Asheville Meetup Pictures October 26, 2007 7:57 AM   Subscribe

Pictures from last night's Asheville meetup.

In attendance - mediareport, visiting from Raleigh, mygothlaundry, lazaruslong, moonbird and, at Bobo, Benjamin Nushmutt and bennie (no pictures of bennie, alas, that was right around 11, when us boring work in the morning people departed with the camera.) Big fun had by all and huge thanks to metafilters own talented accordion playing Benjamin Nushmutt for putting us all on the guest list!
posted by mygothlaundry to MetaFilter Gatherings at 7:57 AM (102 comments total)

PSA: Moonbird has a chin. Really. That is all.
[had a great time, everyone... alas, I didn't get called in last night after all, but there's still Roller Derby and the hike on Sunday!]
posted by moonbird at 8:09 AM on October 26, 2007


yay!
posted by lazaruslong at 8:35 AM on October 26, 2007


Wow, hawt, all y'all.
posted by GrammarMoses at 8:36 AM on October 26, 2007


Huh...lazaruslong is cute. Adds to list she's making in preparation for DateMe.
posted by jacalata at 8:41 AM on October 26, 2007


Moonbird, is the curly hair new? I like it.
posted by and hosted from Uranus at 8:41 AM on October 26, 2007


What kind of music was played on the accordion? Up until I saw Bruce Hornsby with Jerry and friends at Buckeye Lake, I thought the accordion was for polka music. Looks like Mr. Nushmutt was rocking.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:19 AM on October 26, 2007


jacalata: Rawr.

JohnnyGunn: He absolutely was rocking out. It was a really interesting combination of gypsy sounding harmonic minor stuff and dissonant awesomeness. I'm sure he could describe it better, but suffice to say it was great music.
posted by lazaruslong at 9:22 AM on October 26, 2007


Its Meffy!
posted by Sk4n at 9:35 AM on October 26, 2007


NOT Mee-Fie! Agreed, wholeheartedly!

And hey, thanks for the shoutouts y'all! More MeFi Music!

And how cool, there was a gig there and everything! Asheville crew rules!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:38 AM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


See, I was trying to explain to mediareport why I don't like the "Mee-Fie" pronunciation. Alas, I could not remember the literary term for when there is equal emphasis on both syllables. Now that I have google in my hands instead of a beer, I realize this is called a "spondee". That's the word I was trying to think of, and it's those types of words that feel harder to pronounce than their unequal emphasis brethren.

side note: When googling for "equal emphasis on both syllables called" the number 4 result is from languagehat.com!
posted by lazaruslong at 9:50 AM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


Looks like fun! Thanks for the shout out. I feel shouted out!
posted by occhiblu at 9:56 AM on October 26, 2007


When I was a pup, the first time I spoke the word macabre aloud, I pronounced it mack-a-bree. I didn't know any better. I felt humiliated when informed of my blunder. The memory-echo of my nine-year-old self feels both compassion and humiliation-by-proxy for those who see "mefi" and somehow hear, in their mind's ear, "meffy."
posted by cairnish at 10:10 AM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


Waving from RDU...looks like y'all had fun!
posted by Stewriffic at 10:12 AM on October 26, 2007


I don't like the "mee-fi" pronunciation because it is only used by mouth breathing neanderthals. Fuck those jaggoffs.
posted by absalom at 10:14 AM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


But you guys are in the South. You pronounce everything funny.
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:27 AM on October 26, 2007


The meh-fee/mee-fi controversy is tearing this site apart. I would ask Matt and Jessamyn to solve it, but they are wrong about how it is pronounced, so they are no help. This coupled with the actual/metaphorical viking issue is going to cause a civil war on the site. I for one would like to declare myself as a meh-fee/actual viking and I renounce all heretics with incorrect opinions about either topic. Come brothers. Let us strike down the nonbelievers before they further foul our beautiful Metafilter.
posted by ND¢ at 10:59 AM on October 26, 2007 [4 favorites]


People in the north pronounce things funny too! (Just go to central PA's Dubois and ask how they say it.)

