My Pittsburgh Problem

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From young Wallace’s bewilderment when venturing outside of the city and hearing crickets for the first time to Chris informing Snoop that people from outside of the Baltimore/D.C. area probably wouldn’t be very familiar with go-go music, a constant theme from the HBO series The Wire was how isolated inner city Baltimore’s inhabitants were from the rest of the world. Although — if the atlas application on my phone is correct — they’re neighbors with Towson, Essex, Silver Spring, and others, they might as well have been stuck on the island from Lost, aware of their star-crossed fate but completely unequipped, unable, and ultimately unwilling to change it.

No character embodied this mindset more than Old Face Andre — a mid-level dealer who happened to fall out of favor with the ruthless and reptilian drug kingpin Marlo Stanfield. In a subplot so sad and predictable that it’s actually funny, instead of just packing up and leaving town, Andre thinks that moving from West Baltimore to East Baltimore will save him from Marlo’s wrath.

He was wrong.

I’ve watched the full series (at least) three times. (I watched it “live,” and I’ve also re-watched the entire series with each of my last two girlfriends; at times even delaying sex to continue debates about Bodie Broadus’ motivations and Bill Rawls closet homosexuality.) I also developed an appetite for any and all things The Wire, engulfing and devouring every message board post, interview, article, profile, and conversation I could. At this point, I’d confidently bet a day’s pay that unless David Simon happens to be your cousin, you don’t know anyone who knows more about The Wire than I do.

I always assumed that my infatuation with The Wire was somewhat due to my unique personal background. While the show may have been a bit too real for some who grew up in similar circumstances and too foreign for those who lived galaxies away from that world, I grew up in a gang-infested East Liberty but was shielded from most real adversity by my (married) parents, my private school education, and my basketball. This combination of familiarity and distance allowed me to recognize some of the characters and themes while staying (relatively) emotionally detached from it. I had friends who grew up in households as toxic as the teenage characters on the show, but the fact that none of that stuff went on in my house made it easier for me to adopt a bit of a sober, deconstructionist view when watching and speaking about it.

But, as I’ve come to learn, this was all bullshit. It’s definitely still true that my upbringing protected me from harm and implanted a certain appreciation for many of the themes present in the series, but the connection I had with the show had nothing to do that. It came down to one hard to swallow fact: I am Old Face Andre.

While every single one of my closest childhood friends have left Pittsburgh for “greener” pastures, I’m still here; leaving only for college and returning as soon as my degree and my basketball eligibility had been completed. I wish I could say that I made the decision to come back because I had a plan, a promising job opportunity, or even a girl I was smitten with, but I’d be lying. In reality, I always considered it to be an inevitability; a concretized step on a pre-destined path. I came back because I just couldn’t fathom being anywhere else.

I imagine you think I’m being hyperbolic, that comparing myself to a drug dealer so short-sighted and ignorant that he basically chose certain death over leaving Baltimore is a stretch, and you’re probably be right. With a limited education and an extensive rap sheet, Old Face Andre’s options were limited by a series of decisions — decisions either made by him or completely out of his control. Maybe he wasn’t actually in prison, but he was far from free, and considering his circumstances, moving to East Baltimore may have actually been his most feasible choice.

But while my situation is far from as dire as Andre’s, I can’t help but note the similarities between us. My choice to blog/write/edit full-time gives me real incentive to leave Pittsburgh, as most of the career-making new media opportunities that would best suit the type of work I do are found in New York City and Washington, D.C. Yes, it’s true that I don’t necessarily have to leave the Burgh to build the career I want to build, but staying would be like to deciding to walk to Cincinnati the next time I visit my family there. Sure, it can be done, but driving or flying (or, well, not going to Cincinnati at all) would probably be a better plan.

Mind you, this is no anti-Pittsburgh rant. While the tone of the last couple paragraphs may have implied that I think I’m somehow “better” than the Burgh, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the city is undoubtedly better than me — talented, unpretentious, unflappable, and blessed with understated beauty. If the Burgh was a random babe at The Shadow Lounge or Savoy, she’d be out of my league, and I’d probably have a better chance with one of her less attractive cousins (Cleveland) or her extremely glamorous and extremely self-esteem deficient co-worker (Atlanta).

It’s just that…I don’t know. I don’t know what’s keeping me here. I don’t know why I didn’t even consider staying in Buffalo when done with school. I don’t know why I feel like I need to somehow be validated by Pittsburgh, like being successful somewhere else just wouldn’t matter the same way. I don’t know why this city means so gotdamn much to me, and I don’t even know if I want this feeling to change.

Despite my love for “The Wire,” I’ve always been ambivalent about Old Face Andre’s last appearance on screen. Captured by Marlo’s henchman and destined for certain death, he asks his soon to be murderers not to shoot him in the face so that he can have an open casket funeral. The request itself isn’t what stirs the ambivalence, though, as much as the tone he used when asking. He pleas the same merry familiarity that a person would adopt when asking the kid working the register at Giant Eagle to double bag his groceries. Not only is he completely resigned to his fate, it seems like he’s almost welcoming it; like he knows he doesn’t matter enough to even attempt to fight for his life.

I never quite felt that this particular scene worked as well as the rest of the show. I just couldn’t buy that a man in that situation would still be so casual, so jocular. But, perhaps he was just tired. Tired of living in fear. Tired of being haunted by Baltimore. Tired of the pathos. Tired of the self-imposed shackles. Tired of allowing himself to be manipulated by nostalgia. And perhaps his subconscious recognized that he was just ready for a change; something…anything not Baltimore.

If this is true, I understand.

—Damon Young (aka “The Champ”)

472 thoughts on “My Pittsburgh Problem”

    • You just didn’t see an episode with Omar in it, that’s all- completely enthralled with him! Reasons to watch:
      1. Excellent plotline, the characters make sense
      2. Weebey and Stringer hotness!

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      • Top it? I can do that.

        I will see your “Haven’t Watched a Single Full Episode of the Wire” and raise you
        “I didn’t see the Color Purple until 2002, and only because I was forced”
        “I don’t think Love Jones is all that great of a movie”

        For those of you who would now like to fight me for my black card I would like to point out that I have been racially profiled, pulled over for DWB, enjoy fried chicken unabashedly, gave to the United Negro College Fund (though for some reason I’ve never actually met anyone that’s ever received a scholarship from them) and I campaigned for Obama in 2008… so we’re good right?

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        • I am in no position whatsoever to fight anyone for their black card. And I can take or leave Love Jones except for the soundtrack. I still listen to that.

          But I will give you Celie Fangas for having to be forced to watch The Color Purple. I cannot count how many times I’ve seen that movie. It’s definitely in my top five.

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        • “I will see your “Haven’t Watched a Single Full Episode of the Wire” and raise you
          “I didn’t see the Color Purple until 2002, and only because I was forced”
          “I don’t think Love Jones is all that great of a movie””

          i see your:
          -haven’t watched an ep of the Wire
          -haven’t watched or read the Color Purple
          and i raise you…
          -watched bits and pieces of Love Jones (probably when it was on cable, flipping between that and MTV)

          lol. for what it’s worth, i have seen the Color Purple on Broadway, but not because i wanted to

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        • See…Now I have to feel superior to everyone that hasn’t seen the Color Purple willingly and loved it from start to finish. Also, you are all racists. Sorry.

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        • @DQ- I can top that my friend. I didn’t see Color Purple till LAST YEAR HA! I win

          I also thought Love Jones was mediocre at best. More of a chick flick that reminded women that they could fall in love with a black guy that was a “Renaissance Man” and gave them more expectations (which almost always lead to letdowns) smdh

          Also, not only have I not seen The Wire, but most of the underground artists they talk about on here don’t do much for me (Common, Talib, Lupe etc;) and I think the term “conspiracy theorist” is intellectually lazy and purposefully ambiguous. It sounds just as ridiculous as “the liberal media” imo #shruglife

          Oh yeah, and I voted for McCain…sike lol, I would never vote for a president that looks like a Q-tip, c’mon son lol

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          • You saw the Color Purple in the pseudo-post racial America brought on by Barack Obama’s election. And though this in itself has nothing to do with anything, I’m gonna go ahead and say My Late Color Purple View >>> Your Late Color Purple View based on it’s post racial-ness

            BTW I think “conspiracy theorems” are lazy attempts at analysis minus facts so you might actually be cool despite your post racial Color Purple viewing.

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            • lol @ Post Racial- That’s another laughable term. I love the movie Friday though and cringe at the thought of Tyler Perry movies, does that earn me any credibility back? lol

              Oh yeah, and I loooooove fried chicken, multiple flavors of kool-aid, and last but not least A$$ A$$ A$$ A$$ A$$ A$$….STOP (not too crazy about the song though lol) And I love Waka Flaka’s hit singles on weekend nights. Hopefully I’ve built up some negro equity now….lol

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              • Friday is a classic. And you know this maaaaaaaaan.

                But I have hated that @ss song ever since I caught my five year old singing it as it played in the shop where he was getting his hair cut.

                Wait…Waka Flocka SquareHips has hit singles? Plural?

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                • lol @ your 5 year old singing it, that makes me love it even more lol

                  Flaka has club hits imo. No Hands and Round of Applause (even O Leh Do It was a hit to me) #shruglife

                  Maybe I’m biased cause that fool looks like my lil brother lol

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          • Damn… you’re kinda right. But I know my renaissance man will come! lol. Don’t sell the brothas short now.

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          • I believe I trump all:

            -Never saw Color Purple
            -Never saw The Wire
            -The best part of Love Jones was Nia’s Nipples (Yes, they deserve to be capitalized)
            -Don’t really like Tupac
            -Don’t really get into the underground cats

            BOOM!

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              • @ The Law- Nope. Don’t pass go, go straight to jail after you hand over that black card lol. I would’ve let you slide until you said the whole don’t like Tupac thing. And Coming to America is more of an African classic than a black American one, so nope…won’t cut it lol

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          • can you please name 1 Black movie/show that you like? …and not a comedy please.
            A drama. One with some merit or meaning…

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      • Chris and Snoop murking ninjas in the vacants.

        Watching the Wire, it actually felt good to see some bad guys win. In fact, they did such a good job of blurring the line of good/bad, i found myself cheering for people i probably wouldn’t in real life.

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        • That is why I really love the wire. There is no BAD guy and no GOOD guy. Everyone has flaws, like we all do in real life. It was good.

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            • I think Marlo was crooked, but in the end i realized two things:

              A) It was almost ALWAYS business with him. He was as cut throat as any CEO on Wall street.
              B) In the series finale, when he bailed on that party, and jacked two dudes of their corner, i realized hustlin was in his BLOOD. It was his way of life, the thing that he’d be doing above anything else.

              Most of the politicians were more crooked than anybody. SHHHHHHHHHHIIIIEEEEETTTT.

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              • Most of the characters were likeable. But at the end of the day, drug-dealing murderers using kids as protection are always going to be the bad guys. I didn’t find that line blurry at all, LOL.

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                • @ WIP- I’m tryna ignore most of the posts about the wire since I still plan to watch it, but I couldn’t help but notice you saying that drug dealing murderers that use kids as shields were bad guys (I agree with that), but it’s just yet another example about how context can blur certain lines. Using a kid as a shield is NEVER understandable or acceptable, but drug dealing and murdering? While not desirable, and we should strive to avoid being either of those…eh, sometimes I can understand, and don’t find them that much worse than the average Joe or Jane lying and manipulating ppl to get what they want #shruglife

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                  • Theoretically, I agree because I believe in the Bible and sin is sin. In practice, I’d rather be lied to than shot. But that’s just me. :)

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                    • hahaha! Nah, I don’t think those crimes are equal (part of the reason I’m not a Bible loyalist) but I do think that certain circumstances do make murder understandable (still wrong though). Good one tho lol

      • Hmmm, how about this:

        - never watched a single episode of The Wire
        - never saw any parts of Love Jones
        - heard good things about the Love Jones soundtrack, but can’t name one song on it off the top of my head
        - thinks the show, Martin, was/is a waste of time
        - don’t eat hot sauce or any food with a synonym for hot in it
        - don’t eat foods that has body parts in it’s name (ie leg, tail, neck, back)
        - don’t know the lyrics of not one full rap song
        - just found out THIS YEAR who Eric B and Rakim are
        - heard Bonita Applebaum for the first time a few months ago.

        i could go on and on, but I at least want to keep my invitation to the family reunion…
        *sets card on coffee table and leaves*

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    • My girl LOVES Law & Order. When The Wire was still airing we would constantly argue because I was always shitting on Law & Order. She still hasn’t watched more than 3 episodes of The Wire and doesn’t understand its appeal yet. Name one show… ANY genre that gives viewers the same amount of in depth attention to detail and great storytelling on both sides of the coin. There are no so called “good” guys and “bad” guys on The Wire. There is only life, reality, and cause and effect. Law & Order is one-sided… ALL shows are one-sided they are like “these are the good guys, root for them, and these are the bad guys.”

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      • @Jay- I hear ya big dawg. I really do. But isn’t it possible to like The Wire AND Law and Order. Law and Order is a good show, especially considering it’s on cable and thus limited in what it can do. I do understand your point about it being the only show that shows both points of view. That alone is enough to make me wanna see it, because I’m big on creativity and innovation (most Leos are I guess). The best thing about me still not having seen it is that once I do watch it the ninjas that have seen it love it so much that they’ll be itching to talk to me about it, why it was so awesome, all the intricacies and subtle sh*t I might not have noticed etc; so it’s not like there’s an expiration date on it lol

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        • “…law and order is a good show…”
          lol..Oh. I see why you don’t like The Wire now. You prefer predictable, cookie-cutter, mind-numbing shows & actually don’t know what a “good” show, movie, script is.

          .

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    • @ Krista- Wow, now that is something that I really NEVER hear. I know there are others who either have never seen it but plan to see it, or have never seen a full episode but still may try to find time to catch up at some point (whether enthused about the heavy tone or not) but the people who watched it but didn’t think it was that good are few and far between. I would ask you why you didn’t like it, but it aint like I would have any points of reference to know what the h*ll you were talkin about anyway lol

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      • Every episode isn’t enthralling, but overall it’s great TV. Some of it is pretty violent. The careless violence is distressing; almost intolerable where you don’t want to see anymore (speaking as someone who watched several episodes at a time).

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        • It wouldn’t have been the same without the violence. I read an article with David Simon speaking on the violence and he stated clearly that the level of violence was high to illustrate A) How much sociopathy is involved through the generations. The Greeks were ultra violent to start with. Avon, Stringer, and the older dealers used violence when needed. The younger dealers like Marlo used violence in such a wanton manner that it was just pointless. (Compare the ref at the basketball game who got punked by Avon who was just chewed out. CompareTthat to the security guard’s murder. ) B) Some points of authentic. His partner was a former cop who backed him on this.

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          • Maybe Simon included it out of necessity just to honestly portray what life is really like in “Bodymore”. When I lived there briefly, folks were getting killed and then having their bodies dumped in apartment complex dumpsters and set on fire to destroy the evidence. Turn on the news and I’d just be horrified. Going to bed hearing gunshots echoing was something I eventually learned to block out, which also disturbs me.
            And Champ, if you’re not happy in the ‘Burgh you’d pretty much hate Buffalo. I was born there and couldn’t wait to escape to a warmer climate with a better economy.

