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Category: Life
Greetings from Minnesota
This entry was posted on September 12, 2007 4:23 PM and is filed under Out on the Town.
 Well I have been in Southwestern Minnesota for about three and a half days now, and all I can really say is, it's been relaxing. In the picture above you can see some of the sights that greet me each time I make a foray outside of the little town I am staying at. Yep you got it, a lot of Grain Elevators, Windmill farms, Cornfields, and cows of various shapes, sizes and colors. Suddenly this self proclaimed "country boy" is feeling like quite the tenderfoot "city-slicker".
While I could easily come up with several hick/farmer jokes and the like to describe the experience, I am gonna pass on that opportunity because if truth be told, I kinda like it here. Part of the reason why I like it is that I can drive for over forty-five minutes before I see a strip center of any kind. I have driven clear from this little farm village I am in to Sioux Falls South Dakota, and only counted ten billboards (most of which were on the three miles of interstate heading into the "big city"), and didn't lay my eyes on a single McMansion. That was incredibly refreshing.
It doesn't stop there though, it just keeps getting better. The people are actually nicer here, I heard rumors of such things, but never suspected they were so true. It catches you off guard at first, but then you kinda get used to it after a while, and you find yourself being a lot nicer too. For instance, I went to one of the local watering holes the other night with my Sister and one of her friends, and the locals were there drinking their draft beers (it was fifty cent beer night), and they all shook my hand when I was introduced, and they all knew each other. Ordinarily it might not have been the kind of place I would venture into, but after spending a few hours there I was made to feel like I was at home, and I rather liked that. Every cashier or shopkeep I have had to deal with has also been incredibly helpful and pleasant, and it wasn't simply because they had to be, it was because they wanted to be. Even every day driving out here is a heavenly experience. I have literally driven for hours with no left lane dicks or tailgaters riding up my ass, and the highways through the countryside were litter free, and beautiful to behold.
Now granted there are some minor inconveniences as well. For instance, my cell phone doesn't work out here (apparently AT&T coverage isn't as widespread as I had thought), so no "I can't hear you now Mr. Glasses Guy", but that is okay. Likewise, the internet connection isn't as fast as it could be, and each house has an "LP" tank out here versus having "city gas", but that is also not a major downside. There is also a gigantic grain elevator with a rather busy rail line next to it less than a block away, but even that is hardly a deal breaker. Overall the whole atmosphere of this part of the country seems to promote a more relaxed attitude as opposed to the hurry, hurry, rush, rush attitude one needs to survive in the Northeast.
While I might have to travel a bit to find a "decent" coffee shop, in all fairness I haven't completely explored what the downtown of this little village has to offer in that regards either. I can also always just brew my own if need be. In the end, I am enjoying the change of pace, and it reminds me a lot of my boyhood growing up which is kinda nice too. I think the lifestyle out here is one that I could easily grow to both enjoy and appreciate, and I might very well do just that.
Have fun ;)!
6:06 PM
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