> Gotta keep up with the Bay State
>
> 1. You refer to the beach as the shore.
>
> 2. You know what a Wawa is, and you know the location of at
> least 15 of them.
>
> 3. You don't understand why there aren't more 24-hour diners
> elsewhere in the country.
>
> 4. You can name all the flavors of salt water taffy.
>
> 5. You've run out of money on the Parkway.
>
> 6. You still haven't seen that many gardens.
>
> 7. You still can't believe MTV went to Seaside Heights.
>
> 8. There are no self serve gas stations.
>
> 9. You know what a "jug handle" is.
>
> 10. You only go to the "City" for day trips.
>
> 11. Route 18 doesn't freak you out at night.
>
> 12. You believe the Statue of Liberty is in NJ.
>
> 13. You don't take any (BLEEP) from anybody especially
> people from New York and Philly, because you live here for
> christ's sake and just who the hell do they think they are
> anyway? Invading our beaches and bars, they are just here
> for the damn summer and they think they own the damn place.
>
> (I dont have a issue with Philly or Ney Yorkers, except for
> the fact that THEY CANT DRIVE WORTH A CRAP IN JERSEY! STAY
> OUTTA MY WAY)
>
> 14. At least three people in
> your family still listen to Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen and
> actually seen him play with the E-Street band in the Stone
> Pony down in Asbury.
>
> 15. You know Paramus has 4 major malls within 3 miles of
> each other.
>
> 16. You have mandatory recycling enforced by law.
>
> 17. You've pondered, "Maybe basketball would be more popular
> in NJ if the Nets didn't blow."
>
> 18. In high school you worked at Friendly's.
>
> 19. You've spent St. Patrick's day in Belmar.
>
> 20. You have nearly been run over by a Tram Car in Wildwood.
>
>
> 21. You have a grandparent who didn't move to Florida and
> retired in Cape May, Ocean Grove, Brick, or Toms River.
>
> 22. Donald Trump is mentioned daily in your local newspaper.
>
>
> 23. Your school actually made good Iitalian"hoagies."
>
> 24. The Jets/Giants game has started fights in your family.
>
> 25. You have been waiting the last 10 years for the Yankees
> to move to the Meadowlands.
>
> 26. You can smell when it's low tide.
>
> 27. You own an annual pass to Great Adventure and you had
> to take the monkey by-pass at the Safari cause your dad had
> padded-vinyl roof on his car.
>
> 28. You say "water" weird.
>
> 29. Your car is covered in yellow-green dust in April.
>
> 30. You know that ACME is a supermarket, not just a Warner
> Bros creation.
>
> 31. Because your town was founded before 1776, all
> restaurants, bars, and shops have 'ye', 'olde', or 'colonial
> in their names.
>
> 32. You know the myth of the New Jersey devil and you think
> it lives as Gov. Christie Todd Whitman.
>
> 33. You think the Olive Garden is crap and should never have
> opened in NJ.
>
> 34. You remember when Hoboken was a ghetto not overpriced.
>
> 35. There is a fruit and veggie stand down the road.
>
> 36. You like vinegar or gravy on your french fries.
>
Here are some more (some might be repeated)
You don't think of fruit when people mention "The Oranges".
You know that it's called Great Adventure, not Six Flags.
A good, quick breakfast is a hard roll with butter.
You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven.
You've eaten at a Diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3a.m.
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 that WaWa is a convenience store.
You know that the state isn't all farmland.
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".
You know how to properly negotiate a Circle.
You knew that the last sentence had to do with driving.
You know that this is the only "New __" state that doesn't require "New" to identify it (like, try...Mexico,...York, .Hampshire - doesn't work, does it?)
You know that a "White Castle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich.
You consider putting mayo on a corned beef sandwich a sacrilege.
You don't think "What exit?" is very funny.
You know that people from the 609 area code are "a little different". Yes they are!
You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton -that's for out-of-staters.
The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your school or localbar.
You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls.
You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers. (except for "the Parkway" and "the Turnpike")
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.
You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of the mall.
You know that people from North Jersey go to Seaside Heights, and people from Central Jersey go to Belmar and people from South Jersey go to Wildwood.
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 remember the stores Korvette's, Two Guys, Rickel's, Channel, Bamberger's and Orbach's.
You also remember Palisades Amusement Park.
You've had a Boardwalk cheese steak and vinegar fries.
You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.
You've NEVER, NEVER pumped your own gas.
______________
V
NOT NEW YORK....
NOT PHILADELPHIA....
PROUD TO BE NEW JERSEY....