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            • @Eddie Brock- D*mn, that’s some wild sh*t man. Knowing there were burned bodies in the dumpster within a 20 mile radius of me would change my whole outlook on life. Glad you made it out.

              And you made the point I meant to make after reading this. This dude’s only city to compare to Pitt was Buffalo and he’s wondering why he moved back? Really? lol, who even visits Buffalo let alone moves there to actually live?! Even white folks don’t like it there lol

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    • don’t think the wire was all that great?!? wth …
      The Wire is one of the best written, thought provoking, multi-layered and multi-deminsional dramas >>> EVER! The only show to illustrate – in detail – how the corrupt justice & political systems play a supporting/sister role in America’s issues of crime, violence, murder rate.. How & why the public school system is a crumbling and relic disaster… But you would have to watch more than 1 episode to be aware or appreciate all of these things.

      simply the Best! storyline and character development any tv show has ever had.
      …but I guess someone who lists Friday as one of their favorite movies wouldn’t know anything about story arch, in-depth/fleshed out characters, or a good socially & politically relevant script.

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  2. I dig. After i graduated from school and came home to Detroit, i felt the same way…….. Until i visited Cali. Now that I’m here, i aint going back bro; unless the “big one” hits that is.

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  3. As much as I love the culture, food, music, ladies, & sports that LA has, I can’t wait to leave the state and live in another location.

    The weird thing is, after getting my BA in Sociology-(criminology concentration-history minor), my three grad schools that I applied to are Southeastern Louisiana (Hammond), Mississippi State University, and Texas A&M University.

    I guess not too far away from home (at least driving distance). But I can’t wait to leave and enter a sociology graduate program

    …In other news, can we get some NBA analysis… #hornets/kingsfan

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    • “As much as I love the culture, food, music, ladies, & sports that LA has, I can’t wait to leave the state and live in another location.”

      I left in 2001 and never looked back. : ) I think I appreciate Louisiana more because I don’t live there anymore. Oh, and hopefully you know how to cook, because you will not find food like ours ANYWHERE.

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      • CNotes- thanks for clearing that up. I definitely thought Los Angeles when I saw LA. I forget that also means Louisiana lol, I was a lil confused, but I was just gonna let it ride lol

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        • LOL!!
          Technically, we are supposed to spell it La. instead of LA to show the distinction. But, you know we lazy. : )

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      • I’m glad I can cook. Whenever I’ll make the move, I have to remember to bring an extra set of luggage for all of my unique spices and seasonings.

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        • It’s not even about being able to cook, though. The ingredients?! Not a lot of places even have crawfish tails (unless they’re frozen and from Taiwan or someplace). There are just some things you can’t find outside of da boot.

          But, it’s cool. Just get someone to FedEx you some things periodically. LOL

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    • *pulls up another chair in the corner* Sadly, neither have I.

      Adding this series to things I need to watch when I buy a DVD player w/ recording capability

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    • I’ve never seen it either…so you are not alone

      #MJJ

      But I do want to see it…everyone i’ve ever talked to about the show are in lust with it…

      KMN

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    • I’ve never seen this show so I will be joining you all in this corner. The sad part is it seems like a show I would be interested in but I just haven’t gotten around to watching. I’ve also never heard anyone mention this show IRL .
      We will receive these responses from the wire enthusiasts – Someone will tell us to do better (a bougie chick i suppose) and PJ will tell us he feels sorry for our mothers…actually champ might say that too.

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    • NO! And I can’t help but wonder if Champ has spoiled it for me??
      I imagine that I’ll watch it some day… with someone… I really like.

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      • Mane yall tripn! Yall didnt used 2 watch the wire? How old are u guys? Wire wuz that sh*t. It came on during the same era as sopranos, weeds, sex & the city. Those were the best times for tv shows, i swear. Now all we hav is boardwalk empire….

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        • @ IcePrincess- I’m somewhat of a youngin, so when it came on I was still in high school and my mom REFUSED to pay for premium channels. It’s not like I just decided not to tune in…plus I didn’t realize that I insulted so many ppl by not having watched it til I moved up North for college (them country mofos I went to high school wit aint have HBO neither) and kept hearing everyone talk about how ridiculous it was to have never seen the show…#shruglife

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          • I was also in HS when the show began, but then in undergrad nearly every guy I dated was attached to the wire by the hip. When I FINALLY got around to watching it, I gave birth to a much coveted set of the complete series (+ added footage, yeahhhhh) on DVD.

            ***walks over to nurse dem ‘babies’***

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        • That was during my divorce from TV. After reality shows blew up, I kind of threw the baby out with the bath water and stopped watching TV altogether…and ended up missing some really good series. I’m still not that much of a TV watcher.

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        • 30-ish.

          then again, i was never big on HBO/Showtime etc, so any series on those stations, i missed.

          however i did catch Don Cheadle’s new series at my homie’s house, i’ll probably “follow” (and by follow i’ll find ways to watch that i won’t mention here, lol) that series

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    • My name is nillalatte and I’m an alcoholic. Oops… wrong meeting. I mean I have never seen The Wire (opens bottle in brown paper bag and starts drinking).

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    • I’ve never seen an episode mainly because the men around me, my husband and father, were obsessed with it. It’s a weird excuse, but I just couldn’t handle their constant conversations about it. I’d actually love to watch it, we actually own it, but I know that hubby will not allow me watch it in peace. He’d go, “Let me pause this and explain what happens next.” He’d pepper with me with questions to make sure that I understood what was going on. He’d regale me with why he loves that particular scene. I would then have to kill him. It’s safer that I just don’t watch it.

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      • I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO Netflix to find it….not there :( wonder if netflix has different shows available in different regions…Its a conspiracy to keep N & S negros apart.

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    • @I Am Your People- NO you’re NOT! I have NEVER seen a full episode, and I feel overwhelmed by how many hours worth of watching I’ll have to do to be with the in crowd! We folks who live under a rock, or didn’t have HBO while the series aired need a support group so we won’t get hit with too many stones! Btw, you might’ve had the best comment of all yesterday lol. I think I’m about to go try to find that dolphin gettin brain clip (I wonder if that dolphin knew he was participating in homo sex?) lmao

      Also, as good as I hear the show is and as much as I do want to watch it (like all of it) I REFUSE to pay to see ANY d*mn thing these days so until someone lets me borrow the DVD set or shows me how to stream it online for free, I’ll be in this corner with the other 6-10 ninjas claiming to be part of the marginalized few negroes who have never seen this show. Hopefully we can appeal if our black cards are taken lol

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      • Posted this comment before I saw how many ninjas had already replied to IAYP. That corner really is crowded as hayull. lol, makes me feel a lil bit less like a sheltered heathen. I don’t know if I get any special treatment for at least wanting to see it (no matter how depressing it sounds from the reviews I hear). It is what it is….

        Am I the only one that feels like despite 2 days and 1500+ comments that yesterday’s discussion still wasn’t through? I mean, most ppl stop reading and responding after like 6 ET (went on a lil later yesterday) I happened to spend time responding to the countless ppl who addressed me and my thoughts, but I feel like I did it in vein at this point, because we kept beating a dead horse…I totally understand if people have had enough of that convo though. Too heavy, too hypothetical, too many variables (and for some too emotional) to really keep attemting to discuss, but certain commenters did ask me questions or make statements that warranted responses for me to completely ignore just because it was night time….but I would TOTALLY understand why most ppl would say “Oh h*ll no! I refuse to go back and read any more of that convo”

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        • lol @ The Anti-Cool- Clearly I don’t actually know you, but from what you say it surely seems like your entire life is the epitome of the road less traveled lol, are you ever NOT the contrarian? I thought I was bad about that lol. Because as much as I think most religion is more harmful than beneficial I couldn’t make the jump to complete atheism (although I totally get it). I like to consider myself atheism lite (agnostic isn’t quite accurate) lol

          But seriously I love hearing your opinions cause you almost always feel the opposite of most ppl lol

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          • Well, I’ve been called much worse than a contrarian by people that actually do know me so I’ll take that as a compliment.

            It seems I’m always on the outside or the “wrong” side of something. Sometimes by conscious choice but mostly cause of the way I’m wired.

            I was raised Baptist by a very God-fearing grandmother so I didn’t come to my unbelief lightly. And I could be totally wrong. I won’t know till I meet my maker. Or not. lol.

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            • @TAC- Yup, I feel you. Contrarian is a compliment often times. It means you think for yourself ALL the time. Some people do take it too far “How do we really know that gravity exists” lol, but for the most part it forces ALL of us to think about the things we’ve just accepted without giving too much critical thought. I won’t go into my feelings about the concept of God and the similarities between most people’s concept of God and Santa Clause (watch somebody put some words in my mouth and hate me for saying that) because that’s another post for another day. Again, I still do believe in God, just not in the same way that most ppl that are believers do

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            • I caught the entire set on sale at amazon for like $80 one year. But that’s because I’d seen it. Someone who’s never seen it may not want to spend that money but Netflix is $8/month and you could probably knock out a season or two per weekend if you’re not busy.

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              • @Deviant- Yeah, 80 bucks ain’t happening..also I got a complex relationship with netflix movies that I can’t just click play on, but I can’t talk about that online lol. I’ll find a way to watch it though. I’m slowly developing more and more of a will, so it’ll happen

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            • After hearing all this talk about it on this site for the past few years, over the holiday break I decided to watch a few episodes on HBO on Demand on Xfinity (my Netflix said they’d have to send me the DVDs for some reason).

              Well I gave it like 2 1/2 episodes and I just didn’t see the point. I’m not a big TV fan (outside of HGTV/Food Network/GSN) so something has to catch my attention and quick. The Wire didn’t do it for me in those first few episodes. But I may give it another try one day…

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    • I guess we gon have to start lapping up in this corner…I have seen a couple episodes but i just never got into the wire. I tried to find it on Netflix and couldnt and i just took a knee on it altogether

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      • @ Tristan- Yeah, most of the shows I end up watching don’t start from hype, they start from someone around me watching them and me watching the show with that person so I can ask questions when I get confused. As a matter of fact it’s similar to music for me. Certain songs I realized later that I only liked because of the type of things I was normally doing at the time when the song was out and when I heard it. Certain music just reminds me of good times in life, so I inevitably love the song(s). TV is not quite the same but similar. Context matters. But yeah, if no one can answer certain questions or experience it with me, chances are I’ll lose interest because it starts feeling like a chore. I’m not much of a TV or movie person though. Not that I don’t enjoy the good sh*t, it’s just that I’m far from a connoisseur of ANYTHING on tv other than sports, as typical as that may sound lol. That’s why I really laughed out loud at your phrase “took a knee on that one”. I’m sure most of the non sports fans didn’t get the reference lol

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    • *Raises hand*

      Yeah. Me. I haven’t watched it either.

      *Looks around*

      In a second, this corner is going to take up the whole room.

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  5. I always thought that when I finished college I’d move back home…then in 2006 I woke up and said I’m moving to Dallas, TX sight unseen. Now I only go home twice a year. When I’m there and it’s time to get on the plane back to Dallas, I always tell myself there’s no place like home.

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  6. Loved The Wire! I still tell people to this day who haven’t seen it that it was the best series on tv.

    I left home (Rochester, NY) immediately after finishing to school. I relocated to DC and stayed for 4 yrs before returning back home. But it wasn’t the same. All of my childhood friends left and the only person left was my boyfriend. After living in a big city, I couldn’t adjust back and ended up moving again (to the west coast). Even now, I consider DC more my home because that’s where most of my family and close friends live.

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  7. Dang, feeling like it’s time for change on the heels of those controversial rape comments? You apologized. It’s a case of the humpdays, let it ride. Maybe it’s time to book a quick weekend vacation. Relax. Relate. Release.

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  8. I am always thinking about leaving Chicago, but then I get to thinking about how I would probably fall apart if I was to leave. By no means am I incapable of taking care of myself; it’s just that I am so close to my immediate family I wouldn’t really feel comfortable moving away from them. Having to grow up w/a drug addicted mother and a grandmother being worried into her grave by her children really brought me & my siblings together, and I really enjoy how we are so close knit. I know I should probably move away & make new friends, have new adventures and all that good stuff, but it would just feel unsettling to just up and leave. No amount of phone calls, Skype, or any other methods of communicating would cure the homesickness I know would follow.

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      • Dats because chicago is the best city in america. (Sorry, big apple, we still luv u). Its fly as hell. Theres just a natural swag that chicago has that cant b duplicated. It has everything ny has (skyscrapers, food scene, shopping, museums, ect) but cleaner & wit a cool midwest attitude. Theres also an old school glamour about the chi. They will break out the full lengh minks in a heartbeat in the wintertime! Lol. F*ckn great city man, i tell ya…

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        • @Blackgirlmd- Yeah, it’s one of those cities. Certain cities are just like that. Philadelphia is the exact same way. I’m sure there are more, but that’s the one I know FOR SURE is the antithesis of a transient city. Ninjas in those two cities really forget that there’s a world outside of their city. I think that type of loyalty and pride in one’s city is pretty cool, but I be d*mned if I ever stay put in one city with a country and a world so big and awesome, but it’s cool that I can go certain places and really feel a different vibe that comes with the place having locals with a lot of hometown pride (even if most of them are sheltered and biased towards anything local) lol

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        • I’m from Baltimore.

          And I hated Chicago…thought it was dirty.

          *shrugs*

          Maybe I had the wrong tour guides…only saw downtown and the South Side, lol…

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        • You are wrong. And since I’m superior in decision making, NYC was/is/and will always be the best city in these here United States of North America.

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      • Eh, a few of them leave & go to either Indiana or dry ass Ohio *lol*. The one thing I love here is the diversity; yeah yeah there’s diversity everywhere, but to be able to get on a bus and literally go from a Polish enclave to a Middle Eastern/Asian neighborhood in a few stops is absolutely amazing and wonderful. Also, there is nothing like sitting along the lakefront during the summer; I would always suggest that to the tourists that asked for activities to do when they came to eat @ my old job.

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        • But…. its mad segregated! I loved it there, but I kept telling my friends. “You know life doesn’t have to be like this.”

          You should be able to live in whatever neighborhood you want (and get into any club you want), without worrying about discrimination all the damn time.

          I agree its a cool city tho. And I never met a person who moved from Chicago to Ohio and was happy about it lol.

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    • Hey Naturalista88, i feel you. I’m from the crib too (Harvey world!!!). But i left for college. Never went back home for the summers, only the holidays cuz of work and stuff. But in hindsight i realize that if i woulda stayed there, I wouldn’t have the mindset i have now (and i mighta caught a bullet). I moved back after graduation to look for work. I ended up in Dallas. I still miss the Chi like a mug, but i don’t if ima ever make it back even with my family being there. Still got a passion to help people there, but if i ever go back, I AM NOT raising my kids on the south side.

