Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Hello. We went to my sister-in-law's wedding last weekend. It was the second time around for both contestants. I think the vows for a person's second marriage should be different than the first. After all, if it's your second trip to the alter, "til death do us part" should be replaced by "til my spouse does something really stupid, do us part." And they should probably just leave out all of the promises.

There is a reason Sioux Town has a smaller population than it did 100 years ago. The people are content to celebrate in mediocrity. What the locals consider a success, would be considered a failure in most communities. They would rather complain about business being slow, or nothing cool happening than to do anything about it. When they are presented with an opportunity to change things they slunk off into the corner and rub their nickels together.

It's sad when the area proclaimed by the local spin doctors to be the "entertainment district" of Sioux Town is shut down 2 or 3 days a week. Drive through Historic Fourth Street, previously known as Lower Fourth Street, on a Sunday or Monday. You'll find most of the businesses closed. Of course this is true after 11:00 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as well. Yet when these entrepreneurs are presented ideas to improve their traffic flow, they grumble, "things are so slow, I can't spend any time or money right now." Well, before long, you'll have plenty of time.

Another sad statement in town is how poorly many events are supported. When entertainment choices are brought to town, the majority of the citizens decide to sit at home and huddle around their favorite reality show. Apparently these people don't want a real life of their own, so they live through some washed up celebrity learning to ballroom dance, or trying to lose more weight than the other washed up celebrity. Maybe you should try to lose weight yourself.

Our friends and family are the only thing that has kept us here all these years. Unfortunately that doesn't keep the wolves away from the door. I can't sit back with the others and watch the tumbleweeds blow in. It might be time for me to take the next stagecoach out of town.

6 Comments:

Blogger Chris the Hippie said...

I couldn't believe it years ago when the City took June Jam away from Ray McAvoy (the guy who poured his soul into it) and gave it to Downtown Partners. What had been turning into a premier event for Historic Fourth Street -- imagine 120 bands on 12 stages spanning six blocks! -- was moved three blocks west to the "downtown" district, and was reduced to 12 bands on four stages because it was "too much work" to maintain the event at a larger scale. Well hell, if you wanted a SMALL event, why didn't you just start your own? Why did you steal June Jam from Fourth Street simply in order to let it wither on the vine? Stupid stupid stupid. I don't think the festival lasted three years under the new management. Now Ray's music store has gone under, too, the poor guy.

There are lessons to be learned here. I'm just not sure what they are...

Tue Apr 29, 01:29:00 PM

 
Blogger katrocket said...

If I had wolves at my door, I'd get the hell outta there too.

If you could move anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?

Tue Apr 29, 04:02:00 PM

 
Blogger Bluzlover said...

June Jam was cool. Too cool for Sioux Town. Ray and I were talking music promotion a while back. I consider him one of the pioneers. I never have been a quick learner.

Tue Apr 29, 04:04:00 PM

 
Blogger Bluzlover said...

Kat, I'd move where the locals have progressive attitudes, the winters are mild and the lines aren't too long. Do you recommend such a place?

Tue Apr 29, 04:11:00 PM

 
Blogger katrocket said...

I sure can - Evian-les-Bains. You would have to learn how to speak french, though.

Thu May 01, 11:13:00 AM

 
Blogger Chris the Hippie said...

We'd leave ourselves, but Dagmar's not to keen on leaving her Mama here alone. I'd pack up both of 'em and scoot on to greener pastures, but Mama doesn't seem to wanna go...

Thu May 01, 02:11:00 PM

 

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