Intro - new guy here

[Maxer]

Cool, man. Yeah, I lived in Mississauga as a teenager - moved there from Ottawa in 1976 or so. I have lots of family out that way, too. Me, I'm about 25 east of there, in east-central Toronto, down by the lake. Nice neighbourhood. Been in this part of town for about a decade now. Before that I tended to be a west-end guy.

As for this city - well, it's great and it's terrible. I have a love/hate affair with it. But there's work here and I know the city very well. In time we may pack up and relocate a few hundred k east - namely, Montreal. My gal's from there and the philosophy of the people is different - more life & art affirming, it seems. Toronto does have tons of good things going for it but I tend to forget that.... something about taking for granted what you have, I suppose.

Never been to Connecticut. Always heard nice things about it, though. Cheers, man.

 

[danerectal]

Cool, thanks. I wonder what the carved motif ones cost compared to the other S-100s.

I got mine for about $950 with a 15-s economy case. It's drop-dead gorgeous...

 

[Maxer]

Well, that motif gives it more of a folksy feel... more traditional and earthy. Especially considering the colour. How many of them sold compared to the plainer S-100s, I wonder?

One more question, while I'm here... are all S-100s Polaras? I love that name as a brand, it's just totally cool, but it's nowhere on my own guitar. Or is that a branding designation which came later, after the very earliest S-100s?

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

As for this city - well, it's great and it's terrible. I have a love/hate affair with it. But there's work here and I know the city very well. In time we may pack up and relocate a few hundred k east - namely, Montreal. My gal's from there and the philosophy of the people is different - more life & art affirming, it seems.

Spent a lot of time in Montreal. Fascinating city. Very European. Even sang in the Metro in English during the referendum.....and nobody threw any Frambois's, or whatever the plural is ... oops, Thou shalt not use an apostrophe "s" anywhere in Montreal or the language police will get you. :mrgreen: Oh, what do I know, I'm just a tete de carre.... :lol: , and an American one, at that.... :lol: :lol: :mrgreen:

 

[Maxer]

Afraid you lost me with some of those choice Quebecois phrases... I stopped taking French in year one at university and that was a loooong time ago. Perhaps if I'd stayed in Ottawa I might have had a fighting chance at being bilingual... as it is, I imagine I'll have a time getting up to speed in Montreal, should we indeed decide to live (and work) there. But the people are wonderful and I love Old Montreal, down by the water... it's a magical place. Plus: incredible cottage country in the Laurentians, less than an hour away!

It's the least North American city I've ever visited. As for European, I really can't compare personally... never been. But it sure sounds like it's got a more Euro flavour than, say, Toronto... or Boston.

Cheers!

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Your fellow countryman Graham might be able to help here. :lol:

I actually don't speak French . :lol: though I can give great directions in the Metro. :lol: Everyone was always practicing their English with me. :roll:

Quebequakian rough translations, at the risk of being politically incorrect:

frambois= raspberries

language police= 2 individuals who generate thousands of complaints of infractions annually to justify the multi-million dollar funded organization to wipe out the English Apostrophe.

tete de carre= squarehead

squarehead= rather unflattering way in which the French refer to the English

frog= rather unflattering way in which the English refer to the French

My response= sing "I'm in love with a big blue frog"..... in English ..... at a Quebeqois fete...and get away with it :!: :wink: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Note: a lot of the older folks, say geezers and older, can speak both languages...and actually HAVE a sense of humor :lol: :lol:

And, since the French humor is wordplay based.....

Anyway, that said, customs probably won't let me back in for a visit now :shock:

 

[Maxer]

Yeah, many of the Montrealers I happen to know speak three languages... English, French and Polish. It's a pretty multiculti city, not unlike Toronto.

Thankfully there's a big Anglo population concentrated in the west end... I imagine I'd be screwed if if I were to venture out of the city on my own, though.

Oh well. Time will tell if I do end up moving there at all. I'll blow up that bridge when it's time to cross it.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

More than half of Montreal's population is neither native French or English speakers.

Once rented a room from a Russian lady who spoke Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, English, French and Spanish. The other roomers were a chef from France, an Indian doctor, an old Polish refugee, a newly arrived Ukrainian, and an African. Evenings out on the Veranda each comment would go around in a circle changing languages and back the other way...took a while, but it worked.

At the Scottish Highland Games on the South Shore, there were tents for the Irish and the Quebecois Fiddlers.

I'd even play and sing in the metros on the far eastern French side, and they still liked me. Even got requests for "Poof" the magic dragon... :mrgreen:

Lack of language wasn't much of an issue. There's always pictures and sign language...and everyone's money is the same color, or colours in your case. :lol: :lol: :lol:

I found almost everyone to be very friendly. Except maybe for Hydro Quebec. :twisted: And a French roomate told me they were just as rude to her in French. :lol:

The same roomate who told me that she was going to vote for the Separatists....my response, "I'm just a guest, follow your heart but where will you get your breakfast bananas if Quebec stands alone? :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Many of the Music Fetes were in the eastern townships. I ventured as far as Thetford Mines. Everyone was warm and welcoming.

Wonderful people....and that's the point....it's not the people, it's the politicians... and I stayed away from them. :lol:

Don't be afraid to venture out and meet the people.

 

[Maxer]

Sounds like good advice - I'll take it! But for now, I gotta hit the hay... my days start pretty early. I bid you bon nuit et au revoir!