Overflowing over the wall and onto the street. Raritan River.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Here is an article online about our area. The bold part is where I am.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Up to 200,000 people in the Wilkes-Barre area were ordered to evacuate their homes Wednesday because of rising water on the Susquehanna River, swelled by a record-breaking deluge that has killed at least 11 people across the Northeast.
Thousands more were ordered to leave their homes in New Jersey, New York and Maryland. Across the region, rescue helicopters plucked residents from rooftops as rivers and streams surged over their banks, washed out roads and bridges and cut off villages.
Wilkes-Barre, a northeastern Pennsylvania city that was devastated by flooding in 1972 by the remnants of Hurricane Agnes, is protected by levees. But county officials said the Susquehanna was expected to crest just a few feet from the tops of the 41-foot floodwalls.
Luzerne County Commissioner Todd Vonderheid said officials worried about the stability of the levees because the water was expected to press up against them for 48 hours.
"It is honestly precautionary," Vonderheid said. "We have great faith the levees are going to hold."
A dozen helicopters from the Pennsylvania National Guard, the state police and the Coast Guard were sent on search and rescue missions, plucking stranded residents from rooftops in Bloomsburg, Sayre and New Milford. Hundreds of National Guard personnel were preparing to distribute ice, water, and meals ready to eat.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell declared a disaster emergency in 46 of the state's 67 counties.
Flooding closed many roads in the Philadelphia area, including the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Officials walked rafts through deep water to ferry children out of a tennis camp in Philadelphia.
The soaking weather was produced by a low-pressure system that has been stalled just offshore since the weekend and pumped moist tropical air northward along the East Coast.
The same system drenched Washington, D.C., on Sunday and Monday, closing the National Archives, the IRS, the Justice Department and other major government buildings in the nation's capital.
Binghamton, N.Y., received a record-breaking one-day total of 4.05 inches of rain on Tuesday. Although the bulk of the rain moved out of the area Wednesday, forecasters said more showers and occasional thunderstorms were possible along the East Coast for the rest of the week, and rivers and streams continued to rise from the runoff.
An estimated 2,200 people were ordered to evacuate an area surrounding Lake Needwood at Rockville, Md., which was approaching 25 feet above normal Wednesday. Engineers found weakened spots on the lake's earthen dam, said Bruce Romer, the county's chief administrative officer.
New York state officials said two truck drivers were killed early Wednesday when they drove into a 25-foot-deep chasm that a flooded creek had carved across all four lanes of Interstate 88, about 35 miles northeast of Binghamton.
Thousands of people were evacuated from communities across New York state, including hundreds in the Binghamton area. Whole villages north of Binghamton in rural Delaware County were isolated by high water.
Along the Delaware River, more than 1,000 people left low-lying areas of Trenton, N.J. New Jersey state workers in buildings along the Delaware prepared to leave work early. The debris-choked river caused the capital city's water filtration system to shut down. North of Trenton, motorists had to be rescued from their cars because of flash flooding.
In addition to the two deaths in New York, the weather was blamed for four deaths each in Maryland and Pennsylvania and one in Virginia.
The Agnes flood caused 50 deaths and more than $2 billion in damage in Pennsylvania, and remains the worst natural disaster in state history.
After Agnes left 20,000 families homeless in Wilkes-Barre and surrounding Luzerne County towns, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers undertook one of the most ambitious flood-control projects east of the Mississippi River, raising the existing levees by 3 to 5 feet.
The $200 million project was finally completed in 2003, three decades after it was proposed and nearly two decades after Congress authorized it.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Up to 200,000 people in the Wilkes-Barre area were ordered to evacuate their homes Wednesday because of rising water on the Susquehanna River, swelled by a record-breaking deluge that has killed at least 11 people across the Northeast.
Thousands more were ordered to leave their homes in New Jersey, New York and Maryland. Across the region, rescue helicopters plucked residents from rooftops as rivers and streams surged over their banks, washed out roads and bridges and cut off villages.
Wilkes-Barre, a northeastern Pennsylvania city that was devastated by flooding in 1972 by the remnants of Hurricane Agnes, is protected by levees. But county officials said the Susquehanna was expected to crest just a few feet from the tops of the 41-foot floodwalls.
Luzerne County Commissioner Todd Vonderheid said officials worried about the stability of the levees because the water was expected to press up against them for 48 hours.
"It is honestly precautionary," Vonderheid said. "We have great faith the levees are going to hold."
A dozen helicopters from the Pennsylvania National Guard, the state police and the Coast Guard were sent on search and rescue missions, plucking stranded residents from rooftops in Bloomsburg, Sayre and New Milford. Hundreds of National Guard personnel were preparing to distribute ice, water, and meals ready to eat.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell declared a disaster emergency in 46 of the state's 67 counties.
Flooding closed many roads in the Philadelphia area, including the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Officials walked rafts through deep water to ferry children out of a tennis camp in Philadelphia.
The soaking weather was produced by a low-pressure system that has been stalled just offshore since the weekend and pumped moist tropical air northward along the East Coast.
The same system drenched Washington, D.C., on Sunday and Monday, closing the National Archives, the IRS, the Justice Department and other major government buildings in the nation's capital.
Binghamton, N.Y., received a record-breaking one-day total of 4.05 inches of rain on Tuesday. Although the bulk of the rain moved out of the area Wednesday, forecasters said more showers and occasional thunderstorms were possible along the East Coast for the rest of the week, and rivers and streams continued to rise from the runoff.
An estimated 2,200 people were ordered to evacuate an area surrounding Lake Needwood at Rockville, Md., which was approaching 25 feet above normal Wednesday. Engineers found weakened spots on the lake's earthen dam, said Bruce Romer, the county's chief administrative officer.
New York state officials said two truck drivers were killed early Wednesday when they drove into a 25-foot-deep chasm that a flooded creek had carved across all four lanes of Interstate 88, about 35 miles northeast of Binghamton.
Thousands of people were evacuated from communities across New York state, including hundreds in the Binghamton area. Whole villages north of Binghamton in rural Delaware County were isolated by high water.
Along the Delaware River, more than 1,000 people left low-lying areas of Trenton, N.J. New Jersey state workers in buildings along the Delaware prepared to leave work early. The debris-choked river caused the capital city's water filtration system to shut down. North of Trenton, motorists had to be rescued from their cars because of flash flooding.
In addition to the two deaths in New York, the weather was blamed for four deaths each in Maryland and Pennsylvania and one in Virginia.
