Fabulous post Dan - you've caught that tingling sensation I often feel at the back of my neck whenever I go to the states (like right before you accidentally bite down on a bit of aluminium foil stuck on the bottom of baked potato). I'm not so brave as you to venture so far west of the Hudson and anyway I don't have any vital historical markers. The problem with change is you never know when its going to right itself again - or of it ever really will.
I reminded a young relative travelling to the US not to tell jokes in airports and was startled to realse this was probably good advice.
Oooh I really like that bit about the foil! America is tasty, earthy, indulgent and carb-loaded snack with that shiny tang of artificiality. It's fine out in the middle, or fine enough. Cheaper than east of the Hudson, for sure. But the changes, whatever they may be, will come for us all. Will they come to NZ, too? Man, I hope not.
One enduring memory from many years travelling in the US is the excessive size of everything when ordering food and beverages.
The absolute tipping point was in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, when an order for a regular latte yielded what in NZ is called a handle: a beer mug holding 570ml+ of, in this case, insipid, lukewarm, milky slop.
I get the more-is-more ideology is meant to convey generosity, but in some areas, less is best.
Then there was the steak that was bigger than my head .... 😳
Yes! It's CRAZY. The huge coffees are nuts. Family sized bags of candy everywhere, like more gummy bears than a human should ever eat (and I love gummy bears!) I will ride for a huge iced tea in summertime, lots of ice--this is the American advantage, tons of ice--but most everything else is starting to give me vomitorium vibes?? And then I start to feel like the weirdo scold from another, smaller planet. Came home and got right back on the long blacks and all is right
We've had family from Iowa visiting this past weekend so now my husband is talking about going back to visit the Black Hills again - which would be great as I love it there - but I'm not sure I want to set foot in the US for awhile yet. We managed a whole weekend not talking about American politics as it could have been contentious with these family members. But I feel we let them off too easily.
Yay for the Black Hills! We were in Iowa much of this trip. It's fine. I mean, it's not fine, but the gap between headlines and daily life is still wide enough (for out people) to flop around in happily at Grandma's house. All politic convos were with folks on our side. I have mixed feelings about the duties of conversion, argument, not-letting-them-off. Not letting them off did us zero good for the last decade, didn't it? There is definitely place to draw some lines against the horror. But there's place to just love folks too. We are, all of us, lost in the woods. Then I saw a stranger at the hotel breafast with a crusader's cross on his goddamn water bottle and I went full fight or flight. It's hard out there!
You really captured both the bemused foreigner’s view and the tug-at-the-heartstrings moments of every visit back to the US, Dan. I just landed with my 18yo son: we had to separate at immigration because he is still a US citizen and I am not. Did a briefing on the plane about where the “no joke zone” begins and ends, and insisted on giving him a *written* cheat sheet with emergency phone numbers and the ‘right’ answers to simple questions about our travel plans.
I hated having to think like that.
As it turned out, our entry experiences were smooth and question-free. Now the adventure begins.
Hi Caroline! Welcome home--or not 'home,' then whatever word fits now? I hate this new suspense around the border crossing, which is very much there even when everything goes smoothly. This ain't how it's supposed to be. So much about the US drives me batty now but no other place jerks the heartstrings in the same way. That's the whole reason for the pilgrimmage, I guess. Enjoy your trip!
Hi Alexandra! That’s so kind, glad you enjoyed it. I’m glad a little wonder is still coming through, I feel like I’m always complaining even as I still love that place so.
So glad you dig it! I often think of your piece about your kids going back one summer, riding in big SUVs with the windows down…it’s always a mix of feelings, ain’t it?
Fabulous post Dan - you've caught that tingling sensation I often feel at the back of my neck whenever I go to the states (like right before you accidentally bite down on a bit of aluminium foil stuck on the bottom of baked potato). I'm not so brave as you to venture so far west of the Hudson and anyway I don't have any vital historical markers. The problem with change is you never know when its going to right itself again - or of it ever really will.
I reminded a young relative travelling to the US not to tell jokes in airports and was startled to realse this was probably good advice.
Oooh I really like that bit about the foil! America is tasty, earthy, indulgent and carb-loaded snack with that shiny tang of artificiality. It's fine out in the middle, or fine enough. Cheaper than east of the Hudson, for sure. But the changes, whatever they may be, will come for us all. Will they come to NZ, too? Man, I hope not.
One enduring memory from many years travelling in the US is the excessive size of everything when ordering food and beverages.
The absolute tipping point was in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, when an order for a regular latte yielded what in NZ is called a handle: a beer mug holding 570ml+ of, in this case, insipid, lukewarm, milky slop.
I get the more-is-more ideology is meant to convey generosity, but in some areas, less is best.
Then there was the steak that was bigger than my head .... 😳
Yes! It's CRAZY. The huge coffees are nuts. Family sized bags of candy everywhere, like more gummy bears than a human should ever eat (and I love gummy bears!) I will ride for a huge iced tea in summertime, lots of ice--this is the American advantage, tons of ice--but most everything else is starting to give me vomitorium vibes?? And then I start to feel like the weirdo scold from another, smaller planet. Came home and got right back on the long blacks and all is right
All I can think is there must be MASSIVE food waste going on. The quantities dished up in restaurants and cafes is just mind-blowing ......
Or...we just eat it all? In a month I gained five pounds easy, and I'm a skinny dude
We've had family from Iowa visiting this past weekend so now my husband is talking about going back to visit the Black Hills again - which would be great as I love it there - but I'm not sure I want to set foot in the US for awhile yet. We managed a whole weekend not talking about American politics as it could have been contentious with these family members. But I feel we let them off too easily.
Yay for the Black Hills! We were in Iowa much of this trip. It's fine. I mean, it's not fine, but the gap between headlines and daily life is still wide enough (for out people) to flop around in happily at Grandma's house. All politic convos were with folks on our side. I have mixed feelings about the duties of conversion, argument, not-letting-them-off. Not letting them off did us zero good for the last decade, didn't it? There is definitely place to draw some lines against the horror. But there's place to just love folks too. We are, all of us, lost in the woods. Then I saw a stranger at the hotel breafast with a crusader's cross on his goddamn water bottle and I went full fight or flight. It's hard out there!
You really captured both the bemused foreigner’s view and the tug-at-the-heartstrings moments of every visit back to the US, Dan. I just landed with my 18yo son: we had to separate at immigration because he is still a US citizen and I am not. Did a briefing on the plane about where the “no joke zone” begins and ends, and insisted on giving him a *written* cheat sheet with emergency phone numbers and the ‘right’ answers to simple questions about our travel plans.
I hated having to think like that.
As it turned out, our entry experiences were smooth and question-free. Now the adventure begins.
Hi Caroline! Welcome home--or not 'home,' then whatever word fits now? I hate this new suspense around the border crossing, which is very much there even when everything goes smoothly. This ain't how it's supposed to be. So much about the US drives me batty now but no other place jerks the heartstrings in the same way. That's the whole reason for the pilgrimmage, I guess. Enjoy your trip!
brilliant writing ! The personal and the universal, the observing and the aches and the wonderment
Hi Alexandra! That’s so kind, glad you enjoyed it. I’m glad a little wonder is still coming through, I feel like I’m always complaining even as I still love that place so.
Wonderful, Dan!
So glad you dig it! I often think of your piece about your kids going back one summer, riding in big SUVs with the windows down…it’s always a mix of feelings, ain’t it?
Like this or die!
They have no milk, let them have alcoholic creamer.
Wake up & drink, by God.
It's the serving size that gets me. The impulse purchase. What the hell, I'll start spiking my coffee