Joisey Girl

I spent half of my life trying to get the hell out of Jersey, and the last five trying desperately to get back. I'm not quite sure what it is about Jersey that people seem to loathe, including the folks that live there.

Okay. I get the high car insurance. Highest in the country, actually.

Oh. And no left turns. They have these things called "jughandles." Basically, you have to make a right (either before or after the light) to make a left. Personally, I think left turn arrows are highly overrated.

And then there's the whole Jersey accent that is really a combo of Philly and NYC slapped together with a speech impairment (thanks Governor Kean) that makes everyone think we talk weird.

Or weirdly. (Sorry I'm from Jersey).

Sure. The bad drivers. The landfills. The "haha garden state." The weird roads.

And the hair.

Oh. The. Hair.

But c'mon people. Lest you forget the good things that Jersey has brought to this earth. Hi. Bon Jovi? Full Serve Gas? The Boardwalk? Cheese Steaks?

Oh wait. That's Philly. Damnit.

Seriously, Jersey gets such a bad rap wherever you go. It's not NYC. It's not Philadelphia. So apparently it's not cool. And to be honest with you, I've grown up just saying "I'm from outside Philly" so not to have to deal with the wrath of the Jersey haters.

But today I'm proud to be a Joisey girl because if I so had the desire, I could be legally united with another Joisey girl in what is the fifth state to allow legal civil unions for gay folks. That's right. They can enjoy visitation at hospitals, adoption rights, and even give their partner insurance.

Who woulda thunk it?

And I know that a civil union does not a marriage make, however, take it from me. I'm married and it's not all that it's cracked up to be people.

So congrats my gay friends. Enjoy your legally united gambling excursions and some salt water taffy on me!

Comments

[Retro Jordans]

You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post.

[puma shoes]

I couldn't agree with you more! And thanks for the blog award! I'm just thrilled to receive this award from you. I'll be sure to keep this blog an interesting place for my awesome readers, such as yourself, to keep coming back to!

[Charlie Ward]

In memory of the displaced Joiseyites who can't afford to live there anymore because of the Turnpike robbery going on in the form of property taxes.
Charlie Ward
Former exit 18 resident

[alicia aka Pocono Mom]

Jerzee girl here too! had the hair, blue eyeliner and leg warmers...nice.
culture shock, truly. moved from jersey to pennsylvania and people were so nice to us, we wondered what was wrong with them. now i have lived here going on 7 years and my friends in jersey wonder what's wrong with me.

[Tuesday]

From one jersey girl to another, it sucks to live here sometimes but i couldn't think of anywhere I would want to live.

Tuesday, exit 164

[mamadaisy]

i had that hair, and i'm from ft. lauderdale. aqua net rules.

[Shannon - PHAT Mommy]

Um, the diners?? How about the DINERS people? I swear I can't find any decent diners outside of Jersey. I LOVE living here.

[Kate]

I'm chiming in late for this one, but I have to add that from someone who was born and raised in Red Bank, you have a fellow blogging fan of the Garden State. And you're right, what's with Jersey getting such a bad rap? I spent my summers getting tan at the beach! Who could beat that?? Ahhh, how I miss it. Although I can't afford to move home! :( Thanks for making me feel nostalgic for home. Awesome, awesome post!!

[Lisse]

I grew up in Sopranos country myself. Recognize all the references. We had a house with a view of the NYC skyline.

I escaped without the accent but everytime I see a movie with 70s Cadillacs and really bad brown leather blazers, I feel at home. And sometimes I catch myself saying "awl."

Good on Jersey (ever notice it's the only state where people feel free to drop the "New?")! Awl us Jersey girls should be proud.

[motherofbun]

Very cool for those in Joisey!

[Mitch McDad]

OK. I am from Jersey, too. And all I can say, except for a few redeeming qualities, Jersey pretty much blows.

I am happy about the civil union status. A step in the right direction. Check out my recent post on gay marriage for my angry rant.

Finally. Nothing beets Jersey hair. Also use of the word "yous." Use of the phrase "not for nottin." And, of course, Hoboken. My old stomping ground.

[Mom101]

Awesome post, K. Yay for Jersey!

I still hate the drivers though.

[Kvetch]

Great minds think alike! Well, this has nothing to do with being gay, but it does have to do with tawking like you're from Philly. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0612170001dec17,1,5316253.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

[mothergoosemouse]

You guys are making me homesick. Especially Johnathan.

