Why I Hate Memphis and Other Tales.

Memphis has a bad rap. It's true. There are reasons though and they aren't all Memphis's fault. For one, they were hit really hard by the recession as were a lot of other places. And B, they have high crime (although to give credit where credit is due, it has dropped a few percentage points in the murder and rape category over the last few years. Yay, Memphis!). Also, they have tornadoes and other severe weather. These are reasons why most people would never move here. However, we knew all these things and still moved into the midst of it. Why, you ask? We needed the management job Cody got and I was already working in Memphis and I actually really loved the city and it was just amazing that it all fell into place.

I still think it is amazing and I pray every night and thank my Heavenly Father for our wonderful blessings with Cody's job.

However, after I found out I was pregnant and realized I was going to have a baby in a city where I could not for the life of me find a doctor to accept Tenncare I started getting worried. That's when the bad side of Memphis roared it's ugly head at me. The miscarriage and subsequent horrific hospital fiasco only confirmed it in my head. So I made a list. To be fair, I made two lists. One, was why I hate Memphis and one was why I love Memphis. Here is list one because it trumps list two based solely on number one:
*My family is 2,000 miles away. I love them so much. I have an amazing support system cheering me on and beckoning me home back in Idaho.
*The trains. Dear Heavens! THE TRAINS!!! It is ridiculous how loud and obnoxious this train is. It runs right by our house. And I tend to think that the drivers hate ear drums and want them to die. Also, I think they save all their trips up so they can rattle on by in 15 minute intervals whenever I decide to sleep. Whether its a nap or bed time, they are honking and honking and honking. And honking.
*The noisy neighbors. Granted you can find them anywhere, but I pretend it's just a Memphis thing, because why not? We didn't sleep soundly for a whole month due in part to a squeaky mattress at all hours in the day/night from our upstairs neighbors as well as from obnoxious girl laughs that sound like a chihuahua barking at odd hours. Like 3 am. Not so odd for a college girl but very annoying for this old mama.
*The state/county/city laws and organizations as well as the people who sold their souls to work there. You already know about my Tenncare troubles. In Idaho, the DMV never has a 5 hour long line. That I know of. And while government employees are NEVER nice no matter where you are in the states, in Idaho they at least take a moment to answer your questions. Here, there are so many people they just boot you out the door if you don't have all the papers you need and then direct you to another building that is not the right one. The cycle continues in like manner.
*Bass/ Cigarettes/ Bad Drivers. In Idaho, we joke about the Utah drivers. But they at least follow a certain etiquette even if they do speed too fast on icy roads. Here, no one know how to drive. They don't know that if you drive slower than the flow of traffic then you move into the right lane. Also, the cigarettes are ridiculous. Did they not get the memo? and the bass is right there with the trains. IT's annoying and hurts my poor ears.
*Roaches. Eek.
*I can't just take a walk with my son without fearing for my life.
* I miss the mormon bubble. Plain and simple.
So that is my Memphis hater list. All in all it isn't a bad place. I actually love the entertainment and food options.


To balance the scales, here is what I love and would miss about Memphis:
*My sister and her family.
*Wolfchase Galleria. This mall is epic. It has everything a girl could want in a mall. And there are no depressing, vacant "for rent" spaces. All the spots are filled with glorious goodies my bank account can't keep up with. The Sephora is amazing and you can sample almost everything. They even have live models posing in the windows sometimes. Forever 21 is my long lost love. The mall also has a nice play area and a humongstrous food court. Atrion loves the escalators. They even have a carousel and a bouncy thing and a movie theater.
*Shelby Farms. Nuff said.
*The warmness of the winter. Although I do crave a very cold, wintry breeze now and then.
*B-B-Q!!!! YUM!
*Gibsons Donuts. I wish I could convey the amazingness of these sweet delights. They aren't just donuts...they are an event. A ritual. An addiction, maybe?
*Being two minutes from Target. Like!
*The zoo, children's museum, botanical gardens, and pink palace. In short....stuff to do!! WootWoot!
*The fancy movie theater. I like our fancy movie theater that is like 5 minutes away.




Thus is our Memphis dilemma. Love it and hate it. Love to hate it? It might be a poor scapegoat for our homesick feelings and insecurities following our loss. That's the most plausible explanation. We just want to get back into our comfort zone and feel safe and warm again. Can you blame us?