The South

I'm a sleepybear.

Tennessee
I did a good job getting a hotel just a few blocks away from Beale Street in Memphis. I got there and took a nap, then took my hoop and camera down to Beale where I was enchanted by the sounds of the blues coming from every corner and every bar and club. Older black men gettin down and feelin the soul of this beautiful Memphis air. Everyone drinks outside on the street and most look like a bachelor party or a hot date is goin down.
Some man jumped in my video shot and asked to try two people in the hoop, which I humored until it wasn't all that amusing anymore. People of course stared and cheered and I got a few good clips.
I took my camera back to the room and changed my clothes so I could feel more clothed. After assurance that we were in the safest part of Memphis, I took a walk back downtown to explore and enjoy. My first encounter was with a large white weirdo man...the conversation went...

Le Weirdo: You're so gorrrrrgeous!
Le Me: Thank you.
Le Weirdo: Can I have your feet?
Le Me: What? No.
Le Weirdo: I'm good at massaging...here...
Le Me: No that's weird.
Le Weirdo: But I'm in love with you. Can I buy you a drink?
Le Me: You don't have to.
Le Weirdo: but I want to *hands me two 5 dollar bills* Marry me! I got moooooney.
I shook my head and he laughed and walked out of the place.

The next encounter was a very nice guy who asked me to dance so we did for half a song. He reminded me of Michael in his body, face, hispanic-ness, and speech. A cop from California. We talked about ourselves for a bit until he took his friends home as the DD.

I watched the big black men up on stage. They have something else to them. The rhinestones on their clothes and the way they take a saxophone or guitar solo...there's so much to them that makes your soul sing too. Nothin' like the blues.

I walked home thinking, "Well, Memphis, I'm impressed."

I woke up late (oops) and ran out to get to Graceland, where the line was much too long and I wasn't thrilled about paying $33 or more to go see the Mansion when they wouldn't let me take my hoop or tripod anyway. Boo.

Mississippi

It was hard, but I finally found a place to hoop which turned out to be the birthplace of Elvis. That was it for Mississippi. Except for the guy who kept calling me a Yankee in the rest stop. Thought I should explore more but I was trying to make good time which I didn't today.

Alabama

I found a park dedicated to Civil Rights stuff in Birmingham which made for good hooping and then a street with a big Alabama sign. Funny old black men called out things like "Look at that Hoo-lay-hoop!!!"

Georgia

It seemed I was never going to get to Liz's. Traffic stopped for some runaway police chase thing, and the rest of the highways were just ridiculous traffic cases. I finally made it and I'm sleeping on her comfy couch. This house is beautiful and the whole gigantic basement is furnished and is like a nice apartment for Liz (bedroom, bathroom, two living spaces with couches, piano, pool table, gigantic TV, and the best was when she wowed me by opening what seemed to be a drawer and it was a dishwasher, then another as a fridge and freezer, and it went on and on.)

Sleeptime.