But i'm (insert nationality here)

[Samaliel]

There's this geography game on some website...addictinggames.com? Or something like that. Basically, it's putting different states in where they belong. The also have it for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa - with the different countries. Yes, even the teeny tiny ones.

I always was a geography nerd...but Eastern Europe can be darn confusing.

I tried this game and I did a very poor performance. Seriously, I think I might be the worst player of this game ever. I'm geographically challenged.

[Pagan]

It would still be copyright infringement, sorry. Oftentimes, theatres post pictures of productions online, maybe you could find some on their website?

Yeah, I thought of that. But places like the Santa Fe Opera and The Met don't have photo galleries on their websites.

[AdminAssistant]

But they don't allow photography during the performances....of course, I wouldn't be using a flash....

It would still be copyright infringement, sorry. Oftentimes, theatres post pictures of productions online, maybe you could find some on their website?

[Pagan]

Actually, you'd have had to smack me upside the head with a map of the USA, because I thought Dakota were somewhere around Nevada and Arizona.

That's where New Mexico is, east of Arizona!

Samaliel, I wasn't talking about people who don't live in the United States. I was talking about people who are born here and should have found out by 3rd grade where the different states are.

You mean like the nimrods (especially in the 3 states that surround us) that think we're old Mexico?

I know that. What I meant was, although it is green, it's not nearly as green as SW PA happens to be. I wasn't trying to slam NM at all.

Yeah, I know. I just find it hilarious when the flat-land foreigners come out here complaining about how brown it is....especially just after the monsoon has started and we're getting rain and things have greened up nicely. I guess they're just expecting that suffocating green that I had a hard time with in Florida (around Tampa).

You're not the only one. I'd like to go back...but can't afford it right now.

I've got a lot of pictures from around here already, but I've gotta start taking more pictures. Especially of our sunsets. One I'd really like to get is probably never going to happen. When you're at the Santa Fe Opera and the staging is open to the back, you can see the lights of Los Alamos. But they don't allow photography during the performances....of course, I wouldn't be using a flash....

[AdminAssistant]

There's this geography game on some website...addictinggames.com? Or something like that. Basically, it's putting different states in where they belong. The also have it for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa - with the different countries. Yes, even the teeny tiny ones.

I always was a geography nerd...but Eastern Europe can be darn confusing.

[protege]

You didn't look over the Native American part of our tri-culture did you? Try being an Anglo (even though I don't have an Angle blood in me) native New Mexican. The comments I've gotten from ignorant tourists....I could write a book.

Hell no! I thought the Anasazi remains found at Philmont were pretty cool, especially the stone petroglyphs.

It's not desolate! There's green all over, it's just not the overwhelming, suffocating green that you get in other parts....when it's not on fire. >.>

I know that. What I meant was, although it is green, it's not nearly as green as SW PA happens to be. I wasn't trying to slam NM at all.

There's a reason that our license plates say "Land of Enchantment". I'm going to miss it a lot when I move to Scotland.

You're not the only one. I'd like to go back...but can't afford it right now.

Mis, I hear ya about Philadelphia. I've been there many times...can't see what all the fuss is. They all seem to think that they're the center of the universe

[Misanthropical]

AdminAssistant, the Philly cheesesteak thing is often debated around the office where I work. I don't like Philly cheesesteak so I stay out of it.

Samaliel, I wasn't talking about people who don't live in the United States. I was talking about people who are born here and should have found out by 3rd grade where the different states are.

People from other countries get a pass on the smacking.

[Samaliel]

I was asked why I didn't have a southern accent. This made me want to smack the person with a map of the United States.

Actually, you'd have had to smack me upside the head with a map of the USA, because I thought Dakota were somewhere around Nevada and Arizona.

Then again, I'm French and I managed to mistake Angoulême for Grenoble, so I guess I'm a lost cause to Geography.

[Jay 2K Winger]

If you REALLY want to piss off someone from Philly, tell them you got a Philly Cheesesteak at Subway. You can literally see the steam coming out of the ears.

People from Philly are crazy. Especially Philly sports fans. A friend of mine went to a Redskins/Eagles game at FedexField and got punched in the head by some Eagles fan.

[AdminAssistant]

If you REALLY want to piss off someone from Philly, tell them you got a Philly Cheesesteak at Subway. You can literally see the steam coming out of the ears.

[Misanthropical]

I have to wonder about the people from Philly who seem to think the world revolves around it.

Sure, there is a lot of remarkable history there and trust me I made sure to see all the historical things that are there, but Philly is not heaven on earth. Don't tell them that though, they get all kinds of pissed off.

[AdminAssistant]

If I get confused by all the advancement that PA has over South Dakota.

Would this be Philly? I have a friend from Philly - apparently that's where all the gold and ambrosia in the world is.

[Misanthropical]

I get a lot of stupid questions when people find out I'm from South Dakota. These questions are from fellow Americans.

I was asked why I didn't have a southern accent. This made me want to smack the person with a map of the United States.

I have been asked if we had paved roads.

If we have running water.

If we still fight the Indians and/or worry about Indian raids.

If I get confused by all the advancement that PA has over South Dakota. This made me laugh, since compared to where I am from, PA is the backwards state. I just point out that back home I can go to the grocery store and get a bottle of wine with my groceries, instead of running all over heck to find the separate store that sells it.

I'm asked if we are behind in educations. My high school boyfriend is an honored physicist who dated me because he admired my intelligence. Yup, we sure are stupid!

I get told I have an accent a lot, which I don't think I do, but even my husband says I have one and that it gets stronger the madder I get.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Indeed it is, and I've been invited to a celebration the evening before by a local French social club my wife is a member of. I have also been told I will be taking my cheese puffs (Gougere Bourguignonne) since no one in the group seems to be able to make them as well as I do. They thought I had sabotaged the receipt until one member watched me make them one time, and verified that the recipe was correct.

Update: We went to the Bastille Day party Sunday evening, but were 2½ hours late because of a commitment my wife had. I made a double batch of the cheese puffs. As soon as we walked in, the hostess took the container with the cheese puffs from my hands and announced that the gougere had arrived. She made a round of all the guests, and I was lucky to get one when she came back.

[Pagan]

All the talk about New Mexico reminds me of the time I was driving through the wide open and empty spaces of the desert in New Mexico. The sun set, and we were driving in the dark. All around the horizon were lights from houses. It was a sight to see.

There's nothing as gorgeous as our sunsets....especially with the thunderstorms around right now. I'm really going to miss that when I move across the pond.

There's nothing better that coming into Las Cruces from the west (especially after driving between Lordsburg and Deming, one of the most boring stretches of road) and having the Mesilla Valley open up and see the lights of Las Cruces.

Another welcome sight was coming to land at the Sunport coming back from the UK. Tire and jetlagged (we had been up since 3am in Dublin and it was 9pm in ABQ), looking our the window, seeing the lights of Albuquerque. But the best was when we crossed the Rio Grande and I-25 on the approach. Had a great trip, but it was nice to be home (well, Albuquerque anyway!).