Free Republic

GailA, what's your take on the differences, if any, between Germantown and Collierville?

Down through the years, I've made it a point when talking to those who aren't familiar with New York State, geographically speaking, to tell them I'm from "upstate NY" else they immediately assume anyone from NY is from NYC. What you said though with respect to me growing up in the Hudson Valley (Cornwall and New Windsor actually) is correct. Only people from NYC would actually consider that area to be "upstate." As for Westchester County, my grandfather & grandmother (now deceased) lived in Briarcliff Manor, and my former dentist, who was a family friend, practiced in your home town of Scarsdale. My mother and father are still back East, living in the lower village of Cornwall; my father continuing to practice criminal law in Newburgh to this day. Newburgh, as anyone who is familiar with Orange County knows, is a bona-fide ghetto with high crime, so business for him remains strong - LOL. As for your eldest son at OCS, I can only say that I never saw the place - I dropped out of college and enlisted in the Corps so I went down to Parris Island, South Carolina as non-rate, no-rank cannon fodder. I do, however, wish him success and the best of luck over at Quantico this summer. Personally speaking, after I got out, I immediately went back to college and got my degree, seeing how I quickly found out that it was far better to be directing the working party rather then being on it. It was a good experience and I now see the merit in having done my time pulling my fair share of sh_t detail. You never truly realize how good you had it until you have been made to live, work, and been treated like, a total dog. Hell, after that, I considered practically everything else to be positively uphill! On a more serious note, I'd like to thank you for your invitation to help my wife and me get better acquainted with the Memphis/Germantown area; when we pull into town, we'll be sure to drop you a line.

We had it back in upstate NY during the summers, although it really couldn't compare to the 6 months I spent as part of a Marine Detachment at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. It was 95 degrees with 90% humidity daily during the summer time in Huntsville. Germantown should be about the same, give or take.

Here in San Diego, it's pretty dry unless you're within 2 miles of the coast.

We had it back in upstate NY during the summers, although it really couldn't compare to the 6 months I spent as part of a Marine Detachment at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. It was 95 degrees with 90% humidity daily during the summer time in Huntsville. Germantown should be about the same, give or take.

Here in San Diego, it's pretty dry unless you're within 2 miles of the coast.

Excellent commentary and feedback by you and "GailA." Very insightful stuff... I hope more continues to flow in from other readers.

My wife and I are originally from upstate NY (near West Point) but I was stationed out here at Camp Pendleton after joining the Marine Corps. To make a long story short, I remained in San Diego after my EAS back in '94. San Diego has changed dramtically since then. So many more people. So much more traffic. You find significant garbage alonside the freeways now, and I'm talking about big stuff like old chairs, and other misc. furniture. The schools have gotten worse. There's plenty of John Kerry stickers on car bumbers here. It's turning into Los Angeles. And through all of this, the cost-of-living has skyrocketed out of site. It's always struck me as funny how something that's in an obvious state of decline somehow manages to increase it's cost of admission and/or value...and people still line up to pay it! The only people who tend to still be "hot" on San Diego are those new to it. For those who've been here a while and can recall the way it was, well, we're basically jumping ship; this is no way to live. Enough of the rant. Again, my "thanks" goes out to those who've taken the time to comment.

Thank you; Glad to be here.

Thanks for the stats, So Cal Rocket. The only glitch I can see is that they're county-wide, and that would mean that they would include the ballots cast in Memphis, which, as a large city and given its demograhics, would collectively vote for whomever is on the Democratic card.