Likes/Dislikes About NJ People (Newark: airport, station, radio)

[FiftyFiftyAboutCO]

Originally Posted by cyntmac

I can not relate at all but I assume it is hard to be a child of immigrants in many respects. They want their kids- especially the females to stay close by and they have a bubble mindset in many cases. That is not exclusive to NJ though. I don't relate to any of it. It made me laugh but it is not everyone's experience. Most of the people I grew up around would be like the extreme opposite of that. That's what made me laugh.

As far as the population density thing- yes I agree that is something exceptional but believe me women in other parts of the U.S. are much more traditional overall. You are still something of a prisoner of the mindset you grew up with. It can be very damaging but has nothing to do with NJ itself. Easterners do tend to stay on the east coast if they relocate in middle age or older but I have not found that to be true of younger people and again I do not come from an immigrant family. Neither did most of my NJ peers.

I think it is unfair to bring up children in a bubble because you think you need them close by but that seems to be very common in people with old world ties. That is not an NJ problem or an American problem for that matter.

I agree with all you said. For instance, the women in the Midwest are VERY traditional. They do all the crafts and cooking and so forth...sort of a modern-day "Little House on the Prairie" thing.

Here in CO where I live, I know a Polish family who moved here from Chicago. The parents, both born in Poland, are in their mid-40's only, yet as old-fashioned as any of the old timers I remember from Jersey. And they are racial bigots, yet attend church every week. All my extended family (but not my parents) were racial and ethnic bigots. The Polish ones did not want my mom marrying an Italian, yet she got the best husband of the whole bunch of them, and vice versa with my dad.

You said, "You are still something of a prisoner of the mindset you grew up with. It can be very damaging..." Yes, and I've realized that in my own life cause I've been complaining about my relatives since I was a young kid, and it's never left me all these years. I have friends who were not born into immigrant/1st generation families, and their attitudes are so much better than mine about life in general. I admit it. Maybe that's the crux of why I don't like Jersey. Geographically, it's a nice state with the forests and farmlands, but some of the attitudes.....that's another story. Thanks for your comments -- very insightful for me.

[njmike]

It all sounds so familiar. My mother's family is Irish and my father's family was Polish. From what I was told there were a lot of complaints about my parents marrying outside of their nationalities. As far as a woman being a "stay at home Mom", that's fine if there are circumstances dictating it but otherwise I feel women should/could be their own independent person.

[FiftyFiftyAboutCO]

Originally Posted by njmike

It all sounds so familiar. My mother's family is Irish and my father's family was Polish. From what I was told there were a lot of complaints about my parents marrying outside of their nationalities. As far as a woman being a "stay at home Mom", that's fine if there are circumstances dictating it but otherwise I feel women should/could be their own independent person.

The best thing about having some "Polish" in the family was the music at weddings -- the polkas. Even the Italians liked it. HA! I wonder if they still have those types of weddings back there or if it's gone "sophisticated."

[njmike]

Originally Posted by FiftyFiftyAboutCO

The best thing about having some "Polish" in the family was the music at weddings -- the polkas. Even the Italians liked it. HA! I wonder if they still have those types of weddings back there or if it's gone "sophisticated."

The Scranton area "sophisticated"? That's a true oxi-moron. The weddings haven't changed, the coal mounds are still visable, the air still smells of sulpher after a rain. some of the small towns have gotten around to paving their street.

[FiftyFiftyAboutCO]

Originally Posted by njmike

The Scranton area "sophisticated"? That's a true oxi-moron. The weddings haven't changed, the coal mounds are still visable, the air still smells of sulpher after a rain. some of the small towns have gotten around to paving their street.

Sounds like Shamokin (not sure I spelled that right). I went to a wedding there in '69 -- what an absolutely depressing place.

But I was really referring to weddings in Jersey, not Scranton. I haven't been to a wedding since 1980 because most people don't stay married these days, so why bother. But that's another subject we don't have to get into.

[njmike]

My father was born in 1918 and the house his family lived in is still standing. It's been brought up to current standards (indoor plumbing, heat, siding, electric, modern stove, refrigerator, etc). There are still homes that have stayed in the same family for generations. The weddings in Jersey and Pennsylvania are pretty much the same since a lot of people moved from Pennsylvania to Jersey after the 2nd World War to get jobs that were not related to the coal mines in the area. There are still some family owned coal mines near Harrisburg.

[JoeSo]

Originally Posted by FiftyFiftyAboutCO

I haven't been to a wedding since 1980 because most people don't stay married these days, so why bother.

I've noticed the only ones that seem to devour weddings are the young women anyway.They don't care if it lasts,it's still the ultimate party to them

[njmike]

Originally Posted by JoeSo

I've noticed the only ones that seem to devour weddings are the young women anyway.They don't care if it lasts,it's still the ultimate party to them

An expensive one at that. Of all the couples my ex and I were friends with, I think only one couple is still married to each other. It makes me wonder about getting married again, even if she is the right person.

[sues1]

Originally Posted by kimberland

People ask me why I divorced my ex- simple answer: He is from NJ.
NJ sucks. The accent is so horrific and a complete turnoff. The women have big, ratty hairdos and wear clothes from 1989.
Also note to every person in NJ-
Buy a jewelery box! You do not have to wear every ring and necklace you own at all times.
Everything looks like the Archie Bunker set.

Wow, where are you from? I am from Jersey and we aren't like that, maybe you can't hear very well, the accent is the best and we don't wear big ratty hair.

[njmike]

Originally Posted by sues1

Wow, where are you from? I am from Jersey and we aren't like that, maybe you can't hear very well, the accent is the best and we don't wear big ratty hair.

Maybe the poster met a lot of Soprano wanna-be's. Unfortunately a lot of people take TV series as reality.