Thanks again to Jess for noticing my absence. See your blog girl, if you don't know what I'm talking about.
I thought I'd blog today about the kinds of things that make me realize that being from NJ makes me the kind of person who . . .
1) drives and yells (at the same time)
2) talks really loud while in NJ (not that I'm exactly quiet the rest of the time)
3) stays aware of my surroundings all the time (when I lived in Idaho people thought it odd that I always look over my shoulder while in conversation)
4) says "yeah" and "alright" too much as place markers
5) doesn't care if anyone "has a nice day" as opposed to my next five points
You can tell I lived in Idaho because . . .
1) when I talk to Idahoans, including my daughters, I immediately sound like I'm from Idaho
2) when it cools off at night in the summer (in CNY, not Jersey), I expect it to cool off to near-frigid temperatures like it did in the desert
3) when I smell smoke in the summer (from bonfires in people's backyards) I immediately think everything will soon be consumed by flames
4) I have been know to say "you bet" instead of you're welcome
5) I can recognize Mormon missionaries, when other people think they're Jehovah's Witnesses
So I'm a hybrid, and those are just a few of the things that resulted from living in two such different (and wonderful) places. How about you? Do you bring with you cultural practices and habits from different places you've lived? If so, what are they, and where do you feel most at home? I'll answer that last question before I close. I gotta say, I've got a lot of Jersey-pride, but I'm feeling pretty CNY most days.
Moopy, it didn't seem like you wanted a tribute, but it's coming soon. I'm sending off the article today, unless you tell me otherwise.
wouldn't it be nice if mine weren't parked in the snow?
yikes
My Pops, Vinnie Murphy
who'd a thought 97 could be so cute!
the Moms, aka Catherine Murphy
is my mama adorable, or what?
Mark Doty
Portland Santacon
Manda and me on Thanksgiving
trying not to crack up too much. I gotta say I love my family.
It won't look like this
He da man, oh yeah!
too bad his last book sucked
This?
Or This?
You decide
Better Days
My hero
She's cute, but she's nuts!
nice segueway, huh?
My Hero
I am
- Patricia Murphy, a resident of
- the Village of Clinton, New York, United States
- I'm a college writing teacher and graduate of Idaho State University's soon-to-be-defunct Doctor of Arts Program. I write poetry and read it sometimes at local venues. I like nice people, no matter what their age, race, orientation, whatevah. I don't want to embarrass anyone, but I have the most wonderful boyfriend in the world.
Yeah, this guy wasn't there
Astroland
Utica Erie Canal Fall
This is what I have to look forward to
Utica Winter
And then this . . .
Gotta Love Summer!
chillin' at D's house, minus the glasses
Jeez!
Can you believe I gave birth to these two?
Clinton, NY
town square
1 comment:
I don't think I really can side with either (ny or nj) because there are significant ups and downs to both right now.
Ups of NY:
~My family including all of my extended family.
~Letchworth State park
~People accepting the fact that I carry around a coat "in case of emergency"
~Amazing scenery
~Exceptional Wildlife
~Peace and quiet almost all of the time.
Ups of NJ:
~I have an accent, which is almost always considered cool.
~ I get to meet a lot of new people, in fact more new people than I have ever met in NY at one time, other than my birth. Including my new family aka "the in-laws" who really are family now.
~ Enjoying new cultural experiences. Eg. Wawa, my new favorite convenience shop.
~ Shore points at a hop, skip, and jump away. Real beaches for that matter.
~Jug-handles. I don't know why, but I know I love them, and always ask Nick if we are going to use one. I know I have a favorite one as well cause it was the first one I ever used. I think they are thrilling.
~ Every car trip is a vacation because I never know where we are going and I can honestly have the need to ask if we are there yet, and if we can stop so I can use the bathroom.
Downs of NY:
~Swarming bug populations. Many and every different bug imaginable finds you and how to destroy your life, home, or fun.
~Too close to odd and creepy members of my father's family.
~Never motivated to do anything productive because there is so much stuff I know I could, and would rather be doing.
~I get bored really easy with the same-old same-old.
~ Car rides suck because you know where you are going, that you aren't there yet, won't be soon, and really have to use the bathroom, but there are no rest area's for 50 miles.
~Animals at night are creepy, not interesting, and almost always charge at you, or make angry faces at you.
Downs of NJ:
~ Too near creepy members of Nick's mother's family.
~People are PSYCHOTIC when they drive anywhere.
~State has a really bad name, therefore if I talk about it to anyone they say I live in a trashy state.
~People tend to pick on my accent of say "water? did you mean wooder!"
~Mosquitoes here are resitant to slapping. There are not a lot of them, but one is all it takes for your legs to get chewed to bits.
~ The heat comes in waves, serious waves up and down, nothing really remains steady unless it is unbearably hot, and there is almost never a clear sky to assist in tanning.
So I weigh my ups and downs and I still cannot choose. In essence I would have to choose based on family, but if I really had a choice, I think I would move my family down here for a couple years and then take them back up so we spend equal time in both places.
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