Getting my redneck on

My conversion to North Alabama culture has officially begun (6 years after moving here…yes, I’ve been fighting it).  Normally, I get something electronic or musical for Christmas (XBOX, PS3, new guitar, etc.).  But this year, Stacey got me a Benelli Supernova shotgun:  pump action, 28″ barrel, chambered for 3 1/2″ shells, modular barrel system (insert Tim Allen grunting here).

Now all I need is a new fishing pole and a pickup truck.

I know, I know.  But what can I do?  I’ve been fighting the conversion for years.  I’ve held on to my suburban Atlanta upbringing as long as possible.  Basicallly, hunting/fishing was not a huge part of my culture growing up.  My culture consisted of video games, BMX bikes, Transformers, playing an instrument, and the Apple IIe computer.  Sure, I went fishing once in a blue moon and actually managed to go camping every year (which I loved).  I even had a BB gun.

But beyond camping, mountain biking, and gen-X things like that, I never had much interest in things like hunting or fishing as a regular activity (neither did most of my friends).  In fact, I was the suburban kid who freaked out when my neighbor hung 4 deer from a line in his backyard and skinned them.  I mean…that FREAKED-ME-OUT to see 4 skinned carcasses hanging between the trees at my neighbor’s house (I was ten years old at the time, so give me a break…the grossest thing I’d seen before that was roadkill).  I was the kid who thought the most excitement you could have while fishing was catching a crappy on Lake Lanier while fishing at night with a flashlight (which, apparently, was illegal..who knew??).  To me, venison was like sushi – an exotic thing that people only ate in other countries (counties).  Turkey came in a bag from the store and duck was something only found on the menu at Chinese restaurants.

But today, more of my friend are into hunting than mountain biking…more into fishing than video games.  While those things are still cool (and I can’t foresee giving them up any time soon..duh), the reality is you tend to do what your friends like to do.

But I’m still not listening to country music.  You can’t make me.

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