Four hours from nowhere. That's where I lived. Born and raised in the armpit of America, the great plains, the flatlands. Kansas. It's a great place to live if you don't like traffic, high-priced real estate or thinking outside the box. Also, if you have a penchant for tornadoes, consecutive 100-degree days with 110% humidity and ice storms in March that leave you without power for a week, just call it Nirvana.

But I'm not here to bash Kansas. I was brung up proper and safe there. I am writing to draw your attention to where YOU are! This shall make you take a second look, perhaps give pause, and truly appreciate this place you call "home." Here, let me shed a little light...

I was transplanted here six years ago, as I dutifully (kicking and screaming) followed my husband east for a job opportunity. Having two little girls to raise, I tried to prepare myself to grapple with learning "all new everything." New doctors, new schools, new roads. Which, by the way, never run straight for more than 100 yards or meet at right angles. Back in Kansas, the world is on a grid. Period. When you go around the block there, you actually go around the block and do not end up in Pennsylvania by accident. (This happened to me, but in my defense I was not driving. An FBI agent was driving and his ego prevented him from asking directions!) East coast? Grid free zone.

Part of the newness I soon realized was your amazing geography and history! The proximity to...stuff! Right now, from my front door, I am four hours (or less) from Times Square, Philly, Washington, D.C. (omg, the capital of the world, are you kidding me?). Annapolis, and the dang OCEAN? Hello! "Surf Kansas!" is not a battle cry often heard. People, the Star Spangled Banner was penned in Baltimore's Inner Harbor! Fan-friggin-tastic!! So hey, have you BEEN to Ft. McHenry? Say what?

Here, we can go snow skiing or beach combing with very little effort at all. And what amazes me is how often I meet locals, native Marylanders who have never done these things! Never been to New York. Criminal!! One person actually said to me after I was bubbling about heading to Annapolis, "Why would you want to go there?" Huh? Gee, the place where George Washington resigned and home to the Naval Academy. Can you say "eye candy?"

Back in Kansas City, if you get in your car and start driving, four hours later you are...let's see...if you headed east, you are STILL not in St. Louis. If you went south you are STILL not even in Oklahoma City (which is almost one of the ugliest places on earth). Heading west, though Denver calls in the far distance, you are not close and in fact you may find yourself tangled in the World's Largest Ball of Twine along the most flat section of I-70 you can imagine. Going North, you've gone thru Omaha (yawn) and you may finally see something interesting if you drive a day further to Mt. Rushmore. But know this: your geography has not changed. Save for the Ozarks, there are no mountains (& I don't think they are real mountains anyway.) There is no beach. When you pry yourself from the front seat for that potty break and look around, you see the same exact thing you saw four hours ago. Meh. However, on the upside, the Midwest has - hands down - the best chain of Quick Trips for your pit stop. Makes these pitiful Highs look like slums. You call that a drink station? Really?

So this summer, in addition to heading "down the ocean, hon" ~ which is a topic I must address soon ~ take a minute to make a mental run-through of what you have not done in this amazing place! Been to the same exact condo/beach house at the Outer Banks every year since you were married? Dudes, break it up! Coming from a place where "things to do" are few and far between, I encourage you to embrace this cornucopia of geography and history! And sweet Lord, I didn't even mention the Civil War... Appreciate your locale! Use her, abuse her! Dig your heels in and get out there! You are raising your children in one of the most diverse and historically relevant locations on the planet. You are four hours from...everywhere!!