DVD extra: Three Day Weekend

[Lioness]

I have been doing a complete Reading Order re-read of SU, and I just read this one again, and afterwards got a serendipitous pointer to something I wrote years ago on etiquette among the Scandosotans, and I have to put this link here now, because whoah:  http://elisem.livejournal.com/1249145.html?thread=8451193

It seriously had me giggling, to see that again after reading this particular extra.  Oh, those New Englanders! Oh, all of us!

[Elizabeth Bear]

Mwahahaha. Still cracks me up.

[miminnehaha]

That's it! Nice job.

Sheesh, shall we take (modest) pride in being so difficult to interpret? Nope; I can be satisfied with your summation, but still probably feel apologetic if I presented a problem for someone trying to understand me.

My 11-yr-old (born & raised in Michigan, but being raised by Minnesotans, so already culturally challenged) went to National Guard camp last week.  He came home saying, "Mom! It was so great! It was weird, though... everybody was like me! We liked the same things, and even when we liked different things, we liked them in the same way. And everybody was so nice!" Child commentary on the average experience in Michigan...

Yes, we really do need to allow for cultural differences even where we don't always expect them!

[Lioness]

That's it! Nice job.

Sheesh, shall we take (modest) pride in being so difficult to interpret? Nope; I can be satisfied with your summation, but still probably feel apologetic if I presented a problem for someone trying to understand me.

I am given to understand that when Walter Mondale was ambassador to Japan, his Minnesotan cultural stuff came in very handy. Apparently it translates pretty well in Japan as basic politeness and being not a total barbarian. Sounds like they were pleased with him:  http://www.law.umn.edu/news/mondale-receives-award-02-25-09