ALL I REALLY KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT MY BUNAD IS FROM STAVANGER

I may very well live in the reddest state in the Union. Most definitely the reddest of communities. Thankfully, the Internet machine has made it possible for me to connect with others who may not have had such a decidedly conservative upbringing... of course here we just call it "wholesome."

(Yes, that's right, G-d lives just next door and comes over for dinner regularly. Actually, I don't mind G-d. He's a good friend of the family. It's some of his fan club that get on my nerves.)

But my point is that if you'd told me 10, even 5 years ago, that I would have more interest in a world that only exists for me on a computer screen, I would have been shocked. Would have probably laughed at you and said, "You just don't know the real me."

It's interesting, Young Lovers, how we think we know who we are, try to be so consciously aware of it. When maybe it isn't something static? Maybe we are in constant flux?

I like to think I'm an artistic, open minded, kind hearted human being. I like to think I appreciate people, no matter their circumstances and walk of life. But some days......

Well here's some of what I've encountered in my real life community over the weekend...

THE FESTIVAL

Our town does this thing on the first Friday night of the month. It got delayed due to bad weather this time, and was actually last Friday night. Alas, Young Lovers, Raley Blue is not a highly social creature. True, I'm fun, I like people, I'm talkative if we're talking, but on the main, I tend to be quite shy and retiring. Especially in crowds. I am the girl in sequins with the sparkly headband sitting quietly in the corner with her drink at the fabulous party. I most likely will not engage you unless you come sit by me. Of course then... watch out! ;) But obviously, you can guess that going to the First Friday Fest is not marked in red on the calendar.

This is a cardboard cut-out of a Traditional Norwegian Bunad. It was made by my very own KatBlue in her art class for an assignment that was supposed to reflect her own cultural heritage. She would like me to note that this is a Hardanger Bunad and not a Stavanger Buanad, which is our actual ancestral bunad. She could not find a pic of the Stavanger to work from, so she had to make do. See how she suffers for her art? I'm so proud. ;) And it's lovely too, isn't it?

Her ART teacher thought so as well and put it in a display in conjunction with a local industry that wanted to display young people's artwork as a way of interacting with the community. Ok, fellow artist, creative, introvert types, are you starting to feel my hell, yet?

So, yes, of course, I went to First Friday. This hell was compounded by the fact that I was in Day 2 of a particularly virulent cold virus that had practically laid my bod to waste. But this is my girl, and I love and support her 1,000,000%, so I doped it up and off we went. I also gave my mom a call to let her know her grandkiddo was doing something cool and that she might wanna make an appearance.

Well, we got there and the local paper editor's garage band was in full swing. The local vendors were doing their thing. Duck is very popular here. There was duck on a cracker. Seriously. There were also live pigs. Sonny met up with a few of his friends and chased a pig around the courthouse square.

You think I'm kidding don't you?

Oh, but I'm not. This is my town. It boasts a population of about 14,000 in town, proper. It's the biggest thing for 50 miles in any direction. This is it, folks. This is as good as it gets. My head hurt so much (possibly due to the cough medicine), that I just gave up and sat down on a bench with BabyBoy and watched the hijinks ensue.

Kat and Peng spotted TheNannyGranny across the square and took off with her for a while. Axl found some BBQ pig he could eat with his hands. The band played Mustang Sally with a jazz element. That was it for me. I was done.

But TheNannyGranny appeared and snatched BabyBoy to run off and dance. "We can't leave now, there's a band!"

I tried to warn her. She doesn't read the paper. She had no idea what she was in for. Until it was too late.

"Wait! You're Republicans?!" It was a moment heard all over the square and echoed down the brick street.

Yes, we still have brick streets here. Original. Brick. Streets. Sounds idyllic, I know.

And you don't even know about the two, yes, two Google-able book burnings that have occurred in the last 90 years. One was as recent as the 70's. For realz. One by the Library trustees, who found a former citizen's work to be leftist and obscene. The other by a local senior citizens group, who burned a book in what they called a divine rejection of teachings that may lead to a pro choice, hedonistic approach to morality. There is no funny business tolerated in this town.

OK, so if you've been following this blog at all, I'm sure you can see why someone as RAINBOWLICIOUSLYGLITTERIFFIC as myself, is not exactly considered a municipal treasure. It's a little hard for me to fit in because I am a dreamer, a believer that our world can be a kinder gentler place, kinda *whispers* liberal. But then, I look around me and see that this is the kindest, gentlest place I could find to raise my kids. If this town wasn't the way it is, they wouldn't get those benefits. So there goes all that stuff about who I think I am.

Kinda funny isn't it?

Tell me in the comments what you know for certain about yourself and why? I think I may need some guidance....

                                <3 FROM ME 2 YOU, LOVE, RALEY BLUE  <3