Hi Zippy

Max is gorgeous!! And I just love reading this thread - so full of humour and positivity. Chrissie - your wine bladder Xmas decos sound cool. I bet your street looks amazing. We don't get into street decorations in such a big way in NZ, but it's catching on.

I haven't drunk bladder wine since I was in my 20's. Don't know why - I would have saved a fortune with the amounts I've consumed at times! I guess I've always been trying to not drink since age 32 except for this last year. Sigh... Where was TSM 18 years ago?? In its infancy in Scandinavia, that's where.

We are all so lucky to be here - I must remember to be grateful. Can I be in on this Hawaii groupon? Pity I don't still work for Air NZ. Might have to win the lottery...

Hope your weekend goes well.

Take care
Sticky

Zippy -- It's probably a good thing you're not a keg beer drinker. Not sure your trees could handle the Christmas decorations...

Heya!!!

Oh I'm telling ya that Max can be such a brat, it's a good thing he's so cute!

Sticky you bet ya your on for the groupon!!! I'm sounding like a upper (pronounced yuupper) this morning, that's the upper pennsula or UP of Michigan.

Geo Tiller!!! U R too funny, I couldn't even lift an empty kegger...

NOW Than... What do ya say. Just gotta have fun searching for a smile this morning. Couldn't help myself, had to look up some common phrases for those of us in the states, ah a bit o history. Hope you don't piss your pants reading. All names removed to protect anonymity.

"Beeyemites": Sounds like a kind of small insect or perhaps an Australian sandwich... but in fact refers to residents of the city of Birmingham. Somehow, some way, long ago, Birmingham became abbreviated "B'ham", and locals were branded in this unfortunate fashion. And the town... ahhh, the town. Such a lovely town. Bartender, Range Rovers, all around!

(Meanwhile, Pronunciation Guide viewers from Dowagiac to Sanilac were trying to figure out if they gave a half or even three quarters of A RAT'S ASS about B'hamites and their ideosyncracies... heh)

"Big BEEverr" (PARENTS: hide your children, for I now digress into PG13-rated content): pronouncing this major thoroughfare through the city of Troy almost always draws snickers from out-of-towners. However, it was originally named in the 1800's after a nearby beaver pond, long since paved over. Sadly enough, that fact that it is Exit 69 on I-75, and the old location for the Playboy Club, perpetuates its urban legend factor. (What Kentuckians don't want you to know is that there are two villages in Northern KY: Beaver Lick and Big Bone Lick. I am not kidding... see fer yerself.)

"The Big Lake": With 11,000 inland lakes, you can't drive in a straight line in Michigan for long without hitting some body of water. So whichever Great Lake you're near becomes "the Big Lake". WEST MICHIGAN VARIANT: "The Beach" always refers to Lake Michigan.

Da Camp": alright, I've resisted using this term long enough. "Camp" is one of those UP terms similar to "The Cottage" (see below). Highlighted in the 2001 movie "Escanaba in da Moonlight" starring Jeff Daniels.

"A Cole One": a beer. Or several.

"The Cottage": Many folks in Michigan have a place they go to Up North that they call The Cottage. Sometimes it's a slowing disintegrating cabin in the middle of frickin' B.F.E., where you go to get drunk and THEN shoot at deer. Other times, it's a Lake Michigan beach house that sleeps 22 and has its own marina. Ya jes never know.

"Dethaw": to thaw or de-ice. Confused, table for one? "I gotta go dethaw my snowmobile"... which I guess means to spray it with a garden hose in the winter.

"Fudgies": Tourists. Visitors to Michigan's Mackinac Island spend a lot of time in the gourmet fudge shops there, earning the local nickname "fudgies", which has spread to other tourist areas as well. California equivalent: "Lookieloos", who will approach you at an after party, stand about a foot from your face, frown at you when they realize you're not Tom Cruise or Nicole Kidman, and then walk away without a word.

"Geez-o-pete!": Related: "Geez-Louise!" A Michigan expletive for polite company, having something to do with Jesus and St. Peter. The funny thing about this one is that in Cincinnati, they say "GEE-zle." In Ireland: "JAYsus."

"Glovebox": US equivalent: glove compartment. Do you suppose that, at one time, people actually kept gloves in it, instead of napkins, Altoids, tire pressure checkers and a Glock Nine?

"A Good One": a good day. Proper Michigan etiquette is to say "have a good one!" to the checkout clerk when leaving the party store. Caz we're all, ya know, frien'ly and stuff.

"How'zit goin'?" In other parts of the world, the equivalent of "what's up?" or "how are you?"

"Kripes Almighty!" "Geezopete!"

"LOOKit!" Sometimes, we, uhh, have a tendency to end sentences with a preposition, like.

"Mackinac": this French/Indian word confuses nearly everyone, even natives. If you're talking about the city on the south side of the Straits of Mackinac, it's pronounced "Mackinaww City". If you're talking about the island, it's pronounced "Mackinaw". If you're talking about the Straits, they're pronounced "Straits of Macinack". If you're talking about the Mackinac Bridge, it's "Mackinaw Bridge". If you're talking about the fort on the south side of the straits, it's pronounced "Michillimackinack". Got it? Never mind. DECEMBER 2001 UPDATE: I've gotten an overwhelming response from Michiganders and expatriates alike who claim it is NEVER EVER "mackinack".

