In honor of Aol Journal Land's one year anniversary, I am taking part in the torch parade, if you will, by passing it along with my Aol Journaling friends.
Welcome, torch, and you many Journalers, to Utica, NY. Population: 2
It's a crummy little city in upstate NY, with winter as the most predominate season. And of course, we use the rather passive solar method of snow removal. Forget plows! It'll be sunny here someday! Still waiting...
Utica is filled with two types of people: those who were born here and like it fine, and then the rest, people who were born here and want to get out. Desperately. I don't believe anyone is here because they want to be. It's not exactly the greatest.
We have one mall...on the outskirts of the city, in a nearby town. We have 2 Wal-Marts (which I'm in the process of boycotting) 3 Italian pastry shops, all within 5 minutes from each other in "east chewtica," which, in its day, was primarily inhabited by Italianos. We have 4 movie theaters, 3 of which are completely dumpy. We have numerous chain stores, many boarded up crackhouses, aquamarine and yellow fire hydrants and burnt out streetlights. Not exactly charming.
But on the flip side----
Wait. There is no flip side.
So there you have it.
Welcome to Utica, NY. My home and now yours. Happy Anniversary.
Also, in honor of Journals Birthday, I wrote a little something that goes something like this...
Home is what I have searched for
all of these years
and it turned up in the most unsuspecting place
right under my nose
Home to me isn't where I sleep at night
or where I return to after a long day
home is right here
with all of you
And although we are just pages
we are each a part of one big book
that binds us together
as a community
And I have never been so touched
by a force that I have never seen
and I have never been so moved
by a love that we all share
to create, to express, to be.
Journalers Unite!
Happy Anniversary!
3 comments:
Hey Marissa. Wonderful poem! Glad you took the torch, and Utica can't be all that bad, now. I know for a fact that ya'll got at least 5 people living there...
~~ Jennifer
Hello Marissa.
I've been working with Jennifer on the 'Torch Trek.' Thank you for displaying it in Utica, NY. We're happy that you are helping to light the way to the AOL Journals 1st Anniversary Festivities. How can Utica be that bad with someone as talented as you living there?! I LOVED YOUR POEM!! I like it so much so that if Jennifer hasn't beat me to it, I'll be emailing you with a special request about the poem.
Vivian
Hi again Marissa. Oops. Looks like Viv beat me to it. She loves your poem, and she would really, really like your permission to use it in one of her anniversary tributes. We both hope you'll say okay. You can let either of us know via e-mail if you would.
I just got your torch sighting put up today. Be sure to check it out and make sure I spelled your name correctly. LOL
~~ Jennifer
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