Southerner in the City: March 2014

Thursday, March 27, 2014

18 Life Lessons I Learned from "The Cosby Show"

This time last year, my college graduation countdown clock was quickly ticking by. Freak outs were increasing in number. Like most second semester seniors, I was stressed about my post-grad plans: where should I live? what should I be doing? am I ever going to get a job? how will I leave my college friends?

Yet, it was amidst the mess that I discovered the best medicine for any almost graduate…watch The Cosby Show from start to finish. Sure, seeing Cliff, Claire and the kiddos provides plenty of punch lines and hundreds of hours in entertainment. But, also know wrapped up in the laughs are loads of life-lessons.

For instance...

1) Respect Your Parents

2) Traditional Gender Roles…Who needs 'em?

3) Forgive him for the Dad Jeans because your Pops' bound to have some article of clothing you're begging to borrow.

Take if from me; that's the face Dad's going to give you when you ask to borrow his button-up or comfy, oversized sweater.

4) When it doubt, sing it out: Literally, the family lip-synch episodes for Grandma and Grandpa Huxtable's 49th and 50th Wedding Anniversary are pure gold!

5) Your college graduation day is just as exciting for your parents as it is for you.

Theo graduated from NYU, so the night before Yankee Stadium, I had my parents watch his graduation episode with me. And, trust me when I say it made for quite the cute family momet1

6) Just because you're cute doesn't mean you'll get your way.

7) Mark your calendars (and plan in advance ) for major family holidays...You don't want to be that kid who gives Dad a light-up tie for Fathers Day.

8) You can always come home.

9) Grandparents are not the same people our parents grew up with. And, yes, their job is to spoil us.

10) Girls will always hog the bathroom.

11) Tell your parents if you're living with your significant other. That conversation will be far less awkward then your dad finding your partners underwear mixed in with your dirty laundry.

12) Fish funerals are very sad occasions.

13) Trick or Treating=Begging

14) Even if your dad is a OBGYN, mom's the one to turn to when it comes to "Woman's Day" matters.

15) Living in a "Real World Apartment" isn't what it's cracked up to be.

16) Despite the price break, never ask your sister to make a knock-off Gordon Gartrell.

17) You can make just as big of an impression without words. Just think of Rudy's silent friend Peter.

18) At the end of the day, it's all about family.

So there you go. Is it really any surprise that I think watching The Cosby Show from start to finish should be a graduation requirement?

Originally published on Thought Catalog.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

St. Patrick's Day Parade

We may not dye our river green, but Dublin, Georgia knows how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in style.

For the entire month of March the town's been decked out in its best green and gold duds, with the celebration culminating in this past weekend's Super Saturday! From funky floats and fancy dresses to congressman in sweet new rides, here's a look at our very own St. Patrick's Day Parade:

This little munchkin spent the parade shooting bubbles at participants.

Before Saturday, I had no idea there was such a thing as "Sons of Confederate Veterans."

Baby Beauty Queens in their Best Ball Gowns

Have you ever been to a parade where the Piggly Wiggly Mascot made an appearance?

Best Dressed Little Leprechaun

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Life's Mundane Moments Are Just That

Say what now?

When are you at your worst? I'll admit it; I'm a control freak…a persistent planner, tethered to the ties my Google Calendars. So, my crazy face (literally and mentally) usually comes out during life's little hiccups. I know it's still early, but this week I've already had a few instances that irked me to no end. The first, when I was hungry. The second, when I received back talk.

My daily diet rivals that of any good elementary schooler. Peanut butter sandwiches and Cheerios are my two favorite fixings. And, I literally can't go more than a few days without indulging in one of my "delicacies." In an attempt to adultify my cereal though, I usually do add some fresh fruit slices. Anyways, I went to the grocery store Sunday night, and all the bananas were lime green, not the slightest hint of yellow in sight. I stood in the produce section for a good five minutes just staring at the bananas. Finally, I realized my death glare wasn't going to make the bananas brown any faster and settled for strawberries instead.

