Americans and Brits: The Little Differences
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- vespa
So i just got back from SXSW in Texas and my head is full of interactive learnings and musical goodness.
All the Americans I met were sooooo cleva compared to me, my brain doesn't cover much ground unless you count when I'm drunk and floored in the gutter with my mind leaking out my ears.
I sure had a lot of fun in Texas. Austin is pretty cool, i highly recommend a visit. Music capital of the world they say and at the Ponderosa stomp I got to see Barbara Lynn and a world of other old soulsters, R&B in the true sense, 70 year old rockers with Archie Bell setting a 15 minute groove on Tighten Up, Roy Head slapping the microphone about whilst grabbing his crotch before doing the caterpillar on the floor, Classie Ballou and Eddie Bo sporting the smiles of those who know the unsung heroes of the blues matter most.
I met Joey Santiago at the Pixies documentary screening and saw The Gossip do the most INCREDIBLE live performance and i can now die happy.
But Americans are weird in many ways too. Brits can be irritatingly self-depreciating and I too have fallen into the habit but it makes you professionally invisible to people over the pond if you can't shout your own achievements from the rooftops.
It took me a few days to work out that in the US you don't insult people as a gateway to friendly banter the way you do in London. In fact anything negative is the conversational equivalent of farting in a lift and I endured many awkward silences before cottoning onto the source of the stink.
Also the US is the land of many rules. I couldn't decipher them and got "random" searched in 4 airports. I forgot to take off a metal bracelet. Full search. I didn't take my laptop out of my bag. Special search involving swabs and gloves haha. Left diary in bag with a certain UK broadcaster logo on it. X-ray security man saw it during a forgotten-lighter-induced special search and asked who i worked for, then started grilling me belligerently on anti-war protests and my stance on the war. It really upset me cos i didn't particularly want to discuss terrorism with a security guard in a US airport but he didn't care, i tried not to get drawn in but he was relentless and i nearly missed my plane.
I saw a man getting Tazered in Texas! Well there were blue sparks coming our way and so was the intended Tazeree, the cop shouted "git him!" but the crowd parted, chanting "go! go!" - they ran down the street and the cop was too fat to catch him haha!
But Americans ARE so friendly and welcoming. Brits kinda suck in that way, I too get so consumed with the weight of my own insecurities and the culture of celebrating self-loathing that I find it difficult to talk to strangers.
There are more similarities than differences between peoples but sometimes it's the little things that seem enormous.
Americans taught me how to be more positive. I taught them how to have fun and misbehave in public. Fair trade!
- rasko40
reminder: you are australian.
- paraselene0
americans? clever?
compared to you?
pfft.
- kon230
my lil bro has been over at SXSW too - he got an all expenses paid trip from some record company keeping him sweet lol.
were you over with the beeb or was it a wee holiday for yourself?
- vespa0
i didn't say i was british rasko. i was commenting on the difference between the two.
another difference: brits are cunts. but you can tell them! the c word is soooooo bad to say in the US.
- chossy0
Holler.
Hey vespa did all the chicks look like the pussy cat dolls I bet they did, don't say you didn't notice cause I know you done looked at booty before...
- xenicon0
heheh Rasko
- paraselene0
the c word is particularly no-go in america.
i think that aussies and americans have a lot in common, though, vespa. did you notice that?
- Dancer0
vespa, I hate you, now where's my magnet :P
The only american I know is Para and she's as think as pig shit.
- xenicon0
merkins like the way furners talk, especially brits even if beeb style.
- wendell0
can some Bat on nt do 1 with say german and england or??
heeehe!
bread hand swinging
- chossy0
Quality a rad car and hot chicks with back problems. :D
- kon230
everyone DUCK!
wendell is back and his bread hand is swinging!
- rasko40
ya gotta love the old swinging bread hand
- jevad0
wendell = rasko
- thinman0
and you met Joey Santiago? fucking christ cool
:D
Was hanging out with my friends cousin from Perth in DC this weekend. He could not believe the differences.
Got him laid. happy camper
- paraselene0
The only american I know is Para and she's as think as pig shit.
Dancer
(Mar 20 06, 05:39)please elaborate. i appear to be too think to understand what you're getting at.
:P
- jevad0
'too think'
lolz
- pascii0
i want to see america with my own eyes (behind rayban)
- thinman0
culturally.
people in Seattle arent the same people in Miami. people in New England arent the same people in San Diego.
i dont know couldnt you say the same thing for Scotties vs. Welsh and elsewhere?
- kelpie0
damn, straight. I'm no taff ;)