Rowland... A Trip to the Country

I learned something about my husband when we were planning our trip to the 5k... and it disturbed me.  He wanted the 4+-hour trip to start from home the day of the trip.  I knew the idea of me waking up to leave at 3 a.m. and sleeping on and off in the car before my first 3-mile run was a bad one so I began looking for alternatives.  But that wasn't what disturbed me. 

I realized my dad's hometown was en route to the festival and I was geeked!  I hadn't been in a good 15 years so I asked my dad where we could stay.  When he said my uncle has a nice trailer that he uses when he's in town, I was ready to hit the road!  I told Rashan it was country... He didn't know I meant cotton field country.  

Rashan was shook knowing cotton fields were in walking distance.

I was incredibly confused.  I thought Rashan knew both of my parents have country roots.  Straight country.  Cotton fields, dirt roads.  All of that.  He was uncomfortable when we hit the first dirt road.  And his nervousness started rubbing off on me.  Not cool.  And that was what disturbed me.  So it's not that you just like the city, it's that you've never been to the country and it makes you uncomfortable.  And most of all, there was nothing I could say to make him relax.  Umm... 

You know what's funny, though?  He asked me if one field had tobacco in it.  Okay.  I know I spent part of my childhood down here and my grandfather used to grow it but what do I look like being able to recognize tobacco in the field???  So funny.  After we dropped our bags, we went to see my grandparents' old house but couldn't find it.  I called my dad and he helped us out.  Turns out it was right around the corner.  It looks nothing like I remember it.  I had been warned it wasn't in the condition it was when my grandparents were alive so I honestly expected much worse but it was still strange.

My grandparents' graves

Next we went to "visit" the grandparents.  I felt like the graveyard wanderer.  Before December 2010, I hadn't seen any of my three deceased grandparents' graves in 15 or more years.  But in the last year I've now seen all of them?  I saw my mom's dad's grave while making my film about him over the last year.  That first visit was really emotional because I had learned more about him in a week than I'd known in my entire life.

At this grave site, I didn't get emotional in part because I kind of remember them but also because I was on the phone with my dad.  You know what he said, though?  That he was honored that I was visiting his ancestors.  Awwww.  I also saw my great grandma's grave (grandma's mom).  She was a landowner and business owner (a store called Rag Mop).  I didn't even know she was buried there.  We also saw the grave of my oldest uncle.  He died the same year as my grandma and used to call me JamesEllen (which at the time I haaaaated) because he said I looked exactly like both of my parents.  I thought of him on my wedding day because of that.  My SIL met my mom and said, "You look just like your mom!"  I said, "Wait til you see my dad."  LOLOL!  My dad walked in and she goes, "Whoa."  LOLOLOL!  So hilarious!  I definitely look like my dad's entire side.  That's cool but sometimes I wish I had some features readily identifiable as belonging to my mom's side.  You can see I look like my mom when I'm with her but I don't really look anything like her side.

The giant headstones

Back to the country in North and South Carolina...  Have you guys heard of South of the Border?  If you've driven anywhere near Interstate 95, you probably have.  It's only 15 minutes from my grandparents' house so it weighs prominently in my memories of them.  So of course a trip down there necessitated a trip to South of the Border.  Dad gave me directions there, too.

I had talked to my favorite aunt, currently the family historian on that side, who told me we have another family graveyard right next to South of the Border... on yet another dirt road.  Rashan was so put out!!  At this point it was quite hilarious!  Can you please calm all the way down??? Please??? Merci!  At this family graveyard, there were two family headstones taller than me (granted I'm only 5'1 but still).  Can I get one of those when I kick the bucket??  I don't know nearly enough about this side of the family so clearly I have some work to do on this side.  My aunt has traced back to 1865 and has agreed to pass it on to me.  Whee!

Sombrero tower ride

After grave time, we headed over to South of the Border!  This Sombrero tower had super cheap rides... IDK why we didn't hop on.  I went through phases with SOTB.  As a kid, of course I loved it.  The stores with trinkets, the rides, the bright colors.  As a teenager, I was obviously too cool for it. I'll let you know, I've turned a corner into nostalgia.  It reminds me of my childhood and the store is filled with things I would buy to amuse myself and others if not for limited space and varying levels of taste.

One thing my grandmother INSISTED when we visited her was that her children take her grandchildren to get ice cream.  So you know I had to go get ice cream, right?  Rashan was like, "But... you have to race tomorrow. You can't get ice cream."  I listened to that about 7 minutes then I said, "Pleaaaaase can I get ice cream????"  Why did I do that?  Like he's my trainer and/or controls what I eat?  I have no idea.  LOL

WE GOT ICE CREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!  So exciting! :)

The ice cream parlor

Coffee ice cream $1.95

Afterward, we went across the street and wandered around the "pantry".  It was full of Southern jellies, jams, candies and snacks.  Some I approved of, some I was dismayed by...  Want to know some I was dismayed by?  Beet eggs (WAY TO RUIN EGGS!!!!), chicken skin cracklins (I'm crazy for this since I like pork cracklins... it's just that I've never even heard of chicken skin cracklins), packaged boiled peanuts (wait... you BOILED THEM, then put them in a can/bag. no.) and packaged fatback (I love fatback but fatback in a bag????).  I didn't want but was okay with scuppernong grape jelly.  You know what I didn't know you could still buy?  Candy cigarettes.  I told Rashan he should buy some for his nieces and nephews and he declined.  Then almost a week later, I realized they would've been PERFECT for my Donatella Versace costume!  Hater!

