Change of Address

Hello friends and followers, I realize that I might have left you hanging. I thought I set this page up to redirect automatically, but then I realized that I never actually tested it to ensure that it worked. Oops. 

In the spirit of sharing and caring, consider this the belated but official announcement that my blog has a new location: www.steelymagnolia.com. I hope you'll join me as I get back into blogging and sharing some of my D.C. adventures and southern loves and stream-of-consciousness musings.

Happy Friday!

Shutdown, Schmutdown

Well, the federal government officially shut down this morning at 12:01 a.m. I was awake catching up on Nashville (OMG DEACON) and reminiscing about Snood with my fellow insomniac Kelly when the shutdown began. The earth did not tremble, the lights did not go out, and sirens were not sounded. Basically, the government continued to do nothing, as usual. (If you're wondering what happens to us folks living in the District of Columbia since we are not a state, our illustrious mayor Vincent Gray has deemed all D.C. government employees "essential", meaning parking attendants will still be waiting for your time limit to go over by ONE MINUTE before ticketing you. If you weren't wondering, well, now you know.)

Anyway, the #shutdownpickuplines hashtag on Twitter has been entertaining while the finger-pointing and mud-slinging from both sides reminds me a lot of pre-school.

The best thing I've read today is the story of the Mississippi veterans storming the World War II Memorial on the National Mall. Located on national park grounds, the memorial was officially closed today, but National Park Service personnel and perhaps a Congressman or two simply move the metal barricades and let the veterans inside. 

via Buzzfeed

F*ck yeah, America.

Augusta Wedding Weekend

Last month, my dear friends were married in Augusta, Georgia. I love a good excuse to head south to God's country, and I'd never been to Augusta, home of the Masters.

Owing to direct flights and close-ish proximity, a good number of our D.C. area friends were able to attend the wedding. 

via Tim Will Photography

It was a great weekend for catching up with friends and taking a break from the city. We stayed at the historic Partridge Inn, wandered around downtown and the River Walk, and ate some delicious Southern-inspired seafood (if you're ever in Augusta, you must head to Sheehan's Irish Pub).

Southern women

As a displaced Southern belle, I find it interesting to hear and see how my non-Southern friends, co-workers and colleagues view people from my neck of the woods. It stretches from one end of the spectrum to the other--thinking Southerners are dumb as bricks to sweet as pie. In short, everyone has a different opinion, though most do have an opinion (that they want to share). This is most pronounced in the obvious settings--when I'm meeting someone for the first, and/or when that person doesn't know many Southerners.

Shocking though it may be, we don't all like sweet tea, we don't all aspire to be housewives, we don't all know how to fry chicken, and we don't all believe that the higher the hair, the closer to Heaven. However, I do think that what sets us apart is that Southern women make the effort. I think that trait, more than how we talk or what we eat or how many bless-your-hearts we utter, is what makes a belle stand out. In fact, that's pretty much what this Garden & Gun article about redefining the Southern belle says:

To be born a Southern woman is to be made aware of your distinctiveness. And with it, the rules. The expectations. These vary some, but all follow the same basic template, which is, fundamentally, no matter what the circumstance, Southern women make the effort. Which is why even the girls in the trailer parks paint their nails. And why overstressed working moms still bake three dozen homemade cookies for the school fund-raiser. And why you will never see Reese Witherspoon wearing sweatpants. Or Oprah take a nap.

It's true--I never wear sweatpants in public (yoga pants are an altogether different subject), and I neverrarely take naps [anymore]. I don't leave the house with wet hair, and I wear makeup to the gym. 

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Presidents and Assholes

Opinions are like assholes; everybody has one. I am reminded of this in life generally, and around Presidential elections particularly. Typically, I enjoy casual political discussions, but I loathe the name-calling and mudslinging that these conversations can turn into at times. The advent of social media has made it much easier to sling aforementioned mud, and it's been interesting to see how this growing medium has factored into the three Presidential elections in which I've been eligible to vote.

Politically, I'm moderate.  I can usually see both sides of an argument, and as such I identify with values represented by both the Democratic and the Republican party. There are numerous articles, analyses, thoughts and rants about this election on the Internet for you to peruse at your leisure. That's not what I'm writing about. What I'm writing is the drunken and immature student protest that occurred at the University of Mississippi after the announcement that President Barack Obama had won the Presidential race. You may have read about it, as the Washington Post posted an article about the "riot" that occurred.

Folks, this was not a riot. Unfortunately, Mississippi knows its riots all too well as it has a very sad, very horrifying, very bloody past. This event was a group of 30-40 drunk students (mostly freshman, so teenagers) who weren't happy with the way the election turned out; instead of acting like rational human beings, one person burned an Obama/Biden sign and several others yelled racial slurs. Once the initial group gathered, word spread of the protest via social media, so the crowd of onlookers, not protesters, grew to between 300-400 people.