"Michigan Left": Also known as Michigan U E, ie., U turn. A right turn onto a boulevard followed by an immediate u-turn at the next available crossover. This keeps traffic from backing up at intersections with boulevards... only other place I've seen this is in Maryland.

"Parrty Storre": US equivalent: liquor store. There's one on every other block. We like it that way, cuz ya never know when the urge fer a Moosehead'll hitcha. Or, ya know... could be Stroh's. Stroh's originated in Detroit.

"Pasty": a meat-filled pastry dish, pronounced passtee, brought to the Upper Peninsula mining country by Welsh and Cornish miners in the 1800's. Most Trolls (see below) and Fudgies erroneously pronounce it paystee, which brings a whole new meaning to being hungry for a pasty. (don't go there)

"SecretariahState": US equivalent: Department of Motor Vehicles. I've always wanted to register for that personalized plate on the wall of every Secretary of State's office that says "SAMPLE". Hmm... or, ya know, like "VOID" er "XPIRED" er somethin'. As the kids in B'ham might say, that would be "suhweeeeeet!"

"Trolls": people from the Lower Peninsula, who, in the minds of Yoopers, live "under the bridge." (still another from that Stacey) I personally resent that label and think we should charge some sort of toll or something to all the Yoopers coming down from... uhh... err... never mind.

"Trooper": a Troll that has moved to the UP (troll+yooper).

"Townies": a derogatory name for residents of small Northern Michigan tourist towns, made by snot-nosed kids from Chicago or Detroit who spend their summers there (think Charlevoix, Petoskey, Harbor Springs). Also commonly used in New England.

"Trunk Slammers": visitors to the U.P., usually from the Lower Peninsula. Also known as "citiots".

"The U.P.": Michigan's Upper Peninsula. If you say you're goin' to The U-P, everyone knows what you're talking about. I've heard some non-natives trying to fit in leave off the word "The"... saying they "went to U.P." Are they smoking crack or what! Folks who live in the U.P. have an accent all their own that sounds very Canadian, and are called "Yoopers". Even the streets are funky, with their Finnish and Welch roots... "make a left at Lehtonen until you cross Hakktui Avenue." Unh-hunh. Say Yah to da hand, dude...

TGIF onto a great weekend...

Zippy's Smiling

Hi Zip,

Really enjoyed reading about some of the local Michigan dialect - we have a similar list for us Massholes (mostly involving our terrible drivers, obnoxious sports fans and brutal accents). Michigan is actually the only state east of the Mississippi that I have yet to set foot in, so I'll have to get out there at some point. I've always wanted to see a sunset over Lake Michigan - I've heard the "Third Coast" is one of the best kept secrets in the country.

Hope you have a great weekend.

-H

Wowzer didn't realize the size of my last post. Hope I didn't bore anyone.

I really have to get back on track here this week, I've been partying a little too much. Along with having some kind of virous I am totally sick, ears ringing, body aching to the point I can hardly stand it. It's kicking my a** and there's nothing I can do but wait it out. Yesterday I drank just to try and feel better. Today is awful. My doctor ordered me to stay home for a couple of days, so this is what I'm doing.

I need to cut back especially on weekends, starting the week off with a high number sets the week off in a bad way. I really had a high week last week even with 1 AF day and starting this one out with 7 drinks yesterday. Being home for a couple of days gonna put in some effort for AF days this week.

I need to hear some good stories, off to catch up on what everyone has been up to.

Picking up again,
Zippy Smiles

Hi Zip,

I hope you're feeling better and enjoying your time at home.


Oh man, I used to do this all the time. I'd go through an entire box of tissues at work, then come home and bundle myself up with a bottle of whiskey in my freezing apartment. The next day, I would feel even more like sh*t because the hangover would compound the cold symptoms. Thankfully, this winter has been so unseasonably warm in the northeast and I haven't gotten sick yet. It probably also helps that my immune system is not constantly contending with booze!

Let us know if you can squeeze in a few AF days this week, and make sure you relax.

Best,

H

Thanks Hess, yesterday was an AF day, I'm still feeling miserable so not going to drink today either.

I can't even put two thoughts together.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!

Zip

Hope you feel better tomorrow, Zip.

Hey, Zipster -

OMG, there was a Living Social deal for Hawaii in my email, for "up to 6 people, two nights, blah, blah, blah..." By the time I clicked on it, it was already sold out. But I'm thinkin' maybe you'n'me'n'Sticky are not ready for Hawaii, just yet, you know??? Anyway, I hope things are better for you, with the cold and all...be sure and drink plenty of liquids (FRUIT JUICE...fermented or not, your call)

It's all progress, m'dear, progress!

Chrissie

Hi Zippy

I enjoyed reading about some of the UP dialect. Even downunder in NZ we say "how's it going?" and I know what a Cornish pasty is, especially since my mum is Welsh. Didn't quite get the "don't go there" interpretation of paasty tho'!

Sorry to hear you're not well. Hope you managed the 2 days AF in a row. Also hope you are feeling well enough to enjoy your weekend. I too am trying to start my weekend AF since my TSM week starts on a Thurs.

Nal on
Sticky