It's exhausting to be Southern

Here's a truth I never thought I'd admit out loud, let alone in cyberspace where it will remain for all of time...ready? Okay...here's the absolute truth: I love being Southern.

Many of you probably aren't surprised, since moving to Seattle it's been a fact I've often boasted with pride. I like it, I love it I want some more of it..okay, no more country music I swear. But, growing up and even going to college in the South I rarely wanted to admit to being from there. I always wanted to be from somewhere else and people would say to me, "How come you don't have an accent? Why don't you act Southern?"

Proudly I'd reply "My mom is from Long Island, my dad is from Boston, if you got a problem you can stick it up your (*@*&#*(I said that in my best Boston/NY accent, which is pretty good if you'd like to give it a listen). Anyway, I loved it. I really did. Looking back I completely realize why I did it, because I do it now. It is great feeling to boast being from somewhere else.

I think my reasoning is two pronged:

1. People always look at you like they can't figure you out because their mind is a cluster of stereotypes "Well, shucks, that girl can't be Southern she's got shoes and all her teeth!" Whatever, I love it. Keep looking at me crazy because the truth is, I can't figure myself out either.

2. It's a great excuse for weird behavior. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I drink all your moonshine, it tasted just like my momma makes." Okay, that's a really poor example, I can't quite think of anything off the top of my head.

It was a strange thing for me growing up in the South in a household where we had anything but standard Southern practices -- sweet tea was rarely in stock, until I acquired a love for it in college, and I can't remember *down home* cooking going on of any kind. I didn't wear big brimmed hats as much as I would have liked and my drawers weren't darned with white lace gloves (I still wish they were), we didn't go to church. We were very much a northern family seemingly stuck in the South.

When I got into college, as much as I hated coming back from Boston (where I finished out my senior year) only to go to the University of Alabama, it was almost instantly that I fell in love. The institution is rich in tradition and I immediately wrapped myself up in its pride. I moved on to the University of Alabama at Birmingham an continued in Southern style. I joined a sorority, equipped myself with pearls and a dresser full of sorority tees and spent time with my sisters planning weddings and eating tea sandwiches. I loved every single minute of it.

I moved here and I fell into the role of being Southern -- hospitality oozes out of my pores all over the place and I have to tell you, it's super exhausting. I've always been maternal, I've always wanted to take care of my friends and feed them, but I brought it to a whole new level. I'm bleeding out sweet tea here and I have to tell you, it's started to make me unsweet.

Don't get me wrong, I love entertaining, I love having guests, I love playing board games and having friends come over. It's just a lot of fun. What I don't love is the financial impact that comes with it. Call me crazy, but our economy stinks right now and I don't want that to be the reason I've spent all of my cash once the "depression" hits. It would be idyllic to entertain my friends and have them come with everything I need to keep them happy -- the food and the wine. And I'll sit back, giggle, put on a big brimmed hat and some white gloves and work on
looking Southern, instead of just acting like it.