Wednesday, May 23, 2007

My Southern Girl Feelings and Memories of Sleep

My feelings about the south are mixed. Actually, it's sort of a love/hate relationship. For demonstration purposes, I will project the south as I see it into a human form. Because I know my own sex best, we'll call this human created geographical area a woman, Georgia.

Georgia is church-going, kind and wholesome woman. She always speaks to people, whether passing someone on the street that she doesn't know, or visiting with an old friend. Her sexy drawl, traditional build and gentle face make her appealing to men from all over the world. She's the woman they pine for when the world seems cold, dark and lonely. Her cooking? So good you'd smack yo mama! Rich creams, butters, frostings and sprinkles that delight all the senses. She can satisfy any appetite and quench the most dehydrated thirst.

But, Georgia isn't perfect. She has a lot of beliefs that stem from past issues that she just can't seem to let go. Even though she claims to have a "diverse" set of friends, she typically only hangs out with people that look like her. She feels she's a liberal, free-thinking, modern woman...but when it comes down to brass tacks, she's completely terrified of change. She will destroy relationships and side-step values, just to avoid progression. She isn't likely to try anything new, so don't ask her to taste your sushi or calamari. She hasn't visited the doctor in a while because she's pretty sure she's got "the sugar" (diabetes), blocked arteries and high blood pressure. And although Georgia is quite aware of all these problems and it's her "smack yo mama" cooking that's caused all this, she's not changing great-great grandma's recipe just to save an artery. She's also not giving up her weekly trips to the buffet restaurant down the street. After all, it's the best value and you can eat as much as you want!

Finally, she's been noticing that there are a lot of problems with the education system, tax disbursement and mass transit. There are people in jobs who most definitely need to further their education to keep up with the tasks within the job, but it's just to much effort to try and change these things. Why bother anyway...she went through the education, has driven on these highways for years and hates the bus. They can just keep doing what their doing; patching things up whenever there's a problem.

If that doesn't paint the picture? Here it is flat out - I was born in the south, but was moved west before I even new what west was. I knew people of all races, beliefs and attitudes. Nothing was a surprise and it was fine. The more outrageous a person, the more interesting they were to me. At the time in my life when I was just starting to figure out my dreams, I was forced back to the South. I was ridiculed for how I sounded, my knowledge about all sorts of everything, I was talked about for being different and ostracized by my own race for having friends of different colors. People would assume me ignorant or "ghetto" before I ever opened my mouth! Through the years, I learned to cope/conform and close my ears to the opinions people had about me...always holding out that one day, I would leave and never have to deal with the garbage again.

But...the south is beautiful, lush and green. Want beautiful skin? Move to it's humid climate and look young forever! The food, initial friendliness and men for the picking will make you think you've stepped into heaven. I met my hubby and best friend there. I have ties. But, I don't want to live there again.

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I'm so tired! I went to bed at 9:00, but I starred into the empty darkness until 9:30. Then, I got up and went downstairs to take the border off the walls in our office. That water/fabric softener mix is awesome! The border just peeled off, no problem. Then, I tackled cleaning the spare bedroom; organizing discs, dusting, stripping the bed to wash the linens. I even started a load of laundry. I was just about to try and install the shade, when I read the instructions that indicated some drilling is involved. Couldn't wake up my kids, just because I was restless. So, 12:30...in the bed. I don't know when I fell asleep, but when the alarm went off at 4:30, it felt as if I'd only blinked my eyes.

Hubby had a blast with his friends, last night (the ones who he still considers friends). One took him to a lodge and the owner treated them to dinner and drinks. They hung out the rest of the night, with hubby calling me mid-clean to see how I was doing. I didn't tell him I was cleaning and that I wasn't anywhere near our bed. I only said I missed him and loved him. This morning, I confessed my lack of sleep and he confessed the same. It's getting worse not better. My mom called from the airport asking me to walk her dog in the mornings on my way to work. His big butt is to tall for the dogie door (the other dog gets through just fine). He's such a sweetie, but took his time "doing his business". My mom and hubby will get together today. At least he'll get to see a little bit of home today. Even though I am home, I feel like I haven't been for three days.

5 comments:

Miss Construed... said...

Not long 'til the weekend now Enchantress; and Methinks you won't be getting much sleep then either!

;)

Enchantress said...

God, I hope! ;)

Dee said...

Well, luckily you can live wherever you choose. I find that the attitude you describe prevails in a lot of places though.

please tell me about the fabric softener. There is a horrible "unda de sea" border in my bathroom from the previous inhabitant.

Enchantress said...

Oh! It's really simple: take a trigger bottle and add about two or three tablespoons of fabric softener. Then fill half of the bottle with water and shake to mix. Spray the wall border from top to bottom and from side to side. Let this sit for about five minutes (not too soon, or it doesn't work and not too long, or it will dry on you). Then, peel away! You can have your "unda de sea" border erased from existence in a flash!

Dee said...

okay, I'm on it. And I have a 3-day weekend to boot. Maybe I'll do a lot of revamping. Or maybe after I get rid of the little mermaid and her gang I'll just go to the beach.