[theoddz]

I was born in Florida, then adopted at 3 months and taken to Savannah, Georgia, where I was raised, so I consider myself a "native Savannian". The area South of the North Carolina outter banks, along the coast and all the way to the beaches of the Georgia/Florida state line is frequently referred to as the Southern "Lowcountry", and we have our own distinctive culture and unique Southern drawl (particularly those from the Charleston and Savannah areas). I should say that neither of my parents (adopted) are from the South. My father (second generation Chinese) was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, and my mother (second generation Swedish) is from the Mississippi River area in southwestern Illinois. They met and married while both were in college at the University of Illinois (Champagne/Urbana). From what I have learned from the non-identifying information about my birth parents, my blood lineage comes from southeast Georgia (again, the "lowcountry") and is of Irish/Native American blood.

I left Savannah when I joined the military and only went back to live in Savannah briefly, after I was discharged. I've lived all over the country, during my lifetime, from Florida (Jax) to Maine, Louisiana (northern), Iowa/Illinois, both southern and northern California and now Nevada. Still, my heartstrings are attached to Savannah and if it were not for the heat, humidity and bugs, I would want to go back. I miss the South, but I can't seem to reconcile myself to living with all of those things. I'll always be a Southern Boy at heart, tho.

The wife and I are pondering the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, Montana, etc.), now that we are both retired. I think a road trip may be in order for us to explore that soon.

~Theo~