"True Locals"

[dancerjodi]

"Is New England losing its regional character?

''This used to be the home of the frugal Yankee, the stoic stiff-upper-lip Yankee, the modest/unassuming Yankee," writes the author of the Diana Chronicles blog (dianachronicles.blogspot.com). ''What does it mean to be a New Englander today? So many people have moved into New England in the past 10-20 years, the New Englander is an endangered species, to be extinct within the next generation or two."

She makes a list of subtle ways to tell the true locals from the newcomers.

Vanity plates: Locals would never have one on their car (they wouldn't spend the money and wouldn't want the attention), while newcomers can't get enough of them (especially cutesy ways of spelling their name or the location of their second home).

Preferred car: Locals drive Saabs, Subarus, and Volvos, while newcomers drive SUVs, Mercedes, and Lexuses.

Thanksgiving meal staple: For locals, it's corn bread. For newcomers, it's ''jalepeno" corn bread.

Yard work: Locals mow the lawn, walk the dog, and shovel the snow themselves. Newcomers hire the help."

From http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/02/26/true_locals_newton_debt_diners/

Comments

[christmasjedi.livejournal.com]

For me, the dead giveaway as to who is a local is as simple as listening to them speak. Of course, some locals are more obvious than others. ;-)

I fit the definition of a local according to the last two categories, and I am most definitely an import. :-)

[julishka.livejournal.com]

locals desire the elusive "low number plate" for their license plate. the confounds me as i don't understand the allure.

the preferred car thing seem completely off. all those cars would be considered transportation of the yuppie class which is definitely a newcomer thing for somerville.

and i had a totally frou frou fourth of july meal at my boss's mom's house down in marshfield. sure it was a cookout, but the food was decidedly upscale as opposed to burgers and chips at the neighbor's. she's an old salt new englander, too.

locals

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"locals desire the elusive "low number plate" for their license plate. the confounds me as i don't understand the allure."

I can beat that! I still have a green MA plate on the back (with no plate on the front) :)

I think the desire for the low # just shows how much longer one has been driving in the area perhaps?

I also disagree with the car sentiments . . .

[deadwinter.livejournal.com]

What does it mean to be a New Englander today?

Se Habla Español.

Bwahahahaha.

Sorry, couldn't help it.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

but I think that is part of the point - new england is dynamic, constantly changing - and that's a good thing. Much better then the converse - take the midwest - they are holding their stereotypes and taking them right to the grave.

I'd also bet that the crusty, salty new englander never really existed back in the day either -but the memory and idea live on, and will continue to live on for years to come.

locals

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"I'd also bet that the crusty, salty new englander never really existed back in the day either -but the memory and idea live on, and will continue to live on for years to come."

I think there are bits of it that are with some people (old New Englanders and new ones) that continue. Change is good, but I think its also neat to see some common elements that often people take for granted pointed out by another.

Re: locals

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

that I also agree with, but I think those common threads also change - but the stereo type may not if that makes sense. for example, the conservative/puritanical nature of MA has changed, and yet it still plays on it puritan roots. I should preface this with I love ne england and I love the diversity of new england, and I love the fact that within that diversity some of those threads are picked up and pushed forth.

I may have a different view as a non born here person, but that's just my feeling.

[knome.livejournal.com]

There is one thing that seems to have stuck pretty solidly, even with many newcomers. Although there certainly are a few Walmarts and etc around in New England, it turns out New England as a whole has the fewest large chain stores per capita in the entire United States. Why?

1) Townspeople in NE tend to stay better informed, and so are more likely to refuse a business lisence to a business that might 'ruin' their town. Vermont is partucularly like this.
2) New Englanders like to do business with someone they know. They'd rather spend a few more dollars with Ned at the Hardware store than buy cut rate products at Lowes. This belies the whole 'frugal' thing, but a Yankee would say to that "Ned is always there. If I have trouble, He'll fix it right up for me. I'll have that tool for 20 years!"

