What Do You Like About Where You're From?
another list
Hello Friends,
Last week, I asked, “What do you like about where you live?” This week, I want to know what you like about where you’re from. Many of you live in the same place where you grew up, so you might want to write about your childhood home or write from the point of view of you as a child.
I grew up in Lemoore, a small town in California’s Central Valley. When I was young, it felt like a place where nothing happened, and I couldn’t wait to leave. I’ve been gone for so long that I’ve minimized my hometown’s influence on who I am today.
Last week, we traveled to the Midwest to visit my inlaws, and driving the wide-open highways lined with corn had me nostalgic for my rural roots. As did walking the streets of Nick’s hometown. Since I have no family left in Lemoore, I never have a reason to visit, so I never have a chance to walk around my old high school or run into the dad of an old friend at the grocery store.
I’d love to spend a few days wandering my old haunts. I’m curious to see how my town looks with twenty-plus years of perspective.
What I like about where I’m from:
Fog… and I’m not talking a measly little marine layer or patches here and there, but drive-five-miles-an-hour-because-you-can’t-see-more-than-a-few-hundered-feet-in-front-of-you-go-back-to-bed-for-an-extra-hour-becasue-school-is-starting-late kind of fog.
I know the town like the back of my hand, but I couldn’t tell you the name of a single street.
The whole town was my neighborhood.
Me-n-Ed’s Pizza. Perfect, thin, crispy crust.
One stoplight. There are probably more now, but when I lived there, the only stoplight was at the corner of 18th and Bush.
Produce. This is more California generally, but you get a little spoiled when you live where everything grows.
Clovis Lakes. They changed the name to Wild Water Adventures, but I refuse to adopt it.
It’s the 559 now, but to me, it will always be the 209… I’m noticing a theme here.
Harris Ranch: It’s how I tell people where I’m from. “Do you know the cows on I5? Turn East, and you’ll run into my hometown.”
Location: I won’t call it the armpit; that title is reserved for Bakersfield, but when you are smack dab in the middle of everything… 2 hours to the mountains, 2 hours to the coast (Pismo Beach specifically), 4 hours to LA, and 4 hours to SF… The “Central” in Central Valley really applies.
This is where I am today. Thank you for listening.
xoxo,
Emily
Your Journal Prompt for Today
Post your response in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @emilykathleenwrites
Links to Ponder
Love letters to trees (The Guardian) makes me think of a blog post I wrote years ago (EmilyKathleenWrites)
It’s ok if I’m the villain (ImTishaFrench)
Treat your to-do list like a menu (The Imperfectionist); I also like this trick (Modern Mrs. Darcy)
Can you spot the scam? (The Washinton Post)
Bama RushTok … It’s a lot! (Culture Study)
If you only have time for one thing… Admin: Please delete if not allowed… haha (TheDailyTay)
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