Are you getting something out of this all encompassing trip?
The other day a woman came into the store and asked me what part of Canada I was from because that’s what happens when people pick up on my accent. I don’t know if it’s because my southern accent is so off kilter compared to mainstream Hollywood or it’s because not enough Americans travel. When I repieled I was from Arkansas, USA all she said was, “Do you know the Duggers?”
My first reaction was to be very annoyed. For those who don’t know, the Duggers are a highly religious families that have their own reality TV show and they fall on this side of crazy. At first I hated the show but like most things people hate, I didn’t understand it. They are very unorthodox right wing god fearing folks and I would never follow most of their values but I understand them.
You have to let people do what they want as long as it’s not hurting anyone else. Life is short. Don’t waste your time worrying about others.
After thinking about why I was annoyed, I realized it was because of stereotypes. When I tell people I’m from America, all they can say is; guns, bibles, fast food and Hollywood. Yes, I grew up on all those things but that don’t define me. Yes I own a gun, yes I was raised in the church, yes I take comfort in a Egg McMuffin and most importantly; yes I’ve seen a majority of popular movies in the past 50 years, but that doesn’t describe who I am.
Hi, I’m Jeremy. I believe in a universal god but since I was raised in a small town America I’m not suppose to be able to compare my god to yours. Ok, you were raised in the middle of Africa and think the sun eats the moon, I understand that. We all want to rely on a higher being but because of my own background I’m suppose to understand the world better than you.
Nope.
Life is as simple as tribesmen hunting a wild animal in bush. We’re just trying to make it out alive.
It's harsh but man he was just going through the motions. I’ve had friends tell me that he was losing his touch but I blew it off. I'm stubborn, you can tell me I'm on fire but until I feel the burn I'll just give you a smirk. But I came to realize my error when he spent most of his time on the organ, only to pick up the guitar for two songs. You know the classic Dylan emphasis at the end of the verse, where he draws out the word in a higher pitch? He was doing that on every syllable on some of the songs. I didn’t even recognize Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright until the second verse.
I make myself try to look at both sides of any of my opinions and even though I think he should retire to save his legacy, I have to give him props for doing what he loves. I’m pretty sure he’s not touring for the money. But is he really doing it because he loves it or because it’s the only thing he knows? For a man that has reinvented himself so many times maybe he takes comfort with road? I for damn sure wouldn’t blame him if that’s the truth.
The point that drove his whole concert home was when he finished with Forever Young. He sang it with the indifference of a vagabond that just wants to sleep. I might of missed him in his prime but I’m thankful for DVD’s and the internet. I can watch this video a million times and never be tired of it. Even though critics pan that it's average because of all the coke that was done that night, just look at his shrug 40 seconds in. The man exudes what it is to be cool.
I’ve decided the Australian dialect is the quintessential Valley Girl speak. They shorten all their words and the ones they do finish they end on a higher pitch. Australians have yet to find a word they can’t just shorten and put a ‘Y’ at the end. Breakfast is breaky; expiration is expiry, expensive is exy and the list could go on forever.
The first couple of weeks I spent most of my day behind a cash register wondering what the hell was just said. Instead of saying thank you after a transaction there would be a good on ya, cheers, thanks mate, beauty, or my favorite ta. Yup, ta, the shortest and most common way possible to say thank you in Oz.
I like to think of myself as seasoned and having figured everything out by now but that’s far from the truth. Yesterday a woman came in asking for rubbers and I gave her condoms. Turns out rubbers are erasers. Before that it was an old man wanting thongs. No, not the sexy panties but flip flops. I think I might be hopeless. They have the luxury of Hollywood and can pretty much understand everything I say. I have Mad Max and Crocadile Dundee, the Hollywood version of Oz. Yeah, I’m screwed but that’s half the fun.
