Reading some of the snarky comments about Alabama having a symphony on Facebook, I try to stay civil, as in not restart the War of the Northern Aggression. Still, one can't not recognize the quirks. Two true examples of life in the Heart of Dixie:

1. From the news, a local junior high principal disciplined a student with an uncivil name and then slapped the kid on the back of the head. The next day the kid's father was arrested and immediately released for going to the school and whipping the principal's uncivil behind.

2. My ex-boss at Intergraph was in India recently and visited a temple with another friend. A temple priest asked to be allowed to bless them. When he reached out to place his palm on the fellow's forehead to give the blessing, my ex-boss high fived him.

Ok, but we have excellent symphonies.

I'm sure you do. I can see in my minds eye the banjos ,washboards and jugs in the orchestra pit as I type this!

I've seen some snarky comments about other places too. Maybe there are good symphonies in those places too.

@larry: ya gotta a problem with that, Bubba??



I would have loved to have been there when Brad high-fived the Hindu priest.

At least Arlo is coming to play within driving distance. Enshallah, this will be a great time even if I miss the Burns Sisters with him and have to wear a frikkin surgical mask.

Actually, no! In fact I'd like to see more banjos, washboards and jugs in orchestra pits!

Yeah? Right next to the accordions?

The way the Alabama Symphony ad reads, Arlo is playing on some pretty sophisticated numbers with them so if so, this will be unique. If not so, it will be a fabulous event anyway.

well if you have to wear a friggin surgical mask, you might as well wear a kilt as well forchrissakes!

I've got a pink tutu I'm not using at the moment. It's almost like a kilt.

that floral boustier would be wondrous as well!

Come on Len. Don't get so defensive. I spent the better part of my life in Alabama. I'm surprised you didn't throw in the Shakespeare festival. I've been in Oregon for 11+ years now. It is by choice. Every time I go back for a visit (last one this past March), I realize what a good choice it was. It was a wonderful beautiful place to grow up. The politics and the religious overtones suck. The racism while I was growing up was profound. I do really miss the seafood though...

Another way to look at it is at least it produced you and me!

Gus

I got tickets. This will be great. My wife says I can't wear the kilt. It's hers.

Gus, we have to agree to disagree and leave it there. I've seen racism in Boston, Santa Barbara, LA, Dublin, Toronto, and yes even Beaverton. When one grows up with it, it leaves a stench one smells wherever it is. One can see to it it isn't systemic but you'll never wipe it from their hearts so you have to give their hearts something else to do.

But jumpin jehosephat, we have GREAT symphonies. At their last gig, ASO was playing the hits of Led Zeppelin. I'd rather hear Beethoven but I'm weird.

It's everywhere. I grew up with racism all around me, but truly never saw it so "in my face"; so mean and nasty, as when I moved from Texas to Wisconsin in 1972. And since then, I found it everywhere I went. Also, in all those places and back home, the provincialism just knocks me down. Everyone thinks racism and backwardness is in "that other place" but not at home. Or if they can't deny that it IS at home, they claim it's not as bad as other people say it is. But it IS that bad.

On the other hand, everywhere I go, I find wonderful, kind, and caring people, even where I was told there would be none.

They had the racism here in VA yrs ago. Even had separate water fountains. So sad...

(larry, i think len is pretending not to ignore the tutu/boustier comments)

Not ignoring it Agnes, just wondering why some Blunderites are such fans of transvestism? Is this a style the Folkslinger favors in the front row? If I have to, I can dig up that pretty black dress I wore to college graduation. Last time I wore it, I took a silvered plate and came back with a load of ones and fives.