Back Where I Come From

The word country has a debatable meaning. To some people it simply means a border around a certain area of land. To others it is an ethnicity, a representation, roots or pride of where they're from. It could also be a lifestyle or type of personality. Yet it also goes as a differentiation in topography where there are more trees than parking meters. Or it could be my personal favorite.... a genre of music. To anyone living in Texas it is a goal :) Whatever it be, I think that everyone has some country about them.

Now for me, country is the priceless things in life. Let me explain. I have a tendency whenever it gets above sixty degrees to not wear a shirt that day. Weird right? I've always said: "Life is too short to wear a shirt." (I should put that on a t-shirt. Irony. Yep.) Now to clarify, I'm not "that guy" who takes off his shirt any chance he can get. You know the guy who always volunteers to be on the skins team in a pick up game of basketball. Don't get me wrong, I have the goods and confidence to do so, but this shirtless motto leads back to memories of what country means to me.

Stillframe memories are one of the many things that country is to me. Everytime I come upon some stress or pressure in life, I picture myself in a canoe (shirtless), country music blaring, drinking beer on a hot summer river in Missouri. Or sitting around a campfire with my buddies, country music blaring, drinking beer. Or playing country music on a dock (shirtless) soaking up the sun, drinking beer with my buddies. There is a trend here. These are the situations that drive my passions in life. Everyone has their own set of stillframes they can pull out of the memory drive. My personality is one of "quality time spent" so when I get caught up in the hustle of life, I go back to these simplicities that motivate my actions.

Now I've been known to spontaneously drive 7-8 hours one way for a weekend float trip. People say "you're crazy" and "is that worth it?" Well just so you understand my thought process. 20 years from now, I won't remember the gas money I spent or the time in the car. But I will remember how funny it was to see my buddies flip their canoe and the worry-free feeling of having no responsibilities for a few days. To cap this thought: Carpe Diem. It is only today's date for 24 hours. It's yours to make the most of.

On a random note, the difference between a country boy and a redneck: Rednecks want attention for their lifestyle (i.e. jeans that are too tight, wallets that are too big, wearing camoflauge inappropriately, dipping for the look, shopping constantly at Wal-Mart). Country boys (and girls) just do what they love like fishing, camping, or hunting to name a few. They seek no attention for their hobbies. There has been some confusion of this in the past. Let me know what you think.

New in my life: I have a new girlfriend. Her name is Bass Pro Shops. She's what I spend all my time and money on.

[Float trip: Floating on a river in a canoe or tube, cooler full of Bush Light, country music and then camping when it gets dark. If you are confused about this, post questions below]

Share your definition/perspective of country with the world via commenting below.

Keep smilin'

JM