I recently received an e-mail from a coworker, and the e-mail was titled "You know you're from Rome if...." I found most of them quite humorous, so I dropped the ones that I couldn't say I've personally encountered. Here's the list:
You know you're from Rome if...
1) You've ever wondered why your town has two Wal-Marts, half a Starbucks, a Hot Topic, a minor-league baseball team and no freaking Olive Garden.
We've wished for an Olive Garden for 3 years. Guess what - It's finally coming to Rome in another year!
2) You think "Romey" is a really stupid name for a mascot.
I've always thought this, and also feel he's rather ugly.
3) You know who "the naked jogging dude" is.
I have seen this guy jogging along the major road through Rome, smiling and waving at people at "rush hour" (what Syl and I call "rush minute"). I thought it was odd that he did that so often, but learned from my coworker that this is a staple of Rome, and he has been doing this for 20 years. My coworker remembers him even from childhood drives to Sunday morning church. Wow! Oh, and they call him "naked" because all he wears are sneakers and a tiny pair of shorts.
4) You haven't actually had snow on a "snow day" in 5 years.
I saw a few flakes my first winter here...or was it dust?
5) You wonder what idiot decided "Armuchee" should be pronounced "ArMURchee."
Ain't that the truth?!
6) You've ever had to say "No, not the one in Italy..."
I actually had to say this to someone once!
7) You think Mount Berry counts as a "mall."
I think it would be better to call it a "small" than a "mall."
8) You've noticed that the Youth for Christ building looks like a crack house.
We pass this building occasionally. This building is scary looking! No joke.
9) Your parents are from Rome. And their parents are from Rome. And their parents are from Rome. And...
Oh yes...we've learned. Of about 20 high school graduates this past year (at our church), only one was going to go to school outside Northeast Georgia, and that one was going to college in Alabama (we're 10 minutes from the border). People who've gone to our church for 10 years consider themselves "new" because so many have been there for generations. And if you ever intend to speak negatively about someone, make sure you're not talking to his/her cousin, uncle, or other relative.
10) You were really excited about getting your driver's license so you'd be able to go places on the weekend... and then when you got your license, you realized that your problem wasn't that you couldn't drive; it's that there was nowhere to drive TO.
There are few places to go.
11) Someone in your immediate family makes a "Fireworks run" to Alabama every 4th of July and New Year's Eve.
This kind of talk even makes front-page news in Rome.
12) You've ever wondered what qualifies Horseleg and Callier Springs as "country clubs."
I was wondering what even qualified them as golf courses before this e-mail came!
13) You wonder why Homerun Hill is mostly in foul territory.
LOLOL! This is at the minor league baseball team's stadium.
14) You have run into more than 5 different friends during the same meal at Las Palmas.
I would say this is true for any Rome restaurant. We always run into friends, neighbors, coworkers and church folks.
And finally, you know you're from Rome if...
15) You know that even if the devil himself were chasing you while driving, you still wouldn't run the red light in front of Home Depot and K-Mart.
I actually received a ticket at this light! They have a camera that takes your photo, and now if I even THINK I see a hint of yellow, I hit the brakes!
You know you're from Rome if...
1) You've ever wondered why your town has two Wal-Marts, half a Starbucks, a Hot Topic, a minor-league baseball team and no freaking Olive Garden.
We've wished for an Olive Garden for 3 years. Guess what - It's finally coming to Rome in another year!
2) You think "Romey" is a really stupid name for a mascot.
I've always thought this, and also feel he's rather ugly.
3) You know who "the naked jogging dude" is.
I have seen this guy jogging along the major road through Rome, smiling and waving at people at "rush hour" (what Syl and I call "rush minute"). I thought it was odd that he did that so often, but learned from my coworker that this is a staple of Rome, and he has been doing this for 20 years. My coworker remembers him even from childhood drives to Sunday morning church. Wow! Oh, and they call him "naked" because all he wears are sneakers and a tiny pair of shorts.
4) You haven't actually had snow on a "snow day" in 5 years.
I saw a few flakes my first winter here...or was it dust?
5) You wonder what idiot decided "Armuchee" should be pronounced "ArMURchee."
Ain't that the truth?!
6) You've ever had to say "No, not the one in Italy..."
I actually had to say this to someone once!
7) You think Mount Berry counts as a "mall."
I think it would be better to call it a "small" than a "mall."
8) You've noticed that the Youth for Christ building looks like a crack house.
We pass this building occasionally. This building is scary looking! No joke.
9) Your parents are from Rome. And their parents are from Rome. And their parents are from Rome. And...
Oh yes...we've learned. Of about 20 high school graduates this past year (at our church), only one was going to go to school outside Northeast Georgia, and that one was going to college in Alabama (we're 10 minutes from the border). People who've gone to our church for 10 years consider themselves "new" because so many have been there for generations. And if you ever intend to speak negatively about someone, make sure you're not talking to his/her cousin, uncle, or other relative.
10) You were really excited about getting your driver's license so you'd be able to go places on the weekend... and then when you got your license, you realized that your problem wasn't that you couldn't drive; it's that there was nowhere to drive TO.
There are few places to go.
11) Someone in your immediate family makes a "Fireworks run" to Alabama every 4th of July and New Year's Eve.
This kind of talk even makes front-page news in Rome.
12) You've ever wondered what qualifies Horseleg and Callier Springs as "country clubs."
I was wondering what even qualified them as golf courses before this e-mail came!
13) You wonder why Homerun Hill is mostly in foul territory.
LOLOL! This is at the minor league baseball team's stadium.
14) You have run into more than 5 different friends during the same meal at Las Palmas.
I would say this is true for any Rome restaurant. We always run into friends, neighbors, coworkers and church folks.
And finally, you know you're from Rome if...
15) You know that even if the devil himself were chasing you while driving, you still wouldn't run the red light in front of Home Depot and K-Mart.
I actually received a ticket at this light! They have a camera that takes your photo, and now if I even THINK I see a hint of yellow, I hit the brakes!