I'm not pardoning nor condoning this behavior at all--I'm embarrassed that this occurred in my home state, I'm appalled that our president (regardless of his politics or skin color) was disrespected in such a significant way, and most of all I'm saddened that racism still exists on any level. While I personally would like to see these kids held accountable for their actions, I'm not sure how feasible that is considering our First Amendment protects the freedom of speech.

However, one obnoxious asshole burning a sign and a handful of immature and irrational college kids do not speak for our entire state or for its children. Mississippi certainly has a long way to go, and its violent past will never be forgotten, but I wish that it could also be remembered for something other than our troubles. I wish that the national media had also spent the same amount of energy publicizing the 600-participant We Are One Mississippi candlelight walk to condemn the protest. A candlelight vigil in and of itself won't solve bigotry or any other problem, but it's a great step to show that the vocal minority does not speak for the majority. (More here, here, and here.) 

UPDATE: Read the first-hand account of the protest.

Photo: Bruce Newman, Associated Press

In closing, one of my favorite quotes from a fellow Mississippian:

"Mississippi is like my mother, I am allowed to complain about her all I want, but God help the person who raises an ill word about her around me, unless she is their mother, too." Kathryn Stockett

On Weather

Well. A lot has happened in the past few days. Frankenstorm, also known as Hurricane Sandy, the collective of storms that recently battered the East Coast, has come and gone. We were mainly spared in the D.C.-metro area. There were downed trees and branches, some flooding of businesses and basements, and extensive power outages, but the damage we faced was nothing (nothing) compared to the devastation in New York and New Jersey. As with many natural disasters, there aren't words to describe what's left in the wake of the storm. The Atlantic has some vivid photos of the aftermath here and here and here. (Side note: Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, has earned his Super Mayor title.)

Breezy Point, Queens

Manhattan without power

Queens, NY

Seaside Heights, NJ
(photos via The Atlantic)

As a Mississippi gal who grew up visiting the Gulf Coast, from Houston to New Orleans to the Florida Panhandle, I'm not a stranger to hurricanes. I was at school in Tuscaloosa when that bitch Katrina came barreling through, and we had substantial damage even then, several hundred miles from landfall in New Orleans. My family was vacationing near Destin, FL when Tropical Storm Alberto came through back in 1994. There are countless other storms that caused my hometown plenty of residual flooding and damage; Andrew, Ivan, Rita, Camille back in the day, and of course the innumerable tornados that hit the Southeastern U.S. each spring.

I don't mean to say that I survived these storms, because that's not at all fair to those who actually lived on the Coast and lost homes and loves ones. My point is, this storm was such a rare occurrence that it would have been terribly devastating to those who expect weather events like this; I can't imagine what it must feel like for the NYers and NJers who were blindsided by this storm. (Kind of like in 2009 and 2010 when D.C. experienced record snowfall amounts and the city shut down. President Obama, a Chicagoan, couldn't understand why three-plus-feet of snow sent D.C.-ers into a panic and received some flak for it.)

The District has experienced some pretty odd weather events over the past several years. There was SnOMG in December 2009, which dropped 16 inches of snow in D.C.; Snowmageddon/Snowpocalypse in February 2010, responsible for three-plus feet of snow and an epic snowball fight in Dupont Circle; an earthquake in August 2011; Snowtober on Halloween 2011; a derecho in June 2012; and now the Frankenstorm in October 2012. The Washington Post even wrote about it, and here's another breakdown.

Anyway, my neighborhood tends to lose power at a brisk gust of wind, so I packed up and camped out with my sister and her boyfriend in Arlington. We were lucky enough to maintain power the entire time, and had our own three-person hurricane party, complete with beer, PlayStation, scary movies, and homemade pumpkin waffles the next day. All in all, not a bad way to spend a couple of days.

Please consider donating to the Red Cross's Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. 

Alabama On My Mind

Today is the one-year anniversary of the day that tornadoes ripped through the city of Tuscaloosa, home of my alma mater, the University of Alabama.  I posted about this tragedy the day after, and there's not much I can say that hasn't already been said.  At work today, I read this poignant and sad article from the Crimson White, UA's student newspaper.  Natural disasters can often occur without warning, and it's a good to remember not only to have an emergency plan, but also to tell your loved ones that you love them.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and his wife Dianne walk past some 253 state flags, one for each victim, placed on the grounds of the Capitol during a memorial service for tornado victims on the steps of the Alabama Capitol in Montgomery Friday. Sixty two tornadoes left 253 people dead in Alabama a year ago.

Friggatriskaidekaphobia

Friggatriskaidekaphobia is a real word, meaning a fear of Friday the 13th.  Here's advance warning that if you suffer from this phobia, we've got two more Friday the 13ths in the year 2012; another one in April and a third in July.  

Today also marks the day before a long weekend, at least for many of us.  It's turned cold in DC, so my plans for the weekend have changed a bit.  Seems like a good weekend for movies and staying in (by the non-existent fire... one day...).  I do plan to watch the Saints game with some friends.  My Crimson Tide just won the BCS National Championship (that's our 14th national championship win, if you're keeping count), and I'd love for the Saints to at least go to the Super Bowl, if not win the damn thing.  

