Here's the thing about country music...

Until recently (recently meaning yesterday), I'd kind of written off country music. Before my mission, I listened to it on the regular. When I came home it had started to sound like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Sad, no? I was totally okay with it. It's when I hit my true hipster stage.

But then Samantha Jean decided that she was going to try, as many had before her, to convert me back to the land of cowboy boots, Wranglers, trucks, and twang. And because heaven knows that after a while I can be worn down, I finally had her just make me a mix of songs to ease myself into it. Little did I know that with country, there's no easing. It's all or nothing.

And I'm back in the all phase.

So without further ado, here are the things that I've learned in the last 24 hours of my recent re-conversion to country music:

-Girls are allowed EXPECTED to be sassy

"Have  you ever noticed every hurricane gets its name from a girl like this? She's a cat 5 kind keeps you up at night." 

-Hunter Hayes

-Say what you really think

"So let's shake hands and reach across those party lines. You got your friends just like I got mine. We might think a little differently, but we got a lot in common you will see. We're just like you, only prettier."
-Miranda Lambert

-When in doubt, talk about your truck

If I tried to give you an example of this, I would spend all day typing. Just listen to any Brad Paisley, Florida Georgia Line, Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan or Kenny Chesney album

- Sometimes? You don't have to be nice

"Well I've been saved by the grace of southern charm. I got a mouth like a sailor, and yours is more like a Hallmark card."
-Miranda Lambert

"Mama always told me that I should play nice. She didn't know you when she gave me that advice." 

-The Band Perry

-When worn right, blue jeans really do it for a guy

"Girl, you cut those jeans just right. I know you didn't buy 'em like that."

-Brett Eldredge

- If something is worth happening, it happens in the summer

See Brad Paisley's "Beat this Summer" and Rascal Flatts "Summer Nights"

-"Bless your heart" is more of an insult than an actual wish

"I don't have to be hateful, I can just say, "Bless your heart."

-Miranda Lambert

-Just because you're a good girl, doesn't mean he's a good guy

"You'll see a good boy, gonna give you the world. But he's gonna leave you cryin' with your heart in the dirt."

-Carrie Underwood

-And last but not least: the "g" at the end of any word is meant to be left off

So friends. Feed my new addiction. All suggestions are welcome and will be vetted by my guide, Samantha Jean.

Wherein I prove what a total and complete girl I am...

So I'm usually a total music snob. It's bad. That, combined with the skinny jeans, are exactly why Platt calls me an abbreviated hipster. But I've shown before that I have a weakness for cheesy boyband music (coughOneDirectioncough) and herein I will once again prove that I'm really not as cool as I pretend to be.

I love Taylor Swift. And before you start, her music is so not country. It's pop. And I love it. What I really love are the lyrics. They're so...girl power. AND she has an uncanny ability to describe exactly how I feel about all sorts of things. I've listened to her new CD roughly 8000 times since it came out (and it's not more because One Direction put out a new CD just after her, so I had to listen to that long enough to memorize every single lyric and figure out which one of the guys was singing which part. Did I just loose all my cool points? I just don't even care).

Anyway. The whole point of this is to tell you that I found a new life motto. In a Taylor Swift song. Next thing you know, I'll be buying Teen Bop magazine and chewing bubble gum all the time. Oh, you want me to quit editorializing and just tell you what it is? FINE. Impatient much?

"I just think you should know that nothing safe is worth the drive."

 What you don't know about me is that I'm great at pretending that I'm brave and super positive, but when it really comes down to it? I'm a chicken. 100% coward. I don't like to wait for anything and I'd rather stay comfortable than go out on a limb for anything. But lately something is different. And I'm totally okay with it.

So yes. My new life motto might come from a cheesy Taylor Swift song, but you know what? It could have been worse. At least it wasn't a One Direction song.

You may now take away my hipster card...oh wait, we never got them. Decided they were too mainstream.