Sometimes you start at the head of the Appalachian trail and then **poof**, suddenly you're in Argentina with your Latin girlfriend.
"My first time north of the Mason-Dixon Line..."
- Thread starter RoJoHen
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Sometimes you start at the head of the Appalachian trail and then **poof**, suddenly you're in Argentina with your Latin girlfriend.
It's interesting how that turned out. I know that when I lived in Baltimore (1960-1962) it was most definitely considered a southern city. But that was about 50 years ago. I suspect the dividing line will continue to move south as time goes on.
Having spent my youth and teen years living in both the Northeast and the Deep South, I'm enjoying seeing how things have changed (and not changed) since my childhood.
Oh, man, Baltimore is a fundamentally different city than it was in the 60's. It's shifted by almost every measure, except that we're still blue to the gills (Bob Ehrlich and Spiro Agnew not withstanding) and there are still a lot of rowhomes. Even the crabs mostly come from the Carolinas.
The one thing that Baltimore does have that lines up more with Southern cities than Northern is a majority African-American population. The funny thing is, that while every other metric has shifted North, that one has shifted South with white flight in the 60's and 70's...
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I live in Virginia near Petersburg. I can tell you that we consider all people in Northern Virginia and DC to be "Northerners".
I don't really see a lot of hate towards people like that though. I will say that places like NYC and basically all of California and the Pacific Northwest are looked at as being kind of crazy, haha. But not in a hateful way.
Most people here basically look at the dividing line between the North and the South as being around Petersburg or Richmond.
I don't really see a lot of hate towards people like that though. I will say that places like NYC and basically all of California and the Pacific Northwest are looked at as being kind of crazy, haha. But not in a hateful way.
Most people here basically look at the dividing line between the North and the South as being around Petersburg or Richmond.
The 'modern' North/South line runs through Fredericksburg, VA.
I just made that up, but I suspect I'm right.
Yeah, I'd say the Rappahannock River would be a better dividing line between North and South these days.
Although when I was living in the Hampton Roads area back in the late '90s, I never really got a "Southern" vibe from the place. Maybe it's more of a small town/rural thing.
Although when I was living in the Hampton Roads area back in the late '90s, I never really got a "Southern" vibe from the place. Maybe it's more of a small town/rural thing.
As someone who lives in the north (waaaay in the north as far as some are concerned 
) and who visits the south a couple of times per year, I can say that my perception of southerners is that they move at a much slower pace than what I'd prefer.
Here, I walk into my local Starbucks, order a coffee, and it's handed to me within about 15 seconds, I pay, and I leave. In Atlanta, I have to wait what seems like forever. In general, people move more slowly (though I move quicker than average here as well - there's nothing I hate more than being stuck behind a group of people on the sidewalk who are ambling along at a snail's pace and won't get out of the way).
I'll have to try to remember to bring the subject up with my boyfriend when we're talking tomorrow night to see what his impression was on this subject when he was here in May. But he's somewhat unusual as well, in that he tends to operate at a quicker pace than others I've seen in the south. He never complained about the quicker pace of things when he was here.
) and who visits the south a couple of times per year, I can say that my perception of southerners is that they move at a much slower pace than what I'd prefer.Here, I walk into my local Starbucks, order a coffee, and it's handed to me within about 15 seconds, I pay, and I leave. In Atlanta, I have to wait what seems like forever. In general, people move more slowly (though I move quicker than average here as well - there's nothing I hate more than being stuck behind a group of people on the sidewalk who are ambling along at a snail's pace and won't get out of the way).
I'll have to try to remember to bring the subject up with my boyfriend when we're talking tomorrow night to see what his impression was on this subject when he was here in May. But he's somewhat unusual as well, in that he tends to operate at a quicker pace than others I've seen in the south. He never complained about the quicker pace of things when he was here.
Having lived both in the north and the south I think that about sums up the stereotypes and their assumptions. My Brother-in-law typifies the south. He's never been north of Georgia and has all the stereotypical attitudes towards people from the north that you can expect. OTOH I have relatives who still live in NY who fit the bill of the stereotypical northerner and their attitudes towards the south.
