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Be careful what you wish for as you might just get it; I don't think you'd be happy if everyone wanted to live in West Virginia. I live in a city that everyone does want to live in and now we old timers complain about the things we've lost due to over 1½ million people moving here in just 20 years. In fact 1 million of them came in just ten years. There was a genocidal war in Bosnia over only 250,000 newcomers. If we were a third world country, Nevada and California would be at war over the invasion.
Does West Virginia want the same unbridled growth? I doubt it. Ask the people who live in or near the eastern panhandle how they like the invasion from Washington. West Virginians are much less likely to accept the kind of changes that growth would entail than people in the west where change is a way of life.
I was born and raised in Clarksburg, but have lived mostly in Las Vegas for almost 2/3rds of my life so far. I also lived in other western cities for a while but always came back "home" to Vegas. For most of that time I was homesick for West Virginia. I have finally gotten over that but I still feel the pull of the mountains. Even when I was homesick I knew I would never live anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains again, and can't understand why anyone else would either. But thank God they don't all want to come here.
I am still struggling with my true feelings for West Virginia and what it is about that place that makes people miss it so much...and, of course, what makes people leave there in droves if it's so wonderful. It would be so much better to export whatever it is that makes West Virginia what it is, than to import whatever it is the rest of us think we have that's so great.
I don't think that question can be answered in a few paragraphs on an internet forum though, and I don't think anyone wants the answer anyway. The answer may be too painful, if not downright insulting, to the people of West Virginia. I think that West Virginians miss what everybody else has even though they aren't really aware of what that is. But the rest of us miss what you have even though most people outside of WV don't know what that is either unless we came from there.
The one thing that West Virginia does need is a good airport, better roads, and a change of attitude about travel. If West Virginians would get out and about to other areas of the country they would have the best of both worlds. But so many West Virginians are afraid to venture across the state line for some strange reason that they just deny themselves the knowledge of what is out there in the rest of the world. It's a very strange attitude. But I don't know if what seems to others like lack of sophistication is a good thing or a bad thing. It can be frustrating and charming at the same time to us "worldly" hillbillies who moved on to the big city. I know people who have gone home to West Virginia and had to leave because they no longer relate to what seems so important to a mountaineer who never left home, but so unimportant to a returning one.
Sorry for rambling, but I've struggled for an answer to this for most of my life.
. . However, I'm getting rather fed up with your blatant use of "neanderthal."
Unruffle your feathers, it's the rest of the country (and our media at large) who is painting the people of West Virginia poorly, i.e., racist inbreds, etc. They're indirectly calling the people of West Virginia a lesser species, incapable of intellect.
I'm not.
For what it's worth, there is argument by experts whether the Neanderthal were civilized with any organized culture, but what they do agree upon, is Neanderthal was caucasion and had red hair. And by the way, on Google Earth you can find Sasquatch sightings here. What I find an interesting demonstration of ignorance is when they talk about West Virginia and smear it with a scene from the movie "Deliverance". Propaganda is like that, as the best lies always have an element to truth. Yes, West Virginia has mountains and rivers, but "Deliverance" was a movie entirely about Georgia.
If you find it offensive, I'll find another view, "People of the Earth", would be an exact description too, as there is a great appreciation for some of the natural beauty here. I am applauding their apprehension about losing it with urban sprawl for the sake of economic development.
Would you argue that crossing the Eastern Continental Divide the air itself changes? The further from West Virginia a soul travels, the more it reeks. Is it any wonder I found my way here? I can smell my neighbor's roses across the street as if they were on my porch.
Life among The Earth People requires some adjustment, and understanding cultural differences. I'm learning as I go.
For example, during a particular part of the year, it's not uncommon to see cars parked randomly along an interstate in the middle of nowhere. Never a sign of life, so there's nobody to assist if looking for a walking motorist who abandoned the vehicle. In no uncertain terms, a car parked along an interstate in other parts of the country would be towed as quick as the tow-truck could get there, impounded, add a fine mailed to the owner of said vehicle, "No Parking".
