Why Iowa is Great

When most people think of my beloved home state of Iowa they say one of two things; "Ah, the potato state." or they say "Go Buckeyes!" Neither of those things have anything to do with Iowa. We are not Idaho and we are not Ohio. When I inform people of this they look at me. I can tell from the blank stare that they are drawing a mental map in their heads. I can tell that in the middle of their map there is a black hole somewhere in the good ol' U.S.A which, must be Iowa. I give them a minute, and then if they still are flat lining I tell them that we are the head of the baker which, is the first reason why Iowa is awesome and I explain it like this...If you look at a political map of the U.S. and browse along the top until you get to Minnesota and put your finger on that state and take it all the way down to Louisiana, you will have pointed out the baker of america and you see him standing profile facing east. See Minnesota is the hat, Iowa is the Head, Missouri the body, Arkansas the legs, and louisiana the feet. Some even go as far as saying that Kentucky is a dish that he is holding. So next time you look at a map check it out.

After I tell people that we are the head of the baker, they are still not impressed. So I tell them that Iowa is the birth place of Mamie Eisenhower, Herbert Hoover, and Glenn Martin. They respond by telling me that Mamie wash't hot, Hoover sucked as the president and Glenn Martin was a crappy pilot. Then I whip out the big guns I tell the that John "The Duke" Wayne was from Iowa, they look at me and generally say that he was the only cool thing to come from that state. At least I have few cool points for my home, still way behind California and florida though. Hey, at least a few great people came from Iowa.

Now at this time in the conversation about the Hawkeye State I am getting kinda antsy for people to know about and like Iowa, I go for the fun facts, like Ripleys Believe it or not named Burlingtons Snake Alley the crookedest street in the world! and that Winnebagos come from my state! or that Iowa is the only state to have two of its borders consist of water (the Missouri and Mississippi rivers). In my last ditch effort I let everyone know that sliced bread was invented in Iowa in 1929, yep We invented that junk! That was us! In your Face!

By this point in the conversation people are falling asleep or are about to walk off and I find out that I have been talking to some random strange child for the last ten minutes, so I just sigh and continue to explain about my home. I love Iowa. There will never be a plot of land better than that state. I continue to dig into my memory and bring back just how succulent the green fields of corn smelt or how hearty they smelt after the harvest. I learned about the circle of life the planting, growing, and harvesting of crops let me see into the birth, life, and death of the world. I miss how the suns rays would turn the fields into a golden paradise just for a short time every morning. I loved the simple navigation of the state laid out i a perfect grid pattern, one could never be lost, just look for a water tower upon the horizon. Every where else I have been seems so closed and claustrophobic when I close my eyes and see the open expanses of my childhood. I know that wherever fortunes wind blows my sails, Iowa will always be my home. that word "Iowa" really does mean beautiful land.

I notice I am monologuing I am in such a deep thought that I come from my memories to see the reaction of the people I talk to, and they are either asleep, have left and the random strange child seems indifferent. I usually smile and go on about my day knowing that Iowa still is one of the best kept secrets ever.