West Virginia Stereotype: Wild and Wonderful

To celebrate West Virginia Day (June 20), the Health Care Law Blog is excited to be a part of the statewide blogging effort lead by Jason Keeling at aBetterWestVirginia. The idea - collaborate and work together to change the typical stereotypes of West Virginia. Reflect a more accurate perspective of the state, its people, qualities and successes.

The state motto, Wild and Wonderful, sits as the centerpiece of all things good about West Virginia. A motto that reflects the states independence, beauty, people and places. These two words bring so much to this West Virginian's imagination. (check the links for the new stereotypes).

• People that are wildly creative and wonderful to be around.

• Wonderful landscape that is wildly beautiful and wildly rugged (photo).
  

• Artists that design with wild colors and wonderful crafted works of art.

• Places that are wildly luxurious and others wonderfully quaint.

• Wildly successful leaders, wonderfully connected health care experts and innovative film directors.

• Wild water to ride, wild racing and wonderful music for your eers.

• Workers in wild places powering the world live web.

• Wonderful traditions and a rich and wonderful history.

• Finally, a wonderful place to do business with people who are wild about new business.

Writing about the positive aspects of West Virginia is something that I have tried doing since starting this blog in 2004. While the main focus is on health care law, over the years, I have taken time out to highlight those events, people and statistics that cast West Virginia in a positive light.

Since many first time readers may be visiting as a result of the aBetterWestVirginia blogging project, I thought I would take this chance to highlight some of these past posts. As the saying goes, "what is old, is new."

• NYT on New Martinsville: Two Americas, Two Restaurants, One Town.
  
• More Capital and Kids
• Pittsnogled
• Charleston Regatta: Anything That Floats
• West Virginia Law Firm Leaders
• FestivALL: Catch the Catfish?
• WV Best Kept Secrets: 30th Annual Vandalia Gathering
• Music from the Mountains: Who was Johnnie B. Goode?
  
• West Virginia Lawyers Early Blog-dopters
• Fun At FestivALL
• Shhh . . . Charleston, West Virginia Is A Good Place To Live
• Bethany College: The Value of Small Liberal Arts Colleges
• Thoughts on Transforming Health Care In West Virginia
• After Tax Day Thought: Intuit CEO Returning to Speak in West Virginia

To learn more about what others are saying to create West Virginia's "new" stereotype check out United, We Blog for a Better West Virginia.