I second jacalata's comments! You guys are hotties.
posted by leesh at 11:00 AM on October 26, 2007


Am I the only one who says may-fi?
posted by brundlefly at 11:09 AM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


A new axis of weevil, with North-South added to MeFi-Muffy and Viking-Beanplate divisions? If we can't heal these wounds, Ken Burns will be panning and zooming over meetup flickr sets on a future mini-series.
posted by cairnish at 11:17 AM on October 26, 2007


wouldn't it be more like "me-fah" in WNC?

BENJAMIN NUSHMUTT WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING ME OUT
posted by JohnFredra at 11:17 AM on October 26, 2007


It's MEH-fie, for christ's sake.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:22 AM on October 26, 2007 [4 favorites]


MEH FIE? No, no, that's just . . . wrong. So, so wrong. Meffy, as in AskMeffy, the Yahoo Answers Slayer.
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:32 AM on October 26, 2007


100 years down the road we will have so little actual conversations using speech that whenever people do get together to talk no one will understand one another, the internet is the modern tower of babel.

Me-Fi = MeFie ya bastards.
posted by edgeways at 11:35 AM on October 26, 2007


Meffy sounds like an adjective. And a pejorative.

"Does something in here smell kind of...meffy?"
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:36 AM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


I posit that anyone that speaks a language other than English, pronounces it "meh-fee"

I bet languagehat pronounces it "meh-fee." I bet Miguel Cardoso pronounces it "meh-fee."

In short, the hierarchy is:

Meh-Fee
Internationally minded people of style and culture.

Meh-Fi
Civilized folks who should know better.

Mee-Fi
Hopeless Mountain folk who own banjos
posted by vacapinta at 11:44 AM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


I barely ever interact with anyone. If I ever find myself in a meetup, can I still give shoutouts to people whose posts I've dug, or is this thing reserved for bi-directional friends?
posted by Anything at 11:48 AM on October 26, 2007


Thanks for the shoutout, y'all! I've only been in Asheville once, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and should I ever find myself down that way again I will definitely contact you fine MeFites to get together and have some fine, fine pork barbecue.

side note: When googling for "equal emphasis on both syllables called" the number 4 result is from languagehat.com!

Thanks for reminding me of that interesting thread, which I hadn't revisited in ages (sort of like Asheville). The context of the "equal emphasis" phrase:

Where I come from, Bangor, ME is pronounced "Bang-gore" with equal emphasis on both syllables, though the local accent sometimes renders it "Bang-goah" depending on whether you're from upcountry or Down East. In the latter case the second syllable is sometimes lengthened to two.

Another interesting fact from the thread:

TULANE - Pronounced TOO-lane. Never, ever pronounce this tu-LANE, or you'll immediately be mistaken for a college student from New Jersey.

Also, what ND¢ said. The Meh-Fee/Actual Viking Party will annihilate all deviationists!
posted by languagehat at 11:49 AM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


On non-preview, what vacapinta said as well. [NOT ANTI-BANJOIST]
posted by languagehat at 11:50 AM on October 26, 2007


banjo music

Morgan Freeman's voice:

Dearest Canadian Girlfriend,

I awoke to a horrific scene this morning. The eight other mee-fie/metaphorical viking soldiers in my foxhole had apparently been driven mad by the constant barrage of snark being hurled at them through the night by the meh-fee/actual viking camp that lies only forty feet away. I knew something was amiss as soon as I opened my eyes, but the fog of my fitful sleep hid the truth from me briefly. It took a few moments to determine what was different, but then I realized THEY HAD ALL CUT OFF THEIR HANDS! It was apparently some kind of misguided attempt to prove their point. While our position on these two issues is of course important enough to fight and die for, though we all long to be back home with our respective Canadian girlfriends, I couldn't help thinking that we never should have started this damn war. There are no words to convey my horror at the site of my comrades sitting their looking forlornly at the ends of their arms where their hands used to be, while the meh-fee/actual vikings hurled more taunts at them, like "When it comes to cutting off your hand, you're a viking!". Or perhaps just one word. lol. Please give my regards to your dearest sister and mother and think of me often and maybe we can cyber later.

Yours truly,

Todd Lokken

banjo music
posted by ND¢ at 11:51 AM on October 26, 2007 [11 favorites]


I would like to nominate myself in the group of internationally-minded, multilingual mefites who say 'mee-fie'.

Anything: see JohnFredra's comment above.
posted by jacalata at 11:53 AM on October 26, 2007


Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet!

