years ago, when i grew up in north eastern oregon it was a bit of a backwater, hardly the haven for sophisticates (self styled or otherwise), and we raised trees, peas, wheat and an occasional smart person for export. my stars and garters, we had no sophisticates, and certainly few who troubled themselves with learning how to spell the word.
that has changed with the coming of the wine industry to the pacific northwest in general, and the burgeoning of vineyards devoted to wine grapes, wineries and the phenomena of tourists and locals alike sitting sipping wine and learned discourse on the attributes of good wine, and in the walla-2 and milton freewater area, in particular. tourists, for christ's sake.
and, now, we are absolutely hip deep in sophisticates, and oh so precious, so too too fucking precious. personally, i preferred the old days when a good looking young gal got herself a tight pair of jeans, some boots, and put on a while linen shirt to parade around in. and, a little bounce in her step and wiggle in her behind: simple, straightforward, and highly effective. now, it is designer this, and designer that, and so skinny as turn their grannies apoplectic. no wiggles.
but, my real gripe is all the damned wineries that are springing up in the area, and most of them smack dab in the middle of the nicest views of the blue mountains to be had from the valley floor. for the most part, the architecture is just damned hideous. i asked one little hostess, properly sizing me up as a little less prosperous than her usual economic targets, why they chose to put their tasting room right in front of the prettiest red barns in the area. she said matter of factly, so that they could have the best view of it.
snoots, i calls em, oh, yes, i surely do. snotty little snoots.
don't i mutter "philistines" under my breath somewhere in here? and, i bet most of them never dreamt of driving a tractor, or a wheat truck during harvest. sophisticates are rather worthless creatures in my view.
john jay
06.20.2018