Maine-ah mentality? (Gray, Ellsworth, Mexico: receptions, wedding reception, living in)

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by ProdigalLobster

Pole dancing (as fitness class, for women only) is huge here, too, Elcarim! What parts are you from? Hmm... maybe I should start teaching that as well! :P

Currently the greater Houston area......February 09 forward - Washingston County Maine!

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

does salsa dancing involve a pole???

if it does,, i think you would do well,


from what i've seen and lived, i believe most mainers have softened thru the years.....
not as edgy

I always thought Salsa dancing was Hispanic. Now you tell me that it requires Polish ancestry?

[Acadianlion]

Oh, wait a minute! Is this the one where you do it with a kielbasa in one hand and a large dill pickle in the other? I think they do that in Kennebunk.

[Elcarim]

OMG! I think that's the first time I've ever seen Lion make a funny!! ROFLMAO! I think ALL forms of dance are much more fun in a group setting - Latins, Poles........I'll bring the Irish eyes, but I won't be on the sidelines watching!!

[RHB]

I just finished a hog butchering workshop. In this workshop, we had people from all over Maine, and two from out of state (NH and CT). There were a number of different thoughts as to how pigs should be raised and butchered. We spent 3 days together, working/learning together. Some of us had strong feelings about certain/different aspects of this. But it worked...and the reason it worked was because people were accepting of others ideas, and opinions. Even when the feelings were strong there was an acceptance of the peoples right to be "wrong"/"stupid" whatever.

I think you will find people will be open to new ideas - for the most part.

I have also found that sometimes, it just takes a little while for the group to warm up to a new idea. Or the one I love - we tried that and it didn't work out - only to find they tried it 20 years ago

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by ProdigalLobster

This is my first post, so hello, all. Been reading some of the threads & am glad to have found this forum!

I was born & raised in Maine (above the Volvo line, hahaha). Moved south as a very young adult, & 12 years later I'm feeling a strange pull to return to my roots.

One concern, however, is the closed-mindedness I felt growing up... sort of a cultural vacuum. I realize I'm treading on delicate ground here, so allow me to clarify that there is a lot I miss about the attitudes of rural Maine: blunt common sense, determination, & sarcastic humor.

There are some things I could bring back with me, if I do move back. I could teach salsa dance, for example. Not saying it'd necessarily be a raving success, but it's a skill I would hate to waste, & might be a fun way to interact with community. I do have a 'real' job, so I wouldn't be depending on teaching salsa to pay the bills (I do have *some* sense, lol).

I'm not driven by a desire to *change* the Maine or Maine-ahs I know & love. Just would be fun to share something I've learned, & give people an option of something to break up the monotony. Salsa is just a random example... there's a chance I may also be certified to teach yoga by the time I head north. Same sorta concept... no desire to create a hippy-dippy yoga commune (LOL), just might be nice to share with people. Maybe 1 or 2 nights/week at the Voc-Tech or whatever is nearby, nothing fancy.

But here's what I'm wondering... I seem to recall a Maine-ish stubbornness against anything new (no matter how tame). From my current vantage point, I can see this may well have been because I was 19 when I left, with plenty attitude of my own. Maybe people aren't really as closed-minded as they seemed when I was a bratty, discontent teen.

Would love to hear thoughts about this. I am NOT on a mission to be the one-woman cultural ambassador to the "Maine Highlands" (a term I never heard in 19 years of calling it home, which I now love to throw around with a smirk). And I think it has a lot to do with the one way approaches & respects the community. Opinions? I think my main concern is not wanting to be in a place where people automatically frown on anything 'new'. I'm a naturally curious person & like to share with & learn from the people around me.

For clarification, I'm not so much interested in the financial viability of these specific activities. My livelihood is not dependent on them, so they needn't be a smashing success. I'm more after insight into the mindsets of people.

I'm not sure exactly where I'll end up, but I have family in Lincoln & Old Town. Currently leaning more toward Old Town, but who knows?

Sorry for such a long post as a newcomer!

I think it's hard to understand whats going on when your only 19. I am sure you would find things to be different now that you are an adult and you have different needs and wants.

I came here from out of state, Maine is a wonderfull place geographically and the people here have a real down to earth commen sense attitude, though I do not see it reflected in "Maine Politics".

I have made some friends here, but for whatever reason I still have not made the close connections that I did elswhere...I can't say if this is because of Maine, or just the micro culture of Lewiston Auburn where I live.

My friend was here from Phoenix for the past 10 days. We did a lot! drove around to different places in the state, spent some time with the people that I know. He left here feeling like this place was depressing....I think his comment was that he would have to be on prozac to live here...he felt there was a lame, boring, unfriendly atmosphere. By unfriendly he really meant loosley connected, hard to make conversation with people. So i guess its all subjective. I can agree with him a little bit, but I remember meeting some really nice people, I just think there is an overall stagnant atmosphere. But I think it has much to do with the weather, and economy. Maine is a poor state and many people here struggle to make ends meet.

[dramamama6685]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

OMG! I think that's the first time I've ever seen Lion make a funny!! ROFLMAO! I think ALL forms of dance are much more fun in a group setting - Latins, Poles........I'll bring the Irish eyes, but I won't be on the sidelines watching!!

I'll bring the kraut!!!

[puntin]

Oooo I would love to take Salsa lessons. Hubby and I tried videos (salsa videos ) but that's just not the same thing.

[retiredtinbender]

This is a late response to the posting but...my wife would love learning salsa. She was born on Mexico City and moved to the states in '62. She alway speaks of learning to dance the correct way. In Eastport we have a woman who taught contra dancing a while back. Not sure what that was but she pulled in a crowd.

Now, on the subject of nekkid, to paraphrase the great Lewis Grizzard from Atlanta: "Naked is when you're not wearin' no clothes. Nekkid is when you're not wearin' no clothes and you up to sumpin." His books were good for the most part.

[toadling81]

This is also a late response - I can totally relate to what you're feeling! I too grew up in rural Maine and 'suffered' from the close-mindedness mentality. I moved away at age 18 and returned last year at age 26, also having come to the conclusion that it couldn't be as bad as I had thought it was back then, and that it really is a great place to raise my family, etc. Of course it depends on where you move to...we moved to a town about 45 miles from where I grew up, and it's even more backwoods and close-minded that what I remember! In this particular spot, anyways (backwoods East Machias). Being newly 'from away', we have not been welcomed in the year since we arrived, and have had quite a bit of aggression taken out on us, including things stolen from our yard, our vehicle broken into, our house burglarized, and even insults thrown at the post office because of the bumper stickers on our car (which are mostly liberal, that is to be expected in this conservative spot). It has shattered my little dream of returning, though my parents are an hour away and I'm glad to be close to them. It's my hubbie I feel bad for, as he's never gone through anything like this in his life out on the West Coast, and I feel to blame for dragging him up here where people have been less than kind with him (he's a Texan and is all about friendliness!!). I know other parts of the state are changing, and others are still stuck in the same rut. Thankfully we'll be moving to the Ellsworth area in January and are hoping for better luck there. We've spent a lot of time up there and have found a much more colorful and varied array of people (and friendly and open-minded!), and think we will be happier there.
It's quite a risk, moving back, but I took it. I don't regret it one bit, as I love this place. I just need to go a bit closer to a bigger liberal population I guess Which is what led me out West from here as a kid...but gotta find a compromise - small progressive city on the coast. That's it for me!