I'm currently reading a book about Stephen Fry's roadtrip around all the states of America. It's almost incomprehensible how big America is compared to England so it got me thinking, what states do the Americans here live in? What do you think makes your state different to the others? How often do you visit other states?

I'm torn, because I now live in MA..which is a BEAUTIFUL state.  But sometimes it's puritan laws, and the way that it's run drives me nuts.

The Cost of living is through the roof.  If people from the rest of the country knew how much our house cost, in comparison to the same size anywhere else, they would shit their pants.  And this is a compete fixer upper. 

But then, we're close to the ocean for some nice beach life. We have some of the best places to eat…two GREAT Italian central points from the North End in Boston and Federal Hill in Providence. 

We're really close to the mountains…so I think that if you're into the out of doors, we've got some of the greatest hiking, camping and lodging within a short distance of us…

And I end up going to other states quite often becasue we're so close to Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

I also try to get back to visit family in Ohio, New York, Kentucky and Tennessee.

I used to go skiing every year in either Colorado or Montana…but now that I have kids, that's pretty much been put to the wayside.  But when they are older, I'm hoping that they will be into skiing as well and I can get back into it like the old days.

I live in the GREAT state of Wisconsin. My city is on Lake Michigan (one of the Great Lakes…from your schooling remember Some Mothers Have Extra Oranges used to remember the 5 great lakes?).

We have two distinct seasons. Winter and Road Construction.

Half of our population are dairy cows, the other half are overweight.

We are the only state in the Great Lakes Region that still allows smoking in public, which makes us the ashtray of the midwest. It is disgusting.

Our state is known for dairy production, ginseng and cranberries.

Wisconsin is known for its beautiful rolling hills, lakes, harbor towns and orchards.

I wouldn't live anywhere else, unless some of the chatter goddess wanted to join me in forming a commune…then I'd move in a heart beat.

As for visiting other states, I've been to about 20 of them. Not on a real regular basis. We do got to Florida on vacation every few years. I love New England and hope to get back there soon if for no other reason, to drink beer with C-pher.

I am hoping to visit Minnesota this summer sometime to see my bestie-the world famous Jen on this chatter.

And there is a chance I may be able to sneak in a visit to the Pacific Northwest specifically to Seattle this fall after I've been in Utah for a conference to make sure Sprung is behaving.

You ain't getting any sympathy from Jerseyans, C-ph. ;)

So yeah, I live in New Jersey…northern NJ to be more precise.  I can't imagine living anywhere else in the country.  We have great beaches, the Appalachians for hiking, fresh produce, Martha Stewart and a wonderful history.

I have yet to find anywhere else that offers such a variety and quality of food.  You're sure to find the best restaurant for whatever ethnic food you're looking for in NJ.

The people are great, too.  Fast-paced, opinionated, and abrasive.  They know you won't like them and they don't give a shit.

I think I've covered all the borders of the US.  I've been up and down the East coast from Maine to Florida.  I've visited David in Wisconsin (which was awesome).  I've been to Seattle, WA and I've driven the whole coast of California.  And I've visited our southern border with Mexico throughout Texas, New Mexico and Cali.  Apparently I've stayed away from the chewy center of the US.  I'll have to fix that some day.

Aha, very interesting. I've found you all on the map, you're all in that top corner. I certainly never learnt any American geography at school (hence trying to teach myself some now!) but I like the lakes acronym!

Richard, the NJ people sound scary and David, funny you should mention cows because in the book, it says that it says you're one of the few states that can make cheese properly. It says you're known as "the Badger State" too, why's that?!

You bet your last pound we make cheese properly. Its what we do.

Last year, Wisconsin produced 2.4 billion pounds of cheese, 26.5 percent of all U.S.cheese production. California nipped at our heels with 2 billion. Idaho finished a distant third, just ahead of New York.

Why are we the "Badger State"?

Back in Wisconsin's history, all the way back to the 1800s, miners dug tunnels into hillsides as they searched for lead and then lived in them during the winter months to keep warm. This reminded people of badgers and Wisconsin became known as the badger state.

David would know…he was a badger back in the 1800s.

Richard, the NJ people sound scary

LOL!  Nah, we're mostly hot air.

David, aren't you guys the Sausage Capitol of the US??  Mmmmmm Brats!

We're known for Cranberries as well.  Ocean Spray is right here in MA. 

I wonder who on here's been to the most states??  I was just thinking…after reading all the places that Richard has been.

What would be teh critera?  Does landing in a plane and sitting the airport count?  If so, that could really up my counts. LOL!