Jersey is a great place. Really and truly. I miss it very much - and NYC even more. Where else but New Jersey could I have a stunning, unobstructed, panoramic view of Manhattan (don't say Queens - the 59th Street Bridge obstructs your view).

But I still dig the old joke: Why are New Yorkers atheists? Because the light at the end of the tunnel is New Jersey!

[Sarah]

KRISTEN TELL ME THAT'S NOT YOU-oh my god if it is, how funny. I remember holding my bangs straight up and spraying for about 20 seconds, trying to look like you ran into wall. I think when you tell people you are from NJ all the people who travel through Newark airport think that's where you mean. What an armpit, but there ARE really nice places in NJ. I must admit though the accent is the worst. I've made an extra effort not to have my children saying "wooder" as in water or Rad-iator not to be confused with radiator. How funny are we Jersians.

[Kimba]

I've never been to Jersey, but I support them entirely for taking an important stand on this gay rights issue. It's about bloody time and more states need to open their doors to it. It's about equality no matter what your sexual orientation. Yeah New Jersey!

[Karly]

JUGHANDLES!! Oh.my.God. The first time I went on vaca to New England I about died. We couldn't figure out how the hell to get to the mall that was on the left hand side of the road. What is up with that? We literally drove in circles, making right turn after right turn because THERE WAS NO LEFT TURN LANE! I'm not sure how we figured it out, but we did eventually make it.(We heard them called turn-abouts, though.)

[MetroDad]

Way to go, Jersey! But let's not forget some of the other more awesome things about Jersey...

Bruce Springsteen
The Haunted House in Long Beach
The Borgata Casino in Atlantic City
Birthplace of Frank Sinatra, Jon Travolta, & Einstein
Two words: BON. JOVI
IKEA!

[Jenny]

Good job, NJ!

[Flo-Queen of the Bad Mommies]

I'm from Joisey-you from Joisey? I totally relate to everything you're saying-gotta love a jughandle-and what about those traffic circles? I used to love bringing my out-of-state friends through them, watching them white-knuckle it through the circle.

And the hair. Oh the hair.

I moved from NJ to NYC, to MD-can you say culture shock? I've lived in MD for almost 10 years, but when anybody asks I'm like "oh, no, no, I'm not from HERE-I'm from NY via NJ".

But you couldn't pay me enough money to move back. Actually, you could pay me enough to move back-but it would have to be a heck of a lot of money. Enough money to live there comfortably. Preferably on the beach.

[karyn]

Yeah - good point there, at the last. A Civil Union does not a marriage make; but the reverse is equally true...

[Valbee]

My boyfriend was born in Jersey and his grandmother and aunt and uncle still live there. Yeah, I've seen some scary places when taking the train into NYC, but his grandmother's town is beautiful. And the aunt and uncle live on the Jersey Shore. So... people who knock it have clearly not explored it. It's no different from any other state that I've visited - it has its good points and not so good.

[Johnathan]

Lots of stuff to love about NJ, including the fact that we're ahead of the curve on this important civil rights issue.

Some of my other favorites (some from Bergen County in particular):

Not having any idea what the hell hi-beams were for in a car.

Not understanding what a "passing zone" was (the dashed yellow line that for me only existed in drivers' ed manuals).

Having no idea that in most places, towns are actually separated by relatively unoccupied expanses, and do not just flow into one another marked only by signs ("Welcome to Dumont", "Welcome to Haworth", "Welcome to Closter"...).

Now that I'm a father, the number one most personally significant bestest thing about living in Jersey is: having the best damn homeschooling rights in the northeast! Whoo-hoo! Take THAT, NY and PA! (CT is pretty decent too, but the rest are nightmares.)

May Routes 4, 17, 3, and 46 ever prosper.

[Marti]

Oh how I've missed reading here! LOL (Damn real life for intruding on my blog-time)

I've never been to Jersey...have to put that on my "to-do" list - LOL

Stopping by everyone on my blogroll.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a glorious New Year!

[joy]

ok. uh. is that *you*? it doesn't look like you, but if i squint... how can a state so accommodating of gay men also allow such hair style travesty? (i jest because i love, of course--i have some very comparable photos from late 80s m'self).