Relative Something

I mounted Wisconsin license plates on my car yesterday. That happened after I registered for my Wisconsin driver’s license. It’s official. I am no longer a Minnesotan. I am originally from Minnesota, but I don’t live there any more.

I am recognizing a significant attachment to my old home state. In thinking about it, I have come to the realization that most of the things that seem to hold meaning for me about Minnesota, are contrivances intended to engender a certain loyalty. They are not good or bad, or right or wrong. They just are. But, as such, they don’t really hold as much value as my subconscious is guiding me to perceive.

I want to believe that it matters that I associate myself with the visuals of a certain license plate, or sports team, or place names. In reality, it doesn’t. Those are invented phenomena.

The land is real, and genuine, and just as valuable on either side of the St. Croix River. This property is remarkable, regardless the governmental body which oversees it.

A while back, in my online community, I created an item for discussion where members are invited to post lists of place names, local to them, which are thoroughly familiar, and paint a word portrait of a place. I will now have a new set of place names to get to know.

Here is the one I posted back when I lived in Minnesota:

Wayzata
Minnetonka
Glen Lake
Excelsior
Shorewood
Deephaven
Hopkins
Eden Prairie
Edina
St. Louis Park
Golden Valley
Bloomington
Shakopee
Savage
Chanhassen
Chaska
Jordan
Mound
Orono
Navarre
Victoria
Waconia

Here are the early few that have been picked up so far in the region of our new home:

Beldenville (obviously)
Ellsworth
El Paso
Martell
Menomonie
River Falls
Prescott
Pepin
Bay City
Hager City
Maiden Rock
Trimbelle
Baldwin

So, there is an “El Paso” in Wisconsin. That came as a bit of a surprise to me.

I look forward to growing familiar with all the place names that are common knowledge to folks who have lived here a long time. I suppose if I were to learn the names of the players on the NFL Green Bay Packers football team, then I could really claim ‘official’ residency in this state where our beautiful property is located.