I am a MISSISSIPPIAN - Hear me Roar!

While you prolly know that I am a Hard Core Southern Gal and currently live in Texas - unless you have read all the way through this blog - you may not know that I am a Mississippian by birth.

And Darn proud of it!

So if you have that common (I'm not pointing fingers) misconception that everyone from Mississippi is illiterate, barefoot, redneck, bigoted and lives in a twenty year old trailer - have I got some news for you.

We're Not.
At least not most of us.
We have our fair share of loons and kooks but for the most part - it's an AWESOME place to hail from. And I am in some pretty good company.

Check it out. Oprah and Elvis - 'nuf said.

Click here and you will be linked to the Mississippi Believe It website where you can see the details and fine print of each poster.


And about the illiterate part - I LOVE this poster and hope one day to see my mug on there...

John Grisham - one of my fav's
Eudora Welty - HELLO.....
Tennesee Williams - can you say STELLLLAAAA??

And if you have never met Jill Conner Brown, allow me to introduce you to my hero and mentor. She is the founding member of the Sweet Potato Queens in Jackson, Mississippi.

And while I strongly recommend you read her books, I also suggest that you don't do it on a crowded airplane or in any public area as you WILL pee in your pants from hoot'n and holler'n so much. (ask me how I know...)

And this last one might be my favorite - it tells how Mississippians, per capita, donate the higest percentage of any state to charity.

Sorry folks - if I sound a bit defensive in my rantings here. DO NOT mean to cast stones. So please allow me this...

since Katrina, I have had such a burning in my gut for my home state. Burning from our pain and loss, certainly. But also a burning pride at how my family, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens are pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, picking up their lives, cleaning up their spaces and moving on with their lives. This task is monumental. It has only just begun. It's freezing there today (in South Mississippi) and people are still in tents. and in those itty bitty FEMA trailers that don't have space for a Christmas Tree.

No! No! No! Absolutely no sympathy tolerated.

Encouragement. Love. A Helping Hand - literally. Positive Vibes. And a new attitude about what Mississippi is all about. THIS we accept gladly.