The Agnes flood caused 50 deaths and more than $2 billion in damage in Pennsylvania, and remains the worst natural disaster in state history.
After Agnes left 20,000 families homeless in Wilkes-Barre and surrounding Luzerne County towns, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers undertook one of the most ambitious flood-control projects east of the Mississippi River, raising the existing levees by 3 to 5 feet.
The $200 million project was finally completed in 2003, three decades after it was proposed and nearly two decades after Congress authorized it.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
i had a great weekend with kristin. i drove down on friday to spend a few days with her and catch up. it was great...lots of fun. the highlight was going to church at the national cathedral. if you ever get the opportunity you should definitely try to attend a service. it is breathtaking! kristin and i also shopped (one of my favorite things to do!), ate yummy food, and caught up on each other's lives. good times!
hannah is gone this week. she is away at camp. so, it is just me and the rosie-girl at home. hannah will be back on friday.
it has been raining her a lot!! i hear it has been very hot at home. yikes - i would much rather be in heat then 100 degree weather!
i will try to post some pics for you soon. have a good day! xoxo
hannah is gone this week. she is away at camp. so, it is just me and the rosie-girl at home. hannah will be back on friday.
it has been raining her a lot!! i hear it has been very hot at home. yikes - i would much rather be in heat then 100 degree weather!
i will try to post some pics for you soon. have a good day! xoxo
Monday, June 19, 2006
wow, so much time has passed - again - since i have written an update. crazy! i have so much to tell you!
parents
my parents were here for a vacation last week. half the week we spent here on the east coast and the other half we spent in arkansas. it was nice spending time with them. you know, being single and being forced to be independent, i sometimes forget what it is like having family around. and then family comes around and i remember how nice it is! it was sad to see them go but i will be home in california aug. 20 - sept.4. that will be nice. anyway, we spent some time in langhorne, flemington and nyc. then we went and saw extended family down south. good times.
summer
i know that i once wrote a post about how busy i was going to be this summer. i was so excited about all the adventures and how quickly summer was going to pass for me. well, due to several reasons but mainly that of money, my summer plans have been greatly reduced. this, of course, is depressing but i am trying to make the best of it. if any of you want to come visit - now's the time!! i have lot's of availability in my schedule!
job
school here ends this friday. club (both yl and wl) have ended and now my work schedule has calmed down tremendously. it is actually kind of a nice break. anyway, tomorrow i am having a very important meeting with my committee chair. we are going to decide if ylwj can afford to keep on a staff person. if not, that means i am out of a job i love and feel called to (most days:)) and that totally breaks my heart! but, at the same time, i cannot stay in a position that has problems that we have seemed to have lately - and most of it is financial. anyway, please be praying for me. i need clarity!!
living arrangement
along with a possible new job (although i would see it as being temporary until i graduate in may) i also have another big life thing going on that i can't talk about just yet in this forum. but, it has me very sad and stressed out. call me and i'll give you details!
mom
my mom is having fairly major surgery today. wish i could be home to help. praying that all goes well!
parents
my parents were here for a vacation last week. half the week we spent here on the east coast and the other half we spent in arkansas. it was nice spending time with them. you know, being single and being forced to be independent, i sometimes forget what it is like having family around. and then family comes around and i remember how nice it is! it was sad to see them go but i will be home in california aug. 20 - sept.4. that will be nice. anyway, we spent some time in langhorne, flemington and nyc. then we went and saw extended family down south. good times.
summer
i know that i once wrote a post about how busy i was going to be this summer. i was so excited about all the adventures and how quickly summer was going to pass for me. well, due to several reasons but mainly that of money, my summer plans have been greatly reduced. this, of course, is depressing but i am trying to make the best of it. if any of you want to come visit - now's the time!! i have lot's of availability in my schedule!
job
school here ends this friday. club (both yl and wl) have ended and now my work schedule has calmed down tremendously. it is actually kind of a nice break. anyway, tomorrow i am having a very important meeting with my committee chair. we are going to decide if ylwj can afford to keep on a staff person. if not, that means i am out of a job i love and feel called to (most days:)) and that totally breaks my heart! but, at the same time, i cannot stay in a position that has problems that we have seemed to have lately - and most of it is financial. anyway, please be praying for me. i need clarity!!
living arrangement
along with a possible new job (although i would see it as being temporary until i graduate in may) i also have another big life thing going on that i can't talk about just yet in this forum. but, it has me very sad and stressed out. call me and i'll give you details!
mom
my mom is having fairly major surgery today. wish i could be home to help. praying that all goes well!
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
look at this crazy story i just came across....
Man Finds Python in Rental Car
AP
PADUCAH, Ky. (May 29) - The next time Dan McBride rents a car, he may want to inspect it not just for dings and dents but also for snakes. The assistant athletic director at Eastern Kentucky University found a two-foot-long ball python in his rental car this week as he left the Ohio Valley Conference baseball tournament in Paducah.
McBride got into his car Wednesday night with a colleague and saw the snake draped across the console.
McBride said he thought it was a rubber snake someone put there as a joke. He even gave the snake a pat and put the car into drive.
As he drove toward the exit, the snake lifted its head. McBride hit the brakes, then started to get out of the car. But the snake was on the gear shift, forcing McBride to keep his foot on the brake.
"You can't act tough when you are sitting a foot and a half away from a snake," said his colleague, Simon Gray.
The snake was captured, and was being held until its owner comes to claim it, authorities said.
Man Finds Python in Rental Car
AP
PADUCAH, Ky. (May 29) - The next time Dan McBride rents a car, he may want to inspect it not just for dings and dents but also for snakes. The assistant athletic director at Eastern Kentucky University found a two-foot-long ball python in his rental car this week as he left the Ohio Valley Conference baseball tournament in Paducah.
McBride got into his car Wednesday night with a colleague and saw the snake draped across the console.
McBride said he thought it was a rubber snake someone put there as a joke. He even gave the snake a pat and put the car into drive.
As he drove toward the exit, the snake lifted its head. McBride hit the brakes, then started to get out of the car. But the snake was on the gear shift, forcing McBride to keep his foot on the brake.
"You can't act tough when you are sitting a foot and a half away from a snake," said his colleague, Simon Gray.
