Pennsylvania Welcomes You

Before I say what I want to say, I just wanted to clarify what I want this blog to be. This was my first week living on my own, so I got a little distracted with unpacking, plus that waste of a day when the cable came and I was glued to the television watching shows I didn't even like just because I could. First world problems.

Anyway, I intend to have new posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with topics ranging from my opinion on current events or learning how to live on my own, to new technology or music news that I find interesting and want to share (since those are the two worlds I live / want to live in), to just rants on society in general (I'll attempt to keep those at a minimum).

Also, on Saturdays starting mid-July (I'll be really busy the next two weekends), I want to record a music video on YouTube and post it. I need some motivation to actually do so (I've only been talking about doing it for like three years now), and I really think I'm at the point musically where I want to share it with the world. Or at least my one faithful reader who I send the link to after a new post, the one who has stuck with me through many emo (SOOO EMO) Xanga entries. =)

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

A few years ago, I hopped a plane with my college friend who lived in Kansas to go to his house, pick up his car, and drive it back to school. It was my first time out of the timezone, and probably the longest I'd been away from Pennsylvania, where I both grew up and went to college (and now live on my own). As we drove through the flat flat flat flat flatlands on our way back to Philadelphia, I noticed all of the signs when we crossed state borders: "Welcome to Missouri", "Welcome to Illinois", "Welcome to Indiana", "Welcome to Ohio", "Welcome to West Virginia", and finally "Pennsylvania Welcomes You." It is basically saying the same thing, but I don't know, doesn't it seem like Pennsylvania just means it more? Like the other states are only saying it because they have to?

It's such a minor thing, but that was one of the first times where I really appreciated Pennsylvania for all that it is. And driving west along Route 100 yesterday was another.

If you've never taken a drive along Route 100, I highly recommend you do so. It's one of the most peaceful, spiritual, intriguing drives that really makes you stop (don't actually stop, you're driving on a highway) and appreciate nature and life in general. There were very few cars on the road, at least on this particular Saturday afternoon in June, so for the most part it will just be your and your thoughts. And every once in a while, a cow.

Many times along the drive, I would come up over a hill and below me I would see this picturesque sight of the dark Appalachian mountains and a little town glowing in the sun. I would squeal in delight at how beautiful it was, and was both extremely disappointed there wasn't someone next to me taking pictures and extremely grateful to be by myself. Pictures wouldn't have done it justice, anyway. They never do.

"But, Lauren," you're thinking, "this is the beauty of AMERICA, not just Pennsylvania. You should know. You drove along I-70 for three days!"

Yes, yes. There are many beautiful sights all over America. Many of which I haven't seen, but need to see before I die. Once I get more vacation days. But the beauty of Pennsylvania, the beauty of Route 100, is I drove past cows fifteen miles after leaving a bustling city. I went from city traffic to farmland in about three Adele songs. And Route 100 is not just valleys and farms and beauty that makes you want to cry. Sometimes, the speed limit would drop because Route 100 turned into the freaking MAIN STREET of a little Eastern Pennsylvania town! You could really sense the history of Pennsylvania, home of what was once our nation's capital, as you drove through these towns. The buildings were all so old and spread apart, I found myself wondering if they had running water and electricity. (I mean, I know better. I'm sure they all have high-speed internet and iPhones. Probably don't have very good wireless, though). I really felt like I had traveled back in time.

And I like to think that is somewhat unique to Pennsylvania. I've always thought Pennsylvania, Penn's Woods, was pretty cool. I once saw this map around election time showing how many people voted in each county. In the counties near Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and the Lehigh Valley, there were hundreds of thousands of voters. And then in Erie County up in the northwestern corner, about five times larger than the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Lehigh Valley areas combined, there were one thousand. One thousand voters. There were two thousands students on my college campus, and that was a really small college.

I know New York has its big cities and its low population wooded areas. I know California has big cities and mountains and deserts. And I could be wrong, but it just seems that in Pennsylvania, it is easier to escape the pull of the city. It doesn't take long to escape society and the city lights. You can be in the center of Philadelphia, one of the biggest cities in America, and after about twenty miles of driving, all you see is land. It's the best of both worlds.

Thanks for welcoming me, Pennsylvania.