MeeFie forever! HiFi, LoFi, MeFi.
posted by doctor_negative at 11:56 AM on October 26, 2007


May Fie.
posted by dead_ at 11:59 AM on October 26, 2007


Meffy, The Dumb-pire Slayer.
posted by y2karl at 12:00 PM on October 26, 2007


It makes me happy to know others also call it Meh-Fee. I was also berated for pronouncing it that way at a meetup (yes, Ambrosia Voyeur, I'm looking at you).
posted by spiderskull at 12:00 PM on October 26, 2007


Tu posit mal, mon cher vacapinta.

I'd rather hang with the Mountain folk anyways.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:02 PM on October 26, 2007


spiderskull: It should make you double happen, then, that Meh-Fee is also the correct way to pronounce it. Anyone who tells you different is a heathen, and wrong.
posted by lazaruslong at 12:09 PM on October 26, 2007


doubly and differently, natch.
posted by lazaruslong at 12:10 PM on October 26, 2007


and happy?
posted by jacalata at 12:12 PM on October 26, 2007


Jeez. Not only should I not post while drunk, but not hungover from a meet-up either. sheesh. Feel free to remove me from your hypothetical Meh-Fee date list now.
posted by lazaruslong at 12:13 PM on October 26, 2007


BENjamin NUSHmutt
posted by granted at 12:20 PM on October 26, 2007


Mee-Fi
Hopeless Mountain folk who own banjos
accordions.
I done fixed that fer yuh. Now lookee here, boy, I'm gon learn you a song, it's called "I'm a Mouth Breathin' Fire Spitter (From the County Fair)".

As we discovered last night, this polemic is best held after no less than three pints have been consumed. At the very least, I think we can all agree on that.

Thanks for bringing the meetup to my gig--that was fun!
posted by Benjamin Nushmutt at 12:29 PM on October 26, 2007


Me-f'eh?, pronounced "Mille-feuille"

*blows kisses at ND¢*
posted by maudlin at 12:30 PM on October 26, 2007


I'm so happy that I started this paricular phase of the Pronunciation Wars. (Also, I AM a Viking. DNA is in profile.)

The users of the term "Me-fite" or the less-attractive cousin Mefite" are next to be put to the sword. You know who you are....

It's Metafilterian, actually. It says it on the inside of the gold and onyx ring we get at the annual meetings.
posted by Sk4n at 12:30 PM on October 26, 2007


Mee-Fi
Hopeless Mountain folk who own banjos


Meee-fi.

I own NO banjo. I'm not hopeless, and my land is of the flat.


I DO however live in NC.
posted by konolia at 12:30 PM on October 26, 2007


I'm actually not all that parTicular about how you pronounce it.
posted by Sk4n at 12:32 PM on October 26, 2007


MEE-FIE / ACTUAL VIKING.

Don't even get me started on the whole viking thing again. I simply refuse to believe that people can possibly be so completely retarded and still remember how to breath. I mean, seriously - at first I thought that the only reason people aligned themselves with the metaphorical viking camp was to aggravate people like me. Maybe they were trying to demonstrate that we lacked a sense of humor and they were just needling us. So I sort of chuckled and went along with it. But then someone actually started to express frustration that someone else sided with the Actual Viking camp - and I realized that no, in fact, some people are really so fucking retarded as to actually believe all that metaphorical viking horseshit. AND that in many cases these people can vote. I weep openly for our species and our planet. We're completely doomed.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 1:10 PM on October 26, 2007 [2 favorites]


Also, I own a banjo. And fuck you very much. The banjo is a beautiful instrument.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 1:10 PM on October 26, 2007 [2 favorites]


MEH-fie
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:21 PM on October 26, 2007


Jesus people. It's in-DEE-sent.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 1:26 PM on October 26, 2007


Mee Fie fo fum I smell the blood of...
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:26 PM on October 26, 2007


Me Fie Foes Fume.
posted by cairnish at 1:28 PM on October 26, 2007


I had a great time, y'all, thanks for the hospitality! Some of the most fun conversation I've had in a long time, and an all-around hilarious and smart group of people! We talked about the rest of you behind your backs all night but were very understanding about your many faults, I promise. :)

He absolutely was rocking out. It was a really interesting combination of gypsy sounding harmonic minor stuff and dissonant awesomeness.