Yeah, we still have Home Depot and Lowes around, but I and my neighbors seem to shop locally more often than not, and it keeps the cottage businesses alive, at least on Cape Ann.

local business

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, we still have Home Depot and Lowes around, but I and my neighbors seem to shop locally more often than not, and it keeps the cottage businesses alive, at least on Cape Ann."

I'm happy to see this still happening in Waltham, despite its more citylike nature. :)

[darthwk.livejournal.com]

As a New England export living in the Midwest, I brought a lot of the "old" NE ways with me (without even really realizing that it was a "New England Way"), but lost many of them as well. My wife, a native Michiganite, came up with a very succinct way of describing the three major personality types:

East coast: "Don't look at me."
Midwest: "Look at that!"
West coast: "Look at me!"

I'm still of the "Don't look at me" variety. I prefer not to strike up conversations with strangers while waiting in the check-out lane. I don't look at other drivers on the road unless I want to give them the I Hate You look.

I don't have the New England accent anymore, but give me a week there and it'll come back. And with reinforcements. Especially if we go to Tahget, even though they don't sell the Dawk Mahtins that my brotha weahz in the Ahmy. ;)

Midwest stereotypes -- yep, absolutely. Michigan historically has been an industrial state so much so that with the lessening impact of American industry in the global economy, we're suffering here. Small tool & die shops that thrived in the hayday of the Big Three are all closing, no one needs workers, and general laborers are all unemployed.

And unfortunately unemployable because of their limited skillsets. When you've been a welder or pipefitter or a tool maker for 20-30 years and your shop closes down...what do you do? It's tough to switch tracks in middle life and jump into the technical fields, especially when your life had consisted of working 12-14 hour days, leaving you with no time to learn new skills on the side.

There is stagnation borne of misery and desperation here. There isn't an influx of people here, which is also exacerbated by the outdated infrastructure of the Midwest -- Chicago is the lone exception, really.

locations, economy

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"East coast: "Don't look at me."
Midwest: "Look at that!"
West coast: "Look at me!" "

That's definitely an interesting way to think about it. I do fall into the East Coast norm most times, though once I get talking you can't shut me up! :)

"And unfortunately unemployable because of their limited skillsets. When you've been a welder or pipefitter or a tool maker for 20-30 years and your shop closes down...what do you do? It's tough to switch tracks in middle life and jump into the technical fields, especially when your life had consisted of working 12-14 hour days, leaving you with no time to learn new skills on the side."

Its an issue of teaching an old dog new tricks, unfortunately.

I think younger people will have an easier time in that they've been around computers or they're in a position to chose to learn another trade that won't go out of style (like say, plumbing, electrical work, construction). As manufacturing jobs are going away there seems to be a large push (at least in our area) to get younger people interested in the trades. Once the boomers retire there just won't be enough people to fill those jobs (which, though not at the same level as the tech industry, can be quite lucrative). I can see how it would be difficult for an older person who is not just starting out to move into that area, but the skills and knowledge gained working in factories in manufacturing and w/ tools would go a long way with working in people's homes with different tools. I know that if my Dad was in a position to hire anyone he'd want some older guy that just came off a line over a kid out of high school (he's a contractor in construction, and usually works by himself or hires a young relative on a part time as needed basis).

Our economy is always changing, and I wonder, if what's happening in your area now is much different than it was in the 70s (I'm sure it is, I just wonder how)?

I guess my own perceptions of work are skewed given family history. I watched my Dad reinvent himself from a machinist (family business) to an artist (owning a print/typesetting shop) to construction (computer developments made his printing work obsolete) to (hopefully) real estate investing (buying a dump, fixing it up, and selling for a slight profit). As a result I've never had a sense of professional stability.

I think for the most part, we need to keep our eyes and options open in such a changing economy if we're going to keep afloat (particularly one that's so dependent on technology, which seems to change more than other fields).