I am in California, San Diego to be exact.  I was born here.  Well, not in San Diego, but very close by.  Have lived here since I was 3…except for 2 years I spent in Valdosta, Georgia back in the mid-80's.  While I LOVE San Diego, it certainly isn't the SD I grew up in.  Some of it is better, some of it much worse. 

You can't beat the weather here…for the most part, sunny and warm year round.  And no humidity like you get in Florida…and no hurricanes either!  People are generally nice.  Of course, you have to take into account a few things…there are very few people that live here that are actually from here.  There is a large military presence…Navy and Marines.  I don't mind, it has been that way since before I was born.  But some of the "transplants" drive me nuts….

That being said…I could be talked into moving…for the right reasons.  The cost of living is absurd.  We pay a price to live in paradise. 

I'm in Washington state…about 20 minutes outside of downtown Seattle.  I "grew up" in eastern WA, but have been on this side of the mountains for 10 years in May.

First thing - the difference between 'this' side and 'that' side?  Pretty much the difference between heaven and hell.  I haaaate it over there - it's pretty much a ghetto desert.

Seattle however… I LOVE.  It's very culturally diverse and pretty mellow.  And it's close to the mountains (skiing or hiking), the ocean and Canada.  And yes, it does rain quite a bit… some days I get in the car and automatically turn on the headlights and the windshield wipers. haha But I can't even put it into words how beautiful it is here on a sunny day.

I live in Ohio, along with Darlene and Glory. Darlene and I both live in Suburbs of the capital city of Columbus.

It is blazing hot and humid in the summer and freezing in the winter…and sometimes vice versa. The weather can be unpredictable but we do have a lot of beautiful days in between the extremes. The Autumn colors are very nice but not quite as intense as the New England states.

I love Ohio. It's the perfect place to raise a family. We have a good mix of big cities (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati) and quiet countryside. In Columbus we have a huge art and music community and the Ohio State University which is the largest college in the United States and home to the OSU Buckeyes. This is a football town through and through and almost everything revolves around the Buckeyes. We also have a professional soccer (ummm….football) team, the Crew, and they won the MLS championship last year. We also have a professional hockey team, the Blue Jackets.

We have more restaurants and especially pizza places in and around Columbus than almost anywhere in the world. You can never run out of great places to eat around here.

We have the second largest state fair in the country, right behind Texas I believe.

We have two of the best amusement parks in the world, Cedar Point and Kings Island.

Lake Erie sits to our North and there you can find Put-In-Bay which has to be experienced to be believed. It's home to the worlds longest bar…405 feet. Good times, good times.

Ohio is a very important political state. Generally speaking, whoever wins Ohio wins the presidency.

I can't think of any more random facts. Maybe Darlene can help me out.

Wow…I'm shocked that none of the other Ohioans have said anything yet. I purposely waited b/c I thought Sean would have the best things to say about little Ohio lol

I'm Ohio born and Ohio bred (as the 4-H song starts)...but when I die, I will likely not be Ohio dead, as I'm moving out of state in August. lol

Ohio is the Buckeye state. Our state tree is the buckeye tree and we even made a very yummilicious dessert that looks like a buckeye "nut" that's made with peanut butter and chocolate.

This is the buckeye nut:
http://www.rustycans.com/Graphics/buckeye-tree-nut-lg.jpg

And this is the buckeye candy (with recipe):
http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/Garden/1227/BuckeyeCandy.jpg

Our football team: The Ohio Buckeyes (big war between the Buckeyes and the Wolverines--Michigan).

I live in Northwest Ohio, close to both Michigan and Indiana.

NW Ohio has various temperature changes. Spring and Fall last a week, while summer and winter take over the rest of the time. It can be humid and it can be frigid, but mostly, we're just on the edge.

Ohio also has America's Roller Coast, Cedar Point. A roller coaster/amusement park that draws attention world wide. We've had many, many records with tallest/highest, fastest roller coasters. Ask Cpher, he loves Cedar Point just as much as I do.

Cedar Point:http://www.cedarpoint.com/

We also house the biggest Campbell Soup Company in the states as well (Richard, isn't there a Campbell's in NJ too?) So, a good portion of Ohio's produce is bought up by Campbell's.

Darlene and Sean will have to fill you in on the rest of Ohio…but be warned, Darlene is ready to leave lol

As far as states I've visited…right now, once a month, I go to Indiana to stay with my fiance and his children. Otherwise, Michigan is the other state I frequent and that's maybe a few times a year.

LOL Damn Sean, you beat me ;o)

LOL, that's too funny. We must have been working on this at about the same time.

