National Kirkin' O' the Tartan

[TheOfficialBren]

We Americans love a good show, Singlemalt. That is ne of the mIn differences between Our Canadian cousins and Americans, I believe.

Canada strikes me as a place where old-fashioned British understatement (my preference, actually) is alive and well. Please feel free to correct me if my perception of your great nation is inaccurate. No disrespect was intended, only admiration.

America is largely about pushing whatever boundary may (or may not) exist and redefining things (often without any real meaning or purposeful logic). Gawd! You should read the History books our youth in California are reading now...mostly revisionist dribble full of agendised commentary and devoid of solid facts...but I digress.

Personally, I have never seen this particular practice in person nor had I even heard of it until I joined XMTS. In all fairness to the OP, though, I live in Southern California and almost anything Scottish, British, or otherwise commonplace in the rest of the English-speaking world is wildly foreign here.

Still, we are all here because of our love of kilts and the like.

[Singlemalt]

We Americans love a good show, Singlemalt. That is ne of the mIn differences between Our Canadian cousins and Americans, I believe.

Canada strikes me as a place where old-fashioned British understatement (my preference, actually) is alive and well. Please feel free to correct me if my perception of your great nation is inaccurate. No disrespect was intended, only admiration.

America is largely about pushing whatever boundary may (or may not) exist and redefining things (often without any real meaning or purposeful logic). Gawd! You should read the History books our youth in California are reading now...mostly revisionist dribble full of agendised commentary and devoid of solid facts...but I digress.

Personally, I have never seen this particular practice in person nor had I even heard of it until I joined XMTS. In all fairness to the OP, though, I live in Southern California and almost anything Scottish, British, or otherwise commonplace in the rest of the English-speaking world is wildly foreign here.

Still, we are all here because of our love of kilts and the like.

Bren, certainly no disrespect or offense taken, but Canada is quite a diverse country and getting more so everyday. Your description of a very quiet conservative and British rooted place certainly describes the place I grew up in rural central Ontario. It describes the Canada I identify personally with. However other parts are very French and people can live their whole lives without needing to speaking English. Other areas the Ukrainian roots run deep, etc, etc. Now many places are much more Asian than anywhere else in North America.

One thing which seems to make it possible for all this diversity to live together is to keep things a little understated. No one wants to step out too "loud and proud" out of concern with causing offense to your neighbour.

[rmccool]

No one wants to step out too "loud and proud" out of concern with causing offense to your neighbour.

At the risk of taking us slightly off-topic, I'll admit that Singlemalt's description of Canada -- or at least, his ancestral part of it -- is indeed different from the USA, or at least the part of it that I grew up in. People certainly were (and are) concerned about causing undue offense, but a certain amount of "loud and proud" was expected, as long as it didn't cross the line into "lewd and crude." A bit of swagger and "I did it my way" independence were pretty much expected, especially for males. John Wayne movies were very popular where I grew up, and the heroes of TV Westerns were generally viewed as positive role models for young fellows. No so these days, at least in many parts of the US.

Different cultures in different places... but thankfully, there's room for kilts in all of them. It seems that we US Americans have just developed the habit of having 'em blessed occasionally.

[creagdhubh]

Great photos! And it is nice to see a fellow Macpherson cousin present. I've always liked the look of brown tweed with the Macpherson hunting colour scheme. Well turned out indeed!

Cheers,

[TheOfficialBren]

Singlemalt, very good to know.
Understatement and respect can be valuable tools for brimging unity through diversity. Hats of to you guys. It seems to be a most important cornerstone for upon which the Canadian culture is built. Thank you for sharing.

RMCCool, there is a lot of truth to what you said. This is one way that two countries right next to one another approach the same situation in two entirely different ways.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programme.

The Narional Cathedral in Washimgton is GORGEOUS!!! GO THERE, VISIT IT! You will not be disappointed. If I am not mistaken, President Woodrow Wilson, "The Great Screwup," is buried there. I think that there was an effort early on to mimic Westminster in that way. It doesn't seem to have taken...