The snake was captured, and was being held until its owner comes to claim it, authorities said.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
hope you all enjoyed your holiday weekend! i went to lake champion on a leadership retreat. it was nice. we had great weather and it was fun to simply hang out without any kids...hehehe now i am back and i have my last wyldlife meeting tonight and last young life meeting tomorrow. wow! then my summer will finally be here and life will be nice, but different for the next few months. my parents come out a week from tomorrow. yay!
yesterday was memorial day and i hope you remembered all those who serve us in the military. we truly are blessed to live in this wonderful country of ours. i remember my paternal grandfather who was killed while serving our country. i never met him. i also think of my maternal grandfather who served during ww2. i also think of my good friend chris who is in the army and has been a part of the iraqi war. i am so proud, and thankful, of all the men and women in the armed forces.
yesterday was memorial day and i hope you remembered all those who serve us in the military. we truly are blessed to live in this wonderful country of ours. i remember my paternal grandfather who was killed while serving our country. i never met him. i also think of my maternal grandfather who served during ww2. i also think of my good friend chris who is in the army and has been a part of the iraqi war. i am so proud, and thankful, of all the men and women in the armed forces.
Monday, May 22, 2006
i have a confession to make. and this may be a shock, because all of you know how i admire martha stewart and aim to be a suzy homemaker even in my "singleness"...
ok, here it goes. i hate to change the sheets on my bed. not only is my mattress super heavy, but my bed is up against the wall. so, my dislike for changing sheets has changed into a total disgust.
so, i just ignore it. it's just sheets afterall, right? it's not like i wear them out during the day. and i always have better things to do then wrestle with my ginormous mattress and change those stupid sheets.
well the other day i was talking to my mom about them. she was astonished to hear that i have not changed them in a super long time. my mom is very ritual about changing the sheets - every saturday morning she or my dad makes sure the chore is done. and i used to be somewhat good about it as well - i would change them at the beginning of every month.
but...well...here it goes - i haven't changed them since i moved in. in mid december. but wait!!they seem perfectly fine to me though.
hahahahaha will you still be my friend? how often do you change yours?
ok, here it goes. i hate to change the sheets on my bed. not only is my mattress super heavy, but my bed is up against the wall. so, my dislike for changing sheets has changed into a total disgust.
so, i just ignore it. it's just sheets afterall, right? it's not like i wear them out during the day. and i always have better things to do then wrestle with my ginormous mattress and change those stupid sheets.
well the other day i was talking to my mom about them. she was astonished to hear that i have not changed them in a super long time. my mom is very ritual about changing the sheets - every saturday morning she or my dad makes sure the chore is done. and i used to be somewhat good about it as well - i would change them at the beginning of every month.
but...well...here it goes - i haven't changed them since i moved in. in mid december. but wait!!they seem perfectly fine to me though.
hahahahaha will you still be my friend? how often do you change yours?
Thursday, May 18, 2006
hello everyone!
i am sitting on my lunch break here in the grad/commuter lounge at pbu. i am taking a summer school class. hard to believe i am taking a summer school class in may, huh? yeah, it's crazy, but possible since my semester ended on may 1. i am taking an intensive course that is just this week - but it is five days in a row from 8:30 - 5. it is on revelation and daniel. while it is hard to listen to lecture nine hours everyday, i am learning a bunch and as of saturday i won't have school again until september. awesome!
i am drinking a diet pepsi as i write this. i am trying to make some changes in my diet, and not drinking regular soda is one of them...well, since monday at least.:) i am not a fan of diet soda, and almost always would rather drink water instead if i had the choice - but soda contains caffeine - which has become my crack as i plow through this school week. i do enjoy regular soda, especially wild cherry pepsi, but it is certainly something that is rather easy for me to give up. next step? fried foods.
i hear it has been high 90's at home. we have been in the high 60's to low 70's. it has been nice, for sure...but it is easy to tell that spring is winding down. i'm sure that humidity is just around the corner. my favorite.
yesterday marks three weeks until my parents visit, and then i am heading to arkansas for a few days. good times. can't wait to have them here.
ok, gotta get going. ttyl (that is just for holli!;))<3
i am sitting on my lunch break here in the grad/commuter lounge at pbu. i am taking a summer school class. hard to believe i am taking a summer school class in may, huh? yeah, it's crazy, but possible since my semester ended on may 1. i am taking an intensive course that is just this week - but it is five days in a row from 8:30 - 5. it is on revelation and daniel. while it is hard to listen to lecture nine hours everyday, i am learning a bunch and as of saturday i won't have school again until september. awesome!
i am drinking a diet pepsi as i write this. i am trying to make some changes in my diet, and not drinking regular soda is one of them...well, since monday at least.:) i am not a fan of diet soda, and almost always would rather drink water instead if i had the choice - but soda contains caffeine - which has become my crack as i plow through this school week. i do enjoy regular soda, especially wild cherry pepsi, but it is certainly something that is rather easy for me to give up. next step? fried foods.
i hear it has been high 90's at home. we have been in the high 60's to low 70's. it has been nice, for sure...but it is easy to tell that spring is winding down. i'm sure that humidity is just around the corner. my favorite.
yesterday marks three weeks until my parents visit, and then i am heading to arkansas for a few days. good times. can't wait to have them here.
ok, gotta get going. ttyl (that is just for holli!;))<3
Monday, May 15, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
ok, so since sunday i have found out that three, yes three, people are engaged and/or married. and this is all since each couple met each other since christmas. i'm not knocking the quick engagement and/or marriage cause i think that if you know...you know...but i am battling a case of jealousy right now. i have been doing really well lately, not feeling sad that most of my friends are now married and i am one of the last ones left, but wow, this week has been rough for me. and it just has me asking questions as to why? am i not good enough in this or that department, if i changed this or that will my chances of getting married become higher...in essence - what is wrong with me?
now don't get me wrong, even though it is my heart's desire to be married i certainly will not marry just for the sake of bring married. i am smart enough to know that marriage is not an answer to any problem. i refuse to settle. i refuse to play games. and, like i said, i have been doing so well with being content with where the lord has me. i guess i am just frustrated and i am venting a bit.
i hear that "nice guys settle last." but i am wondering if the same goes for nice girls as well? although, i must admit that all my married girl friends are pretty kick-a** so i don't want you to think that i am not calling them nice - because they are incredible people. i think i am just a little irritated with the whole male race right now.
i have been thinking about this a lot this past week. there are so many things i could do if i were married, that are my heart's desire - things i just don't think i could do as a single person. adopt. lead a ministry team better. etc. so i guess i am confused, and frankly a little hurt, that i am being kept from better serving others and the lord. but i know this isn't a revelation to god. he and i talk about this a lot. and he always wins.