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        • Totally understandable. I too get dismayed & angered @ the ridiculous crime occurring here. Just last week a guy from my old neighborhood was killed while his job was getting ready to close up. It was so sad cause he was a real cool dude who had a great personality. Sometimes I think to myself, “Girl, why you wanna stay in a place like this??” but like I said, my family means so much to me & I know it would be hard for me to really detach myself & get comfortable in a new area. One day I’ll do the unthinkable & leave, but for now I’ll stay put.

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  9. I actually started watching the wire because of this blog and how much you and all of my friends talked about it. I’m towards the end of season two but I love it so far!!!

    I’m from Houston, it’s home I love it, all of my closest friends are there and as I’m on my journey to law school, I’m going to be gone for the next 3 years but I plan on and see myself returning to Houston. I don’t know why, I’ve been to other cities and countries and fell in love with them but nothing feels better than being home. Guess I’m a sucker for nostalgia.

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    • No joking…every single person across the USA who I’ve heard make a comment about Huston absolutely hates Huston.

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      • I’m from Houston, but moved away after college. As soon as I get a job there, I’m headed back. If I got a call tomorrow, I would leave everything I own and be on the road. There really is no place like home. :-)

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      • I say this with e-love – cuz I follow your comments and typically agree with you.

        But you need more people. LOL. I LOVE Houston and people that say they hate it just need to get out more. I’ve lived in a few places – ATL, Dallas, L.A., and did a brief stint in D.C. and Houston is the best. I love it.

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        • “But you need more people. LOL.”

          :) You can never have enough people, that’s true. Maybe the consistent anti-Huston comments are an indication that my peeps aren’t as diverse as I thought.

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      • Yup, I will have to disagree. As someone who lived in the U.S for 11 years (back home now: the call of “home”), I absolutely loved my adopted hometown of Houston. And I have never met anybody who didn’t like living in Houston. It’s hot as hell and driving distances will murk your spirit, but it’s still an outstanding place to live.
        I have roamed around the US and lived in many places but Houston is def my American hometown.

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    • I love Houston. My sister and other family live there, as well as my two best friends. They all want me to move, but it won’t happen…LOL!

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      • I worked in Houston for 2 summers. Loved it. Loved every single part of it. If this MegaMillions thing ever works out I’ll be buying a home out there at the end of some big winding road… and it won’t be all a dream either.

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          • Actually I’ll probably set up shop in Missouri City or Sugarland (has Houston annexed those yet)? Why these places? Cause as much as I liked 3rd Ward, if I win Megamillions I will have a legal obligation to be fancy.

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            • Not sure about the annexation…lol My auntie used to stay out in Sugarland. It was nice at one point, haven’t been out there in a hot minute. You should check out Cypress or Katy if you’re really wanting some suburb type ish. It’s a long ride from the action #doe.

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  10. I have never seen 2 minutes of the Wire, but I’m totally with you on this one!
    You didn’t consider stayin in Buffalo because you it’s unfamiliar…or at least less familiar than Pittsburgh.
    You could have never made it to where you are if you stayed in Buffalo. I wish I could say I loved my city, but I don’t. It’s a plague.

    I think we (anyone who’s never lived away from home) all start to wonder how things might be different, if things were different.
    I know I feel stifled. Like I’m in a box I’ve outgrown. But still, I’m unwilling to move…but my life situation’s different from yours.

    This post depresses me…

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    • This is why I left my state as soon as I got my M.A. And when I say left, I mean packed a friend’s car 20 days after i crossed the stage and moved without a job, left. I didn’t want to wonder what could have been. Trust, there is a bit of arrogance moving the way that I did. I knew that I was bigger than what my state had to offer and decided that if I stayed I would always wonder about my potential and how I felt about my self worth. Maybe I was being dramatic but in the end, i made the right decision. I moved to DC. What’s funny is that, now when I go home, it gets harder for me to leave and I know that I will return one day to raise a family.

      For anyone feeling that they can do better than what their area can offer, I say bounce. It is hard but I would always regret not leaving. I also, and maybe this is just me, felt that people who stayed home knowing that there were better opportunities in their field in another area were too afraid to take that step and didn’t really want to follow their dreams. People think that there is nothing worse than failing and I feel that there is nothing worse than not trying and never knowing what could have been.

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      • I think it’s awesome that you were able to do that. That’s so much easier said than done, though.

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        • I was lucky in that I was at the age where i had nothing to lose. In other words, I was thoughtless about the whole thing. Like I told myself “I can always come back home”. If I did this now, almost 6 yrs later, I would crap my pants. Some things are just easier when young arrogance is in full effect.

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  11. This reminds me of the Dixie Chicks’ song “Wide Open Spaces” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUcltIrh8Po&feature=youtube_gdata_player, about a young woman leaving the comforts of home and how it will ultimately be for her betterment.

    I felt trepidation when I left north carolina in came and moved to washington, but eventually I got my bearings, got adjusted, and finally I feel, or at least, am starting to feel like this place isn’t so foreign to me.

    Best of luck in wherever you decide to move. The beauty of not being tied to any one place is you can get your exploring on!

    PS….. I must admit, as a Ravens fan.. The Pittsburgh-Baltimore correlation had me nervous there was a jab at the birds somewhere in this post. I guess I’m just extra sensitive still from Sunday.

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  12. I’ve been in Chicago my whole life and have never seriously considered leaving. I’ve threatened to move to Canada if ______ gets elected president but that is a far as it goes.

    As for why, I’ve never really thought about it. The biggest reason is probably that I don’t like change. Or I should say big change. I have a nice little rut and am in no hurry to hoist myself out of it without a very good reason.

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      • I loved Chicago too!! It reminded me of NY, but cleaner and friendlier. I loved the vibe. If it wasn’t for the cold winters, I’d move there in a heartbeat!

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  13. I don’t think I will ever leave NC to relocate to another place. The only place I could even think about moving to would be California. There are no other states that appeal to me.

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    • Dont move to california. Its a total cluster f*ck out there & they are bankrupt. Shout to san fran tho, they pretty cool.

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        • Could not agree more. The sticker shock alone might be enough to keep you from moving. Cali has some nice spots, but the C.O.L.? Outrageous (and this is coming from a dude who lives in the DMV)

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  14. East Lib huh Champ? Man there is no place like the Burgh! I lived all over there, Homewood, St. Clair Village, Wilkinsburg and East Lib! No show comes close to the Wire, except maybe LOST. Two quality shows as unpredictable as the lotto.

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  15. My town(Birmingham) and Pittsburgh have similar histories…they both were big steel producing cities thoughout the 1900′s…
    This post really hits home because I promised myself I’d leave by the end of the year, and like some of the other commenters, California is high on my list.
    I should have left in 2005(mom died in late 2004) but I got lazy and kept putting it off.
    But since its a new year, its time for new changes.

    The Wire is the only show I think of right now that I can talk about for hours on end…and I’ve only seen the whole series once on DVD…
    I could have been Wallace.

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  16. I’ve never seen The Wire, don’t know a single character that was referenced in the post, and I really don’t find anything attractive about Idris Elba. *shrug* Idk. Not really my cup of tea…

    Being a native of the ‘less attractive cousin’ city, I have to say that I cannot wait to leave here for good! Less than 90 days and counting… I’ve lived outside of Cleveland before, but never outside Ohio, so I’m very excited/nervous about this big change in my life. My feelings about my city are not nearly as positive as your sentiments of Pittsburgh, as I’ve always known that I’d leave here eventually. I think I’ll accomplish so much more in another metropolis. There’s no progress here; it’s as though the city moves backward.

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    • Being in Dayton, girl I totally co-sign all of this. I moved to Woodbridge, VA then end of coming back to Ohio. This was one of my biggest mistakes and I think fear is what keeps me from returning to the DC area. So I am happy you dug a tunnel up out of Ohio. I am grabbing my shovel as we speak. Best Wishes

      Oh and ya’ll The Wire is so worth watching if you don’t want to watch all of the seasons I suggest watching season 4

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    • VSB put me on to the wire, although my favorite season was season 1. Season 4 is depressing than a MF. The Wire is one of those things you simply need to watch for the references.

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    • Good luck with your move! I vacated Cleveland 5 years ago and never looked back. You’ll always love your home city…but that doesn’t mean you have to live there :)

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  17. There’s no progress here; it’s as though the city moves backward.

    This should be Birmingham’s official motto.

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        • I thought B’ham was trying to do a little something. Even thought I’ve been trying to convince my PIC to move to DC for the last 3 years.

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          • @Deviant
            I thought B’ham was trying to do a little something.

            Jefferson Country(which B’ham is located), is 2 Billion dollars in debt, due to shady Wall Street dealing involving the sewer system…and the last mayor(Larry Langford) is doing fed time on bribery charges.

            Birmingham has done way to much…of the wrong thing.

            At lease we got tha oldest baseball field in the country(Rickwood Field).

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            • Everything he said!

              I once felt obligated to stay and improve my community but too much stupidness on every d@mn level goes on. It frustates me. The best thing about the Birmingham/Jefferson County area is the library cooperative and that has taken a blow because of the sewer debt. (Yep, area literally went down the toilet.)

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  19. Hi, I’m Asia and I’m new here, avid reader of the site but first time commenting. Just want to say you guys are doing an excellent job and keep up the great work!

    I can be added to the growing list of those who have never watched the Wire, but I am open to viewing it one day.

    I am from New York City, one of the few it seems who is a native New Yorker (Queens girl!). I spent all of my life in NYC, went to college in the city and after college went into finance and worked in the city. When you’re from a place like NYC everyone thinks that you’d never want to live anywhere else because everything is there. For me that was furthest from truth. I have traveled to a bunch of places in the states and other than Chicago, I don’t think there’d be a place I would consider settling. I am more of a international person, went to London a few times and loved it. Decided I wanted to further my education and applied to grad schools abroad. I am in the UK now studying for my masters and I have to say that I’d love to stay here. It was so important for me to get out of my comfort zone and explore. You learn a lot about yourself, how resilient you are and I know I can always go back home but I like knowing that I am making it and living on my own terms where I want to be.

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    • Fellow Queens rep here! I get what you’re saying. It seems like the rest of the country is a cheap imitation, and that you’d be more comfortable someplace more cosmopolitan. At least you made the trip out though. A lot of native New Yorkers don’t even do that.

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      • ” It seems like the rest of the country is a cheap imitation”

        lol, for the city itself to be so (relatively) unique, New Yorkers sure do tend to all sound the same. You could’ve come with something original. Nobody’s actually trying to imitate New York. Most American cities were modeled after European cities anyway. So if the rest of American cities were actually imitating New York, New York is also imitating London or Rome or whatever city inspired its layout. Nothing new under the sun and whatnot….Still cool to have pride in your city though, no matter how misguided that pride is lol

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        • It’s not necessarily hate as much as point of reference. If you’re told all your life you live in a city, you expect most cities to be something similar. I know other places are fine, but when you expect X out of a city but don’t get it, it’s a downer.

          In terms of NYC being an imitation…depends on what part you’re talking about. Lots of New York was specifically modeled on Paris. The government was modeled on London. However, there were a LOT of different influences on the layout. There’s the New England influence, the Dutch influence and a lot of stuff that was just randomly tried here before going national, from the co-op to the garden apartment to those random project towers.

          In terms of New Yorkers sounding alike, it’s because it’s a very different experience from any other city in the country. It’s like the difference between a White Castle and any other fast food hamburger. It doesn’t make White Castle better, but it definitely makes it different. Also, having to survive so much mess to live does make some people a bit cocky that they survived. :)

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          • @Todd- I hear you, it is unique for an American city. But how much mess do yall really have to survive? I been there many times and the types of struggles yall go through are unique, but the amount…eh, not so much. There are so many conveniences to living in a place like that that you won’t/can’t find anywhere else. You ninjas should all be rich and educated without a college degree lol

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    • that’s dope. i just moved from michigan to NY but i’d love to live in London for six months to a year and write a novel. that is the plan for 2013. :)

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    • “It was so important for me to get out of my comfort zone and explore. You learn a lot about yourself, how resilient you are”

      I couldn’t agree more!! I grew up in upstate NY and didn’t realize how sheltered I was until I left. I went to London for about a month and then moved around to a few places after that (DC, NYC, Seattle, overseas). It taught me so much and I know I wouldn’t be the same person if I stayed in my hometown. I have friends from all over the world and it’s taught me to be much more open-minded and less judgemental. I see why people stay at home, but getting out of your comfort zone will teach you so much and the experiences & people you meet are priceless.

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    • Queens gave Waka Flocka Flame to the world, therefore, queens is irrelevant #shotsfired

      Anyway, as another New Yorker (BK all day, every day!), I have to concur with the “New York City is the best place on Earth”, sentiment. I’ve lived in the Midwest, lived in the South, worked in the West Coast and spent 5 years of my.life in Europe and West Asia(I will never visit another ‘Stan in my entire life!), yet the only place outside of my home that I’d ever consider living is Köln. There’s just something magical about living in a city where you can trade shots with Justin Timberlake on one day, eat native Bhutanese on another day and get involved in a grimy ass cypher on another day for less than $20. When/If the day comes in which I have to.leave my home (permanently), I’m going to leave the country altogether.

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  20. First of all. The Wire isn’t for everybody. If you don’t value acting and storylines, feel free to watch Law and Order. Secondly, most of you who never watched a minute of The Wire HAVE watched The Soprano’s, Sex and the City, and other HBO originals (*****please don’t jump in exclaiming how you’ve never seen Sex and the City or whatever because if you haven’t watched either you flat out don’t have your finger on popular culture and need to go back and drink more herbal tea while you twist your hair and meditate to Fela*****) and if watching a show with a primarily black cast doesn’t do it for you, why are you here. NOW……..I left Cincinnati for a stint in the Army only to come back and resume life immediately after. While my plan was to get out of the Army and head to Atlanta, pre Olympics, I just stayed in Cincinnati and went to college there. UC baby. It’s not that I didn’t want to move or couldn’t move, it’s just that Cincinnati was where I was and that’s where I would be until something changed that. That something was a Pretty, Dr. doing her residency at Children’s Hospital. Southern, great attitude, nice, friendly, sexy, and on top of that she went to a top flight school, TOP FLIGHT, and is an AKA. Can you say perfect for me, A rough and tumble ninja from the hood with more than a couple scars on my face. She begged me to move when she left Cincinnati for a job in another city. After 2 whole weeks of her asking me to move, I did. What I’ve learned from moving then, then again, then again is that where you are in the world matters than less than where your mentality resides. Pittsburgh is not so different from Cincinnati is not so different than Memphis is not so different from Wichita is not so different from Kansas City. But the flavor that makes you different and this blog different is that you just aren’t another New Yorker or Los Angeles resident. Being from Pittsburgh makes your insight unique but not so unique that we all can’t relate. We’d probably relate less if you were talking about sky high rent and riding the train everywhere or whatever it is they do in a metropolis. Most of us can’t relate to that because most of us do not live in a metropolis. We live where we live and that’s good enough. Until someone changes that.

