The Where I Live Linky has one condition - you have to say something positive about where you live. Now, Michelle. That's a sure-fire sign that you are truly assimilated from the culture of your birthplace (America), to the culture of your adopted country (England). Your upper lip is truly stiff, and you are probably humming "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" to yourself, even as I type.
We Brits are known for Stoicism, being positive in dismal circumstances, relying on our innate Dunkirk spirit. When our backs are against the wall, we look for the silver lining in the clouds above. I have, in my time, sat on a beach in the cold wind and rain, eating sandwiches made of white bread, margarine and spam, and been persuaded that I was having a lovely time. Here's an odd thing, though. We do also like a good moan. We love to complain. We particularly enjoy it when there's no possibility of changing the situation we are miserable about. To be honest, if there is such a possibility, part of the skill of the moan is to refuse to see it. "Oh, well, yes, I suppose so, but..." is a useful way of swerving round any glimmer of a solution to the problem.
The weather is a perfect example. Nice and sunny where you are today? It is here. But... oh, it's clouding over a bit already, and the forecast for tomorrow isn't good. Still, (very useful word which, roughly translated into moan speak, means "I'm getting quickly back to moaning now") mustn't grumble (which means "I am grumbling").
Yes, you see there's quite a vocabulary for the moan. If you ask someone how they are, they might reply "Can't complain" which means "I want to complain and will do so, if you will just give me a tiny conversational opening which will let me get my foot in the door". Or "Not so bad", which frankly is ridiculous. Not so bad as what? Then there's "I've been worse", or - duh - "I've been better".
We love our glass to be half empty, and we can't be doing with that can-do attitude that made America what it is today.
So, Michelle, that's what it's like Where I Live. I'm among a people of contrasts. Stoic, but complaining. Jolly, but miserable. Optimistic in spirit, but pessimistic in outlook. And as for that positive spin you insist on... Well, I just love us. Who could fail to love a nation as crazy, mixed-up, and quirky as us?
If you want to join in the Where I Live Linky, then head over to The American Resident and jump on board. While you're there, you can read about a disco-dancing plant, and a man with a brick hiding in the bushes.
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Showers tomorrow, they say.
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That's comfortingly British, isn't it? I actually have an American neighbour who I think must be secretly British - she always talks about the weather, and how it's going to rain in 3 days time....
ReplyDeleteAn entertaining read Iota. I think the whole weather thing (though stereotypically British) is something that afflicts people of many nations. Us Canucks can often be heard obsessing over the weather - not enough rain, too much rain, not enough snow, too much snow, too cold or too hot - rarely just right. Maybe it's the lingering effects of being a British colony?
ReplyDeleteGood post. :) I wonder what we Brits would talk about if we didn't talk about the weather!
ReplyDeleteToday when I walked back from the school run, an elderly man on our street who has never spoken to me was moved to say:'Nice day isn't it?' And I replied: 'Yes beautiful'. Without the weather, we would be a nation of introverts.
ReplyDeleteLove this, you're so correct Melissa!
DeleteDon't have time to join in with the Linky (sorry Mich) but this is interesting - I was quite surprised at the detail of American weather forecasts when I first came over to the USA. (Albeit 1990). All we had in the UK was Michael Fish with magnetic clouds he would clamp on to a map of the UK, and then that idiot jumping across actual islands in a pond for the BBC! It wasn't until I came to the USA that I began to appreciate the wider weather systems and their influence. They don't so much talk about it as predict and plan for it.
ReplyDeleteWhat idiot jumping across actual islands in a pond? I missed that one.
DeleteWeather bloke in a jumper Iota. I saw The Actual Island once in Liverpool's "then new" dock area...(must be ages ago as I moved away in 1991...!) It was ITV weather so I never actually saw the thing on telly ;-)
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Thank you Anon/J - I would never have remembered where it was. I thought it was more associated with Pebble Mill, but I do remember him jumping from Northern Island to the mainland as if he were a contestant on It's a Knockout.
DeleteThe magic of Google tells me it was Fred Talbot. Weatherman of the Year 1988. Where was I, what was I doing in 1988? I never saw him. And therefore I missed the time a streaker swam out to the floating map of the UK and joined him. This is a part of my cultural heritage that is sadly lacking.
DeleteHe was arrested in April 2013 on allegations of child abuse.
DeleteWow! That was a step back in time! You nudged my memory with the magnetic clouds! Brilliant times
Deletei remember seeing the island jumper when I first moved to the UK!
DeleteCanadians have a weird preoccupation with weather as well but then again it is a former British colony so it makes sense. My in-laws and their friends were recently visiting us here in Switzerland and every single say they wanted to know what the weather was back home and what the weather was suppose to be here so they could tell people back home. So very very strange.
ReplyDeleteHaha....sooo true... You've got to love a nation that produces the catchphrase 'mustn't grumble' to indicate that the speaker is really rather peed off!!
ReplyDeleteWe are a funny lot aren't we? And we do focus FAR too much on our blinking weather system anyway mustn't grumble eh? :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely applaud that stiff-upper-lip attitude, but I think Americans are just as bad, in a different sort of way. You're allowed to complain (and we do, long and loud) but ultimately, there is a sort of underlying expectation that you remain positive and upbeat and search for a solutions and eventually everything will turn around- and, if it doesn't, it was your fault for having a negative attitude and not trying hard enough. Sort of 'look on the bright side of life' on steroids. One isn't just expected to roll with the punches and accept things as they are, one is expected to be cheery and enthusiastic and expect the best at all times. I read 'The Little Engine That Could' to a class of German Grade 1 pupils yesterday, and they loved it, but even as I was reading it, it hit me again what an incredibly American attitude it was: I think I can - so.....I can! Of course, I can think of many situations (not to start a political discussion) in which this attitude would be ill-advised, but it really does permeate so many aspects of life in the US. Oh - and we talk a lot about the weather, too, but I think that's partly because in such a big country, there's almost always some sort of dramatic weather taking place, and everyone loves drama....right? ; )
ReplyDeleteWhen someone is complaining, is there a British response equivalent to "want some cheese with that whine,"wha, wha, wha," or "here's the sound of tiny violins playing?"
ReplyDeleteI think if someone here ever sighed, "Mustn't grumble" the immediate response would be "Then don't!!!"
I think we learn early here that tolerance for complaints without solutions is limited.
Fantastic take on the blog prompt Iota, (as I expected you'd have!) thank you for joining in with the Linky!
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