Okay update one:  All of a sudden I'm back on Midwest pronunciation like no other & on midwest banter like an old pro.

It's really funny to me, because I'm able to SEE the banter now as something separate that I knowingly engage in rather than something that I didn't even realize was there & naturally spoke as my first language. 

For example, last night getting Mexican at Lil Angie's *duloof is on fy-yuh!*, the waitress was obviously busy but I was like, "Hmmm...I'm not sure if I want enchiladas or quesadillas... ... ... sorry."  And she's like, "OH NO!  That's fine!"  But I've served.  I know what's going on.  Like in NY they'd be like, "I'll come back to you."  But here it's such 'bad manners'.  And it continues like, "are you done, then?" and "would you like some more water?" after we've been sitting there forever and she knows we are done and we don't want any more water.  Just very funny.  Especially, because now I'm on a different wave where I'm like, "So many words!  Let's get efficient!"  

I'm glad it's still like this here, though.

It's funny to me that so many people don't get the midwest.  or think of it as cultureless because it's such it's own cultural world.  State by state pronunciations and idioms.

FOR EXAMPLE:  What do you say:  Kitty corner?  or diagonal?  And to further continue, perhaps you say Catty corner??

Also, say these words outloud:  bag, home, both, across, especially, aunt.

I say them like this:

"beg", "home", "bolth" (gah!!! can you believe it??!  That's one I'm able to switch in and out of, but naturally I JUST realized I grew up saying 'bolth!!!), across, especially, awwnt.

Megan says, "BAG", the 'A' being the 'A' from apple.

She says, home with a loose 'l' in it.  "Holme".

Both.

Across (though Michiganders OFTEN times say 'acrossT')

Ex-specially

and 'ant' like an ant farm.

Enough linguistics.  Though I love them.

-----

The MJ show was:

B is for Brian the Ann Arbor Michael Jackson alley dancer.  Famous who is just as amazing up close and who is a really sensitive individual.

B is for Billy Jean which we covered 'hoo! hoo!'s in harmony & all.

B is for Brad the random player at the end who hilairously would be singing 'thriller' and then join it with 'billy jean' because he had no idea what came next.  This was done in a very comedically timed way which wasn't fending for the crowds attention, but rather done in an, 'I really could give a shit' way and it was balls out funny.

Speaking of.

B could be balls out funny puppet show that was ridICKulous and very improvised.  Andy is AMAZING as Jimmy broken arm?  I know it sounds cheesy, but I'm being serious it was hilarious.

B is for bandwagon.  The family that took up the whole old church row behind me while I watched the other acts and who un-self-consciously started singing and clapping excitedly during songs that they liked.

B is for beer.  Which I drank Ummmmmm SO much of afterwards.  

B is for, "Do you think you're bettter off alooonnne".

B is for boy.

B is for babes because I love babes.  And speaking of SHANE! hey yo! you is lookin' like a babe, boo.

B is also for boo.

I love coming back to home towns and seeing people look BETTER!  Exercise and eating right = happiness, y'alls.

Okay.  B is for bed.  Because damn after listening to Megan and Paul talk about music geek stuff all night & me smelling like peppermint tea to get rid of this tuburculosis I'vev been fending off, I AM TURD.  And by TURD i mean tired.  And by tired I mean tired.  And by tired I mean tired i mean tired i mean ti.