Yeah, it was great stuff; the interplay between the accordion and guitar was beautiful, sometimes improv, with lots of Spanish and international flavor. I liked it a lot, and it definitely rocked. Folks were dancing, including some crazed psychic lady who attached herself to our group at one point. If I remember through the haze right, Benjamin Nushmutt said most of it was original, too. Thanks for putting us on the list, Benjamin! Please start posting to Mee-Fie Music!

Huh...lazaruslong is cute

Do not be fooled. He is a demon from hell. A very cute and funny demon from hell, but still. His secret weapon is forcing you to drink sake after a night of beer, which makes your head throb all the next day.

*shakes fist at cute funny demon*

I believe "From hell's heart I stab at thee" is the relevant quote here, demon.

One last thing: Asheville is a great little city; if you haven't been in a while, it's definitely worth a visit. Lots of things to see if you're a building geek, lots of energy and art, and some of the best graffiti I've seen in the state down by the river. I'm having a great time.

p.s. bennie the lurker is cute too.
posted by mediareport at 1:38 PM on October 26, 2007


*response to mediareport's photo shoutout*

Ah, that's sweet, mediareport. I can't say that I still don't think you didn't misunderstand me, because that would be a lie, but I can say that I really regret the argument and I'm very glad you forgive me because I think very highly of you.

Also, I'm with cortex. It's mef-fie. MEE and FEE are too damn cutesy. Blech. And rarely in English does “me” + consonant = MEE, the vowel is usually short. Also, I'd go along with FEE as the most obvious/correct if it didn't sound so stupid.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:50 PM on October 26, 2007


"MeFi" doesn't HAVE a pronunciation; it's merely used on the screen as a shortcut to typing "Metafilter." (And I hope everyone who uses the abbreviation are putting the 1-2 seconds they saved by not typing six additional letters to good use, perhaps by volunteering at a local charity.)

Anyone who actually says "MeFi" out loud should be kept at arm's length and away from human society, like people who use LOL and WTF in real world conversations.
posted by Ian A.T. at 1:54 PM on October 26, 2007


Mee-Fie/metaphorical Viking here. Because Mee-Fie is easy to say, and easy is good. And metaphors are good too. I have spoken.

(This is gonna turn out to be the Metafilter equivalent of a Myers-Briggs personality sorter.)
posted by GrammarMoses at 1:57 PM on October 26, 2007


MEE and FEE are too damn cutesy.

Twee, arguablee.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:06 PM on October 26, 2007


Because Mee-Fie is easy to say

I'm sorry, but whereas it may be "easy to say" by comparison with Georgian gvbrdghvnis 'he's plucking us' or Bella Coola xłp̓x̣ʷłtłpłłskʷc̓ 'he had had a bunchberry plant,' by comparison with "meffy" it's a pain in the ass.

"MeFi" doesn't HAVE a pronunciation

Your MOMMA doesn't have a pronunciation.
posted by languagehat at 2:29 PM on October 26, 2007


Hmmph. Reports of my demonic nature are greatly exaggerated, whereas reports of my erudition, wit, and charm are greatly underreported.

Your MOMMA doesn't have a pronunciation.
posted by languagehat at 5:29 PM on October 26


I LOL'd, sir.
posted by lazaruslong at 2:39 PM on October 26, 2007


I for one would like to declare myself as a meh-fee/actual viking and I renounce all heretics with incorrect opinions about either topic.

Yes, yes. Very good. But "soda" or "pop"?
posted by soundofsuburbia at 2:41 PM on October 26, 2007


by comparison with "meffy" it's a pain in the ass.

"Meffy"? I scoff. It sounds like a sneeze.
posted by GrammarMoses at 2:42 PM on October 26, 2007


"Mee-Fi
Hopeless Mountain folk who own banjos"

Well fine then - no more unexplainable, weird man-crush for you vacapinta!

*strums banjo, whittles stick absentmindedly, pours shot of moonshine from Ball jar*
posted by vronsky at 2:47 PM on October 26, 2007


there's still Roller Derby and the hike on Sunday!

