Al_4_ISU

I'm more team blue cheese when it comes to wings, but I'll abide the ranch in it's absence.

I would devour that plate.

I don't at all, but my wife's family and my mom's side of the family are very big on gift giving in general, so I'm just kinda stuck. Some years it ends up being pretty cool. I got 2 pieces of the Hilton Coliseum floor this year. That'll be a nice addition to the man cave.

Turnpike Troubadours "A Cat in the Rain" - Evan Felker's comeback is everything I wanted it to be. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit "Weathervanes" - Comeback album of the year. The king is back. Olivia Rodrigo "GUTS" - If the Blue Album had been made by a sexy 20 something instead of an emotionally crippled Gen X incel, it would sound like this. Joe Stamm Band "Wild Man"/"Fort Smith EP" - Midwest dude who is absolutely killing the country rock/heartland rock worship at the altar of Chris Knight thing. Dave Hause "Drive It Like It's Stolen" - Philly punk/folk/pop dude keeps cranking out stupid catchy stuff Cory Hanson "Western Cum" - Ridiculous name, ridiculous riffs. Windows down on the highway shit. Foo Fighters "But Here We Are" - Staggering tribute to Taylor Hawkins. Dave Grohl on drums. As vital as they've felt in over a decade. Lydia Loveless "Nothing's Gonna Stand In My Way Again" - One of the most underrated songwriters of the past decade makes her most fun record in close to a decade Queens of the Stone Age "In Times New Roman" - As noted above, a serious return to form Wednesday "Rat Saw God" - If the Hold Steady were from the South and fronted by a woman, they'd sound like this. Indie darlings, and deservedly so. Kyle Nix & the 38's "After the Flood Vol. 1" - Turnpike fiddle player drops legitimately excellent divorce album after showing some promise, but coming up a little short on his pandemic debut. This legit rips.

And it's not just socially accepted alcoholism either. Many of these people have jobs or activities that require them to go long periods of time with minimal or no alcohol consumption. It's like a switch that can be flipped on and off by otherwise normal people. There are plenty of functional (and non-functional) alcoholics in the Midwest (I know multiple people that drink at least a 12 pack per day and never miss work), but it's actually more common to not drink every day and just bring it when it needs brought. Goes back to the old country(s) I suppose. Lots of Germans, Irish, and Czechs.

I also just sort of quit drinking milk over time. I don't know exactly when it happened, but it's been at least 15 years since I've had a glass. Probably coincided with my not eating cereal for breakfast any more, which kind of started in college when I could have eggs and meat in the dorm every day.

Not even a little. I've always loved the Chuck Klosterman quote about how different Midwestern drinking is. Something to the effect of you have to stay focused, and consume with purpose. And Wisconsin ups the ante even for seasoned drinkers from the rest of the Midwest. They're on their own thing there.

It's a terribly unfunny show that's centered around something very few people understand, so they cram a bunch of awful jokes in there and it makes people think they're smarter than they actually are. Any show that employed a laugh track after 2000 or so is almost guaranteed to be unfunny.

Ames, Iowa City, and Mankato and Winona MN usually end up in there too 2023 list https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-city-rankings/drunkest-cities-in-america

I don't find Lorraine all that unlikeable at this stage in the game. I do find the idea of her pegging Jon Hamm's character fucking hilarious though.

Cool thread. I'm about as far as you can get from being a coonass, but they make pert near the best food I've ever eaten. If I had 2 months to live, I'd probably spend at least 3 weeks in Louisiana just eating and drinking.

If it makes you feel any better, people are shitty everywhere. I live right next door to Minnesota, a place that many like to point out as some beacon of rural progressivism because of how the state votes, but the reality is that it votes that way because Minneapolis/St Paul has 70% of the state's population, and that city has the same politics of almost any large city. We farm across the road from a guy who openly flies a Confederate flag, with no American flag in sight. In blue state Minnesota that fought for the Union. There are shitty people everywhere.

Just reading this makes me grateful for the 100s of miles of paved rail trails within 30 miles of my front door, including the 40 I don't have to even leave town for.

While watching football with them, you should play the "drink every time he drops a Dog Whistle" game.

Jesus Christ, my in-laws are Olympic champion level dawdlers and general time wasters.

They’re making it in LaCrosse again. I’ll swing by the World’s Largest 6 Pack soon and post a pic in here

My favorite part about visiting Texas is Lone Star and Pearl. If you’re ever in a northern plains state, Grain Belt is exceptional. I think it’s only available in Minnesota, the Dakotas, and northern parts of Iowa and Nebraska

Really? It’s a Midwest staple. You inspired me to pull one out to chase my Bloody Mary

I strongly approve of your choice of Xmas beer

Biff must be my sister in law.

This is a brilliant idea with 0 chance of back firing.

8 year old nephew dropped a good one today. While we’re eating dinner he unpromptedly belts out: “Eenie meenie miney mo catch a tiger by the… BOOBS” I just crack up instantly, and he’s quickly admonished by the other adults. He follows up “How come Uncle Al always laughs at the stuff you yell at me for!?” A conversation about appropriate humor followed, and my wife tells nephew and my niece (4.5) a clean joke. After the joke gets no response, my niece goes “see! Nobody laughed!”. I fucking lost it at that.

Thirsty Midwesterners not going away…

Aunt Flo’s in town this week at my house.

The question needed asked.