"Connecting back with your roots"? You know what I mean? I guess this can be said to white Americans, Canadians, Australians, etc. where there are a lot of white people living in formerly colonial countries. Has anyone felt a feeling of being back to the place where your ancestors came from when you went to Europe? It was interesting because I went to Germany last year for the Oktoberfest, and felt like I really fit in because I physically looked German and I didn't look like a foreigner. Even at gas station mini marts where I went to buy a soda, the cashier would say something in German to me without realizing I didn't speak German (or wasn't German for that matter). I really got a sense of connecting to my "roots", should I say, knowing us white Americans once came from Europe. And I was surprised to see the culture wasn't vastly different from white culture in America.

Yeah, bizarre, but anyone with even the slightest idea what I'm talking about? Any experiences?

camreeno360

I lived in England and Wales between the ages of 10-25. My mother still lives there, and I will be moving back in August- I have a permanent Visa. As you can see, I spent my formative years in Europe, occasionally hopping over to the continent on a ferry. Also, my uncle is an American ex-pat pro basketball coach in France.

The only reason I came back to the US for a while was because I met an American girl from New England (I was born in Arizona).

I totally understand where you are coming from. Life is different over there- more "natural", without a police-state air lingering over your very existence. You can walk down the street with a beer and a spl*ff in your hand without anyone caring.

As for the "roots" connection, my ancestry is Scottish, Welsh, and Irish, and yes, I completely felt the connection you speak of, but honestly I think the elation you and I felt may have had less to do with some "ethereal" connection, but more with being surround by a society that wasn't so anal-retentive and overbearing...

If I even bother with TV I would only ever tune into Discovery History; History International; Military Channel, Science Channel; Al Gore's CurrentTV; WGBH World; NatGeo; IFC; AZN; WGBH Create, and that's about it. Nothing else is worth watching, and sometimes, not even these.

I am absolutely sick of viewing programming about Nostradamus, UFO's, Bigfoot, the Freemasons etc. They are ALL crossover conspiracy nonsense designed to bring in a larger viewing audience, but anyone who is worth their salt and are slightly intelligent does not want to view garbage like that.

I am in my early 30's and am surrounded by teenage kids that say "smoking and drinking is stupid and I will never do either", and then they bust out the Mountain Dew, the Fruity Pepples, Kaptain Krunch, eat an entire box without milk, and then reach for the Airheads and Sour Patch Kids. I just scratch my head and wonder how this mass ignorant rift in dietary logic came to be.

Actually I do believe I have some insight- it's called the modern American school system, and their pious, sanctimonious, self-righteous ways. You can buy soda, Gatorade, and Powerade in most schools today, and kids don't drink it because they need to refresh their metabolites for sports, but because they are addicted to massive amounts of caffeine and sugar. Is this any better?!? Where is Hippocrates in schools when you need him?! Then on top of that you have the DARE program and all it's offshoots using scare tactics. It's no wonder kids today have such a skewed view of chemical reality!!!

I only smoke when I drink (which is every night), otherwise I can't stand the acrid stench, but after about the 5th beer, or 3rd glass of red wine, it is golden;)

As for brand, I have tried almost all, including European offerings, and quite honestly Marlboro Blend 27 is the smoothest with the best flavor.

Lets all do our brave men and women in the armed forces a favor and get them out of Iraq.PATH0G3N

Sounds like a good idea to me, but this time, instead of spitting in their faces as they get off the plane aka Vietnam, let's profusely apologize to them for us citizens allowing our government to put them in that unnecessary situation in the first place.

While I hate to stereotype while I am typing, the black man with the fat caucasian chick seems to be a genetic issue, but with the white Western male with the Asian girl, I am almost certain that this one has to do with socially inept white male American rednecks preferring to cut out the dating and social interraction element completely (because they suck at both), and because they really DO want just some slut who will suck their d***k while doing laundry and cooking them something for dinner all at the same time.

It's quite pathetic, really.

After ONE bottle, my face turns all red/bloated and my heart starts to pump faster. It gets so embarrassing when everyone starts to notice me and think that I'm wasted when I'm really not. Does anyone out there have the same problem? If so, is there a way to stop this?Khoaki

There is the very rare condition when a person is actually allergic to alcohol, but most likely you were drinking red wine, in which case you were having a reaction to the sulphites used in the red wine making process, and this is very common, so just switch to gin and tonic!!:)