i know that the lord's timing is perfect. i know that he has the best plans for me. i am just hoping that one day i will be able to look back and say, "oh that's why you didn't allow me to be married then!":)
now don't get me wrong, even though it is my heart's desire to be married i certainly will not marry just for the sake of bring married. i am smart enough to know that marriage is not an answer to any problem. i refuse to settle. i refuse to play games. and, like i said, i have been doing so well with being content with where the lord has me. i guess i am just frustrated and i am venting a bit.
i hear that "nice guys settle last." but i am wondering if the same goes for nice girls as well? although, i must admit that all my married girl friends are pretty kick-a** so i don't want you to think that i am not calling them nice - because they are incredible people. i think i am just a little irritated with the whole male race right now.
i have been thinking about this a lot this past week. there are so many things i could do if i were married, that are my heart's desire - things i just don't think i could do as a single person. adopt. lead a ministry team better. etc. so i guess i am confused, and frankly a little hurt, that i am being kept from better serving others and the lord. but i know this isn't a revelation to god. he and i talk about this a lot. and he always wins.
i know that the lord's timing is perfect. i know that he has the best plans for me. i am just hoping that one day i will be able to look back and say, "oh that's why you didn't allow me to be married then!":)
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
speaking of birthdays...happy blog birthday to me! i am now over a year old - wow! such a big girl!
i want you all to go over and read my roomie's blog...www.hannahsnelling.blogspot.com. as soon as i can get someone to help me i will add her link (and other non-adxers) to my page!! thanks to carrie who helped me to put up the links in the first place.
also, good news! i passed all my classes. yay! i am now an official second year grad student! its so weird to think i am seven classes away from being a therapist... kinda good - and scary!
i am watching martha stewart right now and it is "cupcake day." how fun it would be to own my own bakery. and now it is making me want a cupcake!! yum!
enjoy your day!
i want you all to go over and read my roomie's blog...www.hannahsnelling.blogspot.com. as soon as i can get someone to help me i will add her link (and other non-adxers) to my page!! thanks to carrie who helped me to put up the links in the first place.
also, good news! i passed all my classes. yay! i am now an official second year grad student! its so weird to think i am seven classes away from being a therapist... kinda good - and scary!
i am watching martha stewart right now and it is "cupcake day." how fun it would be to own my own bakery. and now it is making me want a cupcake!! yum!
enjoy your day!
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Where have I been? Well, I've been here, there, and everywhere! Busy, busy, busy with school, work, and friends - but it has been awesome. Here are some pics (in no particular order) with highlights of the past couple of months...
To start off...here is a pic of me and Kristin at a civil war reenactment. It actually was very interesting!
School ended on May 1. Wow, how bittersweet. I am still waiting on final grades. Please pray that I pass everything. (You have to have a 3.0 or better to pass on to the next semester at PBU.) My wonderful friends at school...from L to R are KT, Holli, Aletheia and Jocelyn. I start my one and only summer school class a week from tomorrow. It is on Revelation/Daniel...awesome!!
Saturday, March 18, 2006
...colorado...
good times, mostly. i made friends and they were so fun to hang out with. (and got to connect and catch up with old ones.) i got to go to pikes peak twice. it is incredible. i recommend you hit that up if you are in that area. i also learned a lot and came back feeling like the conference was so worth my time. i was nervous about it but it was a worthwhile trip.
...wyldLife...
we have had two clubs so far. i was praying for at least ten kids to show up and the lord has totally provided in that way and it is growing. the kids seem to be having a great time and the other leaders are great with them. middle schoolers are a breath of fresh air. they instantly like you and get excited about anything. next year i will be combining with hannah and doing an area wide wyldlife. we are excited about that.
...company...
last week kristin came to visit. it was fun having her here to my "new" house. the weather was also decent so it was nice to be out and about. on friday we went to my friend holli's house and hung out with some super fun pbu girls - holli, jocelyn, katie and aletheia. we ate pizza and watched "walk the line." then saturday we slept in, got jelly pedicures, went to our fave store in flemington, had a picnic at mine brook park, went to dinner at chilis, went to bridgewater and did some shopping (got a cute bag and watch!), and saw "failure to launch." it was a full day! sun. i woke up sick (more on that later) but we managed to make it through church and lunch at one of my face places, cracker barrel (although i couldn't eat). it was a good weekend - it went by quickly!
...summer...
oh my goodness. check out my summer schedule. i can't believe how full it is. i am also extremely excited that it is as full as it is...that means it will be an adventure and go by quickly! is it possible that i am already booked until early sept? crazy how time flies by!
sweden assignment june 11-23
campaigner/capernaum service camp june 25-30
rockbridge (hs) camp july 12-17
rockbridge (ms) camp july 25-29
saranac (assignment) july 30- aug.19
california aug.20-sept.4
work conference at champion sept.5-7
...mexico...
less then three weeks until i head off to mexico! we have 6 students going and 4 adults. i am so excited. i have been having a bazillion dreams about it while sleeping because it is always on my mind. i so want everything to work out well and for these kids to have a great time learning how to serve the poor for the lord. many of them have never been to the west coast. one kid even asked if she will have to learn to speak "mexican." this will be such a huge experience for them - and needless to say i am uber excited about being with my old region as well. currently i am trying to find us free housing for three nights in san diego which has been a bigger challenge then expected. any ideas?
...school...
this weekend is a big one for me. i have sooooooo much to do. i keep telling myself that i just need to get through this month and next then i will be home-free. (the semester ends on may 1.) then i am taking two intensive summer school courses in may and then i will have 3 months off. yay! i love grad school, but i have been feeling a lack of motivation lately with my assignments. maybe it is just "spring fever." this last week was our spring break so it was nice having that much needed break.
...spring...
i think we may be done with snowy weather! while it is still chilly here (high of 41 today) i am so pumped that spring is just around the corner. i can't wait to have our green trees back and all that comes with it!! yay for warm weather!
...work...
last night i took some kids to a hockey game in philly. it was awesome. we were three rows up from the glass. the phantoms won 3-2 in overtime. they played wilkes-barre/scranton. many of my kids were cheering for the pens, and so were holli and jeremy (new friends/leaders). the phantoms had special st.patty's day jerseys. (the holiday is much bigger here on the EC.) anyway, i have been trying to do some fun events for the kids this semester. my goal is to offer something "out of the ordinary" at least once a month. next month we have mexico and i think i will have a girls overnight in may. club has been doing well and i have two new leaders who are terrific. next year i would like to try some type of capernaum ministry. still praying about it.
