First of all, I'm thrilled to be writing my first Top Comments diary tonight. I've been a reader for quite a while, and I'm glad to finally be contributing. Before we get to the main event, the obligatory word from our sponsor:
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I’ve always been prone to homesickness. I remember going away to summer camp and crying myself to sleep at night because I just wanted to go home, see my parents, and sleep in my own bed in my own house. When I first went away to college, I was depressed for a week, even though I was only an hour and a half away from home. Over the years, I’ve been less and less inclined toward homesickness – in fact, recently, I couldn’t wait to get out of my house, get away from my hick hometown, and start a new life in a new place.
About a month ago, I got my wish. I moved all the way from northwestern Pennsylvania to Houston, Texas, where I’ve just started pursuing my PhD in history. For the past month, I’ve felt kind of like I’ve been on vacation. Now, it’s just starting to hit me that, no, I’m not on vacation, and that the little loft I’m paying too much for isn’t a hotel room – it’s my new home. This sprawling metropolis will most likely be my home for at least the next five years, and my trips back to Pennsylvania will be few and far between.
And guess what? I’m starting to miss that hick town I couldn’t wait to leave.
I used to complain an awful lot about Warren, Pennsylvania. What you see is what you get. Forested hills surrounding a town of about 10,000 people. The biggest, most exciting thing we have is a Wal-Mart Supercenter. But God, do I miss the view. Sure beats the smog of Houston.
Okay, Wal-Mart isn’t the only thing Warren County has to offer. The Kinzua Dam and Allegheny Reservoir is a sight to behold that I didn’t really appreciate during the time I lived a mere 10 minutes away from it.
I could tell you about how hundreds of people living on the Senecas' Allegheny Reservation, including my great-grandfather, were forced to leave their homes to make way for this man-made wonder, but that’s another story for another diary (and I wouldn’t want to ruin the mood). Besides, Johnny Cash tells the story better than I could:
Now that I’m living 1,500 miles away in a huge metropolitan area, I’m just now starting to appreciate the natural beauty of my birthplace.
There is a view from the Tidioute Overlook outside of Tidioute, Pennsylvania (you may recognize the name if you’re a fan of American Pickers), just down the road from where I lived. When I was feeling stressed out, I used to enjoy getting in my car and driving to the overlook. Standing on top of the mountain looking down over this beauty brought me a sense of peace I can’t even begin to communicate. I’ve never been a very spiritual person, but any “spiritual” moments I’ve had have been here.
If you think that's cool, you should see it in the fall. You can't beat fall in the Pennsylvania countryside!
I may have spent most of my time in urban areas for the past four years, but I’m still a country boy, through and through. Moving away from all of that beauty and into a city filled with pollution, gridlock, and crime is a little overwhelming. But maybe one day soon, this country boy will be able to call this home:
Now, On To The Top Comments!
A special thanks to tonight's Top Comments contributors!
From Geenius at Work:
I'm a connoisseur and collector of light bulb jokes, and this one by Lavocat rockets straight into the Hall of Fame.
From brillig:
In kos' Nobody could've predicted that slashing budgets crashes economies, lgmcp suggests the GOP are wreckers. hannah needs a thesaurus, and the resultant thread is hilarious.
From sardonyx:
In a post about Mike Huckabee considering the possibility of maybe entering the 2012 GOP primary fight, JML9999 reduces the story to its basic elements.
From rserven:
Shaharazade's comment from my diary this evening.
Excerpt:
Human life is cheap seems to be our societies operational agenda. We are all only human as my granddaughter said and we all deserve the rights and respect of our society. If our society is this fucked up and divided we need the rule of law to kick in and do what it is intended to do. Will it use bigotry and faux religious intolerance to push people against each other?
And, finally, from yours truly, Chrislove:
In my diary about a thieving, defrauding anti-gay “pastor” who is blaming the gays for his legal problems, Steveningen admits to using his secret powers to ruin this bigot’s life. Way to let the gay cat out of the bag, Steveningen! Gotta love the gay wizard, though! In the same diary, Clarknt67 offers this pithy comment.
In Nulwee's diary about MSNBC's resident racist Pat Buchanan calling African Americans "brainwashed" against conservatism, tobendaro hits the nail on the head. Nothing left to say except Amen!
In jpmassar's diary about California Attorney General Kamala Harris standing up to big banks, Ray Pensador offers some words of encouragement for Harris and other potentially like-minded AGs. Well said, Ray Pensador!
Finally, Some Top Mojo!
(excluding tip jars)
Top Mojo is brought to you by mik's magic!
1) I think Laurence O'Donnell deserves some credit by elwior — 202
2) The president is not a liberal Democrat by overclocking — 110
3) Wanted to share this one with you, MoT by Lisa Lockwood — 110
4) This one was my favorite by blue aardvark — 103
5) It's one thing to say "working class", and a by praenomen — 101
6) Sorry atheistben, but I don't agree with your by Angie in WA State — 97
7) I know you'll all understand by WestTexasLiberal — 93
8) Let them eat cake by quaoar — 90
9) Yes, absolutely. His coverage was spot on, by noise of rain — 87
10) Good, I lost 10 pounds on the protestors diet by MinistryOfTruth — 83
11) MOT - you are a blessing by MartyM — 78
12) Censoring a Video on Censorship by Into The Woods — 74
13) Yup, watching the Shock Doctrine attack the post by MinistryOfTruth — 69
14) You've written some stuff over the years by blue aardvark — 66
15) dare i even think it? by doesnotworkorplaywellwithothers — 63
16) Embarrass the shit out of the NYPD by Youffraita — 63
17) Michael Moore is a great addition there by Dallasdoc — 62
18) Incremental change by cassandracarolina — 62
19) A gathering of Marie Antoinette's Soulmates... by kurious — 62
20) "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world by elwior — 61
21) Next up by blue aardvark — 60
22) My thoughts & best wishes are with you. by Russ Jarmusch — 59
23) We've spent 30 years sliding towards 1789 France by RFK Lives — 58
24) That's good news. by TomP — 57
25) I understand. by Otteray Scribe — 56
26) We should vote for him because of Supreme by sweeper — 55
27) If I was Mr. Rollins I'm not sure I would go there by Morgan Sandlin — 55
28) They aren't architects and they aren't smart. by SadieB — 54
29) purrrrrrrr by Debbie in ME — 53
30) Not quite. That's OUR money. They stole it from US by some other george — 52
31) Thanks, blue aardvark by MinistryOfTruth — 52
Thanks for reading, everybody!
(Go easy on me — I'm just a rookie! ;) :p )