Blogtember Kickoff!

I know everyone thinks that Labor Day is the official end of Summer, but not in my world. I'm really interested to see how Fall plays out in the South.  It's my favorite time of year, but I have a feeling I'm in for a verrrrry different experience than I'm used to. So long live Summer, for a little bit longer (but i WILL judge you for wearing white shoes).

Today's Blogtember Topic is: 

Tuesday, Sept. 3: Describe where or what you come from. The people, the places, and/or the factors that make up who you are.

Anybody who knows me, knows I'm obsessed with my hometown/state.

I know you're probably thinking it's some awesome place like Colorado, or Wyoming. But no, it's the most underrated state in all the land:

Growing up here, I wanted nothing more than to get out. I didn't apply to any colleges in the Pacific OR Mountain time zones (Idaho is both, FYI) because I wanted to live in a real city. Now that I've been gone for awhile (if you want to call eight years awhile) I really understand how lucky I was to grow up here. Everything about Idaho is better than where anyone else grew up. Everything I ate came from a Farmer's Market, my Mom's garden, the town Bison ranch, or the countless neighbors who spent their summers salmon fishing in Alaska. In the summer, we took out the boat, went to the beach, went hiking and backpacking all the time.  In the winter, instead of having P.E. in school, we had Thursdays off and we went up to the local ski resort and took lessons. There are a ton of amazing athletes including Olympians and X Games champions who came from good old Sandpoint High School. And plenty of celebrities who call this place their second home as well (google Ben Stein and Sandpoint when you get a chance, the man LOVES this town). 

Being from a small town really has shaped the person that I am today. In Sandpoint, you don't go to the grocery store in anonymity. With less than eight thousand people in town, there are always familiar faces. Obviously this can be good and bad- if you ever watched Gilmore Girls growing up, I basically lived in Stars Hollow. 

I think that living in a small town makes you more sympathetic to those around you. When you know everyone, you feel more responsibility to help out. And when your parents know every cop in town, you know better than to get in trouble. 

I have never known suburban life. I've lived in huge cities and small towns, and I plan to keep it that way. While I probably would never move back (not a lot of job opportunities in advertising, unfortunately) I love that I can always escape to the most perfect little town up in the mountains, a billion miles away from everything and everyone.