"Friday's here! And that means the weekend's ALMOST here! "

I'm pretty sure Friday has come and gone. Heck, it is Sunday in most of the world.

For the record, residents of South Carolina are know as South Carolinians ;] (want a weird one? Charleston residents are called Charlestonians (pronounced with "stone" in the middle)).

I like your choice of song :] It certainly is catchy! Thank you for sharing it. I tried finding some songs myself, but couldn't find any with South Carolina in the title. Guess I didn't look well enough.

As far as the confed flag in front of the capital building goes, I have no idea why it's there. I live on the outskirts of "civilization" in Columbia, so I often see big trucks with confederate flag stickers (and very long antennas (which I don't understand either))
I do not agree with it being in front of the capital steps at all because of the negative connotations it implies and, of course, because it is offensive to some. I know a giant one (like seriously...it was ginormous) used to fly above a pawn shop just off the interstate and was taken down probably because of complaints.

[Forrest Gump]That-that's about it.[/Forrest Gump]

On the flag issue: it is one of those election deals which motivates a very vocal minority (versus the rest of us with come degree of couth which are the somewhat passive majority). That being said, we are still pretty big on state's rights, and even at a local level hate the state government, and even the city governemt. Despite these feelings, no one really wants to rise again, but instead misplace their feelings behind a flag they believe represents this, but don't realize that the confederate flag wasn't placed over the state house until the early 60s (same with the confederate flag on most southern states not being present until the late 50s-60s). Point being, most folks don't realize that it hasn't been there forever, and was put up in defiance of Brown v Board of Ed and the civil right's movement, and if they realized this, would back down. We aren't crazy just easily influenced by politicians about facts (similar to the whole country and global warming http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/02/climate-change-politics/ ).


Still, if you want history, we are your place. Charleston has been around forever and fought major battles besides Fort Sumter. If you want food, Charleston is also your place with countless James Beard Award winners and last year's Bon Appetit's best new restaurant. Oh, and Charleston is also the most polite, best-looking (GQ), best city in north america to visit (Conde Nast), third best city in the world to visit (Conde Nast?), best tennis town, and arguably the best place to eat (my opinion). And Stephen Colbert is from here.

My preferred South Carolina song:

John Linnell's South Carolina

Sometimes it is uncomfortably weird here. Most of the time it's just weird.
I did a poetry event in Edgefield, SC at, of all things, the Strom Thurmond museum where the term Jim Crow was put in quotes like so, "Jim Crow" laws, as if they weren't real. One of my friends who performed that night had ancestors who been slaves in the town. He played and sang a very beautiful piece about healing. Then, the next woman to go up after him spoke about "the war of northern aggression." Facepalm.
Some things here, especially with the older generation, are habit. I don't think they consider, let alone believe, some of the things they do. They just do them. Like routine. That doesn't make it right (in fact it makes it worse in some ways), but it does make it changeable. People just need to let loose of whatever weird pride is making them cling to things like the rebel flag. The good news is that the younger generation carries little to none of that hurtful/ignorant sort of "southern pride." In fact, they don't understand it at all and don't care about it one lick, which makes me, as a teacher, very, very happy.

MathUhhhSaurus wrote:For the record, residents of South Carolina are know as South Carolinians ;]

I think you meant to write South Cackalackians

I lived up and down the east coast of the Carolinas from my early teens through my mid twenties.

Best thing about South Carolina: The people.

Worst thing about South Carolina: The people.

Most unexpected event: Listening to the hot female news anchor repeatedly using the word "Spoleto" in her charming Charlestonian accent.

Biggest disappointment: Learning that "Spoleto" was some kind of arts festival.

Best places to be: Myrtle Beach in the summer at night, in a club with a roof-top bar. Myrtle Beach in the winter in the daytime, walking the deserted beach. Lake Marion, fishing for bass. Can-AM festival in NMB. Charleston Farmer's Market. USC-Coastal gym for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling.

Worst places to be: Myrtle Beach in the spring, during a hurricane. The Boardwalk in August. The Boardwalk during Biker's Week. The Boardwalk. The Pavilion. Horry County Jail. Anyplace in the vicinity of Aynor.

RWoodward wrote:
Best thing about South Carolina: The people.

Worst thing about South Carolina: The people.

To be fair, you can make that argument about pretty much anywhere.

Rosewood wrote:"Friday's here! And that means the weekend's ALMOST here! "

I'm pretty sure Friday has come and gone. Heck, it is Sunday in most of the world.

Mea culpa. I screwed up the blog scheduler when I posted this.

Myrtle Beach is very nice! Charlotte is great, too.
As far as the confed flag.. I know here in MS (on the coast, anyways) we joke about the war of 'northern aggression' and silly things that will cause the south to rise again ("I opened this stubborn jar of pickles! The south will rise again!!"), but we are joke. That being said, there are definietly the more hardcore types who let the flag wave proudly, right next to their shot guns and camo gear. I can't speak for the northern part of the state, which is much more rural, but just from passing through this seems to be the case.

Another South Cackalackian here...
Also... another teacher...

Best thing about SC... My wife and kid are here...

Worst thing about SC... The education system and what the Pinky state government thinks will fix it... I swear if I see one more article or news story bashing our teachers and asking for paycuts/salary based on student performance I will quit and move up north.

I work at a title 1 elementary school. We struggle each day simply getting them in the classroom. We struggle each day on manners and communication and basic learning that most k-5 kids learn in the home. We struggle each day to even contact our student's parents when they don't pick them up after school. ...and the state wants our pay to reflect their grades... I "get" what they are trying to say with that line of thinking but different populations of students require COMPLETELY different approaches to teaching. We have learned that the testing of No Kid Left Behind is way off base and misses the point. So now why do we try and further that mindset by basing pay on it... and how does that affect a teacher like me, who teaches art...
Does a lazy teacher at the school of rich kids next door deserve more money than me because her students make higher grades on day one with no input than mine likely will at the end of the year.

...

sorry... rant over.
South Carolina is a lovely state.