South of the Border at night!

My friend pointed out that that picture would've been even better if I was a few inches higher.  That sombrero would've been on my head... HILARIOUS!!!!

We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant about 5 miles south and it was quite good.  Then we headed back to my uncle's place.  Y'all.  That happy face Rashan had?  Gone.  He couldn't get comfortable.  He couldn't sleep for more than 10 or 15 minutes.  Um... what?  He was making me nervous.  I had to go in a room and leave him to get some sleep.  Then I woke up at 2 and couldn't get back to sleep for hours.  I told him he needs to know we will be going to the country again when we go to Mississippi to see my mom's side.  He's not ready.  And I'm not ready for his nervousness.  -_-  Pray for us.

New Year, New Blog

Not really. But I like to make things up to make y'all pay attention. LOOK AT ME!! So, it's 2007. FINALLY!! I'm usually the girl dragging her feet into the new year. I never really care about celebrations. Big Kyle (not my Kyle) had hotel parties in Charlotte two of the years we were at Hampton so those were always mucho fun.

Otherwise, I'm not really into going downtown to crane my neck upwards at fireworks, I don't want to drop $50 on some wack club that's $5 any other night, I don't want to spend all my money (is that the same? yes and no). Basically I want to do the same thing I've done the last 3 or4 years, either bring in the New Year on the phone with Kyle or speak to him and a million other people within the first 15 minutes of the New Year.

I also am not the type to make resolutions. This year I decided I will commit myself to a few things. Not world peace. I want something attainable. I am not Miss America though I could give her a run for her money with my gangstalicious fiyah walk. That's right. I said it. Though I guess a fab walk is more model. Too bad I'm 5'1. Whatever. Semantics.

Les Resolutions:
1) continue working out. I'm in the rhythm now and paying too much money a month to let it go to waste. I will need to start switching my routine up a little though because my eyes are starting to glaze. I reallly (count the l's) need a workout partner.

2) as a result of the aforementioned fitness, buy a Rosa Cha bikini because I only have about 3 years to wear it. Go to collections, Summer 2007. 2nd on the left, 3rd on the right. I would prefer them in other colors. Something to make my skin pop but those are the styles that caught my eye. Her 2006 collection was ick. (No, I don't want to be THAT skinny). Yes I will have to do some strategic placement to make either of those work with my Black woman body.

3) get somewhere to wear #2. clearly i can't go to va beach or rhode island (right t?) w/that on. I'll get arrested and that will NOT be a resolution. Never been to the Carribbean. I'm overdue.

4) Go to Canada!!! Geez! Its ridiculous that I'm this close for a year and a half and have never been to Canada. It's something crazy like 2 hours or less away. So field trip for me.

5) Save $3000. This starts with nine west. sigh. I just bought 2 pairs of shoes. They were on sale, but they will be my last for a while. Ugh. Why did the sales lady show me a pair of white slouch booties? *shudddddder!!!* WTF are you thinkin about? White shoes? And booties at that??? *vomitttttt!!!* Why don't you just spit on me? Absolutely not. These shoes were so ugly I can't even find them on the website. Not that the site is AT ALL easy to navigate but still.

6) Budget. I'm already a step ahead b/c I've written down all of my bills, including food, entertainment and gas. Now implementation is the key. My first test is Friday when I get paid again.

7) Promotion. I've made August 23rd (my birthday) the promotion deadline for each year as long as I'm at a relatively entry-level position. Not quite entry-level, but still not in a job I would want to keep for more than a year. 23rd birthday, got the associate producer job, promoted to weekend morning producer by 24th birthday. 25th, I don't know what it will be, but not weekend mornings. Onward and upward people, onward and upward.

8) Meet a blogger. This is ridiculous. I'm sick of y'all comin to Pittsburgh, or me going to your city and suddenly we're unable to connect. FINE!! Don't meet me!! You smell like feet anyway.

That's enough, right? Those are the goals. The Carribbean may not happen because of the whole saving money thing but I'm down for an October or December trip. That would be so fun. I'm thinking December. While you guys are freezing, I'm heading South! Way South! Speaking of the Carribbean, has anyone seen the Bahamavention commercials??? HUH-LARIOUS!!! Please watch Lyle. I couldn't stop guffawing for like 15 minutes... at work! Hilarious! SOLD! But I think the Bahamas is the place Stace doesn't like. Is that right?

