Nothing whatsoever to do with writing, but…

[EmilyMiller]

Ohgawd. I can... uh... no disrespect, Em. Petite, slender girls in tank swimsuits are sooooooo hawt! Gawd.

I had an oboe student several years ago who was a lifeguard at the local pool, and I saw her in that uniform once. I had to keep slapping myself around as a reminder she was 17 and off-limits. She and I did become friends, along with her parents, who are nice folks. She was a smartie like you, but got caught-up in the usual small town nonsense with a boyfriend and didn't make it all the way to her architecture degree.

I was at college, so on limits .

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

Somehow seems appropriate (I’m not from the titular town, or the other one mentioned):

Well, we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem, they're killing time
Filling out forms, standing in line

Well, our fathers fought the Second World War
Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore
[…]

Some habits die hard.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

Somehow seems appropriate (I’m not from the titular town, or the other one mentioned):

Well, we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem, they're killing time
Filling out forms, standing in line

Well, our fathers fought the Second World War
Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore
[…]

Some habits die hard.

Em

A high percentage of my childhood was spent sitting in traffic on I-76.

Em

 

[lc69hunter]

Somehow seems appropriate (I’m not from the titular town, or the other one mentioned):

Well, we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem, they're killing time
Filling out forms, standing in line

Well, our fathers fought the Second World War
Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore
[…]

Some habits die hard.

Em

One of my favorite works by him.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Me? I’m from Pennsylvania.

Em

Oh, I already saw that. I guess people in Pennsylvania have to go to the Jersey Shore for some ocean. Updike's Harry Angstom, from Brewer (obviously Reading), mentions going to the shore as a child (1930's-40's) and not liking the long trip or being on a hot beach. Then he winds up in the 1980's living on the Gulf Coast of Florida. He has some doubts about that too. I hope I haven't given away any spoilers.

 

[gunhilltrain]

One of my favorite works by him.

Yes, I saw him do it live once, and he was quite good. The only thing I've heard is that the steel mills were mostly in Bethlehem, not Allentown, although the latter city must have had some factories. The one time I went through there both places seemed pretty run-down.

 

[gunhilltrain]

A high percentage of my childhood was spent sitting in traffic on I-76.

Em

Was that the one called "The Sure-Kill Expressway?"

 

[Duleigh]

I went to New Jersey ONCE in the 20th Century, McGuire AFB. They airlifted me to Spangdahlem AB in the FRG that just had 150 weapons guys busted for drugs and I was part of the 75 guys that was expected to replace them. What joy.

I went to New Jersey ONCE in the 21st Century, Mt. Laurel. They trained me non-stop on a new system that was going to change cable TV as we know it. After a 3 week brain melt I returned to my office in Denver and never heard about that system EVER AGAIN. (It was called VOD in a Box)

I can't wait to see what New Jersey has for me in the 22nd Century. I hope it's a Jersey Mike's, that's the only good thing experience I've had with NJ on the label.

 

[MajorRewrite]

Googles to see if Dutch Wonderland is still a thing. It is.

 

[Lifestyle66]

I grew up in "Hicks & Amish" (more the hick part) and worked for a while in "From Pittsburgh." Note that "From Pittsburgh" and "From Philly" are two entirely different states, forced to share the same state government.

And I grew up with the vocabulary, too:
Cricks - small streams of water in the mountains.
Warsh rags - wash cloths with local culture.
Yuns - contraction form of "you ones" or "you" in plural form, a reference to two or more people, similar to that Southern hick term "Y'all"

But I recovered.

 

[Duleigh]

Note that "From Pittsburgh" and "From Philly" are two entirely different states, forced to share the same state government.

Noo Yawk is exactly the same way. Actually there are 3 New Yorks. From NYC, From Upstate, and From Buffalo. Upstate and Buffalo have to suffer from and pay for the excesses of NYC.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I grew up in "Hicks & Amish" (more the hick part) and worked for a while in "From Pittsburgh." Note that "From Pittsburgh" and "From Philly" are two entirely different states, forced to share the same state government.

And I grew up with the vocabulary, too:
Cricks - small streams of water in the mountains.
Warsh rags - wash cloths with local culture.
Yuns - contraction form of "you ones" or "you" in plural form, a reference to two or more people, similar to that Southern hick term "Y'all"

But I recovered.

So yuns = yins (or yinz) as in “yinz wanna go downtown n’at?”

Em

 

[SeraphNocturne]

I grew up in "Hicks & Amish" (more the hick part) and worked for a while in "From Pittsburgh." Note that "From Pittsburgh" and "From Philly" are two entirely different states, forced to share the same state government.