...sick...
i was crazy sick with the stomach flu from sunday-tuesday. besides the ear infection it was the most sick i have been since i moved here. from what i hear it is going around. my advice to you - run away from it or give it a huge karate chop if you think it wants to attack you.
...camera...
so i think i mentioned to you before that i lost it a while back. actually it might have been stolen but i say i lost it so that way i'm not suspicious of anyone. well, i am really missing it. i used it for work to take pics of kids and now that i have been w/o it it has been awful. funny pics aren't being taken and i don't know what i will do for mexico. it was my own personal camera that i just used for work so not only am i out work-wise but personally as well. the thing is is that my area can't afford to buy one - and i can't either. so i have a dilemma. please pray that i can get my hands on one!! (legally, of course.:))
...tax returns...
got my money back. ptl! decided to do the mature thing and repaid loans with all of it. my goal is to be debt free in a year!! but oh how nice it was to have that money back even if it were for a few mins...
...nyc...
oh how i love living 1 hour from it!!! hannah and i try to go in as much as possible - as time and money allow of course. we went in last week and had such a fun day. we saw "dirty rotten scoundrels" which was hilarious, ate at my fave italian place for dinner and had gray's papaya for lunch, and spent time walking around in the museum of modern art. soooooooo fun!
good times, mostly. i made friends and they were so fun to hang out with. (and got to connect and catch up with old ones.) i got to go to pikes peak twice. it is incredible. i recommend you hit that up if you are in that area. i also learned a lot and came back feeling like the conference was so worth my time. i was nervous about it but it was a worthwhile trip.
...wyldLife...
we have had two clubs so far. i was praying for at least ten kids to show up and the lord has totally provided in that way and it is growing. the kids seem to be having a great time and the other leaders are great with them. middle schoolers are a breath of fresh air. they instantly like you and get excited about anything. next year i will be combining with hannah and doing an area wide wyldlife. we are excited about that.
...company...
last week kristin came to visit. it was fun having her here to my "new" house. the weather was also decent so it was nice to be out and about. on friday we went to my friend holli's house and hung out with some super fun pbu girls - holli, jocelyn, katie and aletheia. we ate pizza and watched "walk the line." then saturday we slept in, got jelly pedicures, went to our fave store in flemington, had a picnic at mine brook park, went to dinner at chilis, went to bridgewater and did some shopping (got a cute bag and watch!), and saw "failure to launch." it was a full day! sun. i woke up sick (more on that later) but we managed to make it through church and lunch at one of my face places, cracker barrel (although i couldn't eat). it was a good weekend - it went by quickly!
...summer...
oh my goodness. check out my summer schedule. i can't believe how full it is. i am also extremely excited that it is as full as it is...that means it will be an adventure and go by quickly! is it possible that i am already booked until early sept? crazy how time flies by!
sweden assignment june 11-23
campaigner/capernaum service camp june 25-30
rockbridge (hs) camp july 12-17
rockbridge (ms) camp july 25-29
saranac (assignment) july 30- aug.19
california aug.20-sept.4
work conference at champion sept.5-7
...mexico...
less then three weeks until i head off to mexico! we have 6 students going and 4 adults. i am so excited. i have been having a bazillion dreams about it while sleeping because it is always on my mind. i so want everything to work out well and for these kids to have a great time learning how to serve the poor for the lord. many of them have never been to the west coast. one kid even asked if she will have to learn to speak "mexican." this will be such a huge experience for them - and needless to say i am uber excited about being with my old region as well. currently i am trying to find us free housing for three nights in san diego which has been a bigger challenge then expected. any ideas?
...school...
this weekend is a big one for me. i have sooooooo much to do. i keep telling myself that i just need to get through this month and next then i will be home-free. (the semester ends on may 1.) then i am taking two intensive summer school courses in may and then i will have 3 months off. yay! i love grad school, but i have been feeling a lack of motivation lately with my assignments. maybe it is just "spring fever." this last week was our spring break so it was nice having that much needed break.
...spring...
i think we may be done with snowy weather! while it is still chilly here (high of 41 today) i am so pumped that spring is just around the corner. i can't wait to have our green trees back and all that comes with it!! yay for warm weather!
...work...
last night i took some kids to a hockey game in philly. it was awesome. we were three rows up from the glass. the phantoms won 3-2 in overtime. they played wilkes-barre/scranton. many of my kids were cheering for the pens, and so were holli and jeremy (new friends/leaders). the phantoms had special st.patty's day jerseys. (the holiday is much bigger here on the EC.) anyway, i have been trying to do some fun events for the kids this semester. my goal is to offer something "out of the ordinary" at least once a month. next month we have mexico and i think i will have a girls overnight in may. club has been doing well and i have two new leaders who are terrific. next year i would like to try some type of capernaum ministry. still praying about it.
...sick...
i was crazy sick with the stomach flu from sunday-tuesday. besides the ear infection it was the most sick i have been since i moved here. from what i hear it is going around. my advice to you - run away from it or give it a huge karate chop if you think it wants to attack you.
...camera...
so i think i mentioned to you before that i lost it a while back. actually it might have been stolen but i say i lost it so that way i'm not suspicious of anyone. well, i am really missing it. i used it for work to take pics of kids and now that i have been w/o it it has been awful. funny pics aren't being taken and i don't know what i will do for mexico. it was my own personal camera that i just used for work so not only am i out work-wise but personally as well. the thing is is that my area can't afford to buy one - and i can't either. so i have a dilemma. please pray that i can get my hands on one!! (legally, of course.:))
...tax returns...
got my money back. ptl! decided to do the mature thing and repaid loans with all of it. my goal is to be debt free in a year!! but oh how nice it was to have that money back even if it were for a few mins...
...nyc...
oh how i love living 1 hour from it!!! hannah and i try to go in as much as possible - as time and money allow of course. we went in last week and had such a fun day. we saw "dirty rotten scoundrels" which was hilarious, ate at my fave italian place for dinner and had gray's papaya for lunch, and spent time walking around in the museum of modern art. soooooooo fun!
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Highlights of the past few days since my last post...
*Hanging out with Kristin. We went to the Spy Museum, ate good food (Mexican and Italian...got the Mexican food for free - score!), watched movies, went streaking around the white house in our bikinis (while wearing bullet proof vests of course...never can be too careful with the V.P.;)), talked and caught up, slept in, etc. Good times!
*Found out I got an "A" in my winter class. Yay for me! That gave me a boost of confidence, especially since I think I won't be pulling straight A's this semester. But that's OK. I am doing my best and hanging in there! School is still great.