Awesome! Missed that the first time. Pretty Place and Rainbow Falls sound great for Sunday!
posted by mediareport at 3:06 PM on October 26, 2007


*strums banjo, whittles stick absentmindedly, pours shot of moonshine from Ball jar*

speaking of inexplicable and weird man-crushes, looks like I have another one.
posted by heeeraldo at 3:15 PM on October 26, 2007


Some people really can't wait for DateMe, can they?
posted by maudlin at 3:17 PM on October 26, 2007


Pronounced Date-meh, no doubt.
posted by cairnish at 3:19 PM on October 26, 2007 [2 favorites]


Well, if we listen to the syllables "me" and "fi" in MetaFilter the contraction MeFi should clearly be pronounced MEH-FIH. However, that's retarded. Therefore, there is no correct way to pronounce MeFi.

There, now everyone's unhappy thanks to logic. Thank you, logic.
posted by Kattullus at 3:27 PM on October 26, 2007


Depends on the quality of the merchandise, don't it?
*strums opening bars of "Dueling Banjos"*
posted by GrammarMoses at 3:30 PM on October 26, 2007


If we ever implement dating features in the profile, we should include:

Pronouciation of MeFi:
(*) Mee ( ) Fee
( ) Meh (*) Fie

Where you'd choose one from each column. Also:

What is your stance on the viking debate?
( ) Don't care/no opinion
( ) Metaphorical
(*) Literal

That way, I can weed out people I am prejudiced against in my search for said partner.
posted by spiderskull at 3:43 PM on October 26, 2007 [2 favorites]


Me Phi Me
posted by vronsky at 4:36 PM on October 26, 2007


Mefites at the diner
of Matthowie's 49er
there's a rendezvous of strangers
around the Meffy urn tonight
all the Mee Fie hacks, the insomniacs
now the rss feed's been read
now cortex said.........
posted by Sk4n at 4:39 PM on October 26, 2007


If you're going to have a pity-fuck, this is the way to get one. Baby's first shoutout!
posted by sugarfish at 4:43 PM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


vronsky writes: *strums banjo, whittles stick absentmindedly, pours shot of moonshine from Ball jar*

Nuh-uh. You don't pour no shot outta no Ball jar. You drink it straight outta the Ball jar.

Boy, don'tchew know nuthin'?

BTW, alla you Mee-Fie people (deluded fools...) I s'pose you pronounce it Vrone-Sky, like it rhymes with Drone Pie?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:55 PM on October 26, 2007


*puts down Moon Pie and RC cola, fetches shotgun*

Oh my dear lord. Ima 'bout to lose my religion over this. Some for'ner who lives in JayPan trying to school me on the South? Bless your li'l pea-pickin heart.
posted by vronsky at 5:17 PM on October 26, 2007


Hah, the pity-fuck shoutout conversation was a riot. Not to insinuate that any of the names on that particular sheet were pity-fuck shoutouts, natch, but at that point we began to simply include funny ideas and jokes on the page.

Although I really do hope those sores have cleared up, anonymous.
posted by lazaruslong at 5:25 PM on October 26, 2007


Some for'ner who lives in JayPan trying to school me on the South?

Lissen up, yew: I'was born'n'raised on the gaht-dam buckle of the Bible belt. Birmingham, Alafuckinbama. Couldn't hardly walk down the street without steppin' on Bibles. Bibles as far as the eye could see. It was just Bibles, Bibles, Bibles.

And hey, vron, speaking of Birmingham, didja ever see my Vulcan post? A pagan god presides over the buckle...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:42 PM on October 26, 2007


It's 'mee-fie, she's so fly', and how the fuck did I manage to miss this?
posted by holgate at 6:42 PM on October 26, 2007


Your MOMMA doesn't have a pronunciation.

I would kill to have languagehat direct a "your momma"/linguistic joke at me.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 6:58 PM on October 26, 2007


The trouble with this is that, considered individually, 'meh' and 'fee' seem like the most natural way to pronounce the parts of the abbreviation. But when you put them together, you get 'meffy', which sort of runs the two syllables together off of the tongue and hence sounds like the name of someone's toy poodle. "Oh, isn't Meffy precious?" 'MeeFie' preserves syllable separation that is pleasing to this midwestern ear, and also respects the fact that syllables from two words, 'Meta' and 'Filter', are being glommed together.

It's a beanplate, I tell you what.
posted by Kwine at 7:16 PM on October 26, 2007


I'm surprised that languagehat didn't toss out the latin vs. greek or something.