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    • Big cosign! Ive settled in Cincinnati and lots of folks feel the need to “escape” this city. It has it’s issues but a place is what you make it. And don’t trash the Nati Champ. We’re creepin on a come up. I always tell people there is someone in any city who’s had enough ( someone’s in Miami tired of the beaches and nakedness someone’s in NYC tired of payin 2 stacks to live in a closet etc)

      But your post has exposed a more important topic. What’s up with all these people who haven’t seen The Wire?!! TV doesn’t get too much better than that. The End

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        • ” someone’s in NYC tired of payin 2 stacks to live in a closet ”

          +1 I wouldn’t say that NYC is necessarily overrated, but DEFINITELY overstated. We get it, it’s unique, extremely diverse, and everything’s very accessible without a car….but what about big *ss rats running across your feet on the sidewalk and the nasty smells you constantly get while walking the streets, and the fact that everything including the closet you live in is 3 times the price it should be? And with all there is to do in the city, how much of it are you actually gonna do before you get lazy and just keep frequenting the 4-6 spots you really like most? I think the city is better to visit or live for short periods of time (say 2-3 months out of every year). Then again I tend to feel that way about most cities. I’m a commitment-phobe.

          and WIP is right, some of us grew up a lil too broke for HBO lol

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      • I love Cincinnati, just not enough to want to live there again. The funny thing is, if you are Cincinnati born and bred, 90% you won’t leave for another city. If you are a transplant, 90% of the time you will leave for another city. Most of the people I grew up with still live in Cincinnati.

        Shoutout to Bond Hill – California Avenue.

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    • I don’t watch The Wire cause I don’t watch The Wire, period. I had vague plans of getting it on dvd but it was never a priority. I didn’t jump in when everyone else did and now I’m like whatever. Especially when people act like it’s some sort of high crime to not be a die hard fan of it.

      Yes, I watched a season or two of The Sopranos back when I had cable and I’ve seen bits of episodes of Sex and the City after it got syndicated to network television but I’m far from a fan. I have few fcks to give about popular culture. *yeshrug*

      Now excuse me while I brew my green tea (not herbal) and retwist my locs. I don’t know who Fewhatever is.

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      • We get that you don’t watch the Wire. You said so earlier in the comment section. I guess from your screen name “TheAnti-Cool” you may revel in not being up on popular culture for whatever reason. Nobody REALLY cares. Not even me. Even if you had watched it, you may not have liked it. My point is that not watching just to not watch it like some kind of “cause celeb” is corny to me. My opinion. Being different just to tell people you’re “different” is not the same as being unique.

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          • Not “REALLY” meaning, “YOU” personally and your views or opinions nobody “REALLY” cares about that much.

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          • Not “Really” meaning “YOU” personally. Your views or opinions, nobody “REALLY” cares that much about. Mine too. If people disagree, nobody will care enough to protest down at City Hall or anything.

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        • STFU. The Wire is gratuitous for the sake of being gratuitous. Gritty=\= Brilliant. Shock is a cheap HBO gimmick and anyone who falls for it is a fool. That said, I’m sure, once you get past the gratuitous shock value crap, its a great show. I just choose not to pollute myself with that.

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      • You don’t know who Fela is?! *sarcastic gasp*

        Fela Kuti is an [I don't know how to properly describe his music except that the songs are like African jazz reggae and no less than 10 minutes per each] artist.

        *yes I know “per each” is incorrect.

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      • ” I have few fcks to give about popular culture”

        Best comment of the day. I have nothing against popular culture, in fact certain aspects of it I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, but I get uber-irritated when grown *ss adults act like there’s any type of self worth attached to how much popular culture you know. Like I feel a STRONG sense of pressure to know every d*mn movie that was ever created and every album from every decent rapper or artist and ooooooh man, don’t let it be a show out there that is critically acclaimed. Ninjas will jump all down your throat for not being up on game. It’s an American thing, but it’s waaaaaay more prevalent in Northern cities than it is down here. Ninjas down south just get excited to put you on, as opposed to being offended and judgmental that you weren’t familiar with it up until that point. Smh, what it the world coming to? It’s crazy cause I agreed with so much of the rest of what EricMcD said. That part about not having your finger on pop culture had me making that scrunched up face in confusion though…

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        • I wasn’t really talking about popular culture but how some people try to act like they aren’t aware of popular culture so they can say they are different. You don’t have to like the Kardashians to know who they are. IJS.

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    • *****please don’t jump in exclaiming how you’ve never seen Sex and the City or whatever because if you haven’t watched either you flat out don’t have your finger on popular culture and need to go back and drink more herbal tea while you twist your hair and meditate to Fela*****

      LOL…I’ve watched the play Fela…it was good. :-)

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      • Never seen the play but saw part of a performance on the Colbert report. I know of Fela because people started bumping it in college for some reason. 5 years before the play.

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    • I’ve seen the Wire (and love the world that it’s creator paints which is supposed to exist in the same conspiracy-drenched world of the X-Files), have watched Sex and the City— every episode, and loved Oz. Now having said that, Lost was my favorite show and I take offense to your comment primarily because I was twisting my hair and drinking green tea when I read it and I luuurves taking umbrage about stuff. :)

      I’ve moved around too much to feel any ties to a city/state. From the West Coast originally, lived in NJ, on to Philly, back to NJ, time in FL, soon to Portlandia and hopefully Canada and New Zealand soon as well. Life is too short and you only get one of them.

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  21. “he asks his soon to be murderers to shoot him in the face so that he can have an open casket funeral” I’m confused. Wouldn’t he want NOT to be shot in the face?

    You can see that I’ve never seen an episode of the, according to my husband, the greatest show EVER on television.

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    • I don’t know if it’s the greatest show ever, but it’s pretty d@mn good. I actually purchased all the seasons so I could watch them. Good way to spend some lazy Saturdays.

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    • Maybe he was making a very dark joke about his looks…being shot in the face would actually be an improvement…? Maybe I’m over thinking.

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      • Champ made a Typo- It’s supposed to read “DON’T shoot me in the face” paraphrasing- because he wanted an open casket. When they got you, they got you. No amount of begging is going to help you.

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  22. The Wire is the best show ever. I seen those who were reluctant to watch reverse course after watching. As for Old-face Andre I love how George Pelecanos names his characters. There was a stripper in on of his books named All-a$$ Eve.

    Deciding where you live is about fit Champ. I could never live in my hometown/county. It’s small, desolate, and there are simply no options. I don’t thump a Bible, drink heavy, or deal so there would be nothing for me to do. My friend made this comment on Tuesday “One way or another Allendale will kill you.” Sadly, he’s right. As much as I can’t stand the place I love it that much more.

    It’s not a metropolis but that weird isolation/insulation dynamic still works. We’ve talked about moving to Charlotte but never back either our hometowns.

    Reply ↓

    • Allendale?!? So you are from the low country. Me and most of my friends left SC ASAP. When you are from a small town or county I suggest leaving the moment it is possible. SC felt like a complete drain to me and I knew that I could do great things there but decided that I wanted to see how it felt to be a very small fish in a big behind lake. There are only 2 places in SC that people should want to raise a family, Columbia and Charleston. I will move back eventually though. It is possible to miss home.

      Reply ↓

      • Yeah, the lowest of the low country. I love home but it is the rural poster child for all of the social ills of America. I stay close because my parents are elderly but I just couldn’t lay my head down there every night. My friends and I are all spread out and sadly we all feel the same way.

        I agree about the family thing too. I live in Charleston now and there or Columbia are your best bets. Where are you from?

        Reply ↓

        • Florence which wasn’t horrible but still small. I didn’t realize how small some of the counties were in our state until I got to college and started going to either Furman or C of C to see friends. Driving through some parts, you could miss it if you blinked your eyes.

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          • SC has ton of open space. It’s kind of third world if you think about it. I f I had a ton of cash I’d buy a lot of land or get easements with the owners and set up wind farms to utilize the space.

            I went to CofC and most of my friends from college feel the same way about their hometowns too. Funny thing is I know almost nothing about the NW corner of the state. Anything on the otherside of Clemson is a blur.

            Reply ↓

      • I see many of my classmates chose to stay (Facebook) in our hometown and I understand why. Honestly a very large portion of my immediate family lives there. I’m guessing that’s why a lot of people stay in small towns; they have family roots.

        Reply ↓

          • Now I can definitely understand now wanting to return to that. I can say my hometown isn’t really like that. It’s relatively safe, only a few but decent schools, but job opportunities are few and far between. I don’t think I can go back unless I bring a career with me.

            Reply ↓

    • I grew up in a small town (Georgetown, SC)…..like so small I had never had food delivered to my house b/c they didn’t drive that far. We moved to NC and loved it. It was so different than home and really opened my eyes to the world outside of my small corner (corny but SO true). My parents claim they want to retire in SC but I can’ see them giving up the amenities that come with living in NC.

      As for me, after I graduated i moved to Northern VA and loved it. I ultimately moved back to NC because as much as I loved NOVA I hated being that far from my family. I feel like I reached a nice middle ground…..I live in a city where there are things to do but i’m still close enough to the fam if they need me or I need them.

      I always think i’d love to live in another big city (Chicago is beautiful but that winter is no joke) but I just couldn’t be away from my family like that. Solution: LOTS of travel, lol

      Reply ↓

      • I like Georgetown but hate the sh*t out of Myrtle Beach for some reason. One of my good friends from college is from there. The first time you travel away from SC to say, the West Coast is a big eye-opener. At 16 San Fran (where I wouldn’t mind living if I could afford it.) may as well have been Mars.

        Reply ↓

      • I was in Chicago in May. It snowed.

        I do love Chicago more so than NYC. I love a blue collar city. That is the way that I view Boston and Philly as well. A big area with a lot to do but not the pretentious environment.

        Reply ↓

        • “I was in Chicago in May. It snowed.”
          *Lol*, our apologies. I’m hoping it doesn’t decide to snow or be -20° on my birthday in April as I plan on looking glamorous & would hate to ruin that by busting my ass on any ice *lol*.

          Reply ↓

        • +1. I love Chicago and even thought about moving there once. But, yeah – the winters? Not so much. So, I just go every summer instead for about a week. Beautiful city with so much culture but hardly pretentious. Love it!

          Reply ↓

    • @Wu- Charlotte is a place I’m considering too. Southern, somewhat city, but mostly not and seemingly pretty progressive. My move will come all the way down to the best real estate play though. I’m an aspiring apt. investor. You’re absolutely right, it’s all about fit. That’s why I laugh at anybody saying _________________(insert your hometown or favorite city here) is the best city in the country or world. Silly rabbits

      Reply ↓

      • Charlotte is dope. Traffic can get stupid. Someone mentioned the exit ramps and their level of suck. The night life is cool and I really don’t view it as as young black Mecca like ATL or DC. It’s a little too country for a lot of folks.

        Reply ↓

  23. How about this… I AM too good for my hometown. Anybody left home because they felt the same. Granted, my hometown probably isn’t NEARLY as interesting as Pittsburgh… So I moved to Atlanta on the first thing smoking.

    Reply ↓

      • @Jay and IcePrincess- I always wanted to live some of my young adult years (or maybe even settle down) in ATL. I’m from GA, but the rural part. Lived in DC and PHI, but I want a city with awesome weather, women, and cost of living. Therefore my next city will be ATL, CHA, or MIA. Sell me on ATL over those other two cities so I can join you too! lol

        Reply ↓

  24. This is interesting because I’ve always wondered what made people move to New York. For one, I’ve always thrown a bit of shade at people who move to NY to “make it”, especially because I don’t get what the big deal is. Also, what people see as NY is so different from my actual lived experience, it’s like “where do you propose to live again?” For a dude from Queens, Pittsburgh and Midtown Manhattan are equally foreign places. It’s just that for $3.50 on the weekends, I can get on the LIRR and be at Penn Station in 20 minutes.

    Maybe I’m too close to the NY experience to “get it”. If anything, I’m more interested in the whole Midwest thing. I went to a private school in NY largely staffed by White people from there, and I want to see what the heck is this foreign place they came from. Perhaps I’m just a NY dude, and I will never understand.

    Reply ↓

    • Todd, go to the Midwest. LOL When I lived there I discovered Super Target, and adult snow overalls for winters, and grocery stores that have a whole wing that sells winter gear for your car and tires even.

      In the last 3 years I’ve lived in 3 different states. All totally different from each other. It was worth leaving home for and coming back home from.

      Reply ↓

    • If you ever seriously consider a move to the Midwest, be prepared to develop one big, hearty, healthy helluva sense of humor to live there and embrace its “charm.” I grew up in the St. Louis, MO suburbs, traveled a lot to different towns around there, followed Midwestern politics across other states, and concluded that I’d prefer to live elsewhere.

      The food inventions are pretty interesting though. Makes for great “I can’t believe I ate that and liked it” conversation.

      Reply ↓

        • I remember my shock when I first discovered that people outside of St. Louis had not heard of toasted ravioli. Growing up, I had always thought toasted ravioli came from somewhere outside of St. Louis.

          Other local favorites: BBQ rib sandwich with yellow potato salad as the sandwich spread, spaghetti as a side dish, gooey butter cake, St. Paul sandwich (egg foo young patty on white bread with mayo and pickles, Imo’s St. Louis style pizza (never liked it), Provelle cheese on everything

          Reply ↓

      • @Royale- Yeah, the Midwest is the one region I never had a desire to live. If you want cheap living, laid back traditional culture, with good food, AMAZING weather, hospitality with no ulterior motive, UBER space in apartments and ESPECIALLY houses/yards, and beautiful women go to the South (no one has the better combination of those things). If you want diversity, glitz and glam, beaches, (less negroes) progressive (to a fault) thinking ppl AWESOME weather, and expensive real estate go to Cali or somewhere out West. If you want the busy fast-paced, crowded but convenient, creative, innovative, and cultured lifestyle go to the Northeast. I just don’t see any reason to WANT to live in the MidWest if you’re not from there (with the exception of Chicago I guess)

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  25. CHAMP…I total know what you are saying.

    I am from Detroit born and raised. I lived in Brooklyn for a coupla years, and had choices on whether to return to Detroit or plant roots elsewhere.

    Sadly I returned to Detroit and a year later when I had opportunity to leave I turned it down. There were several conditioned reasons for the return (family, religous etc) but really none of them were valid. Deep down I suspect it was a fear to step outside of my comfort zone. I chose the known rather than face what could have been.

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  27. Born in South Jersery esacaped to Philly & never returned, unless visiting family. You’d think 45 minutes over 1 of 3 bridges…what’s the big deal? Notable Jersery jokes aside & The Sopranos glimpse into the lives of NJ type folks, Jersey will turn you strange. 20 years in Philly, with trains, airports, great restuarants, a bunch of colleges & theatres, you can turn into whatever you want & never see another like you. I feel more myself here than anywhere I’ve been.

    Reply ↓

    • “Jersey will turn you strange”

      It’s all the pollution. Instead of your body, your personality will mutate.

      Reply ↓

      • In all fairness I went to hs in SJ and live there now and South Jersey is primarily farm country… o and Camden. Now Philly on the other hand. You couldn’t pay me enough to move back there. I’d rather live in a box with no holes in it. :)

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  28. After graduation, the question always arises do I leverage the relationships within my own community as I start out or do I create and leverage new ones in a new locale? Do I have a decent job and my return on investment is higher because I can subsidize my living expenses by staying with the folks which will allow me to save for the house, car, etc. or will I have a rent controlled flat and some roomates?

