How is life slower down south?

[MagicalMom]

Probably a realy stupid question, but I've always wondered. How is it slower? You still have to get to work, get home, make dinner, get groceries, run errands, make appointments, run the kids here & there, etc, etc. I just don't see how it can be that different. I know, I know stupid question.

 

[Beauty]

You know what my first thought was, WE DON'T RUN UP ESCALATORS! I'll never forget Washington D.C. and the people running up the escalators.

Other than that I don't know. Maybe smaller towns with less time commuting. I honestly don't know.

 

[MinnieM3]

It's too freakin' HOT for us to move fast.....unless we're running for air conditioning!

 

[Hollyann]

I know that the pace has picked up....

In a work environment, conversations are usually started by asking about the person you are conversing with - and their family....usually, we don't jump into the business end of the conversation first.

I live in a smaller town outside of a big city. A lot of people I work with know our customer's parents - heck even their grand parents. Thre are lots of relatives working in the business or something related to the business.

A HUGE advantage of where I work in the south - I wear shorts to work and the business is right next door to an awesome Bar-B-Q restaurant.

I've lived further north (always below the Mason Dixon Line - not deliberately, but it just happened that way) and I'll take the slower pace of the south anyday!

Ya'll have a great evenin'

 

[holycow]

because it is so dang hot you don't want to move!!!!

(this coming from a Californian who doesn't care for humidity!

Holycow

 

[doxdogy]

Amen to that statement! It is 9:45 and it is still 90 degrees with a heat index of 98 degrees according to Weatherbug.

because it is so dang hot you don't want to move!!!!

(this coming from a Californian who doesn't care for humidity!

Holycow

 

[Beauty]

Its over 90 here too, I never thought of that reason but its a dag-namad good one...LOL!

 

[grinningghost]

Well, as you'll see by my tag, I'll always be a Yankee (even though I tried like heck to be a southerner) , and the one thing I notice when I travel in the south is people MOVE slower and they definitely TALK slower.

It's like, the waitress takes your order, and she says would.........you.........like........grits.......with.......that? (in a wonderful southern twang)

And it's like "NoIdon'tknowwhatagritisandifyouputitonmyplateImayfreakoutuncontrollably!"

But despite the slow pace, I still wish I could be a southerner.

 

[Miss Kelly]

Well, as you'll see by my tag, I'll always be a Yankee (even though I tried like heck to be a southerner) , and the one thing I notice when I travel in the south is people MOVE slower and they definitely TALK slower.

It's like, the waitress takes your order, and she says would.........you.........like........grits.......with.......that? (in a wonderful southern twang)

And it's like "NoIdon'tknowwhatagritisandifyouputitonmyplateImayfreakoutuncontrollably!"

But despite the slow pace, I still wish I could be a southerner.

 

[Aidensmom]

they definitely TALK slower.

I was born a yankee, and my DH is from a long line of southerners. I am constantly telling him to "just spit it out" when he is talking to me. I can ask him what he wants for dinner, and it takes at least 10 minutes to get the answer. Not only does he talk slow, he has a whole elaborate story for every little thing.

 

[lillygator]

the pace is slower....no need to RUSH!

 

[tiggersmom2]

Not only does he talk slow, he has a whole elaborate story for every little thing.

OMG!!!! My hubby tells a HUGE story about everything and........don't let him near alcohol......it will take him 30 minutes to tell you about that damn deer!

 

[Beauty]

For example Up North, Did it rain?
Answer - Yes

Down here Did it rain?
Answer - Well I saw that dark cloud and it went around the barn, the wind picked up and I could see that it was raining over there in Hollandale (a town about 10 miles away). Then it circled back around the other side, and I was thinkin boy could my beans use some rain. I could hear it thundering and I could see the lightening and I just knew it was comin our way. Then it finally rained about two drops and then stopped.

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

It's like, the waitress takes your order, and she says would.........you.........like........grits.......with.......that? (in a wonderful southern twang)

And it's like "NoIdon'tknowwhatagritisandifyouputitonmyplateImayfreakoutuncontrollably!"

People do seem to talk a lot faster the farther north we've gone.