For example: in Semper Fi the Fi is pronouned FYE, whereas the fi in FIDELIS is pronounced FEE. And so a MeFITE is like a terMITE etc....(not linguist)

flapjax, in the tradition of my forefathers, I have plans for a decent still (home grown corn based). Maybe my fambly is goofy, but we use Mason jars, and you'll be the first on my list to get one. (After much testing by myself, some chickens and the dog.)
posted by snsranch at 7:29 PM on October 26, 2007


Beans is right. The derivation from Meta and Filter is given too much weight. Overthinking. It's an unholy InterCapped amalgam of "Me" plus "Fi." Each of which is pronounced in the obvious way.

*hears banjo - squeals like a pig*
posted by cairnish at 7:33 PM on October 26, 2007


Your Favorite Consensual Reality Sucks
posted by y2karl at 8:50 PM on October 26, 2007 [1 favorite]


Woohoo...shout OUT!

And I SAY "MeFie", but in my head, AskMe is actually "ask Meffy", who I envision as a lower-jaw-jutting-out terrifyingly capable ponytailed preppie chick who has a wonnerfulwonnerful terribleterrible summer home in the Hamptons, but who's actually quite nice and very smart and full of good advice (and/or shit) anyway (because she probably went to Yah-lay).

Also, I am always a motherfucking Viking, asleep or awake.
posted by biscotti at 9:41 PM on October 26, 2007


Damn all of you to hell, I'm going to start calling it meh-fih with the emphasis on the meh. Mehfih. Sounds rather like a Park Avenue socialite of days gone by calling for her poodle just after nearly choking on her own vomit, or something similar. Mehfih.
posted by moonbird at 10:52 PM on October 26, 2007


Now, I'm confoozled. In days of yore, before anyone ever talked about how "MeFi" was pronounced (and beans hadn't been invented yet), when I heard "MeFi" in my head, it sounded like "May Fie". But I'm perfectly willing to bow to popular opinion and pronounce it as the MeeFeets do - or the MyFights, or the MehFeats. But you gotta get together, people!

Maybe we should recruit someone from the outside to make a ruling? Or maybe MythBusters can separate the real pronunciation from the mythical pronunciation?
posted by taz at 12:35 AM on October 27, 2007


It's MEE - FIE - like Semper Fie only it's all about me.
posted by Sparx at 6:18 AM on October 27, 2007


yeah yeah - semper fi. The keyboard has been drinking again.
posted by Sparx at 6:21 AM on October 27, 2007


Hey, my pityfuck shoutout was totally sincere; like lazaruslong says we laughingly added the 'pityfuck' a bunch of beers later. It was the first thing I thought of when doing shoutouts because I've never gotten one either.

*sniffs*


And really sorry I missed rollerderby last night; we got stuck at the Satellite Gallery on Broadway, which, btw, had some really great stuff.
posted by mediareport at 7:47 AM on October 27, 2007


If you people really think that it is pronounced Meh-fee , or May-fay.. you've got another think coming!



Well flapjax up here in Virginia, we think of you Alabamians as our poor retarded cousins. But it's all good.

(I keed - I grew up in Borneo and Hong Kong so maybe I am a person of international style and culture after all. Screw vacapinta. Who died and made him pronunciation king?)
posted by vronsky at 2:11 PM on October 27, 2007


Well, vron, it's true. We are your poor retarded cousins. BUT... native sons include Hank Williams AND Sun Ra. So there.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:32 PM on October 27, 2007


Oh yeah? Well we got Patsy Cline and the Neptunes. So there;)
posted by vronsky at 5:12 PM on October 27, 2007


and The Stanley Brothers. Beat that!
posted by vronsky at 5:15 PM on October 27, 2007


OK, well, Patsy, that's pretty damn impressive, but, check it out:

Percy Sledge, Jimmie Rogers, Hank Ballard, Nat King Cole, Wilson Pickett, FOUR members of the Temptations, Big Mama Thornton, WC Handy...

Alabama.

Amirite?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:44 AM on October 28, 2007


So moonbird, mediareport, and myself are going on a trip up to Pretty Place and a hike down to Rainbow Falls, so stay tuned for more photos! I'll be the one taking them though, so I make no guarantees as to their quality. Where's DaShiv when you need him?
posted by lazaruslong at 9:47 AM on October 28, 2007


The music blog Trees Lounge did some nice posts featuring songs about the 50 states. here is what they said about Alabama.