Then, yesterday morning I was attempting to ask a few questions about our high school's testing calendar and the person I'd been instructed to see retorted back with a "that's not my job." Literally, that's my least favorite phrase! Her mood instantly changed mine. The smile on my face vanished, and my answers clipped to just "yes" or "no" responses. I couldn't get off the phone fast enough. Let me clarify a few things here; I'm new to my current post, having only officially received the position in November, so this is my first go around (not as a student) with CRCTs and End of Course Testing. So, when this 15+ year veteran brushed me off I actually had to bite my tongue. My mind just kept wandering to education majors I graduated with that are still without full-time positions. I kept imagining how they'd respond given the same situation, each time assigning them the role of a super hero teacher that never raises their voice and always stays past dismissal time. Despite our initial dilemmas though, she did eventually direct me to someone else who could help, and I got the whole thing sorted out.

So, what's the real point of these stories?

It's sad really; in the grand scheme of things, they're both so inconsequential. I had to have strawberries instead of bananas. So what? It may not have been what I originally wanted, but I'm blessed in having the ability to drive my car to the grocery store, pick through a stocked produce section, and have the means to pay for my meal. And as for the back talk, I'm sure she was just stressed with the day-in and day-out dramas of teaching kiddos. I know I would be. And, more than her sassy response, I'm embarrassed with my own. As a whole, I don't consider myself to be an awful person, but clearly, I can behave like one…I wouldn't want to be judged by my worst hours, so maybe I should extend the same courtesy to others too.

Don't sweat small stuff. I've heard those four simple words more times than I can count, but it's finally time I take an added effort in practicing what's been preached. I've got to realize life's mundane moments are just that, mundane. Then, maybe the number of hours I spend as my worst self will be far and few between, even if my crazy face doesn't completely disappear.

Monday, March 10, 2014

23 Things I Know at 23

Before I get started, just know that nearly every advice list for 20-somethings is written by someone sitting in their pajamas, eating leftover Chinese food in their way too tiny for the rent apartment. For me, it's a big bowl of three different types of Cheerios, but you get the idea...

1) If I could only have one meal for the rest of my life it'd be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on toasted whole wheat bread.

2) We are all a little weird.

3) TV Land has some pretty rocking shows! As a child, I used to love sick days because it meant I got to spend the afternoon watching Murder She Wrote and The Dick Van Dyke Show. And, now they're on Netflix.

4) Love God. Love people.

5) Except for Gone With the Wind, the book will always be better than the movie.

6) Money makes the world go round. But, I'd rather have a lifetime of memories than a fat bank account.

7) My decision to be a vegetarian might be tied with my unwillingness to learn how to cook real meals?

8) Family is important.

9) I'd rather have an awesome night at home with my dog then a shitty night at a bar with a bad date.

10) Somehow, life's become a rat race to out-achieve my peers: from first jobs and marriage proposals to trendy weekend activities and brunch shots, it's all just one big competition.

11) That being said…Instagram literally puts a filter on life. So we should stop judging personal successes by our friends' food porn.

12) You're never too old to enjoy a Disney movie…I mean have you seen Frozen?

13) Life is better with coffee.

14) Gossip is like junk food…it's easy to consume but ultimately leaves us feeling empty.

15) I'm in no real rush to settle down. Someday I'll get married, but for now I've got a full Netflix Que.

16) Jeremiah 29:11

17) It's important to know about the world's goings-ons. So, watch the news, pick up a newspaper or read a blog.

18) Crafting is therapeutic.

19) So is eating cupcakes.

20) Stop over thinking everything! The light from the sun takes 8.3 minutes to reach earth. So, if you're taking more than eight minutes to decide on which Starbucks coffee you should have this morning, you're over-thinking it.

21)Pale people who burn easily aren't the only ones who should be wearing sunscreen and a giant beach hat.

22) Growing up Southern is a privilege. It's more than sweet tea, college football and summers that start in April. It's being hospitable with a family first mentality and fried dish on the side.

23) I'm not a finished person.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

24 Grilled Cheese Recipes That'll Make You Wish You Hadn't Given Up Bread For Lent

It's Kindergarten Registration time here at Dublin City Schools, so in between playing with kiddos and answering parent questions, I've had a bit of time to catch up with Pintrest Recipes. Add in the fact that it's rainy weather, and it's no surprise my mind's been wandering to Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

With their crisp, buttery outside and goey, melted cheese inside, it's the perfect sandwich, even in its most basic form. But, the iconic American classic has received quite the makeover as of late.

So, here you go: 24 Grilled Cheese Recipes That'll Make You Want to Wish You Hadn't Given Up Bread For Lent

1) Green Apple and Aged Cheddar Grilled Cheese