An Atlanta frame of mind

I know I only lived in NC for four years (weren't we lucky to get the same city twice on our billets!!), but some of the Atlantan ways of doing things have fallen by the wayside...they are all back! I honestly don't know if that is a good thing or not though...hum?

First and most important to me, I've gotten my "southern" back. I honestly never thought I had a southern accent, my northern friends would be scoffing at me right now...but it was never pronounced in a Scarlet O'Hara type way. The main times I would "go southern on you" were when I was mad or super excited. The faster I talked...the more pronounced my accent became. Which is a little weird for the southern accent, since it has such a drawl to it. Not mine! I think that accounts to my peppy personality though. ;)
We were at Northside yesterday (for a LONG time) for an infusion yesterday, and it was packed! I of course start talking to the women around me. All of us "high-riskers" have to stick together for the sanity of bedrest and scariness of the NICU. The main lady I was talking to (she had IC and IUGR) will also be scheduled to deliver in June, and she was from Michigan. First thing she commented on was my accent! I have noticed that hanging out around family, especially Ian's side that is from small south Georgia towns, it has brought mine out. And I welcome it back! Yay! I might be biased, but I think the southern accent carries with it the charm and carefree days of yester-year. It's relaxing, comforting and just erases anything that is complicated.
Another thing I've noticed I've been doing is noting distance to different places in miles again instead of minutes. In Wilmington, whenever anyone asked how long it took to get to something, the answer was almost always either 15 -20 minutes. (unless you were heading over to the far end of the county or the bridge was up letting in a boat off the Cape Fear). But in Atlanta, you never know how long it will take you to go just 5 miles. It could take 5 minutes, or it could take 30. We use miles around here. How far is it to the Town Center Mall? 10 miles. How far is to Turner Stadium? 27 miles. How far is it to Hartsfield/Jackson Airport? 34 miles. If you asked how long it took to get to any of those....the answers would vary from 10 minutes to 2 hours and you would recieve a question back. What time are you planning on leaving? If it is in between 6am and 10am...stay home. If it is between 3:30pm and 7:30pm...stay home. Or bring a frisbee or football and join in the game of the 9 lane parking lot we call I-75. :)