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Ha, I will be bringing my Sousaphone and helping out the "Brass Republic Band" from Western MA in Boston's Pride Parade on Saturday.

I guess by now I've earned my "Staunch Ally" card...

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India does not have the knee-jerk "Thank You" that the USA has. Sort of like "Have a Good Day", I didn't realize this kind of Thank You is not universal. On the one hand, of course the American "Thank You" can run a little shallow, but I also think it is reasonably heartfelt. An Indian coworker accepts my armchair culture analysis that India emphasizes roles and structure and what you "should do", while the USA has that "rugged individualism" tradition, so the "Thank You"s are a recognition that "I recognize you didn't have to do that, so thanks".

I do so dig thinking about cultural differences use of language and gestures can imply, even if it's too easy to do it a bit sophomorica Just-So-Story-wise.

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Love Blender

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With appropriate disclaimers in how it can be an overwrought song, I'm a little bummed that with the multitude variants of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, most leave out the original's final verse:

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

This was played at Cora's baptism and I'll be honest, it got me a little misty.