! He's Minnesota-born and raised, as is his whole family. He escaped after college; his parents left there a couple of years after he moved to Las Vegas (about 1991), and his uncle and aunt just moved here about two years ago; one of their daughters just moved here last Fall. Her fingers and toes have almost thawed out now. ;-)
Originally Posted By Labuda Oh, and not having seen APHC yet (I may just buy the DVD when it comes out), here's what I think of Minnesotans: crazy people who live amongst snow & ice for way too much of the year, eat too much fish (then again, any fish is too much), and why the heck don't they move somewhere a bit sunnier? lol Hmmmm, was Rose on Golden Girls from Minnesota?
Originally Posted By wonderingalice ^^But that Walleye IS awesome! ;-) And yes... Rose was from St. Olaf, MN... *LOL*
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 RoadTrip, we haven't seen the movie yet but maybe you can answer a question for me. We had a couple of college age Japanese foreign exchange students visit us a couple of years ago. They had just finished a year of study at a college in Minnesota. They told us that in Minnesota they pronounce it Minn e sotta (like gotta). We have always pronounced it Minn e soda like they do on the newscasts and we were taught in school (CA). So my question is, is the difference an area thing or were the girls dialect a bit off ? The girls were just so sweet and darn cute and agog at the artichokes I was cooking
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<pronounce it Minn e sotta (like gotta).>> I've actually never heard it pronounced that way. We pronounce it pretty much like everyone else but tend to drag it out a bit. Kind of like 'Minn a So Tah'.
Originally Posted By wonderingalice ^^The funny thing...? The only time you know for SURE that Mr. Alice is from Minnesota, is when he says it just like your version, RT... His voice momentarily takes on a Norwegian 'twang." *LOL*
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb >>>crazy people who live amongst snow & ice for way too much of the year, eat too much fish (then again, any fish is too much), and why the heck don't they move somewhere a bit sunnier? lol <<< I've never been in the winter, but I've been in July and gaaaaah the humidity is killer! If I want hot and humid send me to WDW instead. And don't forget the state bird is the mosquito. (but I'm sure it's lovely the rest of the year RT)
Originally Posted By AladdinAZ >>>crazy people who live amongst snow & ice for way too much of the year, eat too much fish (then again, any fish is too much), and why the heck don't they move somewhere a bit sunnier? lol <<< oh, yah, don't forget about that ice fishing that goes on there in the winter. Nothing more fun than sitting in a shack on the ice, cutting a hole in the ice, so you can fish in the middle of winter! oh, the fun! (yes, I am being sarcastic)
Originally Posted By MomofPrincess This totally sums up my mom! >>> I don't consider myself a negative person, but I usually figure that if you hope for the best but expect the worst you will generally be disappointed the least.<<< Same with the other quote that a few people here have chimed in about! I love it! I have never been to MN but my mom was born and raised in Minneapolis, so I've heard all the stories about the Norweigans (which is what we are) and the bitter cold winters! And butter! Don't always Norweigans love butter? I know we sure do. ;-) Also, I know there are a lot of Norweigan Lutherans. In fact, my mom's cousin is Paul Youngdahl, who heads up the largest Lutheran church (in the nation) there. I was born/raised in CA, but my mom once said she could tell I had some of her midwest influence in me because I never could just answer "Yes" to a question. It's always been, "Yeah, uh-huh!" LOL! I never realized I did that until she pointed it out.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<I've never been in the winter, but I've been in July and gaaaaah the humidity is killer! If I want hot and humid send me to WDW instead. And don't forget the state bird is the mosquito. (but I'm sure it's lovely the rest of the year RT)>> Minnesota can be really hot and humid in July and August, but much of the time it really isn't too bad. Right now it is 74 degrees with a dew point of 57. It just doesn't get much better than that!! (They are predicting 100 degrees with tropical humidity for Saturday, but we'll just kind of ignore that, OK??) Spring and Fall in Minnesota are absolutely wonderful. Those seasons make putting up with winter worthwhile. Fall in Minnesota is particularly wonderful. The only two winter months that really suck are January and February. November isn't usually all that cold or snowy and I like having December snow for Christmas. By March you are getting some warm days and you can see light at the end of the tunnel. But January and February are truly worthless. That is why we always go to WDW during that time! I do have to say one thing... I'd rather be in Minnesota during January and February than in Florida during July and August!!
Originally Posted By Labuda Hey, so are the Norwegian boys in Minnesota as cute as the ones at Epcot?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Hey, so are the Norwegian boys in Minnesota as cute as the ones at Epcot? >> Probably. But I'm Swedish so it doesn't apply to me. Swedes are smarter than Norwegians but not as good looking. ;-)