*Found out our house is going to be supplied with an alarm system. PTL! Now we can sleep easier. We have heard some noises and had some weird stuff happen (still!) recently, but we are remaining safe and sound.
*Can I just say that 24 is one of my new favorite shows? (Thanks to my roommate for getting me addicted...that show is like crack.) That was on last night. Jack Bauer is my hott TV husband.
*Knowing that I made it through another month. Whew - what a whirlwind winter/spring this is becoming for me!
OK...so now on to the story you have been asking for...
So my computer suddenly died and will not turn back on. This is Friday night a couple of weeks ago. I definitely knew that I needed to get it in and fixed right away because I use it everyday and can't live w/o it due to school and work. So late Saturday afternoon I take it in to this local computer shop in town. I have been there before and they seem to do a good job. Anyway, there is one guy who works there who I knew was a believer just through small talk we had had on previous visits. So of course knowing that a Christian worked there I obviously wanted to keep supporting them. Anyway, so I take my computer in and this same guy is working. He is the only one there. He immediately recognizes me and strikes up this conversation. He then just began to pour out his life story to me. (Without me asking for it.) He talked about how his pastor won't let him become a member of his church because he is divorced, how he feels lost with life, and how he is super lonely. He told me, "Ashley, I am the loneliest person in this office. I put on a mask so no one will think it...but it's true." Well of course at that moment I thought that my computer dying and me going in there was a divine appointment. I began to use my new counseling skills with him and try to help him as best I could. Well, unfortunately he took it the wrong way and out of the blue, like literally cut me off from talking, he asked me out to dinner. I was so stunned that I said, "yes." And at that point I think I was still being naive and thinking he just wanted to talk and that since it was just dinner time that we could talk over dinner. So anyway we go to Chilis and it was during that time that I totally came to realize that he thought it was a date. It was so awkward....only for me though. I tried my best not to lead him on and now I feel so guilty for even trying to help in the first place. He has called me all kinds since then. He is not getting the hint. Ugh, crazy. I really thought I was doing the right thing, but unfortunately it didn't work the way I had planned. Crazy!! I always get myself into weird situations like that!!
So I leave for Colorado Springs the day after tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday night. I am getting a little more excited about it. Pray for me - that I will find some friends.:)
Tonight is our first WL club! Exciting! I will be sure to let you know how it goes.
Hope this day is going great for you.<3
*Hanging out with Kristin. We went to the Spy Museum, ate good food (Mexican and Italian...got the Mexican food for free - score!), watched movies, went streaking around the white house in our bikinis (while wearing bullet proof vests of course...never can be too careful with the V.P.;)), talked and caught up, slept in, etc. Good times!
*Found out I got an "A" in my winter class. Yay for me! That gave me a boost of confidence, especially since I think I won't be pulling straight A's this semester. But that's OK. I am doing my best and hanging in there! School is still great.
*Found out our house is going to be supplied with an alarm system. PTL! Now we can sleep easier. We have heard some noises and had some weird stuff happen (still!) recently, but we are remaining safe and sound.
*Can I just say that 24 is one of my new favorite shows? (Thanks to my roommate for getting me addicted...that show is like crack.) That was on last night. Jack Bauer is my hott TV husband.
*Knowing that I made it through another month. Whew - what a whirlwind winter/spring this is becoming for me!
OK...so now on to the story you have been asking for...
So my computer suddenly died and will not turn back on. This is Friday night a couple of weeks ago. I definitely knew that I needed to get it in and fixed right away because I use it everyday and can't live w/o it due to school and work. So late Saturday afternoon I take it in to this local computer shop in town. I have been there before and they seem to do a good job. Anyway, there is one guy who works there who I knew was a believer just through small talk we had had on previous visits. So of course knowing that a Christian worked there I obviously wanted to keep supporting them. Anyway, so I take my computer in and this same guy is working. He is the only one there. He immediately recognizes me and strikes up this conversation. He then just began to pour out his life story to me. (Without me asking for it.) He talked about how his pastor won't let him become a member of his church because he is divorced, how he feels lost with life, and how he is super lonely. He told me, "Ashley, I am the loneliest person in this office. I put on a mask so no one will think it...but it's true." Well of course at that moment I thought that my computer dying and me going in there was a divine appointment. I began to use my new counseling skills with him and try to help him as best I could. Well, unfortunately he took it the wrong way and out of the blue, like literally cut me off from talking, he asked me out to dinner. I was so stunned that I said, "yes." And at that point I think I was still being naive and thinking he just wanted to talk and that since it was just dinner time that we could talk over dinner. So anyway we go to Chilis and it was during that time that I totally came to realize that he thought it was a date. It was so awkward....only for me though. I tried my best not to lead him on and now I feel so guilty for even trying to help in the first place. He has called me all kinds since then. He is not getting the hint. Ugh, crazy. I really thought I was doing the right thing, but unfortunately it didn't work the way I had planned. Crazy!! I always get myself into weird situations like that!!
So I leave for Colorado Springs the day after tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday night. I am getting a little more excited about it. Pray for me - that I will find some friends.:)
Tonight is our first WL club! Exciting! I will be sure to let you know how it goes.
Hope this day is going great for you.<3
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Thanks everyone for caring about my safety. If you didn't read the blog before this, about the footprints, be sure to read it. Since that happened only one suspicious thing has happened and that was very early Sunday morning. (A little after 1 AM to be exact.) I awoke to a very loud noise and I was just frozen in my bed with fear. I told myself that if I heard it one more time I was calling 911 and waking Hannah. I have a basement window right under my room and I thought for sure someone was trying to get in. Whether or not that's true, there was not another noise. We went down to the basement and checked it out (in the daytime!) and it is a possibility that someone was trying to get in. (The window is too old to tell. It has cracks in it - and we just don't know if that happened from being forced open or if it is just due to being old and we just never noticed them before.) But, whether that's true or not, they did not succeed. Since then it has been hard for me to be home alone, especially in the night time. Hannah and I are hoping to get an alarm system for our house. We are tired of living in fear. We should feel safe in our own home - and who knows when this craziness is going to end.
On to other things...
This weekend I am going to visit Kristin in VA. While I am looking forward to being away, I do know that this is not the wisest move on my part. I am swamped with both work and school. But, we have been trying to get together for a while now and this weekend was the first time that worked for both of us since Christmas. So, l am excited about seeing her...and having fun with my friend will, of course, make it all worth while. :)
A big thing on my mind lately is our WyldLife ministry. We have our first club on Tuesday and I do not feel ready. I am super nervous about it. Please be in prayer for that. Other then that things with work are going well. We are planning on going to Mexico over Easter Break to build a house. I am hoping to take 5-10 kids. (We will be going with the CenCal group.) I'll find out my final numbers next week as that is when I have the deadline set.
