Southern Chick

Here lately, I've come to realize how proud of my Southern heritage I am. Yes...the South, namely Memphis has problems. But what city doesn't? Yes, I feel like some people are still in the archaeic frame of mind. Yes, I hate that Catholics are looked upon with slightly less disgust than devil worshipers and people have wild ideas about the Catholic church and refuse to listen to how it ACTUALLY is. I grew up Baptist, and while I would never change anything about how I was raised, I was shocked and disheartened by the reactions of some people in the Baptist church *whom I previously respected and held in higher regard* when I decided to become Catholic. But I digress. My point? Yes there are things that I would change. But I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

I like my sweet tea and my hot sticky summers. I like my blues music and the fact that you never really meet a stranger in the South. I wouldn't dream of ending a conversation without a "Please" "Thank you" "Yes ma'am" or "Have a nice day" or some other pleasantry. I can "Bless your heart" and "Honey" people to death. (Although I will say adding "honey" or "sweetie" can sometimes be very passive aggressive...and I have that down to an art form too). I am almost painfully polite and patient, but as the saying goes if you here me say "Oh HELL no" you should probably get out of dodge.

Even though I was born in Memphis, I've spent my entire life in a suburb. I still feel connected to the city though. I love our touristy attractions (although, I will admit I've never been to Graceland). I could spend all of my time on "Millionaire's Row" (Adams Avenue) and the Woodruff Fontaine house where I docent. I love barbeque, hole in the wall restaurants, and basketball. I seriously love basketball. And Memphis is most definitely a basketball city.

I've always seen people degrading the South and I've never been too fond of it. I'm well aware of the fact that my politeness is sometimes mistaken for naivete. I know there are some people who view the entire region as dumb and uneducated. And while there are those people here, don't lump us all together. Because that kind of stupid stereotype really just makes YOU look like the dumb and uneducated one.

I guess this is really touching a nerve lately. There was an LA sports writer who spent an entire column completely belittling Memphis. And then we beat their basketball team by 21 points...who looks dumb now?

The game I just went to at the Fed Ex Forum really showed how the city can band together. News of the article got out pretty quickly and the fans were hot going into the game.  There were signs directed at the writer, chants of "Whoop that trick" erupted across the crowd (lyrics from a song from a movie set in Memphis). It was quite a sight to behold

And today officially (pretty much) marks the end of my break from school. Tomorrow we study for the dosage exam and start reading up on chapters for our classes. And the test/orientation is Friday. And then it begins.

I also have to talk to my work about how I will have to go to class until 4:15 on Mondays and clinical possibly until 4:30 on Wednesdays...and I was hired to work 3-7. Oh boy. Hopefully it'll go well because I LOVE this job. We'll see next week!