SSB, JG

[mrissa]

brithistorian was talking about Minnesota Efficient the other day, and we do indeed have that. I get more of it than he does, though, because sometimes I can save a whoooooole bunch of time by being recognizably what I am. In other places, it's a good deal more difficult to get people to change their filing from Femmey Young Female, Probable Pushover to some other, more appropriate category. But here? Stubborn Scando Bitch, Junior Grade, is readily available in most worldviews, and most people who have lived in MN for awhile can recognize the type pretty easily. "No melanin...ooh, that jaw doesn't look like it's going anywhere any time soon...uh-oh, those shoulders...I think we'll be doing as she says, Bob."

Even when they mutter, "Norwegians," under their breath as I leave the room, I don't mind. Because I am, and because it's good to get my way when I'm right and the only thing opposing me is "policy," and it's particularly good to get my way efficiently when I'm right. It's obviously convenient to be able to pull out Immovable Object when necessary, but it's even more convenient if you can wave a little sign reading "Immovable Object" (like Wile E. Coyote in midair) and have people recognize it and react accordingly.

It may be that there were similar cues I could have invoked when we lived in California, but I didn't know them. Here I know them.