Some stereotypes are based in reality. The pace up north is much faster and business happens a lot faster. For instance up north you call for a plumber and you would expect them to be there in an hour. In the south you call for a plumber and dont be surprised if he takes half or a full day to get to you. Its not that the latter is lazy, it has to do with work loads, prioritization, and depth of individuals available. Conversely many are astounded by the hospitality displayed in the south. It goes very deep. Even the grocery store baggers will take a moment to give that personal touch. The best example of this is when I took my cousin to the store down here and she said "It's creepy. Everyone is so nice, what do they want?" She couldnt wrap her head around the fact that is how everyone down here was.
QFT
Short of the long, both sides can be just as guilty of jackassism as the other.
Yeah well, up here, if you're slow, you die of hypothermia.
(Of course, I wouldn't expect you Torontoians to know about that.
)
One of my old co-workers experienced this first hand. She and I used to tend bar together. She then moved to North Carolina and started serving/bartending, and she couldn't believe how slow her co-workers were. Her co-workers also couldn't believe she was working so hard.
She even got yelled at once for taking out the garbage because "that's a man's job."
Yeah well, up here, if you're slow, you die of hypothermia.
(Of course, I wouldn't expect you Torontoians to know about that.
No, we leave that to you Winterpeg folks.
Yeah, last year it took about 20 minutes for me to get a pint of Guinness at the bar in the Atlanta Hyatt. Okay, it was during Dragon*Con, but it still shouldn't have taken 20 minutes. And then she had the audacity to card me.
Admittedly, she did a huge double-take and then apologized as she handed my ID back... it's not every day that a 41-year-old gets carded.
She even got yelled at once for taking out the garbage because "that's a man's job."
What, were they afraid that her delicate sensibilities wouldn't be able to handle the smell, or that it was too heavy for her to lift?
I have no idea, but she did it anyway. They were blown away.She even got yelled at once for taking out the garbage because "that's a man's job."
What, were they afraid that her delicate sensibilities wouldn't be able to handle the smell, or that it was too heavy for her to lift?
MeanJoePhaser
Admiral
Ah, the south...Warmer weather, take time to enjoy life...slow down. This ain't New Yawk Citty. Summa lasts for more than 3 months.
There's a fair amount of rednecks around here, though some of those are descendents of southern transplants.
I read an article once that some areas of the north settled by German immigrants developed a coldness to strangers because of harassment during prohibition (Germans love their beer). I dunno if that's true.
You know what I could find in the south I can't in the north...seasonal snow cone stands. I asked around here and the idea was alien to them. They don't know they are missing. Though, I suppose they aren't common in the south, either.
There's a fair amount of rednecks around here, though some of those are descendents of southern transplants.
I read an article once that some areas of the north settled by German immigrants developed a coldness to strangers because of harassment during prohibition (Germans love their beer). I dunno if that's true.
You know what I could find in the south I can't in the north...seasonal snow cone stands. I asked around here and the idea was alien to them. They don't know they are missing. Though, I suppose they aren't common in the south, either.
Yeah, except most people think it's the southern MD border, not the northern one. The thing is that, going by the Mason-Dixon, MD is southern, but it's not a confederate state and culturally, demographically, politically, economically, and industrially, it has more in common with the northeast than the southeast. We have some southern elements, but the difference between MD and VA is vast. Real Southerners would never accept MD as part of the South. Generally speaking, when a Southerner says he's never been past the "Mason-Dixon", he means that he's never been north of DC at best, probably Richmond. At least, that's what I gathered from going to school in VA.
We prefer the three-part division of Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast. It's much more accurate in denoting cultural, demographic and historical realities. It also solves that little "what the hell is Delaware?" issue.
The northeast, mid-atlantic, southeast divide is honestly the best one, but, if you drive through northern Maryland, there are places where you're convinced the mason-dixon line is still the correct north-south divide (then you get to Baltimore or DC and you realize that it's not really much different than New York or Philadelphia). Delaware has its own arbitrary line where people above it can look snobbishly towards people below it.
There's no doubt that wherever these lines are, they're generally just stereotypes and, either way, are gradually moving south.