I'm a little slow, so it took me a while to figure this out . . I had questions : Do cars just break down this time of year in the mountains? If it's something in the gas, etc., I need to know about it, right? Why so many? Why weren't they being towed? And where are these people?
Eventually I figured it out. It was deer hunting season.
Something else I've learned about the people of West Virginia, is they are armed to the teeth.
Oh yeah, and like some people have pink flamingos, ceramic gnomes, etc., it's not uncommon to see plywood or sheet metal bears in a West Virginia lawn. Typically, painted black, a bear with 2 cubs. At first I thought it was like people putting up owl ornaments, to ward off pigeons, likewise, faux bears to ward off the bears (for those who don't know, West Virginia has an estimated 10,000 bears). I finally had an opportunity to ask someone about it, and she said, "Nope. It's just decoration."
My first experience with law enforcement in West Virginia was after arriving on these shores, gunning it through a yellow light.
Yellow lights, by the way, change very quickly to red here, and though I'm ready to admit being slow of wit, I got that one quick -- this habit was aggressive, learned elsewhere, and just isn't going to work anymore. The officer gave me a warning . . and I have enough experience with the rest of this country to say that was a rare event, and it especially would not have occured where I was from.
So I'll take the Neanderthal over "the civilized" any day.
They size me up not being from here, like some hybrid coyote cross-bred with a wolf, who also found its way to West Virginia to survive, and their expression is often quizzical when they encounter me, "I'm not exactly sure what you are . . but you don't look tamed", and they point me with directions at the crossroads, "that way is shorter, that way is prettier."
I would like to thank a particular along the many wanderings of West Virginia, who asked me, "Son, how would you like fuh me to save you uh hunnert dollah?" I responded like Forest Gump, "Oh kay."
He said, "You go up this a way, and when you see a sign that says 25 mile an hour --You do (pause for emphasis) 25 mile an hour."
Travelers of worlds predisposed to being civilized might ignore this sage by the roadside, so for whatever his reasons were, I was grateful for the charity. I interpreted this as a Neanderthal equivalent of, "Go thy way in peace", especially convinced when everyone else in the general store nodded their head in agreement about that sign, as if to say, "Amen".
Unruffle your feathers if you're from here, it's the rest of the country (and our media at large) who is painting the people of West Virginia poorly, i.e., racist inbreds, etc. They're indirectly calling the people of West Virginia a lesser species, incapable of intellect.
I'm not.
For what it's worth, there is argument by experts whether the Neanderthal were civilized with any organized culture, but what they do agree upon, is Neanderthal was caucasion and had red hair. And by the way, on Google Earth you can find Sasquatch sightings here.
If you find it offensive, I'll find another view, "People of the Earth", would be an exact description too, as there is a great appreciation for some of the natural beauty here. I am applauding their apprehension about losing it with urban sprawl for the sake of economic development.
Would you argue that crossing the Eastern Continental Divide the air itself changes? The further from West Virginia a soul travels, the more it reeks. Is it any wonder I found my way here? I can smell my neighbor's roses across the street as if they were on my porch.
Life among The Earth People requires some adjustment, and understanding cultural differences. I'm learning as I go.
For example, during a particular part of the year, it's not uncommon to see cars parked randomly along an interstate in the middle of nowhere. Never a sign of life, so there's nobody to assist if looking for a walking motorist who abandoned the vehicle. In no uncertain terms, a car parked along an interstate in other parts of the country would be towed as quick as the tow-truck could get there, impounded, add a fine mailed to the owner of said vehicle, "No Parking".
I'm a little slow, so it took me a while to figure this out . . I had questions : Do cars just break down this time of year in the mountains? If it's something in the gas, etc., I need to know about it, right? Why so many? Why weren't they being towed? And where are these people?
Eventually I figured it out. It was deer hunting season.
Something else I've learned about the people of West Virginia, is they are armed to the teeth.