So! Thanks to Wise, I'll be reviewing the last year in blogdom and revealing somethings about my blog that my bloggiversary (how rambling is that post??? wth? pick a topic!!!!) and 100th post did not.

Inspiration for This Blog: Jamar, Erin and Talia's blogs. All fellow j-school Hamptonians. I wanted to get in on it too!! Only Talia still blogs. Booooooooooo!! But I've started a few people blogging myself which I'm quite proud of including my line sister and sister (both no longer blogging boooooo people, booooooo!), Wynel (never posts), and now for my proteges, Ashli and Stace. Love them mucho. I couldn't live w/o their blogs.

Why the Name Mindspace: Because I liked it. It was also around the time I became addicted to myspace. Well, not addicted, but first introduced. I can go days w/o myspace, but not w/o the blogs. I come home and run to the computer like crack.

My Fav Blog Entry: Hmmm... many of the early ones. They were so truly free and hilarious. I go back and read them and can't stop giggling. Some mindspacing. Good times, good times.

Fave Concept: Letters to God. CRACK me up.

Defining Moment: I don't know that there's one. Any suggestions?

Most Popular: State of Black America. All of y'all stop pressuring me. Those take a lot out of me and I ordinarily have to be in a really bad mood or pushed to my wit's end to post them. Why Men and Women Can't Be Friends.

Entry I Wish I Never Published: I don't think there was one. I think very carefully before I post things. They are all representative of who I am whether its unpleasant to others or not. There are, however, some posts I wish I had published but who knows if I will.

Why I Blog: Because I am vain. And bored as all get out. If I hadn't created a blog la familia, I really don't think I would've made it in Pittsburgh. Thank God for computers and the internet.

Blog Resolutions: continue to be me. B/c who wouldn't want to by this fly?

My fave blogs: there are so many. I don't even know where to start. Plus I really don't want to leave anyone out. If pressed, the blogs I check most regularly would be Stace, Ash, X, Cnel, Dream, Wise, Joy, La, and Veronica. If Karamale would come back to regular status, I would be overjoyed. I cannot link all these people. I don't have the patience. Read the comments dammit.

First regular reader: Ashli. We weren't super close in college, but through her reading my blog and sometimes bullying me into posting when I thought no one was reading anyway, we've become pretty close. I love that.

The State of Blogging: Ya know... I really don't care. The dramatics and antics can't ever keep my attention. I don't keep negative people in my life, I'm certainly not going to read it on someone's blog. So. Folk will do want they want to and that's fine. Do you.

Most Personal Entry: it's all personal. Life with D. It's also hard for me to divulge too much about me and the bf's relationship because I know there are people who read this who don't need to know my business. Plus there are some things so good you just want to keep them to myself. So when I do, that's very personal.

Funniest Entry: Fresh AzImiz, Ugly Sweaters, I don't know! Office Ebola and Open Toes? Like I said, a lot of them make me giggle. I can't walk you through 151 posts people! Hahahahahaha

My Blog Style: fluctuates with my mood, pensive, angry, hyper, romantic, political, suppressive, oppressive, brooding, silly, crazy, evil, bitter, I think it pretty much runs the gamut. I also promise lots of posts and rarely deliver on them. I just forget. So if you have something you've been waiting for and I haven't gotten to it, you should tap me on the blog shoulder. But don't be too insistent. I'm known to slap at people who tap me.

The Entry People Still Email Me About: Well, since I hate forwards and try to discourage stalkers, only the few who've directly asked me for my email and sent me their email addy have my email addy. So I guess that's none.

Most Bizarre Encounter Set Off by the Blog: Hmmmm... since I've never met most of you, I have no idea. I don't think this one even applies to me. Now I have gotten some juicay (not juicy) stories from some of you from e-mailing. You guys have some faaaaaaaaabulous lives. I'm telling you, life is so much cooler than fiction. You wouldn't believe it if you read it in a book.

Biggest Disappointment: the first few months when no one read my blog. I felt like such a failure! Boo hoo hoo. Hahaha.

Greatest Blog Triumph: Being shouted out by bloggers I love!! Starting another blog. Getting others to blog. The post w/33 comments.

Place I Most Wanna Visit Thanks to Blogging: Colombia, Panama (Karamale for both of those). Both sound and look cool as hell. And actually, Rhode Island. Tdot makes it sound very picturesque. I don't think I should be lured, though. She's a writer. It's her job to lure people. Lolol. B-more. I'm really jealous Cnel, Epsi and Wise met up. Plus I just love that city.

Place I Least Wanna Visit Thanks to Blogging: Michigan. Y'all make it sound awful.

What I Think Other Bloggers Think of Me: Hyper. Geniastic.

What I Hope Other Bloggers Think of Me: Fabulous writer, fun, I would buy any book she wrote, I can't wait until she posts again. Hahahahaha.

What Readers Can Expect in 2007: Same fly me. But better. Yeah... better. Ow! Come on. How am I seriously supposed to answer that? I don't know. I just aim for the stars.