    Reply ↓

    • I was on the first thing smoking after graduation. Without A&T the city of Greensboro basically didn’t even exist to me. I was happy to “take my talents to Atlanta” for grad school.

      Reply ↓

      • What the Omega by the lake parties were not enough to keep you in Greensboro????

        You added a wrinkle to the decision process; go home (unless home was Greensboro) go back to where I completed my undergrad, stay where I am, or take a job in a new city. BTW is Turtles still open?

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  29. The Wire was my passion! Whatever I was doing on Sunday night had to stop as soon as the opening credits started, because I couldn’t miss a minute!

    Like most commenters, I get it. I was born and raised in Oklahoma City, way before the Thunder made it even remotely cool to live here. Though there are many pros to staying (cost of living, decent job market, etc.), I always wonder why I chose to stay. Even now, I wonder why I choose to stay. I’ve had the opportunity to travel all over the country and I always take a moment to stop, close my eyes and picture myself living there. Miami was the worst…it took everything in me to get back on the plane and come home.

    I’ve stopped talking about it, because I’m sure people are tired of hearing me say I’m getting out of here, but it is never far from my mind. Maybe 2012 is the year. *Kanye shrug*

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  30. Honestly, of the deaths I remember from the Wire, only “how my braids look” was really my “favorite.”

    I can’t say I really understand where you’re coming from though. Comfort I understand; if you succeed in a place you know then you know what to expect. You know who’ll be jealous, who’ll be proud, you can easily picture the outcome. Maybe you’re scared of a more present and visible level of competition?

    Watching the show, my view the characters like Andre simply didn’t see anything better for themselves. They figured their best lives would be lived in that city. They believe the whole world was like the place the already lived.

    I didn’t return to my hometown after graduation because there weren’t as many opportunities there. I’m guessing Pittsburgh doesn’t have that problem. I have flown into Pittsburgh, rode through to Harrisburg. The traffic was STUPID (and we almost got run off the road by a truck) but the city was beautiful to me a small town girl.

    I hope to start traveling more now (gonna try New York City for the first time this year) myself, but quite frankly, I’ve contemplated whether I would ever really want to live outside of Florida, for no other reason than I love it here. I doubt there’s any place that would serve me any better.

    Reply ↓

    • “Honestly, of the deaths I remember from the Wire, only “how my braids look” was really my “favorite.”

      That was a favorite of mine too. After all of the murder and thuggery at her core Snoop was still a girl from West Baltimore.

      Reply ↓

    • “Maybe you’re scared of a more present and visible level of competition?” Agreed on this point. I posted on someone else’s comment that i wanted to see how it felt to be a very small fish in a very big lake. Moving to a bigger city wasn’t about making it. It was about realizing my full potential. I didn’t feel that I could do that it my state. People who stay and always wonder should pick up and go.

      Reply ↓

    • In what part of Florida do you live? I was born and raised in Florida, went to college and professional school here, and have worked here for a few years, and I CANNOT wait to leave. Like, no cities in the state appeal to me.

      Reply ↓

      • We have all that in common. I’m from a tiny little place on the central east coast. Now I live in Tallahassee. That was the big city to me when I got here, but now I want something bigger. Probably Jacksonville or Tampa soon.

        Reply ↓

            • I moved from Daytona to Jax for college. It was cool for the most part while I was in school but goodness, there’s NOTHING to do out there and for a city that HUGE, it’s pretty disappointing. My friends and I would joke that the city was SO BORING and the only fun thing to do was have chex…..

              Anyway, soon as I graduated, I packed ma ish and moved to the DMV and I absolutely love it here! As someone mentioned, it’s a typical metropolitan city with a bazilliion things to do but at the same time, it has a “small town” feel to it.

              Tallyho to J-ville though is a good look. Do it!

              Reply ↓

            • @WIP- That’s crazy. Tally is actually closer to my region of GA than ATL is, but I’ve only been to Tally once, and I’ve been to ATL more times than I can count lol. I’ve also been to Tampa/St. Pete too many times to count because I have a lot of family there (Ft. Myers too)

              Reply ↓

    • Another Floridian! *hi five*

      Your post reminded me of another moment from the “The Wire” – when Bodie had to run an errand to Philly and didn’t understand when the radio station lost its signal (I believe that happened in Season 3?). Just another illustration of how closed-off to the rest of the world those characters were.

      I have never commented on this board before, and now that he mentions “The Wire” I can’t shut up. lol

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  31. As a native of West Baltimore and surrounding towns, Towson, Randallstown, Pikesville, Abingdon, Windsor Mill, Columbia etc. (yes, I’ve lived all over my home state) nothing drives me more insane than other peoples short sighted views of characters played on a TV series. Yes, as far as dramas go it’s one of the best. And as far as characters go every single one of them could have been plucked off of Fayette St (and a few were) but let’s just leave it there. Discussions regarding The Wire seem to always blur the line between the characters and real life folks as if the whole show was one big documentary. It was show. A great one, but a show nonetheless. I’m venting here but I get so sick of other people who have never lived or even visited my city speak about it like it’s the worst crime ridden place on earth. I’ve read VSB for years so this is a bit long overdue but I’m just done with The Wire conversations. Baltimore is an American city not unlike most other American cities full and rich with its own history and stories that have nothing to do with drugs, corners, or police.

    Reply ↓

    • We were just talking about Baltimore right before I read this post. I’ve been there a few times. Never stayed for more than a couple hours, so I can’t say I know much. The inner harbor is nice.

      But I got a question. Everytime I’m driving through one of thr bad neighborhoods, I am.struck by how eerie and surreal it is. I can’t put my finger on it. It seems like a movie set to me, a zombie movie. The people move around and have these looks on their faces like…..idk. and the street lights are strange. Like off. It gives me that feeling like when you’re watching a movie and the scary music starts, like when something bad is gonna happen. Know what I mean? It’s just…weird.

      Reply ↓

      • Not sure if you’ve visited before or after watching The Wire or hearing all the awful things Bmore has to offer but I guess I would feel the same way about folks in New Orleans after Katrina.

        Reply ↓

      • You’re being kind…the inner harbor is wack, lol. Or maybe I just don’t appreciate it. *shrugs*

        I didn’t really grow up in the hood. I’m “a county girl”. I grew up in Baltimore County and on the city/county line (HILLTOP!!!!! West SIIIDE!!!) So, I can feel where you’re coming from, WC.

        I remember driving someone home awhile back with my son in the car and when we crossed into East Baltimore, he said, “Mom, what is this place??? Are we still in Baltimore???” LMBO. Kids. My family is out the deep hood for the most part…and we ain’t never been bout that East side life, lol. So, he’s not used to that image at all.

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    • @Alovelydai

      No disrespect but Baltimore but people have a more positive view of Baltimore than Detroit. People view Detroit the same way the view Africa. Detroit is an adjective for negativity. Baltimore not so much. People want to come to Baltimore. No one wants to come to Detroit. For most people Detroit is the American equivalent of Mogadishu.

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    • The Wire is not the only thing that contributes to people’s view of Baltimore. I visited Johns Hopkins for one weekend and two murders were reported by the time I left. Other than that, the crab cakes were delicious.

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      • Crime be erywhere in ery major city doe, lol… And JH is smack dab in the middle of the hood. Nothing surprising there…

        Reply ↓

        • Good point. And thanks for pointing that out about JH…my experience is limited to just that area.

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    • I don’t hate on B-More. Baltimore and The Wire only reminds me of my city, Cincinnati. And I think that alot of people don’t look down on Baltimore as much as think about how it relates to their own city. Believe me, I lived in Wichita, Kansas and if you think you can just go around the hood without getting your dome split open, you’d be wrong than a mf’er. The hood is the hood no matter what city it is. And people relate.

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  32. I’m from Pix-burgh, too; Deuschtown (i don’t think anyone calls it that, though) by way of “The Hill.” I live in Central Virginia now.

    I go back home Thanksgiving or Christmas. Sorry to say that I really don’t look forward to going back any other time.

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  33. For the most part Champ I feel you with this post. The difference is that I’m honestly indifferent about staying in Detroit. I love Detroit with all of its problems. But if a better opportunity presented itself I’m out. Also I’m an engineer with a background in manufacturing. We don’t make ish here so I’m limited in where I can go and be happy.
    That being said I feel a sense of loyalty to Detroit. One of the problems here is people like me (educated and Black) leaving. America decided starting with the Reagan era that the Rust Belt can die and part of me wants to fight that death. I feel I’m taking the easy way out by leaving. My loyalty and concern for Black people and the middle class gives me affection for the Great Lakes. The wealth of the country was built by Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc. and provided the opportunities I’ve had so I feel I owe something
     
    One thing that doesn’t get discussed is how if you’re progressive minded and Black you really only have maybe 5-6 cities out of the entire United States to choose from. At one time Black people had more options of cities to live in. I will say that outside of L.A. and NY a big city is a big city. The differences are superficial. With the change to a service/finance economy over the past 30 years the options for cities for progressive Black people to live are slim. That being said most people don’t take advantage of what happens in their own backyard or don’t start what they want to see. Black people are not pioneers. They don’t create their own space. We flock to cities that young White folks make hot. When people say they want to leave or go someplace different  what they mean is they want  a bunch of options to do the same things with the same people everyday of the week. So if you are an “educated Black man” you want to have 20 events every night for “educated Black men”. Same people same thing different venue.

    Reply ↓

    • You made some good points.

      Young people fresh outta college and degreed up may not necessarily want to wait for their city to move ahead so instead of helping push it forward they just go somewhere else that is already moving.

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      • @Wild Cougar

        Black people don’t pioneer. At one time we did. Nowadays? Not so much. Where is the Black version or equivalent of Austin, TX, Portland, OR, Seattle, etc.? These places weren’t destinations until young White folks went there and made it one. Black people don’t do that.

        Reply ↓

        • Wow, your perspective is so. Um. What do you mean pioneer? Like go to a deserted place and make a town out of it? Or are you talking about the kind of pioneering white people do when they discover that place they abandoned cause brown people moved in is kinda nice. You talking about moving to a place you aren’t familiar with? That’s absolutely false. Is it not pioneering if there are white people there? They are the majority, you know. Hard not to run into them.

          Smh, where are you getting this stuff?

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          • @Wild Cougar
            I’m not talking about gentrification. You seem to think I’m wrong. Tell me a city where “educated” Black people have gone in the past 30- 40 years and made it a destination for other Black folks to come to. Maybe Im overlooking someplaces?

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            • We’re still too afraid to step out of the boxes. Some people feel the need to do “black people stuff”. So when you talk about moving somewhere like the Pacific Northwest or Midwest or any place like that, folks aren’t trying to hear that because it’s not Atlanta/Charlotte/Detroit/Chicago.

              You can’t talk about how beautiful it is. How nice people are. The jobs. But inevitably folks will joke about their hair frizzing up or the abundance of snow bunnies.

              Bottom line: Folks like to do hoodrat sh*t with their friends. And they can’t do that in Olympia. Or at least that’s what they think.

              Reply ↓

              • I ended up in Salt Lake City one weekend and it was absolutely gorgeous. I was terrified of the hills and mountains so I could never live there, but I agree that I never would have imagined that as a place a black person would live.

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            • Uhhhhm, Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami. Just to name a few. Atlanta wasn’t a big deal until they landed the Olympics then everybody in the Midwest wanted to move there.

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    • “I’m taking the easy way out by leaving. My loyalty and concern for Black people and the middle class gives me affection for the Great Lakes. The wealth of the country was built by Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc. and provided the opportunities I’ve had so I feel I owe something”

      This right here…..

      You can replace the rust belt cities and add any urban area and have the same issue. Do I want to be the bridge for change knowing that I may not live to fully realize the fruits of my labor or do I want to “plug and play”?

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  34. The Wire is the best drama to ever grace television. That is a fact. Me? I’m from Baltimore and while I’ve left at various times throughout my adulthood, I’ve always returned (though I live in PG County now, maybe 30 mins away). I keep telling myself I’m going to move away once I’m done with school, but I don’t know.

    There isn’t anywhere else that I’ve visited that really resonated with me. I’ve lived in various parts of Texas but it never felt like home. Atlanta seems nice for young professionals but it also feels a bit cliché (because who hasn’t moved to Atlanta?).

    Cali sounds cool but I don’t do earthquakes. Philly? Nice to visit but wouldn’t move there. New York is too crowded and too expensive.

    So that brings me back to Baltimore. I have this weird love/hate relationship with it. It’s like being with a woman you love but she smothers you. You want to get away from her but in the back of your mind you’re convinced that you just won’t do any better.

    Reply ↓

      • Yes, there are a LOT of black people in ATL. I liked it. It seemed that because there were so many black people, you saw black people doing all kinds of different things. For instance there wasn’t that one Starbucks, or that one KFC, or that one Foot Locker that all the black people work at (my experience in places like St. Louis, MO)…in Atlanta they were working everywhere and weren’t surprised to see another black person. It kind of reminded me of college (FAMU alum).

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  35. I will say this. There is nothing funnier than watching a New Yorker the first time they are out of their element, whether it is out of their borough or out of the state itself.

    Ladies, I hope none of you are the same women who said you wouldn’t date a man who didn’t have a passport, yet you lived in the same state all your life. lmao

    Reply ↓

    • “Ladies, I hope none of you are the same women who said you wouldn’t date a man who didn’t have a passport, yet you lived in the same state all your life. lmao”

      *cackles*
      I’d be lying, if I said I didn’t just think this, as I was reading some responses…lol

      Reply ↓

    • As a Native New Yorker that likes traveling outside of the city (if only to do different ish than I do on the reg), I fully endorse that statement. At times I question if New York is really America, since the rest of America has a lot more in common with each other than New York.

      The funniest part are the people who grew up here, claim to be cosmopolitan but would ish all over themselves if they were, say, in Upstate NY or Pennsylvania. Really son? LOL

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      • ” The funniest part are the people who grew up here, claim to be cosmopolitan but would ish all over themselves if they were, say, in Upstate NY or Pennsylvania. Really son? LOL”

        You know how quickly I’d adjust to NYC life and its ppl? It’s really not all that difficult to do once you’ve lived in a city where you had to use public transportation (and deal with snow and cold weather). I actually liked a lot of things about New York and HATED many things. But most New Yorkers not only would not adjust, but would not even be able to function if they had to live somewhere without so many conveniences and new things to try on a regular basis. They lack certain creativity about how to spend free time, because they’re spoiled by the conveniences that big city capitalists can provide. I’d be just fine in NYC, but they’d commit suicide living in my hometowns (or even in a medium sized city for that matter) lol, such a silly saying imo, but I let ppl hang their hat on whatever falsehood they need to feel good about themselves lol. No shade though, it’s an awesome city with a unique array of ppl that keep me thoroughly entertained every time I visit.

        Reply ↓

        • But most New Yorkers not only would not adjust, but would not even be able to function if they had to live somewhere without so many conveniences and new things to try on a regular basis. They lack certain creativity about how to spend free time, because they’re spoiled by the conveniences that big city capitalists can provide.

