Montreal top five lists, continued.
I (we?) continue to approach the one-year mark, since I left Montreal, and so we continue to count down top five Montreal-related lists.
Tonight's lists, top five things I don't miss about Montreal. And from here on out, we'll actually count down, not up:
5. Humidity - Oh my god, is Montreal humid. And so gross in the summer. There's nothing much more to say about this, is there? It's just gross and I don't miss it. Now I live in one of the driest cities in Canada, and while that carries its own downsides, I have to say I prefer it to Montreal's awful, awful summers.
4. Pretension - Some people will argue that Montreal is not a pretentious place, but if you're arguing that, you need to leave Montreal a little more often. For people with so little money and, arguably, so little perspective on the world, Montrealers can be awfully judgmental of others. In a way, this is going to be totally contradicted by one of the things in my top five things I miss about Montreal list, but I don't care: Montreal lacks humility in a big way. Which brings me to my next, related point...
3. Haters - I'll always remember standing in the Link offices, the year I was on masthead, hearing a snippet of a conversation involving another masthead member, who was smacking down on someone who'd said something iffy about Montreal: "Fuck New Yorkers, they come to Montreal to party." And, ok, I didn't believe that at all in the moment but gradually came more and more around on it, but still: that attitude is unattractive, Montreal. You all need to accept there are good things about other places. You all need to get over it and yourselves. It doesn't matter if you can back it up - bragging is a dick move.
2. Hipsters - I spent my last five months there on the Plateau, so I know whereof I speak. Frankly, these fuckers contribute nothing to community life, walk around like they own the place and have no goddamn respect. I don't miss them. I'm glad to be in a place where the hipsters that we do have are grounded at least, because they are forced to socialize occasionally with non-hipsters.
1. Language politics - Oh fuck, do I ever not miss language politics. Admittedly, I can't claim to have completely escaped them, but it's different out here. I'm not going to make a case about who's right and who's wrong in Quebec, but it's just nice to be in a place where language is a settled issue. It's such a relief to live in a place where every random encounter with a busboy or a girl at the grocery checkout is not fraught with tension and politics. You don't know how bad you have it until you live somewhere else, Quebec - even Fort St. Fucking John.
***
And just because I feel like it, Sunday Northern Soul:
Such a good week coming! New episodes of EVERYTHING on TV - Lost, 24, Thursday comedies, Modern Family and three Sens games (only one of which I have to go to the Gold Rush for): Buffalo on Wednesday, Canucks on Thursday and new-look Leafs on Saturday. SO HAPPY!
Tonight's lists, top five things I don't miss about Montreal. And from here on out, we'll actually count down, not up:
5. Humidity - Oh my god, is Montreal humid. And so gross in the summer. There's nothing much more to say about this, is there? It's just gross and I don't miss it. Now I live in one of the driest cities in Canada, and while that carries its own downsides, I have to say I prefer it to Montreal's awful, awful summers.
4. Pretension - Some people will argue that Montreal is not a pretentious place, but if you're arguing that, you need to leave Montreal a little more often. For people with so little money and, arguably, so little perspective on the world, Montrealers can be awfully judgmental of others. In a way, this is going to be totally contradicted by one of the things in my top five things I miss about Montreal list, but I don't care: Montreal lacks humility in a big way. Which brings me to my next, related point...
3. Haters - I'll always remember standing in the Link offices, the year I was on masthead, hearing a snippet of a conversation involving another masthead member, who was smacking down on someone who'd said something iffy about Montreal: "Fuck New Yorkers, they come to Montreal to party." And, ok, I didn't believe that at all in the moment but gradually came more and more around on it, but still: that attitude is unattractive, Montreal. You all need to accept there are good things about other places. You all need to get over it and yourselves. It doesn't matter if you can back it up - bragging is a dick move.
2. Hipsters - I spent my last five months there on the Plateau, so I know whereof I speak. Frankly, these fuckers contribute nothing to community life, walk around like they own the place and have no goddamn respect. I don't miss them. I'm glad to be in a place where the hipsters that we do have are grounded at least, because they are forced to socialize occasionally with non-hipsters.
1. Language politics - Oh fuck, do I ever not miss language politics. Admittedly, I can't claim to have completely escaped them, but it's different out here. I'm not going to make a case about who's right and who's wrong in Quebec, but it's just nice to be in a place where language is a settled issue. It's such a relief to live in a place where every random encounter with a busboy or a girl at the grocery checkout is not fraught with tension and politics. You don't know how bad you have it until you live somewhere else, Quebec - even Fort St. Fucking John.
***
And just because I feel like it, Sunday Northern Soul:
Click to viewSuch a good week coming! New episodes of EVERYTHING on TV - Lost, 24, Thursday comedies, Modern Family and three Sens games (only one of which I have to go to the Gold Rush for): Buffalo on Wednesday, Canucks on Thursday and new-look Leafs on Saturday. SO HAPPY!