small town life... the good, the bad, and the shabby...


GOOD: The village has one of everything and it is CLOSE. Like... walking-distance close. Not that we've actually walked anywhere yet, but... you know... we could.

BAD: There is ONLY one of everything. And sometimes, I'd really just prefer Domino's.

GOOD: The village is so CUTE! We went to the public library the other day and it is in an old municipal building with the fire station and the town hall and it's tiny and old and CUTE!

BAD: Everything is also really shabby. I mean, part of it is that we're just not used to seeing things that are honest-to-goodness OLD after living in suburbia for 7 or 8 years. But you should see the book collection in this library. I mean... they are clearly TRYING, but the science section? How about a couple of books printed SINCE the manned Moon landing, hmm? Jeez. It makes me want to donate ALL OF MY BOOKS to the library!

GOOD: Mountains. I like being able to see the mountains around here. You can't quite see them from the Village, but if you drive a few miles east, you can. My wife, having lived out West, disparages them as "not real mountains" but I don’t care... I just like seeing that hint of a grey-blue ridge out on the horizon... it doesn't have to be the fucking Alps.

BAD: The tap water here SUCKS. It taste like the inside of an old dirty pipe. Probably with good reason...

STRANGE: We met the Mayor. She introduced herself as "Becky". She also runs the furniture store.

GOOD: The parks? How can a town with 3000 people justify having THREE public parks?? And yet, it does.

GOOD: The river. We have our own river. With two bridges. It gives the place a sense of geography that I really like.

BAD: Trucks go down Main Street at ALL HOURS of the night, about 60 yards from our house and make the windows rattle.

BAD: No sidewalks in the residential areas.

SURPRISING: Good Chinese food. Really good Chinese food.

BAD: New York accents

GOOD: At least I can understand what people are saying!

GOOD: New York style customer service. Brusque and FAST. I love that there are 4 people going at a time cutting meat in the deli counter. And I love that the "Hiiiiiiiiii, how are yyyeewwww t'dayyyyyy?" I had to endure in the South has been replaced by the much more efficient - "YEH??"

GOOD: It's not as hot as Alabama

BAD: It's still pretty fucking hot

UGLY: Oh, do I dread the snowfall totals come winter!