          Agreed. Seeing as that I’ve left New York for Central Jersey, then came back, I get that on a fundamental level. People around here love to hate on Wall Street and how they push people around with their bread, but a lot of stuff we have here is directly or indirectly funded by those people. On top of that, the population base is such that you can try some things in New York that wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell anywhere else. It kinda makes up for the lack of a Denny’s, Dairy Queen or Wal-mart (though to be fair, the last 2 are literally just across the Hudson).

          Simply stated, I feel your opinion everything. The conveniences here are like water to a fish. You don’t feel them until you leave.

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      • COSIGN!

        I remember how all the city folks used to look down at us when they came to sutdy at SUNY Albany. Common exchange:

        Where are you from?
        I’m from the City?
        Which City?
        Come on. Like you don’t know
        Am I supposed to assume that every student is from NYC? Why don’t we call SUNY Albany grade 13 for the PSAL sudents?

        Individual walks off.

        Reply ↓

        • Ah, SUNY-Albany…you got that place NAILED. Then again, I rarely refer to my hometown as “The City”. I’ll say Queens or, if they look confused by that, New York. Though I’ve had peeps say that I’m from The Bronx and Brooklyn a lot. Also, a lot of older Black people think I live next to Archie Bunker or something. LOL

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  36. To be honest i just cant see myself leaving Boston…i even opted to go to a state school (cuz punk ass Romney misled me with a “full 4 year scholarship” which turned out to be about $6000 for all 4 years combined…but thats another story). I at least left the hood for a cozy spot 30 minutes out the city but thats about it. Granted im still fairly young and anythings possible but for now *sings hook to “I’m On One”*

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    • I moved from Boston to Phoenix in September last year. I miss the things that I loved about Boston. Phoenix is one of the most populated cities in the USA…what’s strange is that you never actually see all of these people, even though the weather is gorgeous most of the year. In Boston, people actually go outside and do stuff.

      Reply ↓

      • Do u like pheonix? I find it to b wack as hell. I do like how they hav that japanese noodle fast food restaraunt. Whats it called………yoshi’s??

        Reply ↓

        • It’s pretty whack in general (I am biased against sprawl, though) but I get the sense that Phoenix is trying. Phoenix does have a “personality” that hasn’t been completely bastardized to the point of being generic. It’s mountainous in places, people hike a lot, there’s great Mexican food, there are more random citrus trees than I’ve ever seen, the architecture is modern and fits the landscape, and there’s lots of cultivated cacti…and home owners are like “F*** it, Imma plant a whole yard of cacti…desert life biyatch” and I respect that.

          I have more faith in Midtown/ Downtown than Scottsdale. The visual art collections here are very impressive.

          There’s a Yoshi’s on Central that looks kind of shady. I can’t tell if it’s closed down or not.

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  37. Fairly well played sir.

    As for the actual words of the post, I cannot relate to the sentiment or attachment to one city because I’m an army brat. Relocating is in my habit at this point. I have a similar tendency to hesitate but I “pull the trigger” to get over myself. I’ve learned to deal with my decisions. All of the problems associated with my decisions. The set backs and obstacles don’t have me mad at the World but understanding that such happens as a consequence. Thus, moving is just another thing like deciding what I’ll eat for lunch. I could get food poisoning. I refuse to allow my fears to slow me down anymore. I’m getting out of my own way. I digress.

    I watched the wire. My favorite characters were Wallace(because of his talent), Mike(because of his heart/strength), Marlo(his ambition, preparation and application of information) & Broady(because of his loyalty).

    Watched every episode. I’m from San Diego. I like long walks on the beach and shooting in the gym…nawl, I’m playing about the shooting in the gym…lol.

    In the last four years, I’ve lived in 6 different cities. It ain’t bad but being so mobile ain’t really the business.

    I just want to say this: In life, myriad probabilities & possibilities could happen at any moment. We cannot allow our fears to leash us to the safest route all of the time. I do not mean to go bungy jumping or dangling raw meat in front of starving lions for a cheap thrill.(Take that last line however you want). I mean, this one life, it is your job to plan, protect, persevere, provide and proliferate your every passion. Nobody else is responsible for you. So, stay in the same city if you want. The grass ain’t really greener anywhere. You just like some places more regardless of what color the grass is. Visit places…via the internet. Lol

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    • I think everybody liked Broady.
      I think the scariest idea about moving is trying to reestablish everything I already have. House Hunters International has me thinking about moving and living abroad all the time. I think it would be great for my kids to grow up learning a different language and experiencing different cultures. I’m just not sure if I can build a career that supports that. I wonder how many people realistically have the resources to live that lifestyle. I’m guessing that for many it seems out of reach.

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      • “I think it would be great for my kids to grow up learning a different language and experiencing different cultures.”

        Why did this make me instantly think of Kung Fu Kid? :)

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    • Man i feel you. Rather than stay in my city, i grew up in a way that when i left, it kinda came with me (good AND bad). While i miss the crib, leaving is the best thing i’ve done. Being young, open minded, and being attached to a degree has allowed me to see the world, and live where i want, further my career and puruse my passions. The only downside is missing my nephew grow up. Now i’m engaged to a woman not from my part of the country, and i’m kinda ready to put down some roots. But i’ve seen SO much already, and it’s made me better.

      Reply ↓

  38. I can totally understand where you’re coming from. I don’t see myself ever leaving Texas. Even when I visit other cities, and states–I absolutely can’t wait to get back to my little area of central Texas. Austin isn’t my hometown, but I’m still within a half hour drive of my hometown (no one is even there…anyway…lol).
    Of course, this has posed a few problems within my personal life, but hey…it is, what it is. If I actually do finally decided to pack up and go somewhere else, I know one thing for sure–it’ll still be somewhere in the South.

    Reply ↓

      • Yep! Eff that snow & ice sh*t…lol I like our short bursts of winter. That extended winter period will not work for me.

        Reply ↓

        • Co-sign miss t lee. Extended winters are HORRIBLE. No city’s that much better or more convenient than any other city for me to deal with that mess EVERY YEAR. I thought I’d get used to it, but I didn’t. It sincerely caused me to be depressed. It’s why despite all the great things I hear (and my family that lives there) I could NEVER live in Chicago. I went up there for a family reunion in June one year and nearly froze to d*mn death. No way in h*ll I could be there during any other season…SPECIALLY not winter smdh

          Reply ↓

      • I need all four seasons…live and in color, lol.

        It can’t be Christmas AND 75 degrees outside. And I ain’t about that “we def get a hurricane every year” life, lol. The mid-east coast is good balanced weather. No real extremes with cold (far north), heat (far south/mid-west), storms (far south/mid-west), or earth quakes (Cali).

        Reply ↓

        • We don’t get hurricanes every year and you have like a month’s notice on a hurricane. (I think the news people are sometimes hoping for hurricanes so they’ll have something to report about.) We get 4 seasons. The length will vary greatly though, LOL. It snowed year before last…something like snow.

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          • @ WIP

            Tally is mostly protected from hurricanes because of it’s location. Hurricane season is no joke if you’ve lived on or near the Atlantic Ocean; you’re always hoping the hurricane / tropical storm would push out further into the ocean or hit land well before your state.

            Reply ↓

            • I agree. I’m from the central east coast. My parents’ house got blown clean away in the last batch of hurricanes. But the really terrible storms are few and far between.

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              • Terrible is still too subjective. I’ve often heard oh that was only a category one hurricane or a tropical storm. Many of those folks fail to realize that category one storm or tropical storms still cause excessive flooding and can tear up a house / trailer.

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        • @ cynicaloptmst81

          If you’re from the North, Christmas in the South will jack you up mentally. I remember playing golf on Christmas Eve and it was 78 degrees. The clubhouse had Nat King Cole on and all I could think about was who in the he!l would be roasting chestnuts in this weather!

          Reply ↓

          • yep…couple years ago, we were all wearing flip flops on Christmas. Even that was quite strange for us…lol

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          • Hah! I know there’s a reason I love surfing Santa Christmas ornaments! lol If you want a snowy Christmas in certain warm states, you go to the mountains for it.

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      • People from the South that can’t drive in the snow and ice scare me! I can’t count all of the people I’ve seen in ditches because they think they can put on the 4×4 and still drive 65 mph on the highway.

        However I did appreciate getting out of school and or work early simply because there was a winter storm advisory and only .5 inches of snow fell. :D

        Reply ↓

        • “People from the South that can’t drive in the snow and ice scare me! ”

          They scare me too, which is why in the event, that we have a freak snow/ice storm–I’ve been trapped in the house for days. I’m not even gonna risk my life. I know I can’t drive in it, so chances are everyone else around me can’t either.

          No thanks.

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  39. I moved back home (Philly) after college too…and for the same reasons. Didn’t have a job lined up or a plan. I never considered staying in Pittsburgh….hated it there. I’ve been going back and forth with the idea of relocating to the DMV for a few years but stuff kept happening…good career opportunities…grad school, etc. Now that I’m finished w/ school it would be the perfect time to find a job there and bounce…but I’m not sold on moving for some reason(s)…although I’ve been applying.

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    • ” Hey! I don’t appreciate what you said about Atlanta!!! Aw hell nevermind…it’s true..”

      Except it’s not. lol

      But seriously, poll 100 black ppl and ask them whether they would rather live in “the burgh” or “the A” and they’d ask you what the h*ll the burgh was, then when you responded they’d laugh in your face and ask if it was a serious question lol

      Pittsburgh ain’t even the best city in Pennsylvania, what were you snortin before you wrote that bs lol

      Reply ↓

      • @Justmetheguy – slow your roll! I was only talking about the comment “extremely glamorous and extremely self-esteem deficient co-worker (Atlanta)”. I live in Atlanta (not the metro are, but the actual city) and love it here. So there’s no way in hell I would pick it over Pittsburgh. Man you jumped to a dead wrong conclusion on that one.

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    • I. CANNOT. STAND. ATLANTA. And would rather live in the bumf… country than move there. Do not understand the appeal at all.

      Reply ↓

      • Do you understand getting a 3000 sq ft. house that’s less than 10 years old for $150k? That’s the appeal of Atlanta.

        Reply ↓

        • I could get that any where outside of a big city. Seriously though, that is one city that I would refuse to move to. Like I may actually weep if I every have to move there. Thank God that will probably never be the case.

          Reply ↓

          • Yes you can. “Outside of a big city”. Cross check that price for New York , Miami, DC, LA, Chicago, Philly,San Fran, Oakland or any other big city. And these homes are in the suburbs, not the hood.

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  41. “If the Burgh was a random babe at The Shadow Lounge or Savoy, she’d be out of my league, and I’d probably have a better chance with one of her less attractive cousins (Cleveland)”

    I resent this. That is all. Carry on.
    *plots angry rebuttal on behalf of Clevelanders…*

    Reply ↓

    • After “The Drive”
      “The Shot”
      “The Fumble”
      “The Move”
      and
      “The Decision”

      What rebuttal does Cleveland have that isn’t a thuggish ruggish bone reference? (Pause). That was mean wasn’t it? Yeah it was. My bad y’all. Well at least you guys still have the Rock and Roll hall of fame… that’s one that you guys won. #TheLittleThings

      Reply ↓

  42. i grew up in the dm (minus the v). i love everything about dc. its a major city but it still has a small town feel to it. the only thing that really sucks is rooting for its pro sports teams. i went away for albeit it was only 2 hours away in the same state. after college i came back for a year and contemplated attending howard, hopkins or college park for grad school. just so happens neither of those schools were in the cards for me.

    i ended up moving down south for seven years and it was by far one of the best things that happened to me. it really gave me a different perspective on life and people from different parts of the country. after grad school i thought about moving home but i figured i’m going to end up there eventually so i moved to new york. haven’t regretted the decision yet. closer to home but i’m not back into that realm of being too comfortable.

    Reply ↓

    • I hate driving in DC so much that I canNOT enjoy the place. My hate for DC is rooted in my driving experiences there. It may be a nice place…but until they do something about how its mapped out, I’ll prob continue to hate it.

      lol…

      Reply ↓

        • So true. I know this because I am one of the people that buck a U at a moments notice when I drive down there. I can’t get away with that in Montgomery County(MD) where I live, so to drive in DC is like go-kart racing for me. LOL

          Reply ↓

      • ” I hate driving in DC so much that I canNOT enjoy the place. My hate for DC is rooted in my driving experiences there. It may be a nice place…but until they do something about how its mapped out, I’ll prob continue to hate it.”

        OMG! Say that again! I am a person with a pretty good sense of direction. I rarely get lost. Before I had a GPS I decided to google map how to get somewhere in DC (was living in Hyattsville at the time)…turrible idea. I broke any record I knew about by being lost for 2.5 hours…just riding…frustrated as all hell and going somehwhere that no one I knew had been before. It didn’t help that they wouldn’t have recognized half the streets that I was on because most of my friends were there for college like me and not actually from DC. Worst experience I’ve had as a driver.

        And wtf is with a road that decides to stop at a cross- section and change into another road with no warning, but continues only after you turn at the intersection drive down two blocks then turn to get back on that road? Do they do that in ANY OTHER CITY in the d*mn world?! Smdh!

        Reply ↓

        • Two traffic occurrences that have startled me while traveling:

          On the way to Mobile- lanes that merge with NO warning. No sign, no arrow, nothing painted on the road. Suddenly, there just is no more road in your lane.

          In Charlotte- on-ramps with no merging lane. Meaning when you merge into the larger highway, there is no 300-400 feet of lane so you can get over when there’s a break. No, you just ride directly into the traffic. Good luck.

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          • “In Charlotte- on-ramps with no merging lane. Meaning when you merge into the larger highway, there is no 300-400 feet of lane so you can get over when there’s a break”

            Girl, yes. Driving in Charlotte will keep you angry. Hardly any signs that make sense. What is with that sign on hwy 85 that tells you to exit for the airport, and the road never takes you to the airport? Why are there people strolling down the highway like it’s a residential street? Why do so many highway ramps look like unpaved alleys?

            Reply ↓

      • I LOVE driving in DC….however I hate the traffic. That is such an important distinction for me. Whenever I go to DC…I’m always the designated driver….just because I love aggressive driving and will whip a U-turn at a moments notice.

        Reply ↓

        • @Mo to tha- I LOVE aggressive driving too! And U-turns are the bees knees! lol, ppl down here in my small town stay commenting on my speed, lack of slowing all the way down to turn, quickness to bust a Yoowey etc; but I still HATE the layout of DC roads. I was so shamed when I heard a black man designed that mess smdh

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        • There is this road in DC, I believe its on one end of Rhode Island ave although I could be wrong…to say its deadly is an understatement. The road ENDS at the light, and magically changes to a one way street of oncoming traffic depending on your direction, so the only option is to make a right.

          And those lanes that go from 2-3 lanes depending on the time of day, another DEADLY.

          Reply ↓

      • +1. I hate, hate driving in DC and Maryland. The lack of lights at night drives me utterly insane… And those winding country roads? Lord, kill me now.

        Reply ↓

        • “+1. I hate, hate driving in DC and Maryland. The lack of lights at night drives me utterly insane… And those winding country roads? Lord, kill me now. ”

          Try driving at night on those winding country roads in Kauai. *lmao*

          Also, driving the length of Pacific Coast Highway (California) at night would scare the shit out of you.