Oh yeah, and like some people have pink flamingos, ceramic gnomes, etc., it's not uncommon to see plywood or sheet metal bears in a West Virginia lawn. Typically, painted black, a bear with 2 cubs. At first I thought it was like people putting up owl ornaments, to ward off pigeons, likewise, faux bears to ward off the bears (for those who don't know, West Virginia has an estimated 10,000 bears). I finally had an opportunity to ask someone about it, and she said, "Nope. It's just decoration."
My first experience with law enforcement in West Virginia was after arriving on these shores, gunning it through a yellow light.
Yellow lights, by the way, change very quickly to red here, and though I'm ready to admit being slow of wit, I got that one quick -- this habit was aggressive, learned elsewhere, and just isn't going to work anymore. The officer gave me a warning . . and I have enough experience with the rest of this country to say that was a rare event, and it especially would not have occured where I was from.
So I'll take the Neanderthal over "the civilized" any day.
They size me up not being from here, like some hybrid coyote cross-bred with a wolf, who also found its way to West Virginia to survive, and their expression is often quizzical when they encounter me, "I'm not exactly sure what you are . . but you don't look tamed", and they point me with directions at the crossroads, "that way is shorter, that way is prettier."
I would like to thank a particular along the many wanderings of West Virginia, who asked me, "Son, how would you like fuh me to save you uh hunnert dollahs?" I responded like Forest Gump, "Okay."
He said, "You go up this away, and when you see a sign that says 25 mile an hour --You do (pause for emphasis) 25 mile an hour."
Travelers of worlds predisposed to being civilized might ignore this sage by the roadside, so for whatever his reasons were, I was grateful for the charity. I interpreted this as a Neanderthal equivalent of, "Go thy way in peace", especially convinced when everyone else in the general store nodded their head in agreement about that sign, as if to say, "Amen".
I like your style "r". Humorous observations of everyday life, I think any one offended should take a step back and relax. If we can't laugh at ourselves, we're in a sorry state of affairs!
Homeseeker- I was born in NH, grew up in ME and NY. I love the look and feel of Southern WV (Summers County). It's really close to NY and N.E. in nearly every way except cost of living.
As a RN, you'll have no, I repeat NO, problem finding work. My wife has had over 15 offers, even though she wont be there until summer '09.
r601,
Personally, I think you are pretty funny and witty. I like your style of prose. I say cheers to you and keep it up. What I read did not offend me - but I'll be sure to let you know if it does.
Personally I got it when you said "Neanderthal" that you meant it was what ignorant people outside of West Virginia think about us, and that you think nothing could be further from the truth. Some of the most intelligent and educated people I've ever known came from West Virginia (not including me, of course). Will Rogers said that everyone is ignorant, we're just all ignorant of different things. There are lots of things that others in this country are familiar with that you won't find in West Virginia, but they aren't necessarily better. And there are lots of places in this country that are even less familiar with some of those things. The height of ignorance is in all those people I run into around the country that don't even know that West Virginia (or New Mexico for that matter) is a state, including school teachers, politicians, and postal workers.
PS: I said "us" even though I no longer live in West Virginia. But once a West Virginian always a West Virginian.
Ok... You have some very insightful views and opinions. That could be helpful to some. However, I'm getting rather fed up with your blatant use of "neanderthal." Why do you feel the need to be condescending and feel the need to state your self proclaimed superiorness just because you're from another state? Does it help you sleep at night or something? Kind of like the bully in elementary school, they pick on the smaller kids because they don't want everyone else to realize their own faults...
I catch your drift.
I presently live in Scottsdale, Az and spent parts of many summers in Charleston 40+ years ago.
Suffice to say: if W Va. winters were 5-10 degrees warmer; I would possibly be making plans to move to Charleston.
Back to Scottsdale: the place; by and large, is too damn plastic for my tastes (skinny bleach blondes with fake boobs and 'piano key' teeth)------I vastly prefer genuine people-------even if they are 'flawed'
yeah west virginia is cool if your white...me as a black man wouldnt be caught dead in that place...
Oh, I don't know. When I was growing up there it was cool to actually know a black person. We used to show them off to our friends. There just aren't very many blacks there so they are a novelty. But can you say that you aren't prejudiced against Whites, Mexicans, Indians, Jews?
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