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Published: December 14th 2004
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Market Square
A walk through Market Square on a chilly winter day...note the lack of snow Today is the first day it has snowed in East Tennessee… only I wouldn’t call it snow. It looks a little bit like the ash that fell when I was in Mexico City and the volcano Popocateptl was acting up…hmm or maybe a bit like the pollen that flies through the sky in spring. It kind of blows around aimlessly, never really hitting the ground. Sometimes one snowflake sticks to my jacket, and I see where the people who make those paper-cut out snowflakes get their designs. Don’t get me wrong though…it is still cold! Well, by cold I mean that I have to wear my MEC fleece jacket, but maybe not a toque.
It is strange to be in a place where there is winter, but not really snow. And snow days, when there is less than a couple inches of snow on the ground. And mountains that are rounded on top with so many trees.
So much of Tennessee seems familiar to me on the surface, and yet underneath all the logic is a different sort of logic. I’m not sure I can explain that at this point.
An image has stayed in my head for a couple of weeks now that I need to share. Daren and I were given tickets by one of the Temple University coaches to go see the University of Tennessee Lady Vols vs. the Temple University Owls. In we walk in our neutral colors…having experienced a little bit of the University of Tennessee school spirit already this fall…but not wanting to be rude to the guy who gave us the tickets (from the other team)…we walk in and it was like the feeling of walking into the Saddledome for an NHL game. The food vendors with their nachos and hot dogs, the clothing vendors, the program vendors, the excitement of all the spectators rushing to their seats, the thrill of going to a live sporting event. Let me remind all of you Canadians out there….this is college sport…not professional. We find our section and walk into the arena….and there it is…a sea of orange. The chairs are orange, the fans are orange, most of the signage is orange, the big T in the middle of the court is orange. It is a little overwhelming. I just sat there in awe…yes, my mouth was hanging open…watching the people, and well, the ORANGE. I’m not sure why I was surprised. The whole city of Knoxville is orange - whether it is little white and orange triangular banners at the used car lots, or the words on the sides of cars, or just the piles of bright orange sweatshirts on sale at the local grocery store. Oh, I can’t forget the trucks and cars that are painted orange or decorated extensively with big T’s for UT. They are like Jeepneys in the Philippines.
I was trying to explain my reaction to a native Tennesseen the other day. These people are die-hard fans…I have to say that I think they might be harder core than Red Sox fans. I know…that might be pushing it, but seriously! Anyway, here I was explaining how I thought that the person who came up with the marketing strategy for UT athletics had to be a genius, and I realize my native Tenn. Friend was taking offense to what I was saying. I was explaining how hard it must have been to take the colour ORANGE, of all colours, and use it so effectively that companies all over Knoxville incorporated it because it would bring them business. That is how strong the association with the colour orange is. Apparently, I am not allowed to even infer that orange (and this is a bright orange) might not be the easiest, or nicest colour. Seriously, I had to end the conversation with a cheerful “Go Vols!” to set things straight. By the way, Vols is short for volunteers, because Tennessee is the Volunteer state…hmmm, isn’t Calgary known for it’s volunteerism too???
Ok, so my head cold has gotten me a little wacky, but I just want to say hi to those I haven’t talked to in awhile and send out my holiday greetings now that there is snow in the air in my part of the world.
I hope your holidays are filled with warm hearts and hearty laughter! Come visit Daren and I anytime!
Miss you!
Kirsten
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