Southerners do nothing more than smoke and live in trailer parks.
While we are toiling away on the job site, our bosses back in the main office in Montgomery, AL are sitting on the veranda drinking their mint juleps.
Black people are nothing more than hoodlum drug dealers carrying guns, and can't be trusted.
Mormons marry two or three wives, and are not willing to acknowledge ones existence if one is not a Mormon.
We live in east LA, white people can't go out at any time of the day.
Walmart is too white trash, and normal people don't shop there.
Southerners talk funny, so they must be totally uneducated idiots.
All these are things my co-worker, who is also out here from WA, has said to me in the three months we've been here. All essentially based on things he's read or heard, not actually experienced. Because he won't take the time to. It gets a little annoying. Mom has heard my gripes, I'm at my wits end. The funny thing is, when he says these things, I will essentially correct what he's saying, or say I don't agree. And he changes his tune. I didn't realize it was possible for a late 40's aged person to be so easily influenced by other people's statements. He takes at face value what someone says. On some issues, he'll research it. But others, he just believes it's correct. The two latest ones that seriously annoyed me:
1. We live in a pretty bad area, no one argues that. Maybe I've lived enough places, and experienced enough "ways of life", that this place really doesn't phase me. I know to be careful where I go, and not go anywhere other than the main road when driving at night. I also know only a handful of people are making this whole place seem bad. But he has attributed all the bad we've witnessed to all black people, and we can't go anywhere at any time. I pointed out I went to the hair cutter place in the shopping center around the corner, and his first comment was "they do white people hair!?" Why wouldn't they? Yesterday when talking to someone, he noted that he saw someone walk through an open gate at the apartments, but he was white, so it probably wasn't a big deal. Me and the other guy just kind of stopped when he said that, amazed that he did say that. The nearest grocery store is a Walmart. He's said he doesn't like shopping there because of who else goes there. Really?! For someone who swears he's not prejudiced, he sure doesn't realize he REALLY is.
2. Yesterday we were talking about Utah, and a conversation he had the other day with another guy about this other guy's bad experience living in Utah. Tim knows I'm Mormon, so why he chose to make these comments, I'll never know. But he proceeded to tell me that this other guy said Mormon's are not nice people, they didn't want to deal with him because he's not Mormon, and actually treated him bad for not being Mormon. Tim then acted as if he was now believing this was true. When I said this guy was embellishing just a little, he argued with me. I counter-argued everything he said, but who knows if he believes me, the one who has lived there. Because, you know, he's never been there and only has other people's opinions to base his on....
Basically, I am thisclose telling him what I really think of his opinions. Right now, I politely tell him what I think. It apparently hasn't crossed his mind that I claim to be a bit of a southerner, and I love the way of life in the south. So every time he makes these statements, it's offending me. I love the Pacific Northwest, and I hope to stay there for as long as possible. But there is a bit of an elitist attitude there, and he is a prime example of it. I find it sad that he can't be open to a different way of life.
On other notes, I made biscuits this morning, and they were pretty good. Tonight for dinner, it's homemade mac 'n cheese, yummy! I don't know that North Carolina is really, technically part of the south, but it's close enough. And I can't find any southern cookin' restaurants. There's a Smokey Bones, which has awesome ribs. But otherwise, I'm having to cook my own southern dishes. I am a little sad about this, but such is life. I find it funny I have to go to Seattle to have some really good southern food. I found a restaurant that has to die for biscuits and gravy, and shrimp n' grits.
We gave our notice at the apartments on Friday. I found a place that's only 12 miles from the jobsite, which will be nice. And it's a nicer area, which should make Mom feel better :-). We're moving on Feb 11th. My project manager said they'd pay to get us out of our lease, but was a little hesitant to do so. Then he, for some reason, sent us the budget for the project. After seeing what they have allotted for our living expenses, I don't feel one iota of guilt for doing this. It's almost double what they'll end up paying by the end of the project.
I think I previously reported that the first couple of months on the project pretty much sucked because the Corps team we are working with was making it as painful as possible. Well, Scott and I decided to call a meeting with them to clear the air. It turned out to be a great idea, as we all shared our thoughts, and what we hoped for for the rest of the project. Since the meeting, we have been in a much better mood with each other, and it's not nearly as confrontational as it was. That's not to say we won't have issues down the road, but at least for now, we're all seemingly on the same page. There's something to be said for partnering.
We found out a week or so ago that my company is not really looking at work at Fort Lewis any more. Further, they're not really looking at any work outside of the southeast. Which got me a little concerned. At least I have a job till October. But I will have to start thinking about my next move here pretty soon. I don't really want to stay here, I'd rather head back to Seattle. Our joint venture company would most likely have something for me to do. I think I've built up enough of a good relationship with them that, if need be, I could ask to hire on with them in some capacity. I also have a couple of connections back in Seattle I could explore. So I'm not too worried about it, but it does make me pause for a minute at the thought.
Otherwise, I still haven't found much to do here. However, I decided over the Christmas holiday that I was going to stop bumming about it and make the most of it. Right now football is my saving grace, it gives me something to watch at least. But even when there is nothing on, I still try to find something to do or watch or read. I have apparently been to the Smokey Bones enough they know my order now. But they are nice waitresses/waiters, so I can't argue. I'm going to join a fantasy baseball league, just to keep my mind occupied a little. And the project is finally going full bore, so I'm staying plenty busy with that. I will make the most of the next 10 months here.
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