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I have it. Some make fun of it. Most people from Wisconsin don’t realize they have it. I’m noticing more and more that I have a Wisconsin accent. It’s not prominent, but every now and again I catch myself saying “aböut” instead of “about.”
It’s amazing how much you notice about yourself when you’re not living at home any more. Every thing is different. The people are different, the businesses are different, the attitude is different. You begin to notice quirks about yourself that have been developing over years and years. And when you suddenly find yourself in a different place, the differences between you and the people around you immediately stand out.
I’ve never thought of myself as a typical Wisconsinite, but there are things about the way I think, the way I talk and the way I view the world that could only have come from Wisconsin. Dialect aside, I’ve noticed that I’m much more layed back about things than others around here. I’m also more tolerant of pushy and emotionally upset people. I generally have a positive view about the government and authority. I dig cheese. And for some strange reason, even though I’m not a football fan (except for Madden Football) I immediately pay close attention to anything that has to do with “Favre” or “The Packers.”
Being different in New York is not all biscuits and gravy though. Because I’m more layed back that also means I’m not pushy. If you don’t know when to push in New York and when to hold back, you’re not going to go anywhere fast. That’s the kind of New York wisdom they rarely teach you in Wisconsin.
Still, I’m learning to grab that Wall Street Bull by the horns. And when I return to visit Wisconsin, hopefully a part of New York will have rubbed off on me. I don’t know if a baseball/basketball place like New York is quite compatable with a football/NASCAR place like Wisconsin, but like it or not, cultures teach. And I’m not afraid to learn a few new tricks from New York.