Twinned: the Scottish hamlet of Dull and the town of Boring, Oregon
Try to stay awake for this bit of news: the Scottish hamlet of Dull is teaming up with the town of Boring, Oregon. The potential for amusing road signs got pulses racing.
Talk of twinning the communities began when Emma Burtles, a Dull local, was tipped off about Boring—which bills itself as “the most exciting place to live”—by a friend who’d been cycling through Oregon. Burtles raised the idea at a meeting of the Dull ladies’ book club; their enthusiasm prompted her to reach out to the Boring Community Planning Organization, which was equally keen. A “declaration of sistership” is on the agenda for the planning meeting next month. There’s no real rush. Not much happens in Boring.
“It might seem like a joke, but this could have real benefits for Dull,” says councillor Marjorie Keddie. Not to mention the new signage: “Everyone has been smiling at the prospect,” she says. Dull and Boring join other towns in the taking-it-all-in-stride club. After all, if it’s your lot in life to call Tightwad, Mo., home, what else to do but launch the Tightwad Bank?
Of course, a number of Canadian communities could forge more exciting partnerships than the one that will link Dull with Boring. We’re looking to you, Blow Me Down, Nfld., Climax, Sask., and Saint-Louis de Ha! Ha!, Que.