Last Splash

The gene pool could use a little Chlorine.

Where in the world is Tupelo?

Now, in other parts of the nation, who knows what "big" cities show up in your maps to give you and idea of temperatures in other parts of the country, but for the last few weeks, our regional (Southeast) weather map has had Tupelo, which I'm fairly certain is in Mississippi, on the broad view. Tupelo, along with other cities like Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, and Memphis, must be some growing metropolis to get it's name out there so strongly. I'm curious: what decides what cities are placed on our weather maps? And in other parts of the country, do you see my town on your map? Or only Charlotte, our bigger, badder, ruder new city of the south? And does anyone on Mo'Time happen to live in Tupelo or have possibly visited at some point? Because I'd really like to know more about it.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 18:51 | link | comments (3) |
tv guide

DVR is addictive. It alters your life. I now find myself driving down the road absentmindedly, and suddenly realize that there is an ad about Buy One Get One free Canes tickets. What?! So I go to rewind the radio, and realize that I can't. Or when I see something at a party, and I want to point it out to my husband, there's actually a time restraint. I can't wait while he finishes his conversation and then grabs another drink before pointing out some funny thing. I can't pause life. It's rotting my brain!

posted by: Cannonball14 at 16:04 | link | comments (1) |

The Superbowl is set, and I couldn't be happier. Sure, I could care less that both head coaches happen to be African-American. I just think they're both great coaches who deserve to be there regardless of race, and as much as I loathe to hear two weeks of news about what history it makes (honestly, doesn't anyone remember the Dave Chappelle episode where he spoofed black 'firsts') it is better than the alternative.

I personally feel that sports reporting should be sports reporting. Give me stats, give me (brief) encouraging stories about players that have survived hardship or given back to others or influenced their communities. Give me hard, cold, stats, and interesting sidenotes (like the fact that the Colts overcame the biggest championship deficit to win). Don't give me long, drawn out stories about the first African American coaches to be in the Superbowl and OH MY GOD there are two at the same time!!! Doesn't it undermine the accomplishments these men have made as humans and football coaches to repeatedly point out the fact that they also happen to have a darker skin color? Jackie Robinson was groundbreaking, Rosa Parks was groundbreaking; I'm sure these two men want us to focus on the talents of their team more than the color of their skin.

Again, at least I don't have to hear the next two weeks hearing about how a pro football season has revitalized New Orleans. It's like going through Hurricane Katrina all over again. I may sound callous, heartless, capitalist, whatever, but report on sports. Don't turn the sports shows into yet another political outlet to assuage us with images of the tragedy. Don't put Ray Nagin on the phone with ESPN radio's Mike Greenberg. Come on...put Reggie Bush or Drew Brees on if you want someone to talk about the Saints.

And finally, no more New England Patriots! Thank God...if I had to suffer through one more Superbowl staring at Tom Brady's spaceship helmet and Bill Belichick's greasy sweatshirt...well, who knows?

Congrats, Colts and Bears...other than the Chargers, I couldn't have picked a better Superbowl myself!

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:53 | link | comments (1) |
the sports report

I consider myself a more cultured/sophisticated Southerner, and I am very proud of where I'm from. I get really defensive when I hear "Yankees" lump us all into one category of country bumpkins, because I know plenty of Southern people that are just as well-educated and well-presented as anyone north of the Mason-Dixon. We were not ALL extras in Deliverance, although most of us know someone that could be.

My very special pet-peeve, being proud of who I am, are people who move here from, um, other areas of the country (okay, basically, New Jersey) and refuse to go home but do nothing but complain about the place I love, the schools, the people here, the way we drive, how slow we are, and on and on and on. If it sucks that bad, why are you still here? It's also really difficult to live somewhere as beautiful as NC is, especially in a metropolitan area (well, we'll get there eventually) . When people who were living in the Northeast and in California sell their dumpy little houses, they make about 600,000 and can afford to come here and buy whatever they want, driving up the real estate market for hardworking natives like my husband and I, and making it even more difficult for us to by a house with a half acre yard and 2000 square feet.

All of this being said, though, I will agree with our friendly transplants on one thing. Southern people cannot drive in the snow. Granted, most of the time we get ice, not snow, and no one can drive on that, but honestly, I am terrified of driving in the snow. Even being the most careful driver does not guarantee that I will not slide off the highway, and being too careful will ensure that one of my Yankee neighbors will probably get frustrated and nudge me off the highway anyway. I can't stand it! I am always really nervous at first, and then I get to a major road and get a little more comfortable, but as soon as I get above 35 or 40, I start to feel like maybe I'm being over-confident, and as soon as I let go and drive I'm going to hit a patch of black ice. The worst is when it starts to melt during the day, and then refreezes overnight into a worse mess than before. As if my fear isn't enough, I also have the other side of Southern drivers to deal with: the rednecks that go mudslinging in their four wheel drive pickups, so they think they can get out and make an obstacle course of any road with slush on it.

So, midwesterners and northerners, I will concede on this point. You were right, Southern people, we really can't drive in winter weather. So now you can stop making fun of us about it. Or else we might have to start discussing the fact that NO ONE in America wants to see the Patriots win another Super Bowl.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 13:30 | link | comments (5) |