Homesick for Buffalo

[aussiew]

Watching the weather channel. Feeling a little homesick. I know we've all seen the following before - but it's always good for a laugh:

 

BUFFALO

 

While living out of town, you've said to your friends....

 

"back home, you could get a case of Labatts for twelve bucks!"

 

"back home, you could get a 30 pack of Genny for nine bucks!"

 

"back home, this house would go for only 80K!"

 

"back home, you could get a large cheese and pepperoni pizza for seven bucks!"

 

"back home, the bars close at 4:00 AM!"

"you call this snow?" "you call this cold?" "you call this a supermarket?" "you call these wings?"

"you call this pizza?" "you call this beef on weck?"

 

You know that "uppers" and "lowers" aren't drugs.

 

You take real chicken wings, subs, beer, hot dogs, and pizza back with you after a visit home

to Buffalo.

 

You don't let a blinding snowstorm stop you from driving 70 MPH down the Thruway during rush

hour.

 

You believe snow on Halloween is good because its bound to warm up in November (Mom's will say you need the first freeze before Indian Summer.

 

you hate Genesee Cream Ale, but crave it when you're in another state.

 

You don't put away the winter clothes, they stay in the front closet year round.

 

You've fallen asleep waiting for the light to change at the intersection of Niagara Falls

Boulevard and Sheridan Drive.

 

You think the idea of "California pizza" is as sacrilegious as cheering on the Miami Dolphins.

 

You watch the Bills on TV with the sound turned down , and the radio turned to the game.

 

You still can't say Interstate instead of Thruway when you relocate to another state.

 

You've been around Buffalo a long time if you've ever called...

 

Bon-Ton - "AM&A's"

 

Kaufmanns - "Hengerer's" or "Sibley's"

Quality Markets - "Bells"

 

Buffalo State College - "State Teacher's"

 

Daemen College - "Rosary Hill College"

 

TCI -"Courier Cable"

 

Adelphia - "International Cable"

Super Flea - "GEX" (or I.D.S.)

 

Jubilee - "Super Duper "

 

Half of your friends moved to Charlotte, North Carolina ... and the other half went to

Florida.

 

You use the word "the" before the numbers of expressways, like "The 90", "The 400" and

so on.

 

You save Canadian coins to use at tollbooths and parking meters.

 

You've held a "wave-a-thon" at four way stop intersections ("No, you go...")

 

When someone speaks of "family restaurant,"you think of names like "The Olympia," "The

Hillview", and "Your Host." (not Denny's or Perkins)

 

You can tell what part of town someone is from because of their accent (especially dem der

Chickatavagas town der,an' de Wesside).

 

You've ever feasted on these treats ...

 

Real chicken wings (not "Buffalo wings")

 

real beef on weck (and you call it "beef on wick")

 

real pizza, with no crust, cut lengthwise into strips (ala "Bocce's"),

 

charcoal broiled hot dogs (ala "Ted's"),

Niagara Street clams,

 

Anderson's custard,

 

pierogis,

Weber's mustard

 

St. Joseph's day bread,

 

Miller's Horseradish!

 

and washed it down with ...

Genessee Cream Ale, in a 16 ounce bottle ("'da pounder")

loganberry, Vernor's OV, Labatt's Blue, Visniak or Black Rock pop

 

You slam on the brakes and slow to a crawl whenever you see the "Village of Kenmore" sign

 

You watched Canadian television, just so you could see U.S. shows a day or two earlier than

they would appear in the States.

 

You can make the coins land perfectly in the toll basket at 20 MPH or higher.

 

You think it's quite acceptable to take a

 

day off work on .. Dyngus Day, St. Joseph's Day, St.

Patrick's Day, St., Stanislaus Day, Ash Wednesday, the Monday after a

Bills victory.

 

You use your garage as the living room during the summer, putting a big screen over where the

overhead door would be.

 

You still go to all the neighborhood and ethnic festivals, eve n though they're really all the

same.

 

You don't really think there's anything wrong With Pat Gambino Ford commercials.

 

you know the lyrics to ..... "You Know We're Gonna' Win That Cup" The Bills "Shout" song Any

song by Rush, Kim Mitchell or Honeymoon Suite, "Talkin' Proud" The Crystal Beach "pay one price" jingle The Tops "Tops never stops saving you more" jingle The Sattlers "998 Broadway"

jingle, even if you weren't alive when they were still open

 

you've nearly gotten into fights over topics like.... Malecki vs. Sahlen vs Wardynski vs. Shelly

vs. Redlinski vs Zwiegels, Anchor Bar vs. Duff's Bocce Club vs. Leonardi's. Tops vs. Wegmans

 

You go to Niagara Falls for the outlet shopping and the Italian food, not the scenery.

 

You spend hours planning drives to avoid toll booths.

 

Your snowblower has more horsepower than your car.

 

You've ever sarcastically said "Fun? Wow!"

 

One of your friends claims to have known

Ani DiFranco, a Goo Goo Doll or Baby Joe Mesi from high school.

