After being away from home for a while strange things begin to happen. You stop having the food cravings, missing your family and friends horrifically and other general things that made you want to curl up in a ball and just cry when first arriving. They slowly disappear, or you become numb to them. However, randomly things come from nowhere and replace them. Things you would never expect to miss. For example, I have always been one who hated "Southern Slang", but now I am beginning to miss it. I know I am from Alabama and that it's weird not to say "y'all" or "ain't", but I really really hate it! Sadly enough, I can pin point the exact moment when I became aware of it too.
When my family moved in 1994 we moved to a less.... hmmm, how do I say this.... rural area. I was comfortable in my bubble of Tarrent. I had all my friends, was involved in a few sports teams and had cheerleading. Never had I thought there was something outside of that nor did I even want more!
Still, we moved and I changed schools. I distinctly remember the first day at my new elementary school. While on the playground a group of girls approached me and said: Hey, we like your clothes. You can be friends with us. I don't remember what I was wearing, or even caring about my clothing before this incident (it was elementary school for goodness sake!), nor was I interested in being their friend.

A few weeks later came an incident with the class clown. As we were walking into the library, he said: Hey, will you talk to me in that redneck accent you have? What are you a tomboy or something? I hated him for pointing something out that I didn't even know I did! I hated the fact that I was different and the only thing I wanted to do was retreat into my sister's bedroom which she had declared "Tarrent."

Sadly it became a secret obsession and hate of mine. I had always been teased about my speech impediment- which was nearly fixed by 3rd grade- and now I had to change how I spoke in every scenario! I finally felt that I had achieved my goal when people began to ask me where I was from when I worked in restaurants in my teens. After telling them I was a native Alabamian they didn't believe me as I had "no accent at all!" It made me glow inside. Still to this day when people meet me they question why I have no accent- 80% of the time it is the first thing people say to me.

Which finally brings me to the point of this now way too long blog. I was listening to my favorite radio show- This American Life last night and they had a story from Mississippi. The country accents and sayings were multitudinous. and slowly I began to long for the quite simply sayings such as:
-Hug his neck
-I wouldn't trust them as far as I can throw em
-I declare
-Neck of the woods
-I'm fixin' to go to the store.
-ain't she the purtiest thing you ever seen?
-He doesn't have a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of!
-gimme sugar

Maybe when I'm back stateside I'll take a course in a new foreign language- the Southern Draw. I do believe it was Mark Twain that said Southerns speak music.

ps- enjoy the random pics from this weekend that have nothing relating to this blog.