No Place Like Home

When I first thought about moving out of state, it thrilled me. When I found out that we were moving only to South Carolina, I thought, "No problem. What is the difference in North and South- they are both still Carolina?"
I was way off in assuming that a simple three hour journey would be just like home. In three short hours from the place that I have lived my entire life- I feel that I have found myself landing in Oz; without the company of three adoring men.
Everything here costs more. It isn't even just a penny here or there. The cost of living actually had the thinking, "Hey, I am RH Negative, shouldn't this be worth something?" the last time that I donated blood.
Public schools have school dues. My daughter is also in a magnet which also has dues, not to mention the highest priced field trips that I have ever witnessed. You also do not get a progress report or report card without the dues being paid. Way to show the parents that parental involvement and a child's education outweigh the mighty dollar. FAIL.
The utilities are well beyond what normal folk pay- as well as the rental/lease homes. You can not seem to go down town without parking at a meter. The taxes are higher, and to be blunt, I am simply NOT calmed enough to approach my experience at the DMV today. Maybe some other blog.
The dumbfounding truth about all of this, is that even with the nickel and dime you to damned death, this area lacks dearly compared to North Carolina.
South Carolina crime is higher, the roads are worse and more littered. The schools, although I will say that they carry some pluses, overall leave a bad lingering taste inside of my mouth and a desire for the advancements of North Carolina education that I had dearly taken for granted.
My biggest pet peeve with this area has to be A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E.
Really...
I have met a handful of people that I deeply give thanks for their existence...Minus those few, do you poop gold if born in South Carolina? I don't think so. My youngest was born here and trust me, it is not gold in those pampers.
Why does everyone have such snippy tones and act like everyone is beneath them?
I have about two, maybe three more "Bless your heart's" and kind smiles to spare before I show you lower Carolinians what an attitude looks like and break it down for you like we do up north...
I'm not sayin'.....I'm just sayin'.
(There's no place like home. There's no place like home.)