Sunday, February 24, 2008

Don't Slag My Home!


I recently read on a friend's Facebook profile something to the effect of "leaving nice weather for cold & flat". She's currently vacationing in our westernmost province & heading home to Saskabush.

Nothing makes me more upset than people insulting, slagging on, dismissing, or otherwise being nasty about my province. Well, except maybe Kitty abuse, parents ignoring wailing children, Puffy walking away in the middle of a fight, & someone asking me "Are you sure?" ~ that also gets my blood boiling.

I currently lurk on several forums, happily reading others' opinions, thoughts, & wackadoo ideas on several topics while mocking them in my head, safe in & convinced of my own superiority. The one topic guaranteed to get me to de-lurk & comment? Saskatchewan.

Most of these idiots have never set foot in the province, & if they have, they've driven straight through on the #1 without deviation or natural human curiosity luring them off the main road to explore or examine any of this great province of ours. These are the people who have the nerve, the audacity, the balls to insult, denigrate, & complain about Saskatchewan. These people who have no experience with the province, no personal stories, no interest in this province other than talking about how flat & uninteresting it is & how there is nothing to do.

What's worse is the people who DO live here making disparaging comments. I don't understand how anyone can live here & not enjoy the life we have & be truly thankful for all this province offers. You can try & explain it to me, but I don't think I'll get it. If you don't have pride & genuine joy in the place where you live, why wouldn't you move to a place where you do?

Facts About Saskatchewan:

  • home to 13 cities.
  • home to more than 100,000 lakes. Nope, not a typo. 100,000 lakes.
  • the province with the most sunshine in the country. Estevan is the sunshine capitol of Canada.
  • more road surface than any other province in the country with a total of 250,000km/150,000mi .
  • flat you say? Try bicycling through it & tell me how flat it is. As Conrad would say, "That'll change your tune in a hurry." Cypress Hills is 1,392 m (4,566 ft.) above sea level. That is level with Banff, by the way.
  • people really are friendly here. I defy you to drive around any random small town & NOT be waved at by at least one passing vehicle. It just won't happen.
  • we're the home of the current GREY CUP CHAMPIONS!! {Oh, come on. You knew that was coming up, didn't you?}
  • home to theatre {professional & a thriving amateur community}, sports {CFL, hockey up to WHL level, curling, etc, etc}, camping, shopping, the only RCMP Training Academy, the Riel Rebellion, history, art, recreation ~ all the things that make life enjoyable.
  • birthplace of many famous people, including Leslie Nielson, Eric Peterson, Homer Groening, Shirley Douglas, Rowdy Roddy Piper, W.O. Mitchell, Janet Wright, Guy Vanderhaeghe, Colin James, Pamela Wallin, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Brent Butt, Stu Hart, Tom Jackson, & countless NHL players, including Hayley Wickenheiser {from my home town} & Bryan Trottier {who I am kinda half-assed related to through marriage & cousins}.
I could go on & on & on, as I sometimes do, but painting awaits & I haven't had brunch yet.

Oh, & it's currently a balmy -8°C here in Dodge {that's 18°F for you Yanks out there}. The sun is shining, the snow is melting ~ & running down the hill, I might add ~ & my province rawks!!

8 comments:

Fairy Mae said...

BRAVO, BRAVO!!!
Hail Wilma!!!

french panic said...

Homer Groening was born in Saskatchewan? As in Matt Groening of Simpsons fame's son? What?

(Leslie Nielson went to my high school in Edmonton. woot.)

I think it is so weird how people have to complain about things they know nothing about.

Good rant, Wilma!

The cypress hills are freaking stunning.

Wilma said...

Homer is Matt Groening's father. That's why there are so many references to Canadian stuffs in The Simpsons.

french panic said...

You learned me something today, Wilma. And I don't learn easy.

Shinejil said...

Great! Sounds perfect! When can I move?

Tom Weston said...

I get similar judgement of my home province, Alberta.

I live in Montréal-land, and most folks seem to have not ventured farther west (in Canada) than Toronto, maybe Hamilton. Then they catch a plane to Vancouver.

Granted, big cities have much to offer, but I too am a little fed up with the notion that the prairies are boring and flat... and thus so are the people.

I was surprised to see the regionalism that goes on here out in what these people call east... which I imagine pisses the maritimes right off. The ocean is still quite a long walk away.

Most people are going to remain very stupid, I'm afraid. I don't know how to change their minds, so I've given up.

But if one more person asks me 'so Edmonton's pretty boring, right? You like it here better, right?' I think I'll just punch them in the gut.

That's what a proper redneck would do, after all.

Wilma said...

shinejil ~ whenever you want {after answering me these questions 3}

pamplemousse ~ yes, punch them, then stomp on them with your cowboy boots. cuz all people in the west wear cowboy boots, right?

COUGAR MAMA said...

I also dont ever remember getting hit with a hurricane, a tsunami, an avalanche, or an earthquake. Oh yeah...and some of the friendliest f$@king people ever, dammit.