LOVE CEDAR POINT!!!

And I used to live in Ohio.  Dayton Ohio…what's been called the cosmic center of the universe.

It also has the Crossroads of America.  It's where 75 and 70 cross.  Two Roads one that goes from coast to coast and the other from top to bottom.

It's where the electric starter was invented.  It's where the Wright Brothers were from, the ones that invented the airplane.  It's where the cash register was invented.  Also home to the stepladder, anti-knock gasoline, carbonless carbon paper, the gas mask, time-released medications, the LCD liquid crystal display, digital thermometers, the photoelectric cell, the motorized wheelchair, and the movie projector. The world’s first aerial photograph from an airplane was of Dayton, taken in 1910. It's where the black light was first made, home to the lighted scoreboard, cellophane tape and the song, “Hang On Sloopy,” recorded by a Dayton band, the McCoys, and later named the official rock song of the State of Ohio? And used for Sean's The Ohio State University.

You Ohioans/Ohionites (?) forgot to mention that your state beverage is tomato juice, according to my book and you're the only state with that choice, with the most common state beverage being milk. A terribly important fact I feel!

Hell, *I* didn't even realize our state beverage was tomato juice.

I blame Campbell's Soup Company. lol

I think Ohio's pretty much been covered.  We are also the 3rd most depressed state in the US…and pretty high on the obesity ladder…this is ok with me…my husband's in the restaurant business and I have kids in college with no scholarship potential… (Shelby not included)

Seriously…Ohio is a restaurant test market…considered in the business to rival Atlanta…Ohioans love to eat…

Ohio is a nice place to raise a family…I have been very fortunate to live in such a beautiful community…DUBLIN!!!!  (Happy St. Patty's Day!)

I don't hate it…just find it a bit too flat and hate not living close to my family AND the ocean…I am a New Englander by birth and attitude…

Born in Massachusetts…raised in Connecticut…attended high school and college in New York (WAY Upstate) and Florida (Orlando and Palm Beach)

Lived in Alabama…eh…

I'll have to get on the other thread for where I've been when I have some time…I may win only because I've been around longer than my son Richard…

With all this Ohio talk, and my piping in about Ohio…I figured that I would look up some fun facts about MA.

Boston built the first subway system in the United States in 1897.

Quincy boasts the first Dunkin Donuts on Hancock Street and the first Howard Johnson's on Newport Ave.

The birth control pill was invented at Clark University in Worcester.

Harvard was the first college established in North America. Harvard was founded in 1636. Because of Harvard's size there is no universal mailing address that will work for every office at the University.

The 3rd Monday in April is a legal holiday in Massachusetts called Patriot's Day.

And that's the day that we go to see the Sox every year.  Haven't missed a Patriot's day Sox game since I've moved up here.  We start drinking at 8 am and go to the game at 10. I think that I've called David about every game in the past four or so years.

The first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in Plymouth in 1621.

Born and raised in America's Finest. I no longer live there, but am still in the county. Down here you got the beaches, the mountains, and the desert. And, as Taz said, all the damn transplants.

Where I've been for the past 8+ years there used to be a lot of farms around here. But, they're nearly all gone now (replaced with commercial bldgs). At least I won't miss those days when they all clearly fertilized on the same day.

States I've been to: Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. I'm sure I've been through others on a Greyhound bus on the way to WV and back. But, I won't count those; primarily 'cause I don't know what the route was (other than it took us through Missouri (??) -- I remember some big ol' arch).

When were the visits to these other states? When I was really little we went to WV and Florida (don't know if we flew or drove; grandparents in each state). We flew to Alaska when I was 11 (grandparents). Went twice to WV when I was a teen (flew once, Greyhound the other time). When I was a teen we took a road trip to Arizona (for the Grand Canyon) and Nevada. When I was in my 20s, I flew once to Washington State, and drove there once (the at-the-time b/f has family there). One of those trips including driving to Idaho. In December '99 we flew to New York (Buffalo) for the BNL NYE concert. In 2000, '01, and '02 we drove to Arizona 4 times (my mom's b/f's funeral, and three times to his gravesite). In the past 9 years I've driven to Texas (CKel, and a Chatter gathering once) a few times. In April 2001 we drove across the southern part of the country and back across the northern part (met some Chatterers -- and C-ph's mom -- along the way). In June/July '01 we flew to New York (City), Illinois (Chicago), and New York (Buffalo) -- met/re-met some Chatterers then, too. And once I drove to Vegas (Nevada) to see a band. I think that's it.

Before I die I'd like to get to all of them.