The next post was supposed to be Jon's recent art show, but it's still in the works. So, because I'm trying not to be a blog abandoner (blog abondoner: 1. One who has a blog but never posts 2. One who has abandoned his/her blog due to lack of ideas, time, or a combination therof), here's some funny, random, and perhaps interesting stuff about New Jersey as well as some of my sentiments about the state:
Sentiments first-my 3 favorite things about New Jersey are the fireflies, the smell of honeysuckle on the air at night, and the lightning. The funny thing about this is that all 3 of these things happen in the summer, and I hate Jersey summers. I hate summer as a rule because it's hot, but I hate Jersey summers even more because it's also humid and the bugs, fireflies excluded, are disgusting. In the summer I feel like I might as well be living outdoors.
Anyway....on to the funny stuff about New Jersey, with some added comments by me.
* New Jersey is a peninsula.
* Highlands, New Jersey has the highest elevation along the entire eastern seaboard, from Maine to Florida.
* New Jersey is the only state where all of its counties are classified as metropolitan areas.
* New Jersey has more race horses than Kentucky.
* New Jersey has more Cubans in Union City (1 sq mi.) than Havana, Cuba
* New Jersey has the densest system of highways and railroads in the US.
* New Jersey has the highest cost of auto insurance.
* New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation.
* New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the "Diner Capital of the World."
* New Jersey is home to the original Mystery Pork Parts Club (no, not Spam): Taylor Ham or Pork Roll. (I've never eaten any of these mystery meats.)
* Home to the less mysterious but the best Italian hot dogs and Italian sausage w/peppers and onions.
* North Jersey has the most shopping malls in one area in the world, with seven major shopping malls in a 25 square mile radius.
* New Jersey is home to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
* The PassaicRiver was the site of the first submarine ride by inventor John P. Holland.
* New Jersey has 50+ resort cities & towns; some of the nation's most famous: Asbury Park, Wildwood, Atlantic City, SeasideHeights, Long Branch, Cape May.
* New Jersey has the most stringent testing along our coastline for water quality control than any other seaboard state in the entire country.
* New Jersey is a leading technology & industrial state and is the largest chemical producing state in the nation when you include pharmaceuticals.
* Jersey tomatoes are known the world over as being the best you can buy. I've never bought Jersey tomatoes.
* New Jersey is the world leader in blueberry and cranberry production, and here you thought it was Massachusetts. (Maybe Martha Stewart should come visit.)
* New Jersey rocks! The famous Les Paul invented the first solid body electric guitar in Mahwah, in 1940.
* New Jersey is a major seaport state with the largest seaport in the US , located in Elizabeth. Nearly 80% of what our nation imports comes through Elizabeth Seaport first.
* New Jersey is home to one of the nation's busiest airports (in Newark), Liberty International.
* George Washington slept here. Several important Revolutionary War battles were fought on New Jersey soil, led by General George Washington.
* The light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture projector, were invented by Thomas Edison in his Menlo Park, NJ, laboratory.
* New Jersey also boasts the first town ever lit by incandescent bulbs.
* The first seaplane was built in Keyport, NJ. What is a seaplane?
* The first airmail (to Chicago ) was started from Keyport, NJ.
* The first phonograph records were made in Camden, NJ.
* New Jersey was home to the Miss America Pageant held in Atlantic City.
* The game Monopoly, played all over the world, named the streets on its playing board after the actual streets in Atlantic City.
* And, Atlantic City has the longest boardwalk in the world, not to mention salt water taffy. (I love saltwater taffy!!!)
* New Jersey has the largest petroleum containment area outside of the Middle East countries.
* The first Indian reservation was in New Jersey , in the WatchungMountains. (New Jersey has mountains?!?!)
* New Jersey has the tallest water-tower in the world in Union, NJ.
* New Jersey had the first medical center, in Jersey City.
* The Pulaski SkyWay, from Jersey City to Newark , was the first skyway highway. I've been lost here-big shock, right?
* NJ built the first tunnel under a river, the Hudson-the Holland Tunnel.
* The first baseball game was played in Hoboken, NJ, which is also the birthplace of Frank Sinatra.
* The first intercollegiate football game was played in New Brunswick in 1889 when RutgersCollege played Princeton.
* The first drive-in movie theater was opened in Camden , NJ.
* New Jersey is home to BOTH of " NEW YORK'S" pro football teams! (We used to live 10 minutes from the stadium in North Jersey.)
* The first radio station and broadcast was in Paterson , NJ.
* The first FM radio broadcast was made from Alpine, NJ, by Maj. Thomas Armstrong.
* All New Jersey natives: Sal Martorano, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi
* The Great Falls in Paterson, on the PassaicRiver, is the second highest waterfall on the East Coast of the US.
You know you're from Jersey when...
* You don't think of fruit when people mention "The Oranges." (they are a set of cities in North Jersey)
* You know that it's called Great Adventure, not Six Flags. (an amusement park)
* A good, quick breakfast is a hard roll with butter.
* You've known the way to SeasideHeights since you were seven.
* You've eaten at a diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3 A.M. (apparently this is pretty common here)
* You know that the state isn't one big oil refinery.
* At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen, and you know the town Jon Bon Jovi is from.
* You know what a "jug handle" is.
* You know how to properly negotiate a circle. (I had to learn, but I'm good at them now-I use one two times a day when I go to and from work)
* You knew that the last 2 sentences have to do with driving.
* You know that WaWa is a convenience store.
* You know that the state isn't all farmland. (I doubt anyone ever really thought that)
* You know that there are no "beaches" in New Jersey --there's the shore--and you don't go "to the shore," you go "down the shore." And when you are there, you're not "at the shore"; you are "down the shore." (This is SO true and SO funny)
* You know that this is the only "New" state that doesn't require "New" to identify it--try . . . Mexico, York, or Hampshire.
* You know that a "WhiteCastle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich. (the term 'belly bomber' says it all-gross, gross, gross)
* You consider putting mayo on a corned beef sandwich a sacrilege.
* You don't think "What exit?" is very funny. (there are bumper stickers now that have exit numbers on them, and that's all. It seems some people do think it's funny)
* You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls. (What could be better?)
* You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers.
* Every year you have at least one kid in your class named Tony.
* You know the location of every clip shown in the Sopranos opening credits. (I've never seen the Sopranos)
* You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of the mall. (Again, a great shock-I've done this)
* You know that people from North Jersey go to SeasideHeights , and people from Central Jersey go to Belmar, and people from South Jersey go to Wildwood. It can be no other way.
* You weren't raised in New Jersey --you were raised in either North Jersey, Central Jersey or South Jersey.
* You don't consider Newark or Camden to actually be part of the state.
* You've had a boardwalk cheese steak and vinegar fries.
* You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.
* And finally, you've NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER pumped your own gas. (When we lived in PA and I had to leave the house at 5 am in the winter, I'd get gas on the Jersey side because I didn't have to get out of my car in the below zero temperatures)
Well, that's it-I got these from my friend and found them to quite funny and interesting, considering that I've lived here and been to most of these places...