          Reply ↓

    • ” its a major city but it still has a small town feel to it.”

      No…it actually doesn’t, but that sounds good to say lol. I’m just being a snob because I’m actually from multiple small towns and happen to disagree. I guess it has somewhat of a small town feel compared to NYC tho (which you lived in so that’s probably your point of reference). To me DC just has such a transient city feel, but moreso than that it has an international feel. I routinely felt like a foreigner for having roots in the U.S. of A. Which was good and bad depending on the situation or the individual I was dealing with…

      Reply ↓

      • well of course if you came from a place like antioch, tennessee you would think DC is a really big city. and suppose you’re right about the foreign thing. my parents as well a lot of my friends were born in foreign countries or are children of emigrants.

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  43. This is my second time leaving a comment. The first thing I have to say is this…. I am 19 and currently live in Rockland County, about an hour by Coach bus. I don’t get the big fuss about the City or the Lower Hudson Valley, esp. Westchester and Rockland. A lot of celebs have stayed or currrently reside in my hometown including most infamously Rosie O’Donnell and I don’t see what the big deal about my neighborhood, (Nyack) is. In fact, I am so ready to leave, it is gross. But, the truth is people love the fact that we are close to the city while also being isolated. I have met numerous kids from the South and the City throughout my stay here and they actually hate it. It is way too SMALL. I mean, seriously why does everyone want to move to the suburbs once their children are older and why do they assume that as long as you move to the city you’re gonna ‘make it’ in the industry? I mean City people laugh their (asses) off at our efforts to rap because they don’t think we sight any authentic struggle. I mean I want to live in a big city but I don’t see the big deal about living in Manhattan is. Honestly, it is so overtrodden with traffic, yelling, and fumes that I wouldn’t really want to live there if I wasn’t raised there. I think everyone moving to Atlanta from New York is also kinda dumb. I mean why do all of us suddenly feel the need to be in-tune with a Southern center. And then once we stay there, we call ourselves apart of that neighborhood. (Ex. Waka Flocka originally from NY but reps Riverdale. GA, which is a suburb in the Atlanta Metro area) I admit. I love the South despite being raised in the North and I would love to settle with a Southern gentleman but that by no means entails that no matter how much I dislike Nyack that I am going to completely act like I never lived there and wasn’t raised there. I think this is where people go wrong when they move. You are now living in GA, yes but that doesn’t mean you should disconnect yourself completely from where you are and unfortunately, a lot of people are teaching themselves to do just that, leave that part of them behind in order to falsely represent themselves. I will always love Atlanta but if I move there, you will never see me act like I am not from suburban NY whose neighborhood had been rated second safest in the country in the last 10 years….the current crime rate is about 50 percent because drug dealers come here….(don’t ask me why) but why do people want this suburban life where you are stuck here….I will pass. I mean give your children the chance to have some room to NOT know who they bump into. In these larger cities, network and get your children to people who can take them out to different cites. Honestly there may be no place like home but honestly, it has to feel like a home first and some of these places don’t feel like home.

    Just had to let that out…..but on the brighter side, Nyack is a great place to settle if you would like to work in the City just like Tarrytown or White Plains are also great places to settle down with your children. Esp the latter two because they are great places to find work.

    Another side note, I have been one who does want to see the whole entire series but has not been able to get access to all of the shows. I have watched snippets of “The Wire” and loved it though…. (had a crush on Tristan Wilds because of it and briefly like Julito McCollum because of it too smh)

    In closing….where your heart lies will always determine where your mind is at. So, if your heart is in Atlanta, your mind will be there too….. have a great day everyone.

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  44. Damn I feel you on this Champ. I’m from Bmore. I’m not a mid-level dealer at all. I had a chance to live in another city when I finished college, I declined and came home. I don’t need to be anywhere else to do what I want career-wise but there are more opportunities for me in other cities considering the lack of resources in Baltimore. I have government job that’ll probably allow me to have a something stable if I did move. However I’m still here in the home of the Wire. I feel just like you “It’s just that…I don’t know.”

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  45. I’m a serial mover. For the past 15 years I have not stayed in one place for more than 5 years or so. I’ve always followed the job as I climbed the academic ladder. I’ve had some regrets about some of the cons of each city, but I never regretted the career advance that came with each position.

    If you try to relocate for the sake of finding a better city, you usually end up just trading one set of pros for a different set, and trading one set if cons for another. If you want “different” for the sake of different, moving s the way to go. If you are motivated by a career advancement, it’s easiest to move instead of staying on the job market for years until the job appears in your own city.

    I’ve never watched The Wire. I might go ahead and watch it through Netflix. A fellow Battlestar Gallactica fan, who is a Wire fan, tells me the Wire is very gritty. Sounds like I might enjoy it.

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  46. I have no idea why, but I never felt a pressing need to watch “The Wire” cause I live here…know the life…didn’t feel the need to see it for entertainment purposes. Shocking to a lot of my friends…but hey…thems the facts for me, lol.

    I may watch it with the bf though since apparently its a way to bond. Awww.

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  47. knowing you IRL and being a huge fan of The Wire**, i think your comparison to Old-Face Andre is spot on and well described.

    i cant really relate, as i havent lived in my beautiful, warm, sunny home of San Diego since age 18. in the last 10+ years, ive lived a long plane ride from home. i spent 4yrs Atlanta, and almost 7 here in Pittsburgh. im gearing up to move west to Portland. i visited each of those cities only once, not knowing anyone there, before making the decision to move there. though ideally i want to be closer to my family, i want to be as successful, well-educated, and experienced as possible more. and my family understands. ive let opportunity and new surroundings/experiences dictate where i should go. im sad to have to miss out on so much at home, but im happy for all the things ive gained on my journey away.

    its scary to take risks. its scary to start anew. its scary to move away from whats comfortable and familiar. its scary to uproot your old life to plant in a new place. but the right move at the right time for the right reasons (whatever those might be) can make a huge difference. if youre resolved to making a good life for yourself, wherever you are, it can be a great experience.

    so basically what im sayin is… Champ, stop bein a punk and move on and sh*t. Pittsburgh is too small and your head is getting waaay too big. #ijs

    **The Wire is hands down the best, most compelling show to grace television. its so raw and gritty. you weep for the victims, pull for the bad guys, and wish death upon the enemy all in the same episode. thats great writing/acting/production. i actually judge ppl who dont like the show or havent at least attempted to watch it. they dont value quality of any kind.

    Reply ↓

      • “its just a show” is probably the whackest, weakest argument one could make for NOT watching a drama with such critical acclaim as The Wire if youre a person who actually watches tv for more than just the news. FOH. “i dont watch tv at all” or “i only like shows starring has beens and wannabes” would have been MUCH better, even acceptable, responses…

        Reply ↓

        • note: while i do mean FOH in the most dismissive of ways (lol) i dont mean to be offensive or hurt anyones feelings. i just think youre full of sh*t. and thats ok. some of my fave ppl on earth are full of sh*t. and the world goes on….

          Reply ↓

        • It is just a show. A lot of people liking it doesn’t make it any more than that. I’ll be weak and whack and all of that.

          And while I actually don’t watch much tv these days period, I don’t see how that would be a more “acceptable” answer. As if one needs an “acceptable” answer for not watching a tv show. FOH.

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    • “your head is getting waaay too big”

      So… are we not doing TWSS anymore? Did that go out with 2011? Just asking cause this just seemed like one of those TWSS moments… you young folk please weigh in on this and let me know so I can remain the coolest person in my office. Thanks.

      Senior Management.

      Reply ↓

      • lmbo i forget that you are the keeper of old a$s sayings. i have been hearing TWSS less and less these days, but until something better replaces it, i think its safe to continue to use it. just use it sparingly. too many TWSSs will draw unwanted attention.

        hope this helps.

        signed,
        goon & linguistics specialist

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    • Someone mentioned upthread about how people don’t want to move away b/c they are big ish where they are. I think this is true for most people who have found success in smaller areas. It’s hard going from everybody knows me and thinks i am great to everybody around me is amazing and i am really not as awesome as i thought i was. It is an eye opener and one needed for growth. It definitely keeps you grounded. This is why I hang around people who are either at my level or way beyond me (and i do mean WAY). These people keep you moving and you can learn a lot from them.

      Reply ↓

      • i agree with you. moving away from “home” or a place where you know a lot of people takes a combination of maturity, confidence, open-mindedness and go-getter mentality. i can be very shy, but im also bound and determined to have a social life and make friends (real, reliable friends). even in a city like Pittsburgh, where “young black professionals” are few and far between, ive managed to meet them ALL, and i have developed a very close circle of friends from that pool, much to the shock and envy of other young black pros who have been around us (i prob sound real vain but im soooo fa real lol).

        ive spent less than 48hrs in Portland but im already plugged in with a few young black pros there. and i plan to make the effort to get connected with them once i move. wherever i am, its going to be GOOD TIMES.

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        • You don’t sound arrogant or vain. You sound like you know how to work your environment. I agree, it does take confidence. I don’t regret moving one bit. It was the best thing for me and for my ego–it taught me how to be and remain humble.

          Reply ↓

          • indeed!! learning humility absolutely comes with the territory. and i thank God every day for the wonderful ppl ive been blessed with to add to my family/home away from family/home :)

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    • ~~~”The Wire is hands down the best, most compelling show to grace television. its so raw and gritty. you weep for the victims, pull for the bad guys, and wish death upon the enemy all in the same episode. thats great writing/acting/production.”

      I highly recommend Battlestar Galactica (the *modern* version starring Edward James Olmos, not the original) if you are looking for a similar experience in another show. Before you know it, you become so married to the protagonists you catch yourself rooting for martial law and dictatorship. Just as you catch yourself wishing death upon the “enemy” (the non-humans) the show slaps you in the face by calling that sentiment out as racism/ pro-genocide. Then the enemy does something brutal and you swing back to the other side again.

      I’m definitely going to start watching The Wire. I miss the experience I had with BSG.

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      • thanks for the suggestion. ive actually never heard anyone talk about BSG much at all, let alone with any high praise as ppl talk about The Wire. i have a harder time getting into scifi. but im willing to give it a try. anything with the homie EJO is worth a shot.

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  48. Lmao @ somebody from Pittsburgh taking shots at Atlanta (lack of self esteem though, that’s like saying NYC lacks ppl, if you’re gonna take shots, you gotta at least get close to the target bruh lol). It’s cool though, it’s like when a short person makes fun of a tall person, he lets it slide and laughs because after all, he’s the privileged one. ;)

    I have a relatively unique perspective about cities, hometowns, and being stationary. Since I was 10 I’ve never lived in the same place for more than 5 years. I was born in what I considered a to be a regular sized town in the south (go head and hate, I’m still smilin) This is the place where I have my earliest memories, lived in a neighborhood (for like the only time in my childhood) , had my first kiss, got my first whoopings etc;

    I was CRUSHED, DEVASTATED, DEJECTED etc etc; when we moved from their to some random town that was slightly larger in population but much much further away. We only stayed there for a year, and ended up moving to a VERY SMALL town that was near to my dad’s hometown (he got a job there cause he wanted to be closer to his mom at her advanced age). This is where I first got what felt like culture shock. I’m aware that all you city folks and Northern negroes assume that all small towns are more or less the same (just like foreigners feel that American culture is more or less the same) but there was a huuuuuge difference in the culture of this town than the first one I lived in. This place was like 90% black by population and most of the residents were sheltered, ghetto (and proud of it), country, and there was so little understanding and acceptance of outsiders that came off as “different” that I was immediately ready to get the eff out and go to college. Now, I don’t want to make it look like I hated it there, but I never really fit in and felt very underappreciated as a creative individual who prided myself on being able to think critically and formulate opinions that were based on more than what everyone else said, thought, or implied. I had some good times and learned a lot from experience. However, needless to say, at that point I was ready to get the eff out AS SOON AS I graduated. Oh yeah, and I won’t go into any details about it but we ended up moving two more times (one to my dad’s hometown that was even smaller than the last town and where the trees outnumbered the ppl 10 to 1) and then to a town that’s actually the 2nd or maybe 3rd largest “city” (even I’m laughin at that one) in my state. So that equaled a grand total of 5 different towns I was a resident during my formative years, and 3 different high schools (including the school that I graduated from being the place where I just arrived my senior year). So I have little to no attachment to a place I’m living in these days. I left the state of GA and went to school in DC (which I hated at times and loved at times, though I have an appreciation for now minus the cold *ss weather an RIDICULOUSLY and unjustifiably expensive cost of living). And you know the only reason I grew such an appreciation for DC was because the next city I lived in after DC was Philly (never again will I ever live there lol) and then I ended up having to move back to the small town life in GA (still adjusting to this ish smh).

    I say all that to say that once you pop that cherry you realize that a place of residence is just that. A place of residence to me, and I’m glad I feel that way. So many ppl in each of the towns I lived in (cities included ESPECIALLY Philly) have either never left their town (other than to go to nearby towns or a neighboring state) or left and came right back because the idea of “home” and the strength of the bond ppl have with their comfort zone is so great that it’s scary/detrimental in my eyes. Another reason I want to live in another country for a while. I’m an outsider wherever I go anyway, even in my “hometown”. But I’m telling yall, you’re stunting your growth by being confined to one city, no matter how awesome you consider your city to be. It’s not going anywhere. It’ll be there when you get back and you’ll learn sooooo much about yourself, about people in general, and about life just by taking that chance and bouncing. Liberating aint a strong enough word. Besides, how else can you spread the word about how awesome your city/state is if you never leave? Duh lol

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    • Lmao @ somebody from Pittsburgh taking shots at Atlanta (lack of self esteem though, that’s like saying NYC lacks ppl, if you’re gonna take shots, you gotta at least get close to the target bruh lol)…..maybe he should have said materialistic for describing Atlanta because its definitely fitting

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      • @Chanelle- Yeah, the new Atlanta (meaning after Goodie Mob and Outkast stopped making music) is DEFINITELY materialistic. He didn’t do a good job with that metaphor at all though. Glad you peeped that too

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  49. ‘the less attractive cousin Cleveland’ Why does everyone always try to play us. A city rich in upcoming and old talent. ::cues up Thuggish, Ruggish Bone::

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  50. The moment I saw the words “The Wire”, I knew I’d be commenting on this post. By far my favorite show to ever air on television, I’m another “Wire”-junkie. I’m watching it for the fourth time. The show is f’in brilliant!!!!

    But I also wanted to comment on the post itself. I’m from Cleveland (thanks for the kind words, Champ :-/) and have seen the “Old Face Andre” phenomenon happen more times than I can count. There are people in the city who just can’t seem to get OUT. And it’s not due to a lack of desire. Something, whatever it is, keeps them reeled in…it’s like a vortex. Perhaps the fear of taking risks, leaving what’s comfortable and venturing into the “unknown”? Home is a comfort zone. I have a bunch of friends from Detroit who have the same issue — they want to leave, but when the time comes, they can’t. Their home city is all they know.

    I consider myself fortunate, I took a leap and moved far far away to Florida. I miss home, but have never once regretted the decision to leave. I don’t mind visiting, but would never move back to Cleveland. I fear I’d never leave again.

