Dear Host:
I'm from South Carolina and have lived in Minnesota for five years. I love Minnesota and can't imagine ever living anywhere else. What do I have to do to become officially a Minnesotan? These are the things that I have done: I lived in Duluth for 3 years, Mpls area for 2, I am on my second Subaru, I am a member of Bethlehem Lutheran church, I just saw your show live this weekend, I have been to a lutefisk dinner and lived, I am liberal and voted for Kerry and Obama. I know that I need to go to Norway and do a polar bear plunge. What more do I need to do?

Kimmie K.

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Whoever is making you feel like an outsider, Kimmie, is just being snooty. Minnesota is here to be enjoyed and you've made a good start. No need to go to Norway. (It's expensive.) Go to Sauk Center and stay in the old hotel downtown. Go to ***sboro (another fine old hotel in what used to be a stone mill, I believe). Drive out west of Minneapolis to Willmar and then get onto one of those county roads that goes straight west and drive slowly across the prairie and when the sun starts to go down, get out of your car and walk. So beautiful. The Catholic churches and cemeteries of small towns in Stearns County. A canoe trip down the upper Mississippi. A walk on country roads on a moonlit night in January. No need to plunge ino frigid water unless you're curious. But you do need to get psyched for winter. You brave the elements, welcome the adversity and somehow it makes you more cheerful. On the coldest windiest day you go out walking into the teeth of the blizzard and when you come back to home and hearth, you will be invigorated and feel lively and witty and even giddy. Nothing like it.