Is that a meat cleaver around your neck?

I think teaching a lot of technology is fine.

Let’s teach more geography to accompany that.  That would be great!

As I plopped a massive load of grits down on the conveyer belt at the La Junta, Colorado Safeway I had to look like a crazed prepper.  Instead, I suppose I looked like something else to the person checking that day.

“Wow, you must be a chef or something?”  He exclaimed!

“Um, no, why do you ask?”  I replied.

“Cause you’re wearing a meat cleaver necklace with a heart in the middle of it!” He answered.

“This is the state of Oklahoma. It’s where I’m from; it’s a charm of the state of Oklahoma.”  I sighed.

Oh boy, let’s wind up the redhead and watch her head pop off now.  I got into the car and pounded out the numbers to call Hubster Chad.  He is an awesomely patient man who simply listens.

I just really couldn’t believe that a grown man didn’t recognize one of the more recognizable states.  I understand that we Okies often think the world of our state and that everyone must know about it.  It IS in the middle of the dang map.  It’s kind of the focal point when you look at a map of the United States.  It’s kind of as obvious as a fart in church.  It’s a state that touches the state of Colorado; I figured that all breathing, driving, working, eating, sleeping, voting Coloradans would recognize it as a state not a meat bashing utensil. 

Teaching geography isn’t as important anymore when you’ve got a phone with an AP that will chirp at you where to go, when to turn, when to re-route.  I think the best thing we can do for our kids is to give them a real, old-fashioned paper map and teach them how to use it.  

Ok, so maybe people just don’t pay attention to maps anymore to be able to recognize those highly recognizable states like…..California, Florida, Texas, and OKLAHOMA.

Oklahoma is the 47^th state.  Oklahoma means red people in Choctaw.  Oklahoma is home to the end of the trail of tears where the five civilized Native American tribes were re-located to Indian Territory.  The state is diverse with lush, green rolling hills in the Northeast with Lakes throughout, Glass Mountains in the Northwest, prairies throughout and a lot of history and culture to boot.  Speaking of boots, Oklahoma has bragging rights to some pretty famous Cowboys.  Country music artists Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton, Vince Gill, Reba, Carrie Underwood, Ronnie Dunn, and Toby Keith are just a few names you might recognize and they’re all Okies.  By the way, Okie is a nickname for folks born in the Sooner state.  The Sooner state was a term out of the Oklahoma land run when cheaters tried to go ahead and stake out better land BEFORE the official start of the land run.  It is also the mascot of the team for the University of Oklahoma.  I could go on and on because I’m just a few decades short of being the crazy cat lady who drinks on the porch but I’ll save the complete Oklahoma lesson for another day.  Lucky you. 

Now my kid knows that I’m passionate about knowing where you came from and being able to pass along the knowledge to your kids.  I can just hear her now “Oh brother, here we go!”  Seriously, y’all stay with me.  I hope many of you feel as passionately as I do about the wrought and worry concerning the waning interest in our country, our states, and our communities.  

Even Hannah’s fourth grade teacher a couple of years back pointed to a map with her finger on the state of Nebraska and told the class “…and we’ll be learning about Oklahoma tomorrow…”  Uh, watchu talkin ‘bout Willis?

 

Thank God, Hannah knew the difference.  And it wasn’t just thanks to the mention of such so-called flyover-states in many a country song, thank you to Jason Aldean who basically sang that those fly-over states produce DAMN good things that each of you needs.  My fly-over home state that apparently is mistaken for a meat cleaver produces a lot of meat actually, BEEF, it's what's for dinner.  The natural gas and oil are useful too.

 

I am concerned about living in a society where people are more familiar with the latest tweets of the Kardashians than the location of states.  You can’t mandate people pay attention.  You can’t do it and you shouldn’t.  But isn’t it a shame that my story is one of many of head slapping moments today?  Come on now.  You know you’ve heard crazy stuff like this and shook your head.  If I keep hearing stuff like this I’m sure my head will shake until it twists around and my eyes will tilt up and down and make that “woooo woooo ga” sound.

Turn Mama lose, she’s done gone and lost it!!!

But take away that meat cleaver first.

~Anne Boswell Taylor
#LearnMuchGeography,