Happy Friday everyone!
We’ve made it through another week. Luckily, this shorter week really made the days fly by and only today felt like I was watching the clock, waiting for the weekend.
Ry and I are headed to a party my agency is throwing in MKE (Milwaukee, WI for those of you who don’t know) tomorrow night. Staying at the Kimpton, probably watching the Notre Dame game at a bar in the 3rd Ward. The usual. Will report back sometime next week. Other than that, just hoping it’s another productive weekend filled with meal planning,laundry, reading, watching the first Packers game (#GoPackGo) and continuing to clean up that budget of ours. Fun stuff, I know guys. I go hard.
Anyway…
This post is going up a bit late, but it wouldn’t be me if it wasn’t just slightly late, right? Right.
I just felt like this post needed to be written. These things need to be said.One of the many reasons I started blogging and threw “Midwest” in the title of my blog was to try and be a voice of the modern heartland woman. Modern. Meaning, probably not the stereotypes that are passed around in the media or elsewhere. Of course, I’m just one small voice in millions in the Midwest, so if you feel anything needs to be added to this list – please let me know! I’m interested in what you guys think are the most annoying stereotypes we get too.
1. We’re all farmers.
My uncle is a farmer. I grew up across the street from a farm. Many kids I went to school with came from generations of farmers and some became farmers as adults. TBH, I love farms (makes sense – I love animals), but I dislike generalizing an entire population.
2. We have funny accents.
We definitely say things a bit differently, especially depending on where you live in the Midwest (a Chicagoan accent is very different than a Minnesotan accent, which is different from a Wisconsin accent). But guess who else has a funny accent? EVERYONE. I mean, we’ve all met someone from New Jersey or New York, orchatted with a Cali guy?
3. We’re backwards.
Ugh, I hate this stereotype. Just because Ilive between two coasts doesn’t mean I’m out of touch with what’s going on in the world, culturally, politically or otherwise.
4. Wehave outdated style.
Please. Have we seen some of the fashion bloggers who live around these parts? Oh, you haven’t? Well here are just a few:
- Sequins and Stripes
- The Chambray Bunny
- Regally Soled
- Sabby Style
- Charmingly Styled
- Wit & Delight (okay, they’rebasically just lifestyle – but they’re so cool!)
- Blake Von D
5. We all enjoy the frozen tundra and refuse to leave it.
While I absolutely love a romantic snowfall around Christmas time, the frozen tundra that is January, February, March and occasionally April are THE WORST THING EVER.
“If everyone hates it so much, why don’t they just move?”
Have you seen the Midwest in the summertime? Or in the Fall? Or earlier Winter? This is such a beautiful place to live, it makes the winter season bearable.
6. No one interesting lives in the heartland.
Oh, puh-lease. Didn’t you just see all the bloggers I mentioned? No? Alright, well here are a few other “cool” peeps who call the Midwest home:
- The late Prince, who called Minnesota home.
- The billionnaire Warren Buffet lives humbly in Omaha, Nebraska.
- Meanwhile, Lebron lives in a $9.2 million mansion in Ohio.
- John Cusack prefer to hang out in Chicago (when he’s not working).
- Not to mention these 20 midwesterners who changed the world.
7.There’s nothing to do in Middle America.
Well where are you in the Midwest? My guess is no matter where you are, there’s more to do than you think. In a city? Well, you know there’s options. In a smaller area? Visit a local cafe or secondhand store, or take a walk around. You’re bound to find some beauty.
8.We discriminate.
Why does it seem like the weird, racist, terrible shit is the stuff the media likes to focus on when it features the Midwest? Like everywhere in the world, we have not-so-good-people living around here, just like we have incredible and way-too-nice people living here too. It’s a melting pot, much like the rest of America.
9.The Midwest is just farms and backwoods.
Have you seen the incredible architecture in Chicago? Or visited the biking paths in Twin Cities? Or walked the streets of Madison (especially during a Badger game)? No? Well, then please don’t talk.
10. Nothing of note happens in the Midwest.
Need I remind you of #6. No, okay how about this? Or this is currently happening. And this happened too. Then there’s always this.
Any other heartlanders haveanything to add?