Speaking of trips, I am going to Colorado Springs for work next week. That is something I am NOT looking forward to. Please, please pray for me in that regard. I really am dreading it for several reasons. Ugh.
PBU is awesome. I was accepted into a special mentor program so that has been great.
Well, I have to get going. I have more to write about - especially a supper awkward dinner I had recently with a complete stranger - and I will write about that later. It's quite a story! I always get myself in weird situations like that!!
Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday! <3
On to other things...
This weekend I am going to visit Kristin in VA. While I am looking forward to being away, I do know that this is not the wisest move on my part. I am swamped with both work and school. But, we have been trying to get together for a while now and this weekend was the first time that worked for both of us since Christmas. So, l am excited about seeing her...and having fun with my friend will, of course, make it all worth while. :)
A big thing on my mind lately is our WyldLife ministry. We have our first club on Tuesday and I do not feel ready. I am super nervous about it. Please be in prayer for that. Other then that things with work are going well. We are planning on going to Mexico over Easter Break to build a house. I am hoping to take 5-10 kids. (We will be going with the CenCal group.) I'll find out my final numbers next week as that is when I have the deadline set.
Speaking of trips, I am going to Colorado Springs for work next week. That is something I am NOT looking forward to. Please, please pray for me in that regard. I really am dreading it for several reasons. Ugh.
PBU is awesome. I was accepted into a special mentor program so that has been great.
Well, I have to get going. I have more to write about - especially a supper awkward dinner I had recently with a complete stranger - and I will write about that later. It's quite a story! I always get myself in weird situations like that!!
Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday! <3
Friday, February 17, 2006
Town OF Clinton Police - Quit Laughing At Me! - PART DEUX
So obviously since we had our little run in with suitcase man we have been keeping watch around our house. And, since it snowed this past weekend we have been looking for footprints around our house or basically anything suspicious. Well, there was nothing weird or abnormal, until Wednesday.
I don't know if I mentioned this before but Hannah has a dog named Rosie. So obviously when we let Rosie out we see our backyard. I had been letting Rosie out on Wednesday and there were no footprints in the snow. There were deerprints, but those of course are very small so they obviously aren't people. Hannah let Rosie out when she got home later that night. No footprints. Then she let her out for one last time - this time it was around 11. All of sudden, there were footprints. Big footprints very close to our house. They went all around our house, you can see where they stopped for a bit, and they appeared somewhere between 9 and 11 PM. So, someone was at our house, very close to our house, in the dark, and we didn't know it.
I was already in bed at this point and Hannah came and woke me up. I got the flashlight and we both nervously opened the door and examined the footprints. They were new all right, and very big. Like boot footprints. We decided we should call the police. My dad confirmed we should and so we were soon on the phone with them. They then sent someone right out.
This time, neither of us were laughing. This was getting just way too weird. First suitcases placed around our yard (and hiding), and now footprints from someone who was "checking us out" in the dark. If it was someone just passing through (a lot of people don't have fences on the EC) why did they walk so close to our house and walk all the way around? And if it were someone reading our meters...why did they come so late? (And the footprints did not lead up to that btw.) So, to make this long story short the police came out and checked around for us. Obviously this person had moved on (again!). There was nothing they could do. They just advised us to call again if we hear or see anything. Obviously someone is hanging around, but it's hard to track them down by suitcases and footprints.
So, the saga continues. This is just becoming too scary and Hannah and I are so over it. Who knows, maybe there is another sequel to this entry in store?? Hope not. But we'll see!!
I don't know if I mentioned this before but Hannah has a dog named Rosie. So obviously when we let Rosie out we see our backyard. I had been letting Rosie out on Wednesday and there were no footprints in the snow. There were deerprints, but those of course are very small so they obviously aren't people. Hannah let Rosie out when she got home later that night. No footprints. Then she let her out for one last time - this time it was around 11. All of sudden, there were footprints. Big footprints very close to our house. They went all around our house, you can see where they stopped for a bit, and they appeared somewhere between 9 and 11 PM. So, someone was at our house, very close to our house, in the dark, and we didn't know it.
I was already in bed at this point and Hannah came and woke me up. I got the flashlight and we both nervously opened the door and examined the footprints. They were new all right, and very big. Like boot footprints. We decided we should call the police. My dad confirmed we should and so we were soon on the phone with them. They then sent someone right out.
This time, neither of us were laughing. This was getting just way too weird. First suitcases placed around our yard (and hiding), and now footprints from someone who was "checking us out" in the dark. If it was someone just passing through (a lot of people don't have fences on the EC) why did they walk so close to our house and walk all the way around? And if it were someone reading our meters...why did they come so late? (And the footprints did not lead up to that btw.) So, to make this long story short the police came out and checked around for us. Obviously this person had moved on (again!). There was nothing they could do. They just advised us to call again if we hear or see anything. Obviously someone is hanging around, but it's hard to track them down by suitcases and footprints.
So, the saga continues. This is just becoming too scary and Hannah and I are so over it. Who knows, maybe there is another sequel to this entry in store?? Hope not. But we'll see!!
Monday, February 13, 2006
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Town OF Clinton Police - Quit Laughing At Me!
