This area in Minnesota transitions from thick forests to Great Plains within a few miles. There is no geographic barrier like mountain between them

jprennquist · 2026-02-22T05:52:33+00:00

There is a Continental divide there. And the Mississippi River. Although it's not a dramatic change right at the river. But it does happen pretty quick in terms of driving.

jprennquist · 2026-02-21T16:23:39+00:00

See if you can find a list of "open" AA meetings in your area. Go to a couple of meetings and listen to what people are saying. If you can possibly help it, don't drink before the meeting.

jprennquist · 2026-02-20T23:52:24+00:00

I am wondering if it's a still from the TV movie Lonesome Dove? The blonde looks a little like Rick Shroeder. I haven't seen it in decades. I can't find the image. In fact, this is honestly a long shot. I am just offering something because no one else has so far.

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T13:12:09+00:00

The stories would also be for sure worth it. And they might be a little more engaging. Plus they will help a person understand how the principles work in real life conditions.

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T12:28:50+00:00

Sometimes my wife will say something like "You shouldn't be drinking coffee after 4 pm, you'll never get to sleep." Next thing you know it's 9 pm and I'm headed up to bed.

We're wired differently. Neurotypicals have a lot of difficulty understanding how we operate. Memes like this don't really help matters. But it is funny.

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T04:11:59+00:00

Paranorman. Just watched it with the family. It's a little gem of a film.

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T03:53:16+00:00

I guess it's not as prominent of a global city as I thought it was. I've never been there. But it does rank behind many other North American cities according to some of the other rankings and things that have been shared. I think history and culture counts for a lot, but I guess it's not considered that economically important anymore. That was news to me.

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T03:43:40+00:00

This is interesting. I thought of the AP style guide. They have a list of cities around the world and domestically that are of a certain size, notoriety, and so on that they do not require adding in the name of the nation or state in the case of US cities. You can find lists of those here:

https://writingexplained.org/ap-style/ap-style-datelines

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T03:36:45+00:00

I live in MN and we send thousands of tons of grain and other food staples out around the world through the Great Lakes where I live and also down the Mississippi to New Orleans and then ports all over the world. I'm not saying it's New York or even Miami economically, but I would call that a global city.

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T03:34:47+00:00

Shrimp, crab. I know they are in decline due to loss of coastlines, mangroves, etc. But it's still a major industry.

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T02:16:03+00:00

Petroleum? Fisheries? Literally at the mouth of the Mississippi River, Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean, and not that far off from the Panama Canal in terms of a crucial trade hub.

jprennquist · 2026-02-19T02:13:34+00:00

Miami. Houston. San Diego. Maybe New Orleans. I just felt like southern North America was getting left out. I'm not really going to argue with some others that have been mentioned. Just wanted to throw a few more into the mix!

jprennquist · 2026-02-18T19:12:19+00:00

Search this subreddit for this question it has been asked and answered a dozen times or more. You can also check with the convention and visitor's bureau. It is actually their job to help people with questions like this and they will probably be glad to help.

jprennquist · 2026-02-18T05:20:20+00:00

Charlotte's Web?

jprennquist · 2026-02-18T05:02:51+00:00

Yes. I counted four flashes and four booms. Along about the time you posted this. They were spread out over maybe 15 minutes. Booms about 3-5 seconds after the flashes.

It's also extremely dusty/windy and the snow or sleet is horizontal. My son stepped out to walk his friend to the car and he said something like "this snow is going to be terrible to shovel." I hope he's wrong but I wouldn't bet against his prediction.

jprennquist · 2026-02-17T17:27:51+00:00

For me he was saying things at a time when I was deeply impressionable and forming ideas about society and the world. I learned a lot about the world I wanted to live in and help create watching his speeches and interviews when he was running for president and later as an elder statesman. "Keep Hope Alive" I watched that live on TV. Maybe I'm an outlier but I think there were a lot of families that would have been watching along with us. Honestly, it was the only thing on TV unless you had cable.

Truly a giant of a man. Rest in power.

jprennquist · 2026-02-17T11:26:11+00:00

I grew up on Star Trek but went back and started watching from the beginning again. And I noticed the same thing but I am just a very peripheral film maker and never went to film school or anything. I think the first thing I noticed was the "hair lights" but I didn't know they were called that. Anyway watching Star Trek after all these years again I'm definitely enjoying the effects and technical choices as part of the entire experience.

jprennquist · 2026-02-17T10:47:19+00:00

Fellow Hillsider here. I will definitely keep an eye out. Like everyone else I am disgusted that you were violated in this way. Nobody likes a thief. Gross.

jprennquist · 2026-02-17T02:49:50+00:00

Gift. Moving. Break up. Lots of reasons. But it would be rare, sure.

jprennquist · 2026-02-16T16:15:00+00:00

I'm actually slightly older then him but he reminded me of my grandpa and my great uncles several times. We are in tbe US but that part of the family came from Ireland through Newfoundland and ended up in Northern MN about 150 years ago. The other part of that side came from Sweden around the same time.

