Geography of the South

Okay, so this post is just what I've observed from a lifetime of living in the South. If you look it up, the "South" is technically considered everything south of the Mason-Dixon Line. If you live down here...well, re-consider.

For instance, I have been told (by Southerners) that I am a glorified Yankee, because Kentucky is too far north. Virginia falls into the same category. I live in Tennessee now. They call this the mid-south. Then there's the deep south beneath us. And then there's Florida. I think the consensus is that Florida is not a southern state at all. Nope. Too many retired Yankees down there. Have you been to Florida recently? Good luck even finding a southern accent! Speaking of that, have you been to Nashville lately? Good luck finding anyone that was born and raised here! Everyone is a transplant from somewhere else...but most are still from a southern state. And Texas? Well...I'm fairly certain they're just a whole other country.

And this has nothing to do with any of this, but you know how they say in the South things are just a little slower and more laid back? Ahem. Have you driven through Atlanta????! Or even Nashville during rush hour? I'm just saying....

I know I'm jumping around with this post, but it all does sort of, kind of relate to geography. Have you ever asked for directions? Okay, so that's no from all the men, but, girls, you know what I'm talking about, right? If you ask a man, he'll give you the "take route 62 about 3/4 of a mile until you come to South 40 and then take a right and go for about another 7 8/10 of a mile until you see 450 on the mailbox." If you ask a woman, you get the "well, you go down the road until you come to the little market with the BBQ pig painted on the sign, then turn right and drive past that big red barn. Just after you pass that, you'll see a big field...and then you keep on going until you see those cute little yard gnomes and pretty hanging pots of begonias on the front porch. If you come to a graveyard, you've gone too far." So, here's what I don't get about that. Men are supposed to be more "visual" than women. So how come they're not describing all the stuff you will see when you're driving? Why is it that they can remember the state-issued numbers of every road in North America, but they can't recall a single street name? I'm not sure this is just a southern thing, either.

It's funny, though. For all the differences we make about what part of the south we're from, we all have a lot in common. Nearly all of us have a fierce loyalty to family, heritage, and tradition. If you are looking for those things, come on down. It doesn't matter which state route you take, I guarantee you'll find them anywhere down here.