An Iowa Rant (Or Rave...You Decide)

I spend a lot of time thinking about why we get such a bad wrap for living in Iowa.

No respect from the rest of the country, I  tell ya!

Don't ask me why. There are plenty of more relevant things that could occupy my brain,

but it has a mind of its own sometimes :), and this is where it goes.

Were it still 1977, I could see how us midwesterners could be 

viewed as backwards, behind the times and just plain, not cool.

Or, not as cool as those right and left coasters.

But this is 2012.

We do have the internet, and even TV (gasp!)

in little ole' Iowa.

An airport that allows us to travel to other places to discover...oh my goodness...that the

more different we are, the more we are the same.

So let me set the record straight...

Yes, there are farms, and pigs, and cows.

Okay, a lot of them.

No, we don't all live on one...a farm I mean. Not a pig.

We have small cities and large towns.

Suburbs even.

No, we don't drive tractors to school or work.

We don't all wear overalls, we don't all rope steer.

We don't tip cows for entertainment,

and every road is not gravel, 

despite how movies like to portray it.

What do we have?

Bear with me...I am a girl who loves fashion and style, so this is where this is going.

Sephora, large department stores (okay, no Nordstrom yet), Whole Foods,

nearly every chain clothing store you can think of and nearly every chain restaurant too.

Strip malls and soccer fields.

Starbucks and super stores.

Large universities and small private colleges, respected around the world.

Does that make Iowa special? Nope!

It makes it just like every place else.

What makes it special is the people

 (laid back, friendly, unpretentious)

Farmers, yes. But also entrepreneurs, yogis,

industry leaders, small business owners, writers, singers, artists and more.

Wide open spaces.

Big yards, grass, trees, green space, fertile fields and clean lakes.

Incredible schools with high functioning students who are attractive to colleges all over the 

country because of their midwest work ethic.

Wonderful local restaurants from small town diners

 (my personal fave, I'll be honest!)

to 5-Star fine dining.

Eclectic boutiques and galleries, quaint farmers markets and festivals.

Not too different from where you live, I presume.

Unless, of course, you dwell in the middle of a city.

Even then.

Today, one town is every town.

Parts of the country have their own feel, but people are people

no matter where you put them.

So please stop asking me if I have electricity.

Don't ask if this is the state that has the potatoes (that's I-da-ho, not I-o-wa)

Don't call it the fly-over state.

Don't call me a hick or think because I live in a small town that I am small minded.

Stop in.

You might be surprised.

Best do it in the summer, though. Only the strong can take the winters.

My Iowa peeps...I hope this helps.

But I imagine you get the same thing if you are from Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri,

North or South Dakota, Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma and any other midwest state.

So consider this one for you too.

You're welcome :)