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  51. I come from a band of gypsies. Everybody in my family has packed up and moved when another place looked better. I have no family left in my southwest hometown. My mom and dad moved there from their California hometown where their mothers moved from their southern hometowns. Now my parents live in the south and me and my siblings live in Colorado, DC, Minneapolis and Atlanta. We don’t get attached to places. Got wanderlust in the blood.

    I’ve lived in a few places, including Mexico, but I like the DMV best of all the places ive lived. I might stay. But then again, I could go if another place looks good.

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  52. “I been around…I been around the world. (uh huh. uh huh)” *hums Carl Thomas’ part*

    From NY lived in the Bible Belt South (hated it), moved back north. DC/NoVA (MD is the Dark Side) is like baby bear’s porridge (for now). DC area has enough diversity and culture to satiate the appetite without feeling too crowded. The only downside? No beach close by and tourists. They’re like cows in the middle of the road. Major PITA.

    -The Macaroni With The Cheese

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  53. I was raised in Philadelphia for the most part of my life and realized it is a trap. I escaped. People either get stuck there or defeat the Hunger Games and leave unscathed. There are many things I love about Philly, and it will always be a sort of refuge to me, but I think I’ve only come to appreciate those things after living in other places. Philly is like a watered-down version of DC that shuts down at 2AM. People who are from other places (notably the South and the West Coast) develop this strange affinity for Philly, but I’m sure it’s because someone took them to Society Hill, Rittenhouse Square, Manayunk, and the-like, and they concluded it’s the “best/cutest” city ever. And that it reminds them of Paris… -_____- . Yes, it’s affordable, and s l o w l y changing, but it’s a trap. Philadelphia isn’t really as progressive as it once was, and no hipster or arts enthusiast or ‘gentrifier’ or historian can change my mind about that.

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    • ” And that it reminds them of Paris… -_____- .”

      You kiddin me? Philly struck me as one of the dirtiest, poorest, least progressive, and roughest cities one would ever actually consider moving to (even though Center City is pretty cool for the most part). I wonder who these individuals are. Trap isn’t a strong enough word to an outsider like me lol, let me not be so harsh, it was ok, and when I finally met the right demographic it did grow on me, but I was ready to get the h*ll outta there. It made me appreciate Philly a lot more. And I don’t think it’s a watered down DC. Stuff in DC also closes at 2 (not sure why) and DC is much cleaner and more progressive in my opinion. As this white guy from DC once put it when comparing DC to Philly. “Yeah, Philly’s a real city”. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Places like DC and NYC don’t really strike me as America fa real…

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      • “You kiddin me? Philly struck me as one of the dirtiest, poorest, least progressive, and roughest cities one would ever actually consider moving to (even though Center City is pretty cool for the most part). ”

        That’s what I keep telling people but they don’t see that. They see BYOBs and the Liberty Bell.

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      • I can kind of see the Paris comparison. Paris, for all of its world class attractions, has a lot of spots you don’t want to be alone in at night. Plus both Philly and Paris are very old cities with classic European architecture.

        However, that’s not to say that the best attractions in Philly can come near the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, etc. But if I squint hard enough, I can see where the comparison comes from.

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        • ” I squint hard enough, I can see where the comparison comes from. ”

          *LMAO*

          I remember the ways Philadelphia made me go from :-) to >:-( in minutes flat.

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      • *I meant to say it made me appreciate D.C. more.

        Yeah, the BYOB thing was actually one of the dopest parts about Philly that and the slang ” That bull was drawlin” lol, I really do miss that part. Philly has its own identity and local feel. I certainly can appreciate that as an outsider

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    • I attended a wonderful Afro-American science event in Philly at the Franklin Institute.

      Someone stole my coat from coat check. They stole the only winter battle gear I had, in the dead of winter…I had to return to Boston…BOSTON…with no feather-down coat.

      That is my memory of Philly.

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  54. He went out the way every character old enough to be considered a man went out; fully accepting of their fate and the inevitability that the drug game would eventually get you killed or life in jail.

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  56. come to NY Champness!

    Gem is right, your head is waaaay too big for Pittsburgh at this point. lol.

    i think you’d like it, and easily get a cushy writing gig.

    i decided i was going to move to NY on a whim. i’ve always wanted to attend NYU and i figured no time was better than right now. very happy with my decision, too.

    so put your Nikes on and just do it already. i’ll even make you a welcome basket. lol

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    • LOL! i dont think Champ could survive NYC. he may be an insensitive a$shole who written the 2nd “unspoken” post in VSB history but he is not cut-throat enough to live in the concrete jungle. i think NYC would chew him up and spit him out. ha!

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  57. I’ve never watched The Wire. I first heard about it years ago from a super-fan who would link almost every English class discussion to The Wire :-) .

    Old Face Andre’s funeral request might do the trick. I have a funeral request of my own. If I don’t go when and the way I prefer, in my sleep and young, do not exhaust any resources like the emotional and financial kind during an attempt to prevent my death. Seek closure as soon as I’m declared dead. Do not display my dead body in an expensive/ inexpensive casket during any ceremonies. Do not fear my dead body and/ or my spirit. Cremate my dead body; then, spread my ashes on solid ground.

    I’m dishearten about the spiritual, criminal, physical, sexual & extralegal tortures of the past & present committed in this world by people I hear about that I’m less than capable of preventing. Still, I don’t want to block these trials from accessing my consciousness. I appreciate and enjoy my life, privileges, and the little impact I’m allowed to contribute to another person’s, too. Nevertheless, my spirit is suffocating. Therefore, I welcome the transfer of my spirit to the afterlife whether it’s greener or not.

    At this point, I figure it may go two ways in the afterlife:
    One, physical and spiritual death. The end.
    Two, physical death occurs while spirit continue to wonder, travel, and await judgment day.

    Unless these wishes are granted by God, sometime soon, I want to live again in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti where I was born. The snakes and tarantulas I saw in our yard were scary. The thought that armed robbers forced one of our neighbors to spill information about the number of people and resources in our household, after they robbed his, was terrifying. Consequently, the fact that on my way back to school, I once saw the burnt remains of an accused robber under a tree near the pathway was frightening.

    Nevertheless, the best and most beautiful memories of my life thus far is cemented in P-Au-P and Aux-Cayes, Haiti. I remember The Three Musketeers, mother, older brother and I, living in our white and green home, the decent-size yard with a couple of sour orange trees and a lot of plants and flowers, going on sightseeing expeditions, church, visiting the extended family, school, collecting water from the neighborhood fountains, catching a soccer match competition with my brother on the open field in the neighborhood, or riding a motorcycle to visit some beaches.

    I don’t regret leaving P-Au-P for N.Y. I love exploring and living in different spaces. Therefore, I doubt I will mind leaving N.Y. or anywhere else for P-Au-P.

    Before this spirit of mine travels to the afterlife, I just want to carrying as little baggage as humanly possible while I live, learn, travel, and teach.

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  58. Am I the only one who thought that The Wire’s season 2 was the best one? Yeah, I think I am. After that, stuff started getting too Hood Mystical/Fantasy/Section 8 Game Of Throne-ish for my tastes.

    Anyway…

    I was conceived in Alabama, born in Chicago and lived in Mississippi, Alabama, Arizona, Wisconsin and currently in Cleveland and I have said this to every person I know, “you need to get out of your neighborhood and see your country, kids.” It’s just as much yours as it is the Glenn Becks, Ann Coulters and Shawn Kemps of the world.

    Oh, I’ve been to Pittsburgh and, I don’t care what Clevelanders say, it’s not a dump and hell, at least y’all got an Ikea.

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    • I couldn’t get with Season 2 when I first watched “The Wire”. It was such an abrupt change from the S1 finale that I watched the first episode of S2 and didn’t return for week. Now that I’ve rewatched the series multiple times, I realize how BRILLIANT Season 2 was. It was a perfect depiction of how the drugs get smuggled into these ports and how deep the money and influence went. Loved it.

      “All of the pieces matter” – Lester Freamon

      Born in Pittsburgh, raised in Cleveland, went to college in Michigan. I am a walking contradiction.

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      • The Greek was diabolical in a Kyser Soze sort of way. I agree with you on your assessment of Season 2. My thoughts were that hood crime was no where near as simple as a bunch of dudes shooting and looting and dealing drugs. The truth was much more sinister. I thought it was going to get really nasty with it but then the characters took over the show.

        Don’t get me wrong, I loved folks like Bro. Muszone, Chris and Snoop, Lester, Kima, Bunk and the kids, but I felt the same way after Season 2 as I did when Rap music started getting mainstream and controversial, that the negative aspects of our culture were being glamorized, that people who we wouldn’t let in our house were being treated like iconic figureheads of our community

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    • Season 2 was kind of an abrupt change but I liked it. It was nice that they showed that Black people weren’t the only ones committing crime in Baltimore.

      For me it was the last season that was a complete waste. That whole thing with Jimmy trying to get the press to think there was a serial killer on the lose was just stupid. If that had been season 1 instead of the last there would have never been a season 2.

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      • Yeah, Jimmy in Season 5 was damn near cartoonish in every way. It’s like Dominic West was phoning it in, like he was just ready to be done and to head back to the UK

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  59. Skype is the glue that holds my family together. I’ve never stayed on one place for more than 4years, so I don’t have a home per se.

    Home for me is my home country, but I’ve lived almost as much in it, as I’ve lived outside it. Sooo, not too many ties there. But the memories are evergreen.

    There’s a big benefit to having a ‘home base’ – FRIENDS. I know people that are still good friends with people from when they were in diapers. I’ve always found that to be cool. Other than family, I don’t have anyone I’ve known that long (cue tiniest violin).

    But other than that, the world is my oyster. I don’t get too attached to places so I am ready and willing to move elsewhere if needed. As long as I have Skype/good calling plan, I’m all set.

    For me, home is a feeling, not a place. I can make my home anywhere I want. It’s OK to venture out!

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    • “Skype is the glue that holds my family together. ”

      Story of my life for the past 14+ years. The siblings are still roaming, but at least I am now close to the parental unit. It feels good. There are challenges (obviously) but the feeling is niiice. :)

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      • Yeah, I’ve toyed with the idea of returning home someday (I’m a Naija Girl!), but for now I’m still fine living life moving from place to place.

        You mentioned in your other post that you just moved back. How’s it been adjusting?

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        • It’s been…. hmmm… interesting, loll. For the most part, I was mentally ready to move since I have planned it for the past year or so, so I was ready for those challenges. But something I didn’t see coming, is missing my Houston life: my friends, my house, my stuff… and being a bit removed from family stuff (you know how that is)… So that’s been bittersweet. But there is a lot to make up for it. And so far, I would say I am enjoying it.

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  60. Damn Champ, this kind of feels like an epilogue to the posts of the last few days. Like, if you were to suddenly pass away, this post would take on extra meaning, subtext n’ sh!t. And if you happen to have several articles on deck waiting to published, you would practically be the 2pac of the blog world….lol

    You’re not Old Face Andre…lol, but you did kinda get his treatment. Some of the commenters went in on you like you were the security guard who stepped to Marlo…lol You tried to defuse it: “Look, I told you I ain’t stepping to. I ain’t disrespecting you, son (or daughter). And all you got in response was:
    “You want it to be one way…..But it’s the other way.” :o ) I also don’t think they would have granted you a funeral (open casket or otherwise). You’d be in a row house somewhere hearing Christ Partlow saying, “Don’t fret, boss….I got you covered.” :o )

    There’s very little in life that can’t be modeled after something in The Wire. The best part of the show is that everthing is connected. Most of the characters, while either black or white, live their lives in shades of gray. The downside to this show is its cynicism. You can’t really watch this show and have any hope for the future at all. There aren’t enough ‘bubbles’ to buoy up everything else going on.

    Great Post. Glad to see you’re still the Champ.

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  61. Burgh represent!! Been in NYC (BK – wha wha..) for almost 7 years now. Its funny how I have so much more appreciation for the Burgh whenever I go home to visit the folks. But its weird because even though I was born and raised there, I just dont feel connected to it anymore. Almost like I never lived there. I’ll go back and be visiting friends and its always like, “Wow, look how big your kitchen is.. and the bathroom! You actually have a driveway? Your rent is only HOW much?????” That’s what living in NY will do to you. All the things that are seeminingly normal for 90-95% of the rest of America are foreign concepts to NYers.

    I don’t know though… even though I love NY, its so freakin expensive. I just dont know where else I can go. After you live in NY, you can’t just move to like a Cincinnati or Oklahoma City, etc. Or even a younger/’hipper’ place like Charlotte, where I have been a few times. They’re probably nice cities and you probably could live pretty good, but nothing can compare to NY. Not even that NY is just sooooo great (even though it is) its just a different way of life. Seems to me outside of big cities like LA, DC, Chicago, and Philly, every where looks the same. Anytown, USA. They’re all interchangeable. No flair, no sauciness.

    I did go to San Antonio for the first time over the holidays. My first time in TX and I must say I really enjoyed it. Much more than I thought I would. If I ever decided to leave NY, SA is a place I might consider.

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  62. As someone who just did a big move home after roaming the globe (literally) for 14 years, I can tell you that I understand the pull of “home”… It’s a feeling that can not really be explained. It just calls you back. However, contrary to you, it’s something that I really needed to do. And so far, I am glad I did. So yeah, I am now VSBing from Cote d’Ivoire! :D

    Bit of advice I give to people who are on the fence. Try it on for size. The option of coming back is always available to you (especially since one can write from everywhere). At least, you won’t have any regrets.

    p.s: hi miss t-lee *waves*

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  63. Not “Really” meaning “YOU” personally. Your views or opinions, nobody “REALLY” cares that much about. Mine too. If people disagree, nobody will care enough to protest down at City Hall or anything.

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  65. Wow son. Wow.
    I know Ive been gone for a minute but…dang.
    Champ…… You aiight bruh?
    I’m not sure whats going on but
    I feel like this has been a sad, sad, sad week in VSB history. :-(
    The only thing today’s post was missing was a tear drop rolling down the corner of the page.
    Bro, i heard the lynch mob was out earlier this week. Burning effigies of you and sh*t. But out of misery comes joy. Soon this melancholy, introspective, dont cry for me argentina emo sh*t will pass. Keep ya head up. Tomorrow is a new day and Friday. Lets change the tide and end this week on a high note sport.

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  67. I’ve been thinking about watching The Wire again and this post has pushed me over the edge. I guess I know what I’ll be doing this weekend.

    Nice post@Champ. It must be nice to be attached to a city. I have the opposite problem. I have no attachment to any city. I want to move but no city is really calling me. So while you stay because you truly love your city, but maybe haven’t come to terms with that love, I stay because I just don’t know where to go.

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  69. One thing, Chris was informing Snoop that people from outside of Baltimore wouldn’t be very familiar with Baltimore house music or whatever it’s called up there. Word to the wise, don’t lump that and go-go together as they are two vastly different forms of music. Equating whatever they call that shit in Baltimore and go-go is like equating bluegrass with crunk.

    Also, there’s the Baltimore area and then there is the D.C. area. People from Baltimore don’t like being lumped with D.C. and people from D.C. look at Baltimore like it’s another country.

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