Southern Things

As a transplant southern there are certain things that make me feel
like a true southerner. I know that must sound strange to anyone who
was born and raised in the south but, when striving to adapt you look
for things that make you feel more the part. It is just like when you
are acting and trying to develop a character. You make a background
story for him or her and you do things that make you feel like that
person with that personality would do. Well as I try to morf into a
southerner I try and do things that make me feel the part. For example
I find that making sweet tea makes me feel southern, why you ask???
Well where I was raised we did not have sweet tea. When you asked for
tea in a restaurant they would bring you hot tea with honey or lemon. As a matter
of fact I remember being in high school and the Sun Tea craze came out
where I lived. One of my aunts decided to make some Sun Tea on her patio. I thought it
was
so strange why would anyone wait for the sun to make
something,especially if you wanted to serve it cold. And I do not
remember particularly liking it. It was probably not sweet and to me it
took way too long to make. Now I am addicted to the stuff and really
probably need
to lay off from drinking it so much. Another thing
that makes me feel southern is wearing flip flops. yes I wore then
growing up but usually
when we would taking our summer trips to Florida. I just love that fact
that we can wear flip flops almost any month of the year and no one
will think a thing about it. I also like to have at least one Southern
Living magazine around my house again it helps me feel the part,
whether I use anything in the magazine or not it just looks like it
belongs here. I have several others but they might appear to be some of
the things that make me weird as another friend of mine says. I still
revert back to my northern ways some. Like in my cooking or the way I say certain
words. My husband points out whenever I do something northern some
times because it is not appropriate in this culture. For example not saying mam
and sir or not sending the appropriate amount of thank you notes. But
all in all I think I have adapted nicely I love the south, I love that
is is warm and sunny most of the year. I love that I do not have to
shovel my car out each day for 6 months or de-ice my locks after going
in the grocery store. I love that you can always hear the crickets or
whatever at night especially in the summer. And I could write a whole
blog about how cool I think kudzu looks and lighting bugs. I love that
it is so green almost all year long and even though most people do not
like
to cut grass as much as we have to I love the smell of cut grass. And
that smell is in the south a lot more than where I came from. I love
southern hospitality and I thank Y'all for having me here.