Michigan is a fucked up state. It actually looks like two states which can lead to confusion. I tell people I'm from Northern Michigan. Usually they think I mean the Upper Pennisula. After all, it's the furthest north. We Michiganders (seriously what we're called) tend to separate the Upper Peninsula (or "U.P.") geographically from the rest of the state, or Lower Peninsula. The U.P., which at one time wanted to be its own state called "Superior", is heavily populated with Finnish people who love saunas, ice fishing, and snowmobiling. We in Northern Lower Michigan are a bit more cultured. We love saunas, ice fishing, and snowmobiling, but we eat wine and cheese after each. A handy way to understand where I live is to put your left hand face down. I'm right around your ring finger's fingernail.
9/18/2006
A Michigan Geography Primer...
Michigan is a fucked up state. It actually looks like two states which can lead to confusion. I tell people I'm from Northern Michigan. Usually they think I mean the Upper Pennisula. After all, it's the furthest north. We Michiganders (seriously what we're called) tend to separate the Upper Peninsula (or "U.P.") geographically from the rest of the state, or Lower Peninsula. The U.P., which at one time wanted to be its own state called "Superior", is heavily populated with Finnish people who love saunas, ice fishing, and snowmobiling. We in Northern Lower Michigan are a bit more cultured. We love saunas, ice fishing, and snowmobiling, but we eat wine and cheese after each. A handy way to understand where I live is to put your left hand face down. I'm right around your ring finger's fingernail.
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4 comments:
First of all, the UP should be its own state, or should be part of Wisconsin, or something. It's just weird that it's part of Michigan.
Secondly, whenever I meet someone from Michigan, I ask them what town they're from. When they tell me, I say "Oh. And where is that?"
At that point, the Michigander will invariably hold up his hand, and use it as a visual guide. And when I say invariably, I mean without fail. It has NEVER not happened. Seriously. You guys are some consistent motherfuckers, you know that? Do they teach y'all that in school, or something?
It would be cooler if you were from somewhere in the middle finger region.
The "hand as map" approach is something I picked up after moving here. Full disclosure, I'm not a native Michigander so I don't know if there is any indoctrination. We also call tourists "Fudgies" due to the high concentration of fudge shops in and around Mackinac Island.
Megan-I remember being amused when I hosted a bunch of people who had never been to Chicago and they were shocked that you couldn't see the other side of Lake Michigan. Michigan is second only to Alaska in longest shoreline.
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