Summer Post #7: Comparisons Part 1

Yeah, you knew the time would come.

I get this a question a lot from newer friends in WA-
"Do you like it more here or there?"

And I get this from older friends in CT-
"What's Washington like?"

I'm going to answer the first question...well, first. And the other one tomorrow.

Things about Connecticut and my hometown that Washingtonians may care about or find interesting:

• My hometown is really small. Imagine A-Town. Now cut it into a fifth of its original size. But make sure you leave one road that you can call a "downtown" With a teensey tiny move theatre (like tinier than ours) that plays new movies about 3 months late for $3 and a 50's-style ice cream shoppe with really cheap candy. And a bunch of antique shops. and the bar. I'm starting to realize that I don't really know my hometown that well. only the parts I'm really familiar with. Well, just throw in a few housing developments and a ton of farms and you've got the basic scene.
• The HS colors are blue and gold. I love coincidences. But theirs are more of a royal and yellow.
• I find this point quite funny. Most everyone in Western WA knows where about A-Town is. But If you say "I'm from Seymour.", you generally get a strange look and have to explain that it's near Ansonia.
• Our Softball Teams are beastly. Like I can't even describe them in words other than Epic Win. All ages, and leagues, we kick ass. (haha. I think I have room to say that I am nothing like a natural athlete, but there is something in the water that produces good softball players. Softball is just a natural thing with me.) It's not uncommon for the high school to go 3 or 4 years without a single loss.

This is more about Connecticut in General, not to overgeneralize:

• We drive like assholes. And it's uncommon to get pulled over for going less than 20 mph over the speed limit, cuz there are way worse people out there.
• We have this theme park, called Lake Coumpounce, and Its pretty amazing. And its right across the street from ESPN headquarters. On the topic of ESPN, there are gigantic flat screen TV's everywhere in the bathrooms. haha.
• A lot of War of the Worlds was shot in CT, and I know exactly where. =)
• Also, on the topic of movies, A Haunting in Connecticut, if you didn't know, is based on a true story. I've been by the house it's about, and my grandma lived right down the street. One of my aunts went to it with her friends in High school or something and I hear it is pretty dang creepy.
• God, writing this reminds me of how small CT is. although I kinda love it.
• A "package" store is where one buys liquor. I really don't know why we call them that.
• Okay, this is a bit weird, but I'm from the Valley, which has a ton a smaller towns and some cities in the connecticut river valley. appeaently the rest of the state has a bunch of rich preps. (trying not to over-generalize, but you haven't been there, so you can't understand the partially-true sterotype.) and while in this area, you can see people with cardigans tied around their necks. its a bit weird. actually, think of carlton from fresh prince.
• ^ Appearently we're "The Richest State"
• And you know when you leave the Not-as-Preppy-Valley. Personal experience comes into play bigtime there. I can't really explain without a ton of photos.
• You can't buy liqour on sundays. or past 6 o clock at night . not that I care, but its a bit weird. I thought it was like that everywhere.

So, you ask, "Which do you like better?" and personally, I have no idea. I really like the small town feeling and the closeness of everything, but the people on the west coast are way different than what I'd be used to. East coast seems too rushed for me. and its not like a cool sort of fast paced ness, its more like "Get the fuck out of my way or i will kill you". but I've lived that atmosphere, so I'm used to it. yeah, I love people in connecticut, and I love people in Washington. But any comparison is like apples to oranges. I like Connecticut weather. you don't have to go to the mountains to get snow, and its in the 100s in the summer. And I like the beaches on that coast a bit more, they're sandier, and the waves can be amazing. I like Washington scenery a bit more though. and the air is better, no lie.

I've lived in oppisite corners of the country. think about it. A-Town and Seymour are about as far away on the map as you can get. And you'd think that they are really similar, and in some ways they are, but in many others, they are way different.

TO BE CONTINUED IN A 3 PART SERIES