Midwest Life


Life out here in Minnesota is just full of surprises. You never know who or what you're going to see or do or experience. For as long as I can remember, there's always been a certain stigma about the Midwest. It's the same reason why so many people move back here after busting out to the big cities so they could raise a family. And yes, I will admit that the way of life here is different. Folks out here continue to leave their doors unlocked, car windows rolled down, and hell, for all I know, keep a spare key to the house underneath the supposed inconspicuous faux rock. Aside from all of that nonsense (and from someone who still has The Club in her car), there are still those who, believe it or not, allow their children to run around like it's no thang. Kids are, by nature, very curious beings. Maybe it's just ME, but there's a huge difference in letting kids experience their surrounding environment and letting them get into everything and laughing it off how cute the kid can be. Maybe it's just me, but kids and sharp metal objects do not mix. It's freakin' common sense. I have seen toddlers in the mall running ahead while their parents continue to window shop, I have seen them climbing chairs, barriers, and sticking their lil' heads through bars to check out the action going on below. It's not cool. I can stand on my soap box and spout just how unacceptable that is, but I will just shake my head and keep my mouth shut. Hubby and I were at a stop light the other day and in the car right next to us, there was a small child sitting in the lap of a passenger in the front. Goodness gracious! Heaven forbid that an accident happens 'cuz my goodness, that kid would be the first to go!


I have found that Midwest life focuses on family. There's a big percentage of homeschooled children and more kids are involved in extracurriculars with parents just as involved. Everything seems more family-oriented out here. But it doesn't really matter if one lives in a big city or a suburb, there's always going to be shit going down. It's everywhere you go and it's inevitable. Sure, there are some places that may seem that crime is more likely to occur, but on the real, you can't escape it. But just because you can't escape it doesn't mean that we have to be paranoid. It's all about being aware and avoiding simple mistakes that could lead to something happening. Something as simple as locking your car door and not leaving any valuables out in the open. Someone who leaves a couple of brand new bags in the car creates the fruit of temptation for another....and if it so happens that those bags held the Sunday's church collection, well, what can I say? It wouldn't have happened had the simple act of bringing the bags into the house immediately took place. It's common sense people. Don't be traumatized- be smart.


Moving here from CA hasn't changed my simple routines. In fact, I probably have become even more cautious. I've mentioned just lush and green this state is...okay it's white at the moment, but ya'll know what I mean. There are so many trees and trails, bushes and bends and lakes that you just can't be too careful, y'know? Plus, take a couple of brown newcomers totally out of their element and moving into an all-white neighborhood. C'mon...we tend to stick out. I still lock the door and double check it, I still stash stuff that I bought in the trunk, and I never leave anything out. Reading the newspaper each day validates the fact that crime is everywhere...even here in the Midwest. Every single day, I read about burglaries, car thefts, identity theft (huge over here!), shoplifting, arson, crooked cops, child abductions, rape, domestic violence, drug busts (methamphetamines is a biggie over here!), and deer trafficking. Yes, you read it here first: deer trafficking. There was a special news report about the deaths of small children overdosing on pills because of the ease of getting into medication bottles. Again, if parents were watching their kids closer and/or putting meds somewhere inaccessible, tragedies such as these could be avoided.


In some small ways, MN does appear to be safer...to a degree. Just because I don't hear the police car chases in the middle of the night, sometimes I'd take that over the sound of nothingness. The silence here still creeps me out. It reminds me just how out of the way we are out here and that anything could still happen. The Midwest will continue to have the reputation for being the place to raise a family, but at the same time, they should steer way clear of the "It'll-never-happen-to-me" mentality.


And by the way, I will refrain from my conservative-puti-bashing today 'cuz well, folks a plenty over here need a lesson or two in expanding their horizons and opening up their minds...


Last Word


The second test that I took last Saturday was just as worse as the first. If it could at all be possible, I'd just Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind it and have March 5th completely erased from my memory. 'Twas a bad memory that I'd like to forget. 'Twas so bad that I had to brood for the rest of the evening...hey, I was entitled. Even though nothing more could be done about the test, there was simply nothing else that could brighten my day. While hubby was out, I popped in "Message in a Bottle," cried my eyes out, and called it a day. Sometimes a gal just needs to have a good cry.


Ah, and not to forget my misstep on the sidewalk injury. After closer inspection of my knuckles, it appears that entire chunks of skin are absent. First layer? Second layer? Shoot, whatever layer I took out when I fell hurts like a mutherf*cker! Hurts when I wash the dishes, hurts when I tie my shoes, hurts when I brush my teeth and comb my hair..hell, it hurts when I'm just sitting down minding my own business. My family and hubby know that I do not handle pain well at all, but if ya'll could've seen it and feel it now, ya'll would be a complaining wuss, too.