Yeah, except most people think it's the southern MD border, not the northern one. The thing is that, going by the Mason-Dixon, MD is southern, but it's not a confederate state and culturally, demographically, politically, economically, and industrially, it has more in common with the northeast than the southeast. We have some southern elements, but the difference between MD and VA is vast. Real Southerners would never accept MD as part of the South. Generally speaking, when a Southerner says he's never been past the "Mason-Dixon", he means that he's never been north of DC at best, probably Richmond. At least, that's what I gathered from going to school in VA.
We prefer the three-part division of Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast. It's much more accurate in denoting cultural, demographic and historical realities. It also solves that little "what the hell is Delaware?" issue.
The northeast, mid-atlantic, southeast divide is honestly the best one, but, if you drive through northern Maryland, there are places where you're convinced the mason-dixon line is still the correct north-south divide (then you get to Baltimore or DC and you realize that it's not really much different than New York or Philadelphia). Delaware has its own arbitrary line where people above it can look snobbishly towards people below it.
There's no doubt that wherever these lines are, they're generally just stereotypes and, either way, are gradually moving south.
My buddy lives in a town out in "DelMarVa" ( I get that right?) Holy shit some of those people think they're in the deep south and that I'm from outer fucking space when I tell them I'm from NYC.
him:"Shit son, yous done come a long ways"
me: "Not really, it's only a few hundred miles away"
him: "I can tell you ain't from here"
me: "No, I'm not, but it's nice to meet you"
him: "Well, I don't know bout you city folk, I'm suspicious, Anyway, what you want?"
me: "Bro, can I get 2 cases of the .45 cal ammo and a case of budweiser?"
him: "Shit, you alright in my book"
me: "Thank you sir"
Yeah, except most people think it's the southern MD border, not the northern one. The thing is that, going by the Mason-Dixon, MD is southern, but it's not a confederate state and culturally, demographically, politically, economically, and industrially, it has more in common with the northeast than the southeast. We have some southern elements, but the difference between MD and VA is vast. Real Southerners would never accept MD as part of the South. Generally speaking, when a Southerner says he's never been past the "Mason-Dixon", he means that he's never been north of DC at best, probably Richmond. At least, that's what I gathered from going to school in VA.
We prefer the three-part division of Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast. It's much more accurate in denoting cultural, demographic and historical realities. It also solves that little "what the hell is Delaware?" issue.
The northeast, mid-atlantic, southeast divide is honestly the best one, but, if you drive through northern Maryland, there are places where you're convinced the mason-dixon line is still the correct north-south divide (then you get to Baltimore or DC and you realize that it's not really much different than New York or Philadelphia). Delaware has its own arbitrary line where people above it can look snobbishly towards people below it.
There's no doubt that wherever these lines are, they're generally just stereotypes and, either way, are gradually moving south.
My buddy lives in a town out in "DelMarVa" ( I get that right?) Holy shit some of those people think they're in the deep south and that I'm from outer fucking space when I tell them I'm from NYC.
him:"Shit son, yous done come a long ways"
me: "Not really, it's only a few hundred miles away"
him: "I can tell you ain't from here"
me: "No, I'm not, but it's nice to meet you"
him: "Well, I don't know bout you city folk, I'm suspicious, Anyway, what you want?"
me: "Bro, can I get 2 cases of the .45 cal ammo and a case of budweiser?"
him: "Shit, you alright in my book"
me: "Thank you sir"
Yeah, Delmarva is about as slower-lower as you can get and still be in Delaware. I'm just playing into stereotypes, but I honestly think there are pockets of Maryland, Delaware, and, to be honest, central PA, that have more in common with West Virginia than they do with Washington DC.
But if you go to a Southern Starbucks--you'll see part of what the difference is. Go later in the evening--and you'll notice how long the average guest stays. To me, a minutes or two to get my drink is nothing, because I am seriously setting up camp in there--I plan to hang out at Starbucks for 2 or 3 hours, occasionally more. You'll see a LOT of social groups that just get in there and stay, in the evening.
She even got yelled at once for taking out the garbage because "that's a man's job."
Was she taking out the garbage during the day, or at night? At least at the store I work at, women take the garbage out during the day shift, but in the stores around here that I know of, the guys take out the garbage at night. At least at our store, the garbage dumpster is in a pitch-black back area where you honestly could not see a threat coming at you if there was one. Which is why we let the men take the garbage at night--frankly, none of us ladies WANTS to be out there in the dark.
