WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT MEMPHIS

 WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT MEMPHIS

What exactly is great about Memphis? There are a lot of nay-sayers out there but I am not one of them. In fact, I am of the belief that they are most definitely in the minority. Look at that beautiful "M" bridge that looks so majestic lit up over the Mississippi River. There are so many good things about Memphis and some things that need work on. There also are some things that we do not need to take too seriously. Let's be real and be able to laugh about some things.

Things like when there is a rumor of snow coming everyone goes out and stocks up on bread and milk. I have always wondered if they were going to make themselves a milk sandwich?

This is rather amusing. The past few days it actually happened. We did get about 6 - 8 inches of snow which pretty much paralyzed the city. We do not have the equipment to handle that so everything shut down.

The few who braved it (for whatever reason) were stuck or in fender benders or just slid right off the road. It did finally get a little better but it has been a week since many businesses have opened and when groceries did open their shelves were bare. Big trucks could not get in to deliver the food and there were not enough workers who could drive in to stock the shelves.  In other words, it was a big mess. 

Throw in the fact that the temperatures were below freezing - like single digit below - and now we have water pipes bursting for many people. We were instructed to let all faucets drip water and open the cabinets so that pipes did not freeze. This in turn led to low water pressure with all of the city water mains and pipes bursting so now we all were instructed to not drink the water. We must boil the water for at least a minute before drinking it or using it for cooking. It makes it hard for a family but think about the restaurants. Most of them have no way to get that much water in order to wash produce and to cook, much less to wash dishes, have ice for drinks, etc. It sort of boggles the brain to just think about.

That is where we are right now. So to move on to other things about Memphis that is great - there are people out there setting up places to distribute free cases of water and delivering food to those who can't get out for it. Along with warming centers opening for those who are homeless or living without electricity during these cold and unbearable circumstances. People helping people. We are known for that.

Some other things that Memphis is known for are:

Ahhh...the BBQ. I am not going to put it out there of which is my personal favorite. We all have favorites and no matter where you go - no BBQ is quite like Memphis BBQ.

There there are polls for the BEST of and let's just say Memphis may have the BBQ but it is not where one would expect to get fresh seafood. We are landlocked. However, let's think about this one. For several years in a row Red Lobster won the best seafood restaurant. I am not putting them down, really, I am not. I just am not so sure that they have fresh seafood brought in. The one thing that I do remember about them is that they had the best Cheddar Biscuits ever. 

There are some restaurants in our city that get fresh seafood and serve delicious seafood entrees and appetizers, such as Coastal Fish Company, Tsunami and I am sure others that I have not had the pleasure of dining in yet. There is even a trailer that comes in to a large parking lot with fresh Gulf seafood catches. Paradise Seafood will even give you tips on what is the best way to prepare the seafood that you purchase from them. They send out e-mails in advance to let you know what they have and the days they will be in a particular location. 

Some tourist interests could be the giant pyramid that is amazing looking and and at one time was a venue for sports, concerts and other events. It went on to become a pyramid with a big fish on it. Bass Pro Shop bought it and have an amazing store within the pyramid. There is a pond where you can fish to try out rods, along with other outdoor sporting events. A luxury hotel and a restaurant at the top with a view of the city top it off.

If you notice, there is also a duck below the Bass Pro Shop sign because Ducks Unlimited have joined the outdoor theme at the Memphis Pyramid. Did the Egyptians have all of this?

Memphis also has the Memphis Redbirds, affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals, we have 901 Soccer, and our NBA team of The Grizzlies. The University of Memphis (formerly known as Memphis State) has a wonderful following for both their basketball and football teams. 

Let's not forget that Memphis is home to Graceland.

Many visitors come daily to go through the Elvis mansion and other attractions there. Probably, I get most frustrated at tourists who believe this is the only thing to see in Memphis. There are so many other worthy sites like Sun Recording Studio, The Civil Rights Museum, STAX Records, Gibson Guitars, The Peabody, and the list goes on. I sort of lose my patience with locals who say there is nothing to do in Memphis. And let's not even talk about the wonderful theaters and museums that we have here in Memphis. PLUS it is a city of the ARTS! 

Some seem to think that literally everyone in town has been shot and/or robbed. And yes, Memphis does have a problem that is being worked on and trying to solve, especially with a new team of leaders coming in. Let's give them all of the support that we can. The crime rate is high. We all must be vigilant when we go out and be aware of our surroundings. 

As far as rush hour traffic, the lack of using turn signals, Union Avenue with that left lane and Poplar Avenue that is just way too narrow in most places and the right lane is as bad as the left lane on Union. If those complaining have ever driven daily in rush hour in Houston, Chicago, Boston, Dallas or other larger cities then there would be a whole new meaning of rush hour. Speed is definitely a problem. The number of police officers is a problem. All problems that are being worked on. 

Working together instead of complaining would be a great start. The quote about being a part of the solution, not the problem definitely fits here. We don't want more people to leave Memphis. So let's make a good city GREAT again! The city of Memphis, as well as the suburbs need to come together and help find solutions to these problems. They are more prevalent in the city of Memphis but as we all know, they are in the suburbs also. 

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney