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I was born and educated in NJ. Most of my fam still lives there. I moved to Maine, and I must say that I miss the bakeries and the ethnic food the most. But the air is so clean here in the Great State of Maine. Glad that you love Jersey.
LoreneS.
We really enjoyed our time on the Jersey shore, and the most helpful cab driver we ever ecountered ANYWHERE was in Middletown. I have relatives in Trenton. Theyre odd, but hey, it runs in the family as you can no doubt tell. Anyways, theyre not Jersey-born, theyre Polish.
most diverse state, most populated fro its size, beaches, country, nyc/philly, international, buncha characters taboot! someone from jersey has something to say about everything!
We are like a miniature CA. Beaches, mountains, vinyards, high taxes. I love this place!
Look - EVERY place has it's pluses and minuses - but I, for one, LOVE it here. We can get together and biyatch and moan and groan... because it's our home but when we are done, we love it. It's like getting to gether with your siblings to discuss how much Mom is ticking you off, but at the end of the day we all sit together (with Mom) and are happy as clams.
Now... WHY NJ ROCKS.
First of all, we have it all. Cities? Check. Mountains? Check. Shore? Check. Country? Check. Burbs? Check. Lakes? Check. Shall I go on? And typically, you are no more than 45-60 min ride from ALL of the above.
Food - damn we have great food. From the stuff on the boardwalk to 5 star restaurants. TRY getting pizza like we have here ANYWHERE else (save NY). We DO NOT consider the "Macaroni Grill" or "Olive Garden" "great ITALIAN food" like 99% of the US does.
Culture - yep, we've got it here. I wonder how many theater groups we have in this state? Concerts -from clasical to the cutting edge - they are here. We never have to wonder IF the latest big tour is coming to the area...they will be. We have countless fine museums and galleries of our own, but if we want to go all out - Philly and NYC are just thisclose to us.
Schools are great. Public Schools for the most part are excelent. Yes, it varies from town to town, but show me a state where it does not? Per capita, we also have a high number of excellent private schools if that is your choice. And college - your kids COULD go away - if they want to... but they don't HAVE to. We have numerous post-secondary institutions, including an Ivy League.
Is the economy shaky right now? You bet. Do I think this is it forever and we're doomed? HELL NO. This is NJ (and I'm going to throw NY in here too... it's all connected...) we are NOT people that are just going to sit down and die...will never happen.
The people. Let me tell you, having traveled this country extensively, I'll take NJ folks ANY day of the week. Nothing phoney about them. Yeah, there are good and bad people everywhere, but here, people are just "real." Look at this board alone, you have all walks of life represneted. People are opinionated, but we stand for what we beleive in. We argue, it can get heated, but at the end of the day we all come back and we're all still able and willing to help each other out...and we're just "board" buddies. I've checked out other states on C-D... there are FEW states that have boards as active as ours or as helpful as ours.
For all the "nanny state" bashers...I'll tell you this. When the day comes that you loose your job (and it well may...) you'll have disability coverage. It's nice to know. If you end up down on your luck after you're out of that job, and you may, you can get NJ family care for your kids (and maybe even you.) You get what you pay for. I have seen people move out of state and then get seriously ill..."oh, sorry, you can have unpaid FMLA." See how much that will help you.... you get what you pay for. Even in your state serives.
I also like that within my state we have just about every race, culture, religion and ethnicity. I am a Christian and farily devout, but I could never live in one of the "Christian Enclaves" (Cross photos mike 0421??). I like the diversity. I like people having the ability to be who they are and practice what they like (or practice nothing at all) with ease.
We don't pump gas...I think that should be the state MOTO. AND we pay less for the pleasure.
I'm not even touching on the shopping, low crime rates, excelent medical facilities so on and so forth.
So if NJ is not your cup of tea... fine, you have 49 other states taht will have you- GO, be gone. We have enough others here and we won't miss ya much!
Enjoyed reading your post! Despite all my complaining, I like Jersey too
I perceived most of them to be rude because they yelled and generally were brash and demanding.
You perceived most of who to be rude? Rude people? Which is.. .not limited to NJ?
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Yay for NJ!
Anyways, theyre not Jersey-born, theyre Polish. 