And I grew up with the vocabulary, too:
Cricks - small streams of water in the mountains.
Warsh rags - wash cloths with local culture.
Yuns - contraction form of "you ones" or "you" in plural form, a reference to two or more people, similar to that Southern hick term "Y'all"

But I recovered.

Also spent a lot of my young life in “Hicks and Amish” right by the Susquehanna River. I go back up every year to visit my friends and bring back a shit ton of Middleswarth chips and Nardone’s pizza. I miss the mountains and the fresh air sometimes, but the snow I can do without.

Crazy small world, didn’t know there were so many PA people about!

 

[SimonDoom]

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is one of my favorite comedies. It's so dark and twisted--qualities I like.

Plus, Philly has the best pretzels.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Crazy small world, didn’t know there were so many PA people about!

I guess this was a fun post .

Not going to be specific about where in PA I’m from and have lived. But cool to have others around.

Em

 

[Voboy]

Noo Yawk is exactly the same way. Actually there are 3 New Yorks. From NYC, From Upstate, and From Buffalo. Upstate and Buffalo have to suffer from and pay for the excesses of NYC.

It's the same in almost any state.

People who live in Bakersfield have nothing to do with LA or SF, yet most of their taxes go there. Same with people in Durango who have to pay for Denver's problems, or people in Laredo who have to fund Dallas, or people in the Berkshires who are pissed at Boston's policies.

This is nothing new. I bet farmers in the Athenian hinterlands used to be pissed at that city's excesses, too.

 

[Lifestyle66]

So yuns = yins (or yinz) as in “yinz wanna go downtown n’at?”

Em

Yeah, as in "Watch yinz do-in t'day?" A response might be "We were pondering visiting a local winery to sample their wares." A counter would be "Well, I was plan-en to piss out a six-pack of Rollin Rock."

 

[EmilyMiller]

You hear pondering a lot in PA .

Em

 

[SimonDoom]

It's the same in almost any state.

People who live in Bakersfield have nothing to do with LA or SF, yet most of their taxes go there. Same with people in Durango who have to pay for Denver's problems, or people in Laredo who have to fund Dallas, or people in the Berkshires who are pissed at Boston's policies.

This is nothing new. I bet farmers in the Athenian hinterlands used to be pissed at that city's excesses, too.

Yep. It's why when you drive through the far northern hinterlands of California you'll see "State of Jefferson" signs here and there. Secessionist impulses run strong there.

There's an interesting map of the US that shows the most populous counties that contain 50% of the country's population highlighted in red, and what a tiny area it is, and it illustrates how concentrated the population is in geographically small urban areas. Probably common around the world. I imagine Australia is even more that way.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Was that the one called "The Sure-Kill Expressway?"

Missed that. You need to work on your accent a bit, but kinda .

Em

 

[ElectricBlue]

There's an interesting map of the US that shows the most populous counties that contain 50% of the country's population highlighted in red, and what a tiny area it is, and it illustrates how concentrated the population is in geographically small urban areas. Probably common around the world. I imagine Australia is even more that way.

Yes, it's all around the eastern edge, mostly:

Australian population density

 

[oneagainst]

Yes, it's all around the eastern edge, mostly:

Australian population density

Yeah, if you go up the west coast, there are places where (every 90 minutes) the nearest inhabited place is the International Space Station

 

[gunhilltrain]

Missed that. You need to work on your accent a bit, but kinda .

Em

Well, isn't that the Schuylkill Expressway? (School-kill, I think. Or Shul-kill.) I'm sure that nickname was used, but I don't remember the route number. Well, that's what Google maps is for. Yes, it's I-76.

 

[Djmac1031]

Was that the one called "The Sure-Kill Expressway?"

Yup. The Schuykill Expressway. Pronounced "Skoo-kill" by most, and yes, nicknamed the "Sure-Kill" due the high volume of traffic accidents.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I guess this was a fun post .

Not going to be specific about where in PA I’m from and have lived. But cool to have others around.

Em

I think I caused some paranoia in the "stalkers tread," which I probably started. Everyone was suddenly worried about being identified; even I wondered if I had gotten too specific about locations. But at 68 I don't care anymore and it's probably too late anyway. Morris Heights, Williamsbridge, Norwood (it was just Mosholu Parkway then), Sunset Park, Cranford, Morris Township, Clifton, Plainfield, Hawthorne, West Orange, then back to Williamsbridge. You can see the pattern that my ex-wife, with her "moving bug," caused. There's a specific story about most of those places because of her.