Comments on: More Indications that I’m So Not in the Club

By: Typical Utah Sunday Afternoon « The Benevolent Dictator

Typical Utah Sunday Afternoon « The Benevolent Dictator — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:25:29 +0000

[...] written before about the daily summer fashion choices between Us and Them, of course, but I think I neglected to [...]

By: thebenevolentdictator

thebenevolentdictator — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:33:19 +0000

Awesome. I usually reserve bourbon for University of Tennessee football games, but bring it on.

We can sit in the front yard and drink and watch the Mormons walk home from church while my children run around in their bathing suits. Its a Sunday afternoon ritual.

By: bohemiansuburbia

bohemiansuburbia — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:58:32 +0000

Oh I don’t know how you’re doing it. I could never survive in a place like that with everyone all wrapped up so tight and conservative. Should I ever somehow find myself in the land of women who wear pants to the pool, I will search until I find you and I’ll bring over some bourbon.

By: thebenevolentdictator

thebenevolentdictator — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:09:08 +0000

I should point out that we have some very nice Mormon neighbors as well. I have absolutely no problem with other people’s religious beliefs. My problem is when other people (in my case it happens to be Mormons) that do not respect that I am not one of them. The ladies at the playground that, upon hearing that my child attends Catholic school, abruptly end our chat. That kind of thing. The missionaries drive me a little crazy too and I am thinking of keeping a stash of Catholic lit around merely to hand to them when they come to the door.

As for BDM’s advice (BDM: Benevolent Dictator’s Mom), I agree. And, for the first year that we lived here, I continued to wave, smile, etc. Its the past two years where I just got beat down by continually being ignored. Maybe I will resurrect that approach. We’ll see.

By: bejewell

bejewell — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:08:57 +0000

BDM’s advice rings very true. It’s the same reason I always smile and wave, or give the thumbs-up sign to someone who just cut me off in traffic. I actually think it pisses them off more than the finger. And also it confuses them. Which in itself is funny.

By: BDM

BDM — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:57:35 +0000

Advice that my mother gave me that I wish I had taken: speak to everyone whether you know them or not. It makes you look good.

If you do not speak to your nasty neighbor just because he doesn’t speak to you, you are letting him dictate the terms of your (non)relationship. Say hello to him (even if you have a beverage in hand)– it puts him on the spot.
I think Julia Sugarbaker would approve.

By: Sus

Sus — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:12:24 +0000

What is it with the Mormon presence in the Mommy Blogosphere? Have you noticed it? Just wondering.

My almost three-year-old asked for a “beerd” the other day when a friend was getting them for the adults. I don’t think your nasty neighbor would approve. Seriously, do you think the LDS church would condone sheer nastiness? Somehow I doubt it.

By: thebenevolentdictator

thebenevolentdictator — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:23:17 +0000

I know. It just makes me feel better to think that when I’m out here feeling like a stranger in a strange world. And, Utah is a strange world, for sure.

By: bejewell

bejewell — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:24:54 +0000

Dude, I’m in texas! It’s not always true! There are assholes here too!

By: thebenevolentdictator

thebenevolentdictator — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:15:37 +0000

Seriously. I am not suggesting that we all get together for a quilting bee. Is it just so hard to f—ing smile?

In the South when you move in, someone brings you a cake, asks you where your family’s from, and offers to “keep” your kids for the afternoon so you can go get your hair done.