Dear Mr. President,

Dear Mr. President,
I heard on the news today that you intend to nominate a new head for the EPA and Energy Dept.
What I wish to talk about is the way of life here in these mountains. These beautiful, majestic mountains that surround us and give us shelter and protection. Our well-being, our livelihood, is built here in these mountains. We take shelter in them from tornadoes and hurricanes, we build strong foundations for our homes on them and raise families in those homes. We bury our loved ones in those mountains, we gather for church meetings and family reunions in these mountains. We climb them for comfort and alone time and just to see the beauty from way up there. No one loves the mountains as much as we do.
...and we also dig coal from these mountains; from underneath them and off the tops of them. Our men come home black and dusty from head to toe in the evenings. Our vehicles, our clothes washers and the rug at the front door are all ruined from the black stains of coal dirt. Wives vacuum and scrub and shampoo before deciding "that's as good as it's gonna get." Stop at a small local gas station and chances are, you'll see a black face and a dirty body clad with reflective stripes digging in his pockets for quarters for a candy bar after a long hard day's work. At night, we are lulled to sleep by the distant sound of a train whistle as the coal cars make their way to and from stock piles, coke ovens and production plants. By day, the sound of a Jake brake is so common we barely notice it. We follow closely behind coal trucks on mountain roads because they know the road even better than we do, and they have a radio to tell the guy coming the opposite direction that there's a car following. We dodge potholes that have been ignored because the local D.O.T.'s know they'll soon be replaced with more if fixed. When we cross a state line, we immediately realize how the air is different.
... But that way of life is changing. The dust is settling and the air is clearing. Our ears are ringing and the roads have gone near silent. When a coal truck passes by, we catch our breath and wonder where they are coming from and where they are headed to. The trains sit still in the yards with their empty cars, and the stock piles get higher and higher until one day the belt stops running. Men no longer come home with black faces, their shirts are plain, no longer striped with reflective tape. Wives try to find ways stretch a dollar while husbands try to figure out how to put gas in their work trucks so they can drive to job sites and beg for a job. "For Sale" signs show up on homes, vehicles and anything else of small value. More and more yard sales pop up and little nick nacks that will hopefully fetch a good price by the side of the road. Maw & Paw shops go out of business, as no one has enough money to spend on luxuries like eating out or other frivolties.
So my question to you, Mr. President, is how is this good for the economy? How is this building jobs? Expensive regulations forced on businesses cannot be paid, therefore neither can the men be paid.
What you don't realize, is that coal is not just a job. It's a way of life, it is the culture of our region. You wouldn't take the cheese out of Wisconsin, would you? Could you saw down the peach trees in Georgia or the orange trees in Florida? How about if D.C. had no politicians? It just doesn't make sense. Don't attack the livelihood of thousands of people- thousands of VOTERS- support it. Help it. Find ways to work with it and make it better. But please, Mr. President, don't take away our identities.
Sincerely,
A concerned Patriot

Way Out Here

The title of my blog pretty much sums up my life. I've spent the majority of my life on those winding, dusty but sometimes rutted-out back roads. You know the part of the road where you reach the sign that says "End State Maintenance" and your dad turns around? That's what I'm talking about.
I love these mountains and they've been my home since the day God wove me together in the womb. It's bred into me, I guess. My family was all born and raised here and I was born here as well. When I was 3 years old, Dad and Mom moved about an hour or so south of where they had lived their entire lives. After I was married, I moved about an hour North of the old home place. Dad said, "I broke my back to get you out of that place and you broke yours to get back in it!"
I can't help it. It's home.
Our house is protected by the firm of Smith, Wesson and Mossberg. I don't know how it is in the big cities, but everyone around here has at least one gun. Guns are like tatoos or Lay's potato chips- you can't have just one. Collect them all! is the attitude of us self-proclaimed rednecks.
Where I live now, we are one hour from our nearest Wal-Mart, and it's the hang out spot for most of the local teens. There's a movie theater right next to it, and a few restaurants that aren't fast food. 
Although most places you go, coal camps are a thing of the past, they are still in existence where we come from. Coal is a way of life here. It's not just another job, it's THE job. It's the backbone of the economy and without it, little towns like the one we live in wouldn't exist. It's pride, and you're either on one side of the fence or the other. The state is split on this subject, but the only ones who don't support are ignorant of the fact that coal keeps the lights on! Coal runs this part of the country. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here.
Every man in my family either currently is or was an employee at one mine or another. It's what you do if you live here. There are no other jobs. You either join the mines (surface or underground), work at a dept store or fast food restaurant (if you're lucky enough to live near one) or you hooker. Yeah.

School and Work Days..

I've really not accomplished much in this life up to this point. I went to a public school grades K-6 and transferred to a Christian Academy at the end of 6th grade. I graduated from there about a week or 2 after I turned 18 and enrolled in college the following Fall. I got my first job at that little community college in the bookstore, and then I did work-study for the Dean of the Business Division for the remainder of my freshman year of college. After that, I got a job at a local department store, and remained there for a little over a year.
I spent 3 years at the community college, studying Information Systems Technology the first two years and Psychology the next year. I obtained no degree. I dropped out, and my reasons were simple: I graduated from High School with and Advanced Studies Diploma and Honors, and I was flunking out of college. I was simply burnt out. Someone that graduated with a 3.2 GPA should not be failing college classes. I had been in school since I was 5 years old, and 16 years was long enough! I have hopes that I will return to college one day to obtain a degree.. when I figure out what I wanna be when I grow up ;)

Just Me.

Well, the "About Me" section isn't long enough, so for my first online blog EVER I choose to talk "about me"
I'm currently 22 years old, and I am a domestic relations director. In today's terms, that means housewife. My purpose in life at this point is to make sure that my husband (whom I will tell you more about later) is cared for and comfortable and happy.
I have blue eyes and long hair. For now, it's strawberry, but that is subject to change. My hair is the shortest it's ever been. I plan to let it grow out, probably to my elbows, and I have another 4 inches or so to go. I'm used to my hair being long, and my husband likes it that way anyway.
The first thing you need to know about me is I’m a Christian; Pentecostal of the Trinitarian flavor! The Lord is number one in my life, I would be nowhere without Him! I started on this journey when I was 13, and yeah I've fell but victory doesn't lie in how many times you fall, it's in how many times you get back up. I'm just following wherever HE leads me!
I am finally finding myself and enjoying being myself instead of trying to please everyone else. For once I can honestly say that I truly love my life. My chaotic, dramatic, wonderful life. I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.