I'll admit that I get a little sentimental about some things. One of those things is my hometown of Memphis. As I wrap up my trip, I find myself getting nostalgic for wide streets, southern accents, and barbecue.
I miss the South so much.
Mostly I figure I miss my family and friend-family. Not the city of Memphis itself, the city I ran out of after high school. It was too small, too country, too backwards. And now as an adult I can't really tell which interpretation is true, though I can acknowledge that Memphis is most definitely home.
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| family reunion- me on the left |
There's my fams. We're all overweight. In my family, women cook, men barbecue, and everyone overeats. There is a pattern of high blood pressure and cancer, of broad shoulders and good looks. Like Memphis, we are a mix of good and bad, and at any given moment, I have no idea how to tell which side of the coin is facing up.
In my family, women don't cuss and the men play football. Everyone works hard. Everyone struggles with the effects of being overweight: bad knees. sleep apnea. heart disease. the aforementioned high blood pressure. I want off this island, folks.
After a couple of months figuring out how to keep moving on this weight loss train, I feel a sense of urgency again. I even have a "goal weight" picture that I swiped from our museum (don't ask). I sometimes wonder if folks are frustrated with my progress-- 13 pounds in 6 months isn't notable. Buuuuut there is some success there: Couch to 5K, no yo-yoing, and improved blood sugar and blood pressure. I feel good about it, but know I need to get serious about things again.
Anyhoo...see ya in Philly. More on the trip later when I'm not still on it, lol, with some anthro reviews ,Ghana pics, and a giveaway to boot.
I'm off to enjoy time with my teenaged godson and his new Greyhound.
xoxo,
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