I have ambivalent feelings towards Boston. I grew up within an hour and a half of it. I am still a fan of Boston sports teams. My sister lived in the Boston area for decades before her husband retired. I love the old wooden Victorian and old brick buildings of Boston, and wandering its streets. But the politics, corrupt and yellow dog Democrat! As a childhood friend worked at their Hyannisport complex one summer, I have shed the region's love for the Kennedy family. The worst drivers in the country are to be found within Route 128. While most in Massachusetts are not, I have definitely met a certain number of Massholes.
I love Dropkick Murphys. I play them at full volume on the way home from work a lot. But Gringo is right, that kind of of Southie/Quincy (or North End/Somerville/Revere) violent attitude is more fun from a distance, and not so great up close. The other crew, from Cambridge through Brookline and Newton and Wellesley to Sharon and Dover is a different kind of dink.
If you really are heading up to New England, Grim, you are going to be happier going through Central MA and exploring NH.
Given the combination of Southie-Revere chip on the shoulda' and Cambridge-Brookline smug, I now realize that my ambivalence towards those who live in the Boston area is considerably reduced. Speaking of smug, I am reminded of the time I was visiting my sister. We went out to a Chinese restaurant. My sister's boyfriend informed me that we were eating Chinese because this was something that was not available to me in Texas. As I was getting a free meal, I kept my mouth shut and inwardly smiled to myself.
My sister-in-law is from Central Mass. While I may not agree with their viewpoints on politics, I have enjoyed interacting with members of her extended family at weddings, Christmases, and family reunions. [Speaking of local color, one of her brothers owns a small construction firm that got involved in the corruption scams associated with the Big Dig.]
But the kulcha', no ambivalence there. I recall attending a performance of The Messiah at IIRC the Park Street Church near the Common. Or Mercedes Sosa in concert. Or Boston Pops outdoors with fireworks on July 4th.
Regarding the history, my hometown is full of such, so it wasn't as if I needed to go to Boston to get me some history. Not that I don't appreciate the history in Boston, but that the history in Boston not new to me, but was shared to a fair degree with my hometown. A Revo War hero from my hometown, whose family still lives in town, fought at Bunker Hill. There is a statue of that Revo War hero in a big city- but the family NEVER mentions the statue. Yankees don't brag.
4 comments:
I have ambivalent feelings towards Boston. I grew up within an hour and a half of it. I am still a fan of Boston sports teams. My sister lived in the Boston area for decades before her husband retired. I love the old wooden Victorian and old brick buildings of Boston, and wandering its streets. But the politics, corrupt and yellow dog Democrat! As a childhood friend worked at their Hyannisport complex one summer, I have shed the region's love for the Kennedy family. The worst drivers in the country are to be found within Route 128. While most in Massachusetts are not, I have definitely met a certain number of Massholes.
I love Dropkick Murphys. I play them at full volume on the way home from work a lot. But Gringo is right, that kind of of Southie/Quincy (or North End/Somerville/Revere) violent attitude is more fun from a distance, and not so great up close. The other crew, from Cambridge through Brookline and Newton and Wellesley to Sharon and Dover is a different kind of dink.
If you really are heading up to New England, Grim, you are going to be happier going through Central MA and exploring NH.
I like Boston culturally, not politically. But culturally, it's great. A pint at the Black Rose, the USS Constitution, all of the historical stuff ...
Given the combination of Southie-Revere chip on the shoulda' and Cambridge-Brookline smug, I now realize that my ambivalence towards those who live in the Boston area is considerably reduced. Speaking of smug, I am reminded of the time I was visiting my sister. We went out to a Chinese restaurant. My sister's boyfriend informed me that we were eating Chinese because this was something that was not available to me in Texas. As I was getting a free meal, I kept my mouth shut and inwardly smiled to myself.
My sister-in-law is from Central Mass. While I may not agree with their viewpoints on politics, I have enjoyed interacting with members of her extended family at weddings, Christmases, and family reunions. [Speaking of local color, one of her brothers owns a small construction firm that got involved in the corruption scams associated with the Big Dig.]
But the kulcha', no ambivalence there. I recall attending a performance of The Messiah at IIRC the Park Street Church near the Common. Or Mercedes Sosa in concert. Or Boston Pops outdoors with fireworks on July 4th.
Regarding the history, my hometown is full of such, so it wasn't as if I needed to go to Boston to get me some history. Not that I don't appreciate the history in Boston, but that the history in Boston not new to me, but was shared to a fair degree with my hometown. A Revo War hero from my hometown, whose family still lives in town, fought at Bunker Hill. There is a statue of that Revo War hero in a big city- but the family NEVER mentions the statue. Yankees don't brag.
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