"I'm SOOOOOOOOOO bored with Green Bay. Just so bored with it. Bored."
Alright. That's not the best way to impress a gal on a first date - by calling her home "boring."
"Really?" I asked. "I actually like it here."
"Well, tell me what you like about it."
So I told him, and by the time I was done, he agreed with me.
You want to know what I'm sick and tired of? People ripping on my home!
I get it, and I understand. Green Bay is not Chicago. It is not Madison. It is not Milwaukee. And it's not the flawless, smoke-free city of Appleton, either.
It's Green Bay. It's meat and potatoes. It's Packers football. It's toilet paper and the pollution that goes along with it. It's blue collar. It's conservative. It's Republican. It's backwards at times, with its aldermen making asinine comments in public. It's bars with lots of smokers. It's disgusting. It's lacking in big museums and big department stores and lots of sushi restaurants.
In some ways, it's a lot of things I'm not.
It's definitely not perfect.
But you know what? I love it anyway. And I always will.
I love that on a Sunday afternoon I can hear the roaring crowd over at Lambeau Field. I love that I can take my dog for a walk and feel safe. I love that someone with my salary can afford to own a home, because that's not the case in every city. I love that our tallest building is a hospital downtown. I love that people are friendly, and that neighbors will help neighbors. I love that the media during football games portray it as living in the North Pole, even though that's not the case - we have summers! I love that people consider cars slowing up on Hwy. 41 as rush-hour traffic.
I love Bay Beach, even though the bay is too gross to even dip a toenail into. I love the Weidner Center. I love the libraries. I love the Packers. I love Brett Favre. I love the beer and brats. I love the Mexican eateries sprouting up all over the place. I love Kroll's hamburgers. I love Escapades margaritas. I love a good fish fry at The Settlement. I love that some women still tight roll their jeans and have 80s bangs. I love that I can still spot a mullet once in awhile.
If people are that bored or unhappy here, they can move to a bigger city with more class, culture and a cosmopolitan feel. It's that simple. No one is forcing the naysayers to stay. And if I need to leave dodge for awhile, I do.
But you know what? I'm always ready to come back. I always miss it.
People complain about the lack of diversity. I hate to say it, but we are all diverse. Diversity is made up of so many more factors than origin and skin color. And if you're still not convinced, visit the East side of town or take a stroll through the public schools. We are not lacking in diversity.
When I was at the "International" Austin Straubel airport last week, I overheard a young Giants fan talking on the phone. "You gotta come here, man. No....I'm serious. The next time the Giants play here, you gotta come. It's a lot of fun."
He was right, even if he was a Giants fan. It's fun. It's a good city. It is what it is.
It's perfect for me.
And just for the record - I don't like sushi, anyway.
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1 comment:
HAHAHA! I love it, J! you are so right ... it isn't a perfect town, but it is OUR town. :)
And, btw, the sushi here is pretty darn good too! :D
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