Comments on: Your state of mind might not be in the city

By: CK

CK — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:39:26 +0000

Two comments:
1) I was born and raised in Kansas for the first 11 years of my life. I love how people automatically think I lived on a farm and tell me things I already know – such as: “Oh, Kansas, like in Wizard of Oz?”
2) Now when people ask me where I live, I say “Orange County, California” and they know… perhaps due to the popularity of the show? Alas, if only all of us OC-ers were ultra wealthy and did nothing but throw big parties every day…

By: Lelah

Lelah — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:54:35 +0000

I think there are more people in my entire COUNTY in NJ than in the whole STATE of Alaska!

By: Heather

Heather — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:15:33 +0000

How’s this for irritating:

me:I’m from Utah
Them: You a Mormon?

Never fails!

By: Diane

Diane — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:43:15 +0000

Wow, everyone here is insane about what other people don’t know about their state. I can say that a) I can name multiple cities is Hawaii and b) live in a state that should have the worlds biggest inferiority complex (New Jersey) mostly because people have asked me “is that it’s own state or is it a part of NY?” And for all of you New York staters out there, I always ask “what part” because I know you’re a little sensitive.

No one knows as much about where you live as you do. If someone thinks they know anything at all about NJ it’s Newark Airport and pollution. They don’t know that almost a quarter of our land is protected or farm land and it’sa penninsula. And while I did grown up 15 min from Newark, 5 min from Elizabeth and easily within 20 mins drive from 3 major malls, I don’t think anyone from outside the state knows that the Sopranos opening is so out of order geographically (in terms of where Tony is driving) that you’d think he was lost. And really do any of you care?

By: M

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:06:05 +0000

You think that’s annoying, try living in a state that has a city named after it. Whenever I say I’m from New York, people automatically assume New York City. Folks, it’s a whole state! And it’s worth seeing, with lots of nice places, apple farms and Niagara Falls and the Adirondacks and the capital! New York City is just this teeny-tiny part at the bottom, and while it might THINK it’s the center of the world, it isn’t, honest. Grr.

By: K

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:37:57 +0000

I am from Rochester, NY and when I went to college out of state people even assumed Rochester was close to NYC. It’s closer to Canada.

By: kate

kate — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:54:15 +0000

Perhaps the best way to avoid offending those from non-metropolitan (or non-famous metropolitan) areas would be to respond to “I’m from Georgia” not with “oh, from Atlanta?” but with “what part of Georgia?” instead. Then you can find your common ground and not offend us non-city folk.

I understand people from other areas of the country not having a detailed knowledge of other states’ cities. But I do think it’s inexcusable not to know where all 50 states are after about age 11. I’m from rural Nebraska (ie: not Lincoln or Omaha), and find that I only get the specific city question from other Nebraskans (99% of the time, from those in Lincoln or Omaha–non city folk know better). Now that I have moved to New York (incidentally, not *the City*), I’ve met with questions such as “Nebraska? What states are by that?” Really, it’s not that hard. They are big states–any elementary kid can learn them. (Though I have also heard the excuse that “all of those states are square”. Untrue, and also lame.)

I’d also say there is no real excuse for not knowing the Canadian provinces/territories. There are only 13–you can do it. I’ll confess I don’t know many cities in Canada (though Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has to be one of the best-named ever), but at least I can nod knowingly when I meet someone from New Brunswick. :)

By: John Smith

John Smith — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:09:29 +0000

Well you can see how people would assume that from Nebraskans. They are always astonished whenever they see someone or something that is not part of their so-called traditional way of life.

By: Kayla

Kayla — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 04:04:38 +0000

So I’m from Arizona… When I say Arizona, I still get cowboys and indians or “Its a dry heat”… try living in Tucson (second largest city in Arizona) in the middle of the monsoon… not so dry then. And the “its a dry heat” makes the 109 degree heat feel SOOO much better… right….

By: Emilee

Emilee — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 16:02:31 +0000

Okay, this is how it usually goes for me when I visit my uncle in Florida.
Them: Oh, you’re not from here?
Me: Nope. (Neither are you)
Them: Then where are you guys from?
Me: Arkansas.
Them: I thought so, with your accent.
Me: Oh. (And with your accent, where’s your cheese-head?)
Them: Where in Arkansas are you from? Is it near Little Rock?
Me: It’s not really…Do you know where Conway is?
Them: Where?
Me: Conway? The University of Central Arkansas? Searcy? The Little Red River?
Them: What?
Me: Ummm…only the home of the world record Brown Trout.
Them: Where?
Me:…About 75 miles north of Little Rock.
Them: Oh..okay…