Ok, so crazy stuff around here lately!! But to tell the story correctly I must go back about six weeks ago when I moved into the house. As I was moving in, I noticed a blue suitcase outside of my window. I thought it was weird but just figured that we had neighbors that decorated with a "unusual" sense of style. So I didn't give it another thought. OK, so now flash forward until a couple of days ago. Hannah and I are hanging out around the house and hear a knock at the door. It is our neighbor. He asked, "Is that your suitcase in between our houses?" We both kinda looked at each other and replied that it wasn't. Both of us were confused. And at this point I am not remembering the blue suitcase I saw weeks ago. So, anyway we asked about details about this suitcase and he said his son had found it. It then dawned on me that I had seen one and I said, "Is it blue?" "No," he said. "It's black." (And at this point we realize there are TWO suitcases in the backyard.) So at this point all three of us thought something a little strange was going on. So our neighbor said his son was a detective and that his son said that that sounded really suspicious and that we should have the police check it out. So we let a couple of days go by thinking that the neighbor called the police. So today I was in the backyard and noticed the suitcases were gone. (They were there yesterday though.) Weird. But - I found something else. A garbage bag full of clothes hidden under a tree/bush thing. So Hannah and I decided we needed to call the cops. We both called, and they laughed at us. Like we were some morons who were making this up. Then they finally showed up, like 6 hours after we called, and sent like a 10-year-old. OK, not that young - but he was young. (And cute, which of course was nice...;)) So he did validate us and that was nice. Long story short - although it is likely this person has been hanging out in our basement (although windows looked secure), or the shed (which is the most likely because it did look like it had been "messed with"), or in between our houses, or in a car, this person has probably moved on (due to the suitcases missing) and we are probably OK. But isn't that SO RANDOM??? Kinda strange too. (But we do live off of a major highway and w/in walking distance of two prisons - but this Clinton. Beautiful, small, rural CLINTON.) However, we have always heard bumps up against our house late at night. But we always assumed they were deer. So - Hannah and I have come to the conclusion that maybe we have a third roommate we always didn't know about??? FREAKY, huh!!! And now a bazillion kids are IM'ing me about it. Wow, word flies fast here. Awww...they care about my safety and say I need mase. LOL...I did have some, back in the good ol' days at FSU when I actually needed to have it just in case.;)
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
I have been really blessed by my PBU friends. After nine hours of class on Saturday we all went to Holli's house for a fiesta. We had a pinata, good food, some mixed drinks, pin the tail on the donkey, watched three amigos, and danced the macarena (sp?). (Yeah, you know we are going to be awesome counselors!!) It was awesome. I love school - but I am also loving time with my new friends. Not all are pictured here, but from L to R is Katie, Holli, me, and Jocelyn. I am learning so much and now I am actually considering getting licensed. It is only 12 more credits and it might be a good thing to do. But then there are always advantaged to not getting licensed too. So, that is one thing I am praying about right now. Regardless, I have to get back to this paper. 6 pages down - three to go. Yippee!! Thursday, February 02, 2006
Oh my goodness...I could identify with more then ten. Does that mean I'm turning "Jersey?";)
You know you're from New Jersey when you recognize or can relate to at least 10 of these:
You've been seriously injured at Action Park.
You know that the only people who call it "Joisey" are from New York (usually The Bronx) or Texas.
You don't think of citrus when people mention "The Oranges."
You know that it's called "Great Adventure," not "Six Flags."
You've ordered a hard roll with butter for breakfast.
You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven.
You've eaten at a diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3 am.
Whenever you park, there's a Camaro within three spots of you.
You remember that the "Two Guys" were from Harrison.
You know that the state isn't one big oil refinery.
At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen, and you know what town Jon Bon Jovi is from.
You know what a "jug handle" is.
You know that a WaWa is a convenience store.
You know that the state isn't all farmland.
You know that there are no "beaches" in new Jersey - there's "The Shore," and you know that the road to the shore is "The Parkway" not "The Garden State Highway."
You know that "Piney" isn't referring to a tree.
Even your school cafeteria made good Italian subs, and, you call it a "sub" not a "submarine sandwich" or worse yet, a "hoagy" or a "hero."
You remember the song from the Palisades Park commercials.
You know how to properly negotiate a Circle.
You knew that the last question had to do with driving.
You know that "Acme" is an actual store, not just a Warner Bros creation.
You know that this is the only "New..." state that doesn't require "New" to identify it (like, try ...Mexico, ...York, ...Hampshire (doesn't work, does it?).
You know how to translate this conversation: "Jeet yet?" "No, Jew?"
You only go to New York City for day trips, and you only call it "The City."
You know that a "White Castle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich.
You consider a corned beef sandwich with lettuce and mayo a sacrilege.
In the 80's you wore your hair REALLY high.
You don't think "What exit" (do you live near?) is very funny.
You know that the real first "strip shopping center" in the country is Route 22.
You know that people from 609 area code are "a little different."
You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton - that's for out-of-staters.
The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your school or local bar.
You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls.
You can see the Manhattan skyline from some part of your town.
You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers.
Every year, you had at least one kid in your class named Tony.
You know where every "clip" shown in the Sopranos opening credits is.
You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of Willowbrook Mall.
You've eaten a Boardwalk cheesesteak with vinegar fries.
You have a favorite Atlantic City casino.
You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.
And finally... You've never pumped your own gas.
You know you're from New Jersey when you recognize or can relate to at least 10 of these:
You've been seriously injured at Action Park.
You know that the only people who call it "Joisey" are from New York (usually The Bronx) or Texas.
You don't think of citrus when people mention "The Oranges."
You know that it's called "Great Adventure," not "Six Flags."
You've ordered a hard roll with butter for breakfast.
You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven.
You've eaten at a diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3 am.
Whenever you park, there's a Camaro within three spots of you.
You remember that the "Two Guys" were from Harrison.
You know that the state isn't one big oil refinery.
At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen, and you know what town Jon Bon Jovi is from.
You know what a "jug handle" is.
You know that a WaWa is a convenience store.
You know that the state isn't all farmland.
You know that there are no "beaches" in new Jersey - there's "The Shore," and you know that the road to the shore is "The Parkway" not "The Garden State Highway."
You know that "Piney" isn't referring to a tree.
Even your school cafeteria made good Italian subs, and, you call it a "sub" not a "submarine sandwich" or worse yet, a "hoagy" or a "hero."
You remember the song from the Palisades Park commercials.
You know how to properly negotiate a Circle.
You knew that the last question had to do with driving.
You know that "Acme" is an actual store, not just a Warner Bros creation.
You know that this is the only "New..." state that doesn't require "New" to identify it (like, try ...Mexico, ...York, ...Hampshire (doesn't work, does it?).
You know how to translate this conversation: "Jeet yet?" "No, Jew?"
You only go to New York City for day trips, and you only call it "The City."
You know that a "White Castle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich.
You consider a corned beef sandwich with lettuce and mayo a sacrilege.
In the 80's you wore your hair REALLY high.
You don't think "What exit" (do you live near?) is very funny.
You know that the real first "strip shopping center" in the country is Route 22.
You know that people from 609 area code are "a little different."
You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton - that's for out-of-staters.
The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your school or local bar.
You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls.
You can see the Manhattan skyline from some part of your town.
You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers.
Every year, you had at least one kid in your class named Tony.
You know where every "clip" shown in the Sopranos opening credits is.
You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of Willowbrook Mall.
You've eaten a Boardwalk cheesesteak with vinegar fries.
You have a favorite Atlantic City casino.
You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.
And finally... You've never pumped your own gas.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
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