There are a couple of shades of meaning. It can mean someone from New England (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachussetts--and I can't remember if Connecticut is on the list or not), with a certain stereotype of thriftiness and humorlessness lurking in the wings. It's also a term people in the American South use to refer to people from the North.

From way back--Connecticut is most definitely part of New England/Yankee. I actually don't identify myself as British/Dutch/Irish/French American (my supposed ethnic roots); I identify as a New Englander. My family has been there for 14+ generations on both sides.

However, the concept of "Yankee" also has different connotations when you have older members of the family that grew up in rural, northern New England, as mine did. My family's "Yankee" has to do with being stoic, not complaining, putting in a hard day's work each day, and generally adopting a live and let live attitude. The thriftiness mentioned above? Oh hell yes. Talking about your personal life or getting "too personal" is frowned upon, which I think explains a lot of the Northeast reputation for being cold or distant to strangers. For my grandmothers' generation, asking people you don't know well any kind of question is intrusive, bad manners.

But my family is really far removed from the WASP old money stereotype, so I know my perspective on what it is to be a New Englander is skewed. I come from farmers and laborers (who were technically WASPs, but definitely don't fit the image that evokes). Despite the fact I have little in common with my grandmothers' Yankees, I'm very proud of that heritage.

ETA: I was shocked the first time I went to the South and came up against the anger about my home, though I understand where it comes from.

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So, I'm thinking maybe an inverted bob: [link] [link] but with bangs.

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Go inverted bob! Choose inverted bob!

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So, I'm thinking maybe an inverted bob: [link] [link], but with bangs.

It's a classic look, and would pretty on you.

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Talking about your personal life or getting "too personal" is frowned upon, which I think explains a lot of the Northeast reputation for being cold or distant to strangers.

Hear hear! (clings to Boston living and our cold hard ways)

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School types - I'm filling out my diploma application (yay) and one of the questions is whether or not I want my SSN printed on my transcript. At the moment I'm not planning on more school for my masters, so a transcript is kind of a non-issue. I think. Should I say yes, does it matter?

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Hear hear! (clings to Boston living and our cold hard ways)

Heh. Yeah, but then again, this is exactly what led to my grandmother falling down and breaking her hip and not bothering to call anyone (or take anything more than an aspirin) until she had scooted herself to the top of the stairs, noticed that the litterbox needed cleaning, and cleaned it. She finally called my mom--not 911, mind you, but my mom--a couple of hours later when she still couldn't stand up and the aspirin began to wear off.

Suzi, I would say "no." It probably won't matter, but why expose your SS# more than necessary?

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Talking about your personal life or getting "too personal" is frowned upon, which I think explains a lot of the Northeast reputation for being cold or distant to strangers. For my grandmothers' generation, asking people you don't know well any kind of question is intrusive, bad manners.

And meeting people's eyes when you talk to them is a threat or a come-on--though I'm accused of avoiding people because I hate looking into people's eyes when I'm talking to them.

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So, I'm thinking maybe an inverted bob: [link] [link], but with bangs.

It's a classic look, and would pretty on you.

You don't have any other suggestions? I was hoping -- kind of expecting -- you would.

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Yeah, but then again, this is exactly what led to my grandmother falling down and breaking her hip and not bothering to call anyone (or take anything more than an aspirin)

My grandmother is the same way. She went into the hospital last week (she's out now, and fine) in the wee hours of the morning and instructed the nurses not to call my mom until 6:30, when she knew that she'd be up and getting ready for work.

My appreciation as originally expressed is mostly for the cultural discouragement of public interaction. Which, um, sounds bad when I say it.

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