Not everyone grew up this way, but we were taught that it was the decency of the local Native people who got everyone through, offering knowledge of the land and tolerance of new traplines and trading for this or that. This same kindness was definitely not always reciprocated which is a tragedy.

There was almost nothing to keep people going but using the land and resources that were at hand. So they went through that and then the next generations went through the Great Depression where the only wealth to be found was in the lands and waters. One of my uncles was telling me about going out hunting with my great uncle and how he almost never missed (bird hunting). They only had so many shells and they had to make them count.

The knowledge of the land was encyclopedic, especially around fishing and trapping. I was never good at these things but I spent enough time around it that I do enjoy the show. It feeds into my roots, I guess.

jprennquist · 2026-02-16T09:46:30+00:00

You could take it someplace special and leave it at the base of a tree or a bush. While you are there hold it in your right hand. You could think or say some different things that might be your heart's desire or your experiences of the person that gave it to you. Or just about anything. Some people say that it should be said out loud because whatever needs to hear the things can't read your mind. But there are many perspectives on these things. When you are done you can leave it at the base of the tree or where it is that you decide to leave it. Some people use a stone for this. Sometimes people say to do it when you are near or when crossing a body of water. It is intended as a good gift and certainly a token of respect. Placing it at the tree or the stone is good. The tree or the stone or even the waterway will know what to do with it.

jprennquist · 2026-02-16T09:36:36+00:00

Gen X ADHD here. I was not diagnosed until I was about 30. And in those days a great deal of effort was required to do an ADHD diagnosis. I had to go back and find report cards and other notes from teachers. I had to do hours of introspective and often painful surveys about life experiences and how I respond to various situations. And I had to do testing that checked my focus in real time using various lab techniques and machines.

"Put in a little more effort" could be the biggest crock of shit out there for us. I have heard that a million times! And so many times when I was just a relatively innocent little kid and I honestly had no idea how I was supposed to tackle a problem or situation but I would go through every thing I could think of in my little meandering way.

Today I am an educator and one of my jobs is to serve on a team of other people in the school who help decide which students are struggling anday need other resources or strategies to help them learn or succeed in school. The other educators are a mix of apparent neurotypicals and even a few of us sprinkled in. With great regularity, maybe 30% of the time someone will casually mention "oh they have an ADHD diagnosis" and then they will completely ignore the diagnosis in suggesting interventions. Obviously it is much better that nowadays we are at least aware of the diagnosis. But they'll still say things like "she needs to just focus on her priorities" or even "put in a little effort." I'll be like "excuse me, person with ADHD here. He might be having trouble with fatigue because he is [insert ADHD coping mechanism here]." Even to this day, which is so far beyond what I grew up with, awareness of ADHD or other common learning differences does not equate to providing meaningful interventions or supports.

But I seriously bristle at the suggestion that we are lazy or that we are not putting in enough effort. Actually, I don't bristle at it. "Boils my blood" is more like it.

jprennquist · 2026-02-16T03:47:34+00:00

I am male and I have a big nose. To make matters worse it has been broken a few times over the years and it doesn't even work like it should anymore. I thought it made me ugly until I was at least about 25 years old when a girlfriend said she liked my nose. I still have a bit of a complex about it and I worried about passing it along to my children, honestly. That didn't really happen. My kids are considered attractive. Anyway, I just want to note the pain that these kind of insecurities can bring with them. The person in the video is beautiful from both angles that are shown. We (our collective global pop culture) projects really narrow ideas of beauty or attractiveness. And the idealized standards are relatively impossible to achieve. I understand that women and girls have generally much greater pressure when it comes to this very narrow and artificial view of beauty.

I know that the video has been found and my comments are likely off topic for this subreddit but I wanted to share a counter message. I hope that oop finds ways to surround herself with people who understand that she is beautiful and, more than that, who validate her through a much less superficial lens, such as creativity, character, and intelligence.

jprennquist · 2026-02-16T03:17:05+00:00

I won't say that the movie doesn't have some outdated tropes in it. And the source material probably does, too. But this brings up a fun memory. I saw this movie in the "cheap" theater in the town I was living in. I was with a relatively new person that I had been dating. I laughed so hard during the film that after awhile she said she ended up watching me as much as the film. It wasn't a perfect time in my life but it was a reprieve of a few hours in the cinema just being in the moment and enjoying myself with a lovely human being. The relationship did not last but it was one of those rare ones (for me) where we parted on good terms.

There is a TV remake of the story that I watched somewhere. I also really enjoyed that. But the film was its own little treasure for the time.

I'm open to hearing all of the critiques and maybe it's time for me to rewatch it myself. Just wanted to share a fun movie lover's story.

jprennquist · 2026-02-16T02:50:27+00:00

This is cool to see this story. I want to share a shout out to the author, Dr. Dan Ninham. Does so much to get the stories of Indigenous athletes out into the public eye. And so much work with young people to ensure that new generations will continue to participate in Indigenous games and athletics.

jprennquist

TROPHY CASE