quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
I hear Missouri is really nice, though. And they think they're in the south so you'll have plausible deniability.

I'd consider the southern quarter or so of Missouri - let's say south of Springfield - to be part of "The South".

The rest of Missouri is the Midwest.

The fire ants are the worst part.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
I can't really think of any pros right now. I hear Missouri is really nice, though. And they think they're in the south so you'll have plausible deniability.

Well now, hold on here a minute...let's think about this.

As I said earlier, I am not a native Missourian but I have lived here for 23 years now and have friends/family pretty much all over this state and that would include Springfield, Branson and even over to West Plains. I have never heard any of them refer to themselves as Southerners or being from "the south". Nope, they are from the Mid-West.

At least that's my take on it.

quote:

Originally posted by DonDraper:
The fire ants are the worst part.

I thought grits was.. . Grits is grits and I don't know what they are. I lived in both the Carolinas and never had grits.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
I like New Orleans, but it isn't like the rest of the South, or any other place. It is unique.

Likewise, East Texas is unlike the rest of Texas, more closely resembling the rest of the Deep South states on the Gulf of Mexico. They have their own, distinguishable accent. In fact, many years after leaving East Texas (living in AZ), I joined the Prescott Action Shooters club. Never having met this one man, after listening to him speak, I ventured "you are from East Texas" (declarative statement, as I was so sure). I was right, but the encounter went further. We had both lived in Texarkana in the early 1960s, attended the same church, and he was a classmate of my first girlfriend's older sister. He lived right around the corner from the girls' house, and I am surprised I never ran into him because of the amount of time I spent there.

quote:

Originally posted by DonDraper:
The fire ants are the worst part.

Chiggers are a pretty close second. I do not miss them at all.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
I can't really think of any pros right now. I hear Missouri is really nice, though. And they think they're in the south so you'll have plausible deniability.

Nothing personal against Missouri or it's citizens . I just don't consider them " Southern " . They did get themselves into the SEC and I didn't understand that either . That was probably a money thing though .

My best friend of 30 years (passed away last week) moved to Tennessee in late 2021.

He had a heart attack and quadruple bypass in Sept 2022. He always ate very healthy and smoked or grilled almost everything he ate. On the survey he had to take post surgery as he prepped for rehab had the following question and choices.

I prefer to cook with the following:
A) Lard
B) Bacon Fat

He was a bit perplexed as there were no other choices for answers, not even an 'other' selection.

As he read further he found another question

How many sticks of butter do you use cooking per week:
A) 1-2
B) 3-4
C) 5 or more

Again he was perplexed as the answer was zero.

He had quite a discussion with his therapist about how he chose to eat vs. what this survey was aimed at.

His new neighbors rallied around he and his wife during the event. He promised them a good dinner once he felt up to it. Once he did he did a variety of foods prepared on the smoker including chicken, salmon, catfish, and others. The neighbors said they'd never eaten any of those foods smoked, only deep or pan fried or chicken fried.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:

quote:

Originally posted by DonDraper:
The fire ants are the worst part.

I thought grits was.. . Grits is grits and I don't know what they are. I lived in both the Carolinas and never had grits.

grits prepared correctly, and served with butter and black pepper are delicious


shrimp n grits are good too,

Grits are amazingly versatile,

Theres good ol plain Grits
Grits n butter
Grits n Garlic with Butter
Grits N Cheese
Grits N garlic n Cheese
Grits with Shrimp
Grits with bacon
Grits with Shrimp and Bacon
Fried Grits
Sausage Eggs over Cheese Grits
Grits Casserole with Sausage, Bacon, Ham
Grits Pie

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
… Diablo Sandwich …

Tell me more, I’m listening.

Oh, i looked it up. It’s a sloppy Joe. Sounds good. I honestly had a rough time in South Carolina. The food was rather bland. Definitely not what I’m used to in Pennsyltucky.

I remember Smokey and the bandit when Buford T Justice orderd a Diablo sandwich. For 30 years I wondered what a Diablo
sandwich was, now I know. Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:

quote:

Originally posted by DonDraper:
The fire ants are the worst part.

I thought grits was.. . Grits is grits and I don't know what they are. I lived in both the Carolinas and never had grits.

grits prepared correctly, and served with butter and black pepper are delicious


shrimp n grits are good too,

YUM.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Grits are amazingly versatile,

Theres good ol plain Grits
Grits n butter
Grits n Garlic with Butter
Grits N Cheese
Grits N garlic n Cheese
Grits with Shrimp
Grits with bacon
Grits with Shrimp and Bacon
Fried Grits
Sausage Eggs over Cheese Grits
Grits Casserole with Sausage, Bacon, Ham
Grits Pie

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:

I lived in both the Carolinas and never had grits.

Sign in restaurant: "Our grits is good. Try one."

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Grits are amazingly versatile,

Theres good ol plain Grits
Grits n butter
Grits n Garlic with Butter
Grits N Cheese
Grits N garlic n Cheese
Grits with Shrimp
Grits with bacon
Grits with Shrimp and Bacon
Fried Grits
Sausage Eggs over Cheese Grits
Grits Casserole with Sausage, Bacon, Ham
Grits Pie

And grits in the garbage can. I hate them. (Don't like shrimp or cheese, either, but that wasn't the subject.)

flashguy

Pro's:

*Generally cheaper cost of living
*Generally more conservatives
*Generally more Christian/religious people
*Significantly less snow shoveling
*Typically better climate for survival in a world without electricity and propane/nat. gas (electronics)


Con's:
*Snakes (really, this is enough to just stop here)
*TOO many people, just about everywhere
*Generally those more religious people don't condone or agree with my ministry/lifestyle
*Significantly more lawn mowing and grounds maintenance
*Hot. Just stinkin' hot, pretty much everywhere, pretty much all the time. I melt at anything over +65F
*Hayfever/Allergies. Nearly something I'm allergic to is nearly always in bloom. Drugs all the time, just to take the edge off my body feeling like its dying...all the time. I hate grasses, cottonwoods, and other tree pollens.


I don't even like to visit the South anymore.

Not really a Pro or Con but an anecdote of sorts:

Born and raised in Iowa, my mom was from southern Kentucky, dad from Iowa.

Whenever as a kid we visited KY ~ my mom's accent changed to a cool slow southern belle drawl, especially evident in the gals but guys has a bit of an accent too. I loved the accent.

WHEN I first came to Houston as a teenager ~ I was shocked that none of the girls talked like that!

Could be it was because it was Houston aka big city but a bit of a disappointment nevertheless.

I ended up with a gal from Pittsburgh anyway so ...

Lived in the midwest for about 43 years. Mostly in central IL, then to the Chicago suburbs, and SE Wisconsin. Moved last year to Senoia, GA. Home of the Walking Deads. It's South of Atlanta.

I find it actually less buggy in a way than up north. No, there are more of them but they don't bother me as much. I do spray my yard myself. Got a Stihl backpack sprayer.

The heat doesn't bother me as much as I thought it might. That's what AC is for.

In my neck of the wood, there are enough mix of people from all over that I don't feel like I am in the deep south. Southern accent is worst when you go north toward Kentucky/Tennessee.

The pollen is little weird to get used to in the spring. Everything gets yellow!

There are churches everywhere...and strangely enough, no real neighborhood bars. And you can't buy hard liquors at the stores here(only wine and beer). 3 package liquor stores in the county.

There is not a decent chinese or pizza place to be had. Seriously! How are there not one midwest transplant pizza restaurant or a decent chinese place. Panda Express is better than what I have found. North of Atlanta have some good chinese place.

Overall, I love that things aren't all grey and dead in the winter. There are more daylight during the winter down here. Cars don't rust like they do up north. I am 4 hours from the beaches in the gulf. Frankly, I like not having to layer up like Randy from Christmas Story in the winter. I love I get to play pickleball all year around.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
I like New Orleans, but it isn't like the rest of the South, or any other place. It is unique.

Likewise, East Texas is unlike the rest of Texas, more closely resembling the rest of the Deep South states on the Gulf of Mexico. They have their own, distinguishable accent. In fact, many years after leaving East Texas (living in AZ), I joined the Prescott Action Shooters club. Never having met this one man, after listening to him speak, I ventured "you are from East Texas" (declarative statement, as I was so sure). I was right, but the encounter went further. We had both lived in Texarkana in the early 1960s, attended the same church, and he was a classmate of my first girlfriend's older sister. He lived right around the corner from the girls' house, and I am surprised I never ran into him because of the amount of time I spent there.

True, there are several distinct cultures and accents in Texas. West Texas, Deep East Texas, and the Valley are as different from one another as many states are.

But New Orleans still takes the cake as far as being unlike any other place.

(I've never liked grits. I don't like any porridge or gruel. I am not a medieval peasant.)

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
(I've never liked grits. I don't like any porridge or gruel. I am not a medieval peasant.)

Well, bless your heart!