Alabama

Alabama. Declared a state in 1819, Alabama has given us such innovations as Mardis Gras (I promise, it came from here, not LA), the rocket that went to the moon, first electric trolley system, the civil war, Hank AAron, Willie Mays, a band with the same name that can live up to all of the stereotypes, the first Miss America with a disability, Nat King Cole, Emmy Lou Harris, Hellen Keller, Joe Lewis, Rosa Parks, and the most covered song of all time.

The Rapture - Alabama Sunshine
The Mountain Goats - Alabama Nova
The Doors - Alabama Song
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Stars Fell on Alabama
Smyth County Ramblers - Way Down in Alabama

Billie Holiday -
Stars Fell on Alabama

(they forgot the Neil Young song)
posted by vronsky at 1:49 PM on October 28, 2007


...and the most covered song of all time.

Alabama has not given us Yesterday.
posted by y2karl at 2:14 PM on October 28, 2007


vacapinta: "Meh-Fee
Internationally minded people of style and culture.
"
Wow, you think I'm a person of style and culture!
posted by dg at 2:29 PM on October 28, 2007


Yeah I wondered about that too.

I always thought it was Wichita Lineman.
posted by vronsky at 2:50 PM on October 28, 2007


Alabama has not given us Yesterday.

It couldn't have. When you're in Alabama, all your troubles will not seem so far away...

(they forgot the Neil Young song)

Uh, yeah. Not to mention... SWEET HOME ALABAMA!! Jeezis... And crediting the goddamn Doors with Alabama Song, and not Brecht/Weill? Ignorant. Lame.

Wikipedia has the goods, though, on 'bama's contributions to music. Good old Wikipedia...

And Randy Newman's Birmingham shoulda been on that list, too.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:11 PM on October 28, 2007


I'm gonna hijack this back to Asheville for a sec, if that's ok, to thank moonbird and lazaruslong for one of the best. days. evar. moonbird drove and we hiked down to the bottom of Rainbow Falls yesterday, a completely spectacular 120+footer at the end of a sometimes steep and craggy trail (there's a short rope at one point to help with the descent) and had a picnic in one of the most beautiful spots I've ever seen. If ever there's a competition for "most gorgeous meetup location," y'all are gonna have a tough time beating us on this one. :)

Then, we walked to an amazing little chapel called Pretty Place, on the property of a YMCA camp lazaruslong went to as a kid, which may be why no one I meet in Asheville seems to have heard of it but him, and looked out over miles and miles of the bones of a really old continent. Awesome. It was the kind of place you take your boyfriend to blindfolded and then walk him down the steps and unblindfold him. As we were leaving we saw a girl doing just that, actually (lazarus said the guy missed his moment by not immediately kissing her right then and there - he's even a romantic demon :).

I can't imagine better hiking companions, except for wishing mygothlaundry hadn't had to go out of town that day. moonbird and lazaruslong are really neat guys. I've gotta thank all the Asheville MeFites again for the amazing hospitality--mygothlaundry for organizing, especially. moonbird and I have more pictures, but I'm using a borrowed camera so it'll be a couple of days before I get mine up.

If any Asheville MeFites ever need a place to crash in Raleigh, feel free to [cough] meffymail me. I've gotta do something to repay this town. :)
posted by mediareport at 9:44 AM on October 29, 2007 [1 favorite]


Seconded and thirded, in that order. What a memorable hike and what awesome peeps. I really enjoyed my time with mediareport and lazaruslong, these are genuine good human beings who, despite only just meeting the other day ago, I instantly felt comfortable with. Here's pix from the hike, and we hereby issue a challenge to have a meetup at a prettier place.
[Hey guys, it turns out that I slept none that night getting ready for the trip, and finally turned in 3am your time, close to a 48 hour marathon! Hellooooo from Frisco!]
posted by moonbird at 8:22 AM on October 30, 2007


Oh, and there's more pix coming too... I'll send em to y'all (hee hee) when I get back from Wonderland
posted by moonbird at 8:26 AM on October 30, 2007


My pics from the hike are up here.
posted by mediareport at 7:51 PM on November 6, 2007


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