Monday, April 5, 2010

10 Things I Love About Where I Live

I'm informally and unofficially declaring this week 'List Mania' on the happily ever after because I have a few posts in mind for this week that all happen to involve lists. I got tagged to play a game of "10 Things I love about where I live" by Hilda of The Dip-Files, so that'll be my first list of the week. Before I do that, though, I'd like to tell you a little bit about Hilda.

Hilda is a book blogger that I befriended last year through our mutual adoration of Larissa Ione's Demonica series. Let me just say that Hilda loves her vampires and all things paranormal romance. She is a young student from Venezuela who is now living in Shanghai. She blogs about herself, her life in China, and about books! Did I mention she loves paranormal romance? In addition to speaking her native language of Spanish, Hilda also speaks English and Portuguese. She's also been learning to speak Mandarin Chinese and Swedish! But wait! There's more! Hilda has also been picking up bits of Korean from her friends! Isn't her multilingualism so incredibly impressive?!

After a long haitus from blogging due to the internet constraints imposed by the Chinese government, Hilda is finally back online with her blog. She's been working hard to get her blogging mojo back and gain more followers to her blog. We all know how much more fun blogging is when we know we have an audience, right? So to help Hilda get her blog groove back, head on over to her blog, poke around, and follow her. If she gets 50 followers by the end of April, she's going to do a giveaway! So head on over to The Dip-Files and visit my friend Hilda! Just to warn you, though, Hilda has music that automatically plays at her blog, so if you're at work or if you have a sleeping baby nearby, turn down the volume on your computer first! :)

Now for my list. Which was way harder to do than I thought it would be.

10 Things I Love About Where I Live
Suburbia, New Jersey, USA.

1. I'm 45 minutes from NYC.

2. I'm 45 minutes from rolling hills and countrysides of New Jersey.

3. I'm 45 minutes from the beaches of the New Jersey shoreline. Although my love for this is debatable. I much prefer quieter, less populated beaches.

4. I'm 10 minutes from a wildlife reservation with acres and acres of woodlands with hiking trails, a lake and streams to explore. And roads that make some kick-my-butt bike rides!

5. I can walk or ride my bike to shops, post office, library, the train station, restaurants, the movie theater ... too bad I usually drive because I'm always short on time. I should try to be more green.

6. The distinct change of seasons with snow in the winter and hot and humid days in the summer. Although I could do without the 90+% humidity.

7. I live within five miles of at least 6 libraries and 2 major bookstores.

8. I live less than two miles from a Trader Joe's store, so my out of town friends always love to visit me.

9. I live close to a major international airport which makes traveling all over the world a piece of cake. Too bad I don't actually do that. :/

10. I could probably buy just about anything you could think of within a 30 mile radius from my house. I guess that's one of the benefits of living close to one of the world's biggest cities and busiest container ports. Then again, this point is rather moot considering the ease, speed and convenience of online shopping!

That was way harder than I thought. I'm thinking it would have been easier to make a list of 10 Things that I don't love about living around here.


Anyway, go say hi to Hilda. Tell her I sent you. :)


15 comments:

  1. Hmmm, you got me thinking.. I wasn't sure if I have exactly 10 things I can list where I love about where I live...maybe the feeling is mutual between the love and not so much of a love ;-)

    Thanks for introducing Hilda co'z I already fell in love with the fangs on her blog.

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  2. Ohh Christine, you are awesome my girl!

    Thanks for being impressed with my knowledge of languages. Hopefully in the near future I'll know tons more!

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I have music that plays automatically? WHAAAT? I wasn't even aware of this! What is it? This is too funny. I wonder where that code is at *_*

    Hiking trails, that sounds so fun. It's one of those things I have to do before I die. Have you been hiking before?

    Wow it must be nice to have everything so nearby! I should add that to my list, I have a bunch of things nearby too.

    Number 7!! *excited face*
    I only have two libraries nearby and they are TINY. Can barely find anything.

    9. How about you hop on a plane and visit me? :)

    OMG I know! It's very sad but it's the way it is. I wish it was easier to come up with things I like about where I live, I really do.

    Thanks for playing and 'advertising' me hun! LOL

    (((big hugs)))

    Hilda


    Natalie, I'm glad you like all my vamps! You're welcome to look and maybe touch a little, but only a little k? ;)

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  3. I love Hilda, she's adorable!

    You're so good to do the list! That's cool that you're so close to everything (not sure what Trader Joe's is - coffee?) I did a list of things I like about my town a few months back on my personal blog, I may cheat and use that, LOL!

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  4. why, thank you Patti! =D I love you too, hun!

    I wouldn't mind if you cheated *winks*

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  5. Hilda sounds like such a sweet person. I'll be sure to check out her blog.

    #7 is my favorite. No surprise there. :)

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  6. Natalie, Yay! So glad you paid Hilda a visit. You can just copy my list since we live so close to each other. LOL.

    Hilda, you're so very welcome. You didn't know about the song? I think it's a Britney Spears song. Unless it just plays for me. :D

    I love hiking, but don't do it often. Some of the best and most difficult hikes I've been on where part of the Appalachian Trail here in New Jersey and trails in some National Parks we've visited such as Yosemite in CA and Arches, Bryce and Zion in UT. It is on my list of things to do to do more extensive hiking at the wildlife reservation near me, though.

    My local library is pretty good. Not too many romances, unless it comes out in hardcover, but they do get in a lot of great new fiction, mysteries, and even UF and fantasy.

    #9 If only it were that easy! :D

    Patti, Trader Joe's is a grocery store, I guess kind of like a specialty grocery store. Not quite gourmet, but wholesome with a lot of products with natural ingredients, minimally processed, some vegan, organic, dairy and gluten free. And just plain old yummy stuff. And wine! Affordable wine.

    Leslie, I knew y'all would appreciate #7. :)

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  7. Hey Christine!

    Great list. :0) You live in an beautiful awesome area. I have to get busy and write my list too. lol

    I'm behind as usual!

    As always you have provided my inspiration. :-)

    Hilda rocks BTW.

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  8. Me? Inspire YOU?

    I think it's the other way around, my dear. But just this one time, I'll allow it to be me inspiring you to do this little list meme. :)

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  9. Great list. I think it's wonderful to have to sit down and think of the wonderful things about the places we live. You're right - it's easier to think of the bad. Better to think of the nice. :)

    My Trader Joe's just moved closer to my house and I was thrilled!

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  10. I don't think I could come up with 10 things about loving where I live. So, I am happy that you could! *G*
    I hope you're having a great week!

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  11. Nice list Christine!

    *off to visit Hilda's blog*

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  12. Tracy, I love my Trader Joe's. I'm in there easily once a week for a bunch of stuff and then usually one more time again for milk.

    Brandy, coming up with 10 things was tough!

    orannia, thanks! :D

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  13. Okay, Trader Joe's sounds like Whole Foods.

    Hmm...I never noticed a song when I visit Hilda.

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  14. I didn't know. I think only you can hear it. Maybe some kind of advertisement? I remember thinking about adding a song to my profile but it was like a James Bond song LOL and I don't like Britney, so there's no way I have a Britney song on my profile :)
    I checked too, and couldn't find it.

    That's amazing! I shall go visit you and then you can take me hiking =]

    Lea, thanks girl! *blushes*


    Hilda

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  15. That was fun to read this list. It sounds like you live in a wonderful place!!!

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