Speaking of the national championship, it was an honor for my alma mater to win; but I think it's also an outstanding accomplishment for the city of Tuscaloosa, home to the University of Alabama.  On April 27, 2011 an F-4 tornado ripped through the city and surrounding areas, demolishing several city blocks and killing more than 50 people in Tuscaloosa County alone.  The overall death toll from that day is 292, with countless others injured and left homeless.  Winning a football game in no way replaces those lives lost or the injuries sustained, but it does bring hope to a city that is, by all accounts, still recovering.

President Obama visiting Tuscaloosa after the tornados said, "I've never seen damage like this," and declared a state of emergency for the area.

In happier news, next weekend I'll be visiting some DC friends who recently moved to Baltimore.  I've only ever been to Baltimore when heading to BWI airport, so I'm looking forward to actually seeing the city.  I'll try to take pictures to document the trip, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather is nice since I've been elected to drive to our carpool there.


Have a happy weekend!

NFL Fandom

Hailing from the South as I do, I grew up with the understanding that football (American football, for those of you [Bueller?] with an international background) was America's favorite past time, not baseball or eating contests or capitalism or celebrity gossip or anything else.  While sometimes I grow a little weary of the football-as-religion mentality, I do really enjoy the sport.  Growing up in the great state of Mississippi, however, meant that I didn't have an allegiance to (or more accurately, interest in) the NFL since we were not home to any NFL team.  The geographically closest team was the New Orleans Saints, a team with a consistently losing record.  I played my fair share of sports when I was younger, and let me tell you, I've had enough losing for a lifetime.  Then, about equal distance from us, were the Atlanta Falcons and the Dallas Cowboys.  The Cowboys were pretty great in the 90s, while the Falcons were nothing to write home about.  ALL OF THIS TO SAY, that only since I've moved to DC, home of the Washington Redskins, have I even begun paying attention to professional football.  I will always prefer college football (Roll TIDE) to pro, but I thought this map was a) cool, b) pretty accurate, and c) well-done.

(via SBNation; click on the image to biggify it)

2011 Color of the Year

Thanks to The Beauty In Everything for the inspiration for this post!  The Pantone Color Institute announced yesterday that Honeysuckle (Pantone 18-2120) as the 2011 Color of the Year.  I grew up in Mississippi where honeysuckle grows in abundance, and honeysuckles will always remind me of waiting for the blossoms to appear each spring and summer. From the Pantone site:

While the 2010 color of the year, PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, served as an escape for many, Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

I enjoyed virtually flipping through the Spring 2011 Fashion Report from the Pantone Color Insitute as well, and now of course I'm ready for Spring, although DC had its first snow flurries of the season today.  The grass is always greener!

Thankful

Sometimes it seems a shame that we only "celebrate" Thanksgiving once a year since there is so much to be thankful for each day.  My immediate family and I went to Seaside, FL, a place that is special to us, and we were fortunate enough to be spend several days with our extended "family"; we may not be related by blood, but we are related through love and a rich history of friendship.  There are so many things for which I'm thankful (my family, my friends, my job, our country, red wine, the list goes on), but I was happy just to spend time with my favorite people in my favorite place.

Craig

Randy and Dad - BFFs

Craig, Mom, Anna

the extended family

sisters

sisters

Anna's pumpkin pie

Anna's apple pie

Scrabble Pillows

The weather has turned chilly in DC, and we're well into the holiday season.  Now that Halloween is over (and my decorations are put away), I'm looking forward to spending the week of Thanksgiving with my family at one of our favorite destinations.  We have some holiday traditions that include my sister and I arguing about clothes, my mother attempting to teach me how to cook, my father reminding me to change the oil in my car every three months, sipping red wine, watching old episodes of Friends, and playing numerous games of Scrabble.  As such, I thought it was appropriate to share these cute Scrabble pillows; I think they would be adorable in a child's room or guest room.

A Day at Blandy Farm

Did you know that the Commonwealth of Virginia has a state arboretum?  The Virginia State Arboretum, which occupies a small portion of Blandy Farm, is located in Boyce, Virginia, a little over an hour outside of DC.  I volunteered with some fellow Tenfold Forty members at the Arboretum on Saturday and had a great time.  Although I lost my way on the drive out (I ended up an hour outside of DC and an hour from Blandy Farm!), it was a beautiful day for a drive.  I loved driving through parts of Virginia that I'd never visited before, like Middleburg, the Shenandoah Valley, and an assortment of farms and vineyards.

Our particular project was helping children, and some adults, make scarecrows during the Arboretum's bi-annual ArborFest.  The kids were so excited to make their scarecrows, and one particular rambunctious little boy, Eli, will not be forgotten; his grandfather, known as "Popcorn Poppy Pop," helped him make Scary the Scarecrow, who was about twice the size of Eli.  I took plenty of pictures but I accidentally deleted them and could only recover a few; I'm so mad but at least I was able to save some of them.  It was a sunny and warm autumn day and I'm glad that I had the chance to help these children enjoy the season!