When you press the button for the traffic light to change – is it really changing or just pullin’ your chain – pressin’ YOUR button?
My office fan makes a snoring noise – is it sleeping on the job?
My shed was robbed – the lawn mower was stolen. My neighbor said, “They’ll be back in a month for the new one.”
Not so mindless ~
I went to the state fair for the elephant ears, funnel cakes, deep-fried pickle on-a-stick, chocolate covered bacon on-a-stick, and chocolate drizzled cream puffs. I brought along Tums.
Yes – chocolate covered bacon ! It’s more chocolat-y then bacon-y and not bad. Maybe like salt & vinegar potato chips.
I’ve lived in Big Cities and Small Cities. So, let’ say a Big City has a population of over 1million and a Small City, a population of under 1 million.
In NYC, all the boroughs, except Staten Island, have populations of over 1 million, so that would make them all individual Small Cities. Collectively, the population is a little over 8 million. In the Heartland City, where I currently live, the population is about 800,000.
There are differences in these Big City – Small City cultures. So, right off the bat, let’s talk about driving.
Stopping at a yellow lightin the Heartland can get you killed – rear ended - because no matter how far back the car closest to you is, unless they’re just pulling away from the red light at the previous intersection, they ARE going to try to make it through YOUR yellow light.
In NYC, a yellow light is a warning to stop- in 4 seconds – that’s it – no questions asked or needed. You see a yellow light and you immediately slow to a crawl or instantly stop – and everyone behind you does the same thing. If you’re the car behind me – you’d better do it too!
I don’t think there are any “turn on red” signs in NYC – but I love doing that in the Heartland. I think the simple reason for that no-turn-on-red law, in NYC, is that there are just too many cars on the street – the opposite holds true in the Heartland.
Some Heartlander must have body-snatched a NYC/DMV commissioner because honking is now frowned on to the tune of $100. I really miss it. I used to go little Village nearby for that fix, but they got rid of the geese. Bummer.
If you’re coming from the Heartland to NYC, and you do want to tell your friends and family that you drove in Manhattan, you can get all the practice you need by going to the Indy 500. We went once, but for this practice drive, you don’t even have to attend or pay for a ticket, just travel around Georgetown Road, Crawfordsville Road, and 16th Street ALL DAY LONG from May 1st through June 1st.
And thanks to Bette Davis, I have the perfect opportunity to say, “Put on your seatbelt, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” Enjoy ~ Kate
I’ve lived in Big Cities and Small Cities. So, let’ say a Big City has a population of over 1million and a Small City, a population of under 1 million.
In NYC, all the boroughs, except Staten Island, have a population of over 1 million, so that would make them all individual Small Cities. Collectively, the population is a little over 8 million. The unidentified Midwest city I currently live in, has a population of about 800,000.
There are differences in this Big City – Small City social culture. Here’s just a couple I’ve noticed ~ completely unbiased ~
Waiting for an elevator ~
In a Big City ~People wait to the side, with the expectation that someone may be getting off the elevator. After passengers disembark, those waiting then get on.
In a Small City ~People stand in front of the elevator doors to wait. Sometimes very close. Sometimes so close, that when the doors open, the passenger inside, may not be able to get off. That disembarking passenger will unabashedly stand aside, while still inside the elevator car, and wait for someone to get on before they exit.
The cultural difference ~
In a Big City ~people stand away from the doors, so a herd of disembarking passengers doesn’t trample them.
In a Small City ~the odds are, with the ratio of elevators to people, that ~
You will be the only person waiting for the elevator,
There will be no one in the elevator, or
You and the disembarking passenger are linked by blood, marriage, or high school football.
Walking on city streets ~
In a Big City ~Folks walk singularly or in twos and threes, and every once in a great while, four abreast.
In a Small City ~Folks walk in two’s, three’s, four’s, five’s, six’s, seven’s, eight’s, nine’s, ten’s, eleven’s, by the dozen, or by the gross.
The cultural difference ~
In a Big City ~
You walk alone if you’re alone or if you’re talking to your invisible friend.
You walk in two’s, if you’re with your significant other, engaged, married, or you’re a two-timing SOB with his slut.
You walk in three’s if you’re a couple being mugged.
You walk in four’s if it’s men’s or ladies night out, it’s 2am, and everyone is holding each other up, ’cause the drinks were 2 for 1.
In a Small City ~ you walk any way you want to because ~
You and everyone else on the street are related by blood, marriage, or high school football.
