Things you miss (or don't) about the place you grew up

[ChipWrecked]

I work nights. Lately, I've seen a few shooting stars while standing outside on breaks. That's made me a little nostalgic about my childhood days.

I was born near Chicago but moved to the Arkansas Ozarks when I was seven. I won't go into the cultural issues, which would be another thread and which in some ways I never really got over.

I did, however, get to grow up in a place of great geographical beauty. We lived on a ridge overlooking a lake, oriented to the North. There weren't many lights around at night. Ursa Major, the Big Dipper, dominated the night sky during the summer. Particularly in winter when the air was dry and clear, the sky was loaded with stars. The band of the Milky Way cut a clear swath across the sky. I used to sit outside at night and just stare for hours.

I've lived in metro areas ever since I left for college years ago. Nowadays, I have to drive at least fifty miles to get away from urban trash light to be able to enjoy the night sky. I live about 90 miles west of the Sierra Nevada, which offers great viewing. One night on my way home from Reno, I turned off my lights and drove I-80 by moon and starlight, reflected off the snow.

It was awesome. But there's just no substitute for stepping out your door any time the sun's down and enjoying the stars in their full glory.

[katyseagull]

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I live about 90 miles west of the Sierra Nevada, which offers great viewing. One night on my way home from Reno, I turned off my lights and drove I-80 by moon and starlight, reflected off the snow.



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I'm jealous that you live 90 miles from the Sierra Nevadas! So beautiful out there. I would giving anything to go back.

Good thread idea, Chip. (I love the way you write.)

[Dominic]

my thread and list

[Quadstriker]

Little League baseball able to be seen from my bedroom window.

The neighborhood changed, and those diamonds are no longer chalked up. /sigh

[diebitter]

I grew up in London and do miss it. Not so much childhood, which was fine, but more teendom and early adulthood.

It always feels fantastic to hit those ultra-busy streets now and again, and I remember being young and every tube ride into the centre of London was an adventure. I remember sitting in Hyde Park on a sunny day with girls just watching the world go by, and lstening to the loonies at Speaker's Corner, going to the Natural History Museum an awful lot of days just because I loved learning about animals and dinosaurs, going to nightclubs....so cool.

What can I say? I used to go to awesome comedy gigs and music gigs (so many to choose from in London), I saw the best gig I've been to at the 100 club on Oxford street, I met my wife less than a quarter of a mile away in a club on Wardour Street, and I saw a ton of films I'd never get a chance to see elsewhere at a repertory cinema also on Wardour street (errr I think...).

I'm not one of those sad acts that bang on about how great their home city is tho (scousers, please take note).

[Five-Star]

The ravine that used to be behind the house I grew up in. It was long and winding. I used to spend hours running, jumping, climbing in it. Perfect place for a kid to explore. I was the king of that ravine. I even found a huge rock of pyrite in it a little bigger than the size of a football). We had moved away when I was in 6th grade to a house that had a very small wooded area behind it, it never was the same and I spent no time back there.

[Jamougha]

Absolutely nothing. The place would be much improved from my POV by a nuclear fireball. In fact I hadn't thought about the place in months before I saw this thread title. Ugh.

[TheDudeAbides]

I grew up in New Jersey and I really miss the fireflies on summer nights. I took my wife to visit my family there and she couldn't believe it - had no idea what they were! I also miss really good pizza, which for some reason we can't seem to get here in Toronto.

[Glo]

What do I miss about growing up in Hawaii...

Seriously, too much to list.

[pokah5]

i miss skyline chili...

and my view from my place not being a brick wall 4 feet away...