Eric Rauchway: You know what is in fact a good prompt, though, is: “what is a thing that most people think is great is, in your view, ACTUALLY great” I would say the Grand Canyon, myself

You know what is in fact a good prompt, though, is: “what is a thing that most people think is great is, in your view, ACTUALLY great” I would say the Grand Canyon, myself

Folks its CounterinTUEitive Tuesday around here

The Scottish Highlands

Chilly, though. You can't have your kayak and heat it.

If there is a god, this post should get a thousand likes

Casablanca really holds up.

It gets dusty in the room every time I watch this scene. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM-E...

Smoke gets in your eyes

I'm gonna call my shot and say it's the Les Marseilles scene...

You win a dollar.

I am shocked, shocked to discover there is gambling going on in this service.

God I love that movie.

Sooo dusty. And so many reasons it should have turned out to be a disaster, and yet, somehow it all came together perfectly.

If only all Americans got emotional standing tall against Nazism. Unfortunately, some of our fellow citizens would prefer to imagine them marching into NYC, rather than fighting them with all we got….like my grandfather did.

ushistoryscene.com/article/wood... Solidarity, my friend.

"This Machine Kills Fascists"ushistoryscene.com This Land is Your Land At one time or another, we have all sung it: But how much do you know about the song? The evolution of its lyrics? The worldview of its composer? For many, the name Woody Guthri...

Americanized immigrant/'ethnic' foods: Chinese takeout, Tex-Mex, Italian, elaborate sushi rolls, etc. It may not be 'authentic' but it's always tasty

Me at a new job: "Where can I get Chinese food nearby?" Coworker: "There's this amazing authentic Cantonese place..." Me: No no, I mean "Sweet & Sour Chicken combo."

Attending a new citizenship swearing in. I had the privilege to see my judge administer the oath. The linked essay by @kenwhite.bsky.social captures everything that I wish I could write. popehat.substack.com/p/the-fourth...

The Fourth Of Julypopehat.substack.com The America That Could Be

Dogs

The Oregon coast

it really just cannot be explained how incredible the Oregon coast is

wife's uncle and aunt retired to Yachats, four miles inland. It was amazing to me to feel like I was in the Smoky Mountains and then drive five minutes and oops, it's Goonies. Wish we could have bought their spot.

Oh I ❤️ a lighthouse

I have a snapshot that pretty much mirrors that first picture. One of my favorite places on earth.

Niagara Falls. Like the actual falls once you wade through the crap city. And, yes, the Grand Canyon is hard to comprehend.

Came here just to say this.

Like you're walking, talking with whoever you came with, then you get there and it's mind-boggling and you can't speak.

And then you do the tourist thing and you go on Maid of the Mist and you’re like, “Okay, that was really impressive. Seriously glad I did that.”

Absolutely. I did Maid of the Mist last summer for the first time since I was a kid. A Truly amazing!

The pyramids of Giza. I thought I was prepared. I was not. 40 years ago

Birth of Venus by Botticelli. Moved me to literal tears standing in the gallery. The digital and paper reproductions do not have the same effect as the actual painting. I can't really explain it.

I know, right? When I was a young girl, I saw Michelangelo's sculpture "La Pieta." Same reaction.

Standing in front of Sargeant’s ‘Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose’ was magical. Purity of light and heavenly. I did nearly weep for the joy of it.

Oh that is a lovely one indeed!

The whole show at MFA Boston was incredible, but that piece was so different in person. The lanterns positively glow and flicker. It's impossible, yet they do.

Moby Dick I wish I would have read it sooner, but its popular reputation as dry nonsense is literally the opposite of how it reads. The first part is in fact a slapstick comedy and one of the only books that's ever made me laugh out loud.

So readable and enjoyable. I had particular students read it if they quickly conquered some smaller books. They were not permitted to skip the cetology chapters.

grand canyon’s a great answer. all the hype and all the superlatives in the world cannot prepare you for the real thing.

In this vein, a total solar eclipse. A few years ago we drove to a beach in the path of totality, when it hit everyone there was audibly buzzing with excitement, awe, and wonder. Unforgettable moment

1. The Chicago skyline at dusk. 2. Pop culture "opinion" diversity (trying to steer clear of what encouraged this post, but...) 3. Regional accents

1. Regional accents 2. Particularly Chicago

Yosemite.

Tina Turner, When Harry Met Sally…, shrimp cocktail, Mexican Coke, Poirot novels

When Harry Met Sally also aged remarkably well for an 80s rom com

Nora ephron was a hilarious genius and she had Carrie Fisher on set, who I imagine helped write some of it (she was a huge script doctor)

Libraries! ❤️

I just realized The Beatles are The Correct Answer to this prompt and then clicked through and found out we started there

When an animal loves you

Acadia National Park

You can’t beat the Grand Canyon, but I would also offer New York City. I still remember the first time I saw the skyline from across the river, and then standing in the city itself and looking up in amazement at the skyscrapers.

The Pantheon. Amazing it's still standing after 2,000 years.

T. S. Eliot's poetry, especially prufrock still makes me tear up.

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