 

[Hollyann]

For example Up North, Did it rain?
Answer - Yes

Down here Did it rain?
Answer - Well I saw that dark cloud and it went around the barn, the wind picked up and I could see that it was raining over there in Hollandale (a town about 10 miles away). Then it circled back around the other side, and I was thinkin boy could my beans use some rain. I could hear it thundering and I could see the lightening and I just knew it was comin our way. Then it finally rained about two drops and then stopped.

Don't forget your great-aunt's bean recipe. It just can't be beat. Why every time I bring it to Louise's house - you know Louise? We went to college together. She married Bobby from over Potucket? Anyway, we get together every month since college. Well, every time we DO go, I bring great-aunt Lily's bean recipe. Yes, I do wish it would rain.....


....such is life in the south!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Goodness gracious, Yall!!!

Unfortunately, life here has sped up a lot... too much influence from all the Yankee transplants! LOL!!!

But really, things are a little slower here.... As I think they should be... What's the danged rush!!! (running UP the esalators )

And, in small rural areas, there are some 'slow talkers'. However, I think that Northerners can talk too fast!!! No social cues or interaction or courtesys at all. I mean, last time I was 'up North' we were at a restaurant, and I had just picked up the menu at an unfamiliar restaurant... and may have wanted a minute to decide, or even to ask the waitress about one or two of the dishes served... Waitress flys by, like she is on danged roller-skates and says, very quickly, "What'll-it-be" or "What'll-you-have" or something... I just felt pressured and rushed and like she was rude... I am paying for her time, not the other way around....

Funny thing though... this happened several times, and by the end of the meal the waitresses had realized that we were from the South, and were very friendly, etc... and they had hit their brakes and slowed down considerably, smiling, asking about where we were from, etc...

It doesn't take long to get addicted to the slower friendlier pace! Just ask the thousands of 'transplants' that live in my area now!

 

[jipsy]

As you can see from my tag, I'm from Alabama but I live in Massachusetts.

People up here have a "me first" attitude. They are always in such a hurry to get everywhere, they are really rude driving. Even my BF (who was born and raised in Massachusetts) gets ticked off at the "me first" mindset.

Here's the difference in pace of how I grew up down south vs. how he grew up in the north:

When we go out to eat up here, he wants the menu as soon as he sits down. He expects the waitress to be in front of him taking his order in less than two minutes. He expects his food in about 10. As soon as we are both finished eating he wants to pay the check and GO! And he is ALWAYS the first one to finish eating and picks on me for being a slow eater.

I don't care if it takes a few minutes for a menu, but I still don't understand why restaurants up here don't give you a glass of water without you asking for it. Please don't ask me if I'm ready to order 47 seconds after you handed me the menu, and then when I tell you I need a minute or two, disappear for 15 minutes before you actually take my order. Don't snatch my plate out from under me without asking me if I am through because I might not be. You really don't have to clear the table until after I leave. And don't rush me with the check; I want to sit after dinner and enjoy my coffee or drink and chat a little.

And learn how to make sweet tea, damn it!

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I speak so slowly that my DH often gives me the silent signal for "wrap it up!" I've had men tell me that they love the way I talk.

My father was a great story teller. Every time he had an audience he would hold them captive with his tall tales.

Lori

 

[chrissyk]

I wouldn't say "slower". I'd say "less-stressed". We still do all of the same things, but the commutes are MUCH shorter and with much less traffic for one thing. For another, we're not fighting horrid weather 9 months a year. It feels less like survival and more like living down here. Also, in the north all of my friends and neighbors were struggling just to pay the very basic bills because the cost-of-living is so high. Here I have yet to have a neighbor tell me that they can't afford the groceries this week because the house payment is due. Financial stress seems to be lower here...all stress seems to be lower here. I love it and I wouldn't go back north for a million bucks!

 

[Southern4sure]

Ya'll are cracking me up..............

I think people in the south do get rushed and are pressured with all the activities/chores mentioned. But southerners are still slower because we like to chit chat. Life is hectic enough, slow down and enjoy the small things.

My experience yesterday: 1 grits girl (me) and 3 New York girls and 1 New Jersey girl go shopping. Grits girl is driving. Im complimented (I hope)...Im drving like a New Yorker..WOO HOO We go to lunch...grits girl loves to talk, northern girls eat faster than grits girl. Northern girls start chit chatting while waiting for grits girl to finished eating and lunch takes us 2 1/2 hours. I think I'm rubbing off on 'em.....