 

You have more than one shovel in your garage.

 

Your car has more rust than exposed paint

 

You stocked up on Malecki hot dogs after you heard the company was going out of business.

 

You know several people who have hit deer more than once.

 

You often switch from "Heat" to "A/C" in the same day.

 

You use a down comforter in the summer.

 

you see people wearing hunting clothes at social events.

 

You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.

 

You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them.

 

You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

 

Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

 

You think sexy lingerie is tube socks and flannel pajamas. (YOU MEAN It's NOT?????)

 

You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, construction.

 

It takes you 3 hours to go to the store for one item even when you're in a rush because you have

to stop and talk to everyone in town.

 

You actually understand these jokes and forward them to all our friends from Buffalo, NY

[stevestojan]

Took me an hour to get home today (work 12 miles from my apt). Getting snow tires for christmas (and I'm getting the present early... this monday).

 

But, when I go to a store and ask where something is, I get a friendly answer, and not a dirty look, followed by "qué?"

 

Home sweet home.

[mcjeff215]

Took me an hour to get home today (work 12 miles from my apt). Getting snow tires for christmas (and I'm getting the present early... this monday).

 

But, when I go to a store and ask where something is, I get a friendly answer, and not a  dirty look, followed by "qué?"

 

Home sweet home.

512765[/snapback]

 

 

Amen to that. I miss that place like crazy. I've been here in Atlanta for almost ten years and I still can't call it home. Was talking to my wife about it today, the taxes are job situation are just too bad for me to consider it seriously, for now.

 

She's from here, but I think even she is getting sick of the "keeping up with the Jones'" that the larger area has about it. Ever feel underdressed at a Mall? Yeah.. I'm longing for good 'ol Hamburg.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Amen to that. I miss that place like crazy. I've been here in Atlanta for almost ten years and I still can't call it home.  Was talking to my wife about it today, the taxes are job situation are just too bad for me to consider it seriously, for now.

 

She's from here, but I think even she is getting sick of the "keeping up with the Jones'" that the larger area has about it.  Ever feel underdressed at a Mall? Yeah.. I'm longing for good 'ol Hamburg.

512807[/snapback]

 

Even WNY is getting "sprawled out" to and a lot more "nationalized." Still in a slight time warp though.

 

If it isn't going to be WNY, I will probably retire in the UP of Michigan. Then, I think the only thing left is to move out into the woods and become a hermit! ... I would still bother you guys with a wireless laptop.

 

Living windward of Lake Michigan, I really do miss the the massive snows, especially this time of the year... Heck, WNY has probably had (almost already) all the amount of snow we will get here all winter (I live 25 miles from the lake).

 

Nothing like a good foot of snow and getting dark at 4!

[mcjeff215]

Even WNY is getting "sprawled out" to and a lot more "nationalized."   Still in a slight time warp though.

 

If it isn't going to be WNY, I will probably retire in the UP of Michigan.  Then, I think the only thing left is to move out into the woods and become a hermit! ... I would still bother you guys with a wireless laptop.

 

Living windward of Lake Michigan, I really do miss the the massive snows, especially this time of the year... Heck, WNY has probably had (almost already) all the amount of snow we will get here all winter (I live 25 miles from the lake).

 

Nothing like a good foot of snow and getting dark at 4!

512820[/snapback]

 

 

Yeah, I saw some of the sprawl the last time I was up there. At the current rate, though, it's got another 60 years before it matches Atlanta, Dallas, or Los Angeles.

 

Is it really that different up there still? I go up a few times a year if I can, but I haven't been "there" for about 10 years now. Kids down here - preteens - are carrying $400 iPods, using Motorola "Razor" phones, wearing $80 jeans.

 

Everyone around here seems to be confrontational and disrespectful. I'm not "old", but none of this stuff feels right to my Buffalo born ass.... feels like parents that don't have time to spend with their kids, so they buy them gadgets and send them off on their way. I don't remember any of that growing up... not sure if it's location, time, or a combination of the two.

 

-Jeff

[aussiew]

Everyone around here seems to be confrontational and disrespectful. I'm not "old", but none of this stuff feels right to my Buffalo born ass.... feels like parents that don't have time to spend with their kids, so they buy them gadgets and send them off on their way. I don't remember any of that growing up... not sure if it's location, time, or a combination of the two.

 

Perhaps a combination of both. But living near Plano, Texas really brings it to the forefront. And while you're on the subject of expensive gadgets, dont forget the brand new car for the 16th birthday (which is usually totalled in the first 2 years).

[Buffal0 Bill5]

If you want to live in WNY, you can afford to live in WNY. We all make our choices.

 

Not really a Buffalo thing, but I was thinking the other day how great it is to live in an area where this can happen. I was at an auto dealership with my seven year old son, talking to a salesman, and three guys walk in toting 12 gauge shotguns, and nobody even missed a beat, just business as usual. After all, it's hunting season. I chuckled as I thought how three guys with shotguns would be percieved in different places around the county. I like our little time warp.