Thursday, 5/30

I don't know that I could live in a really small town.

But before I explain my reasons why, just let me say that I know a whole bunch of you LOVE living in really small towns, and wouldn't have it any other way. And I understand completely; just having spent five days in one, I can see why you would like the relatively wide open spaces, the friendly neighbors, and the sense of a close community that comes with living in a place with relatively few people. If you ever have a problem, there are people who know you and are ready to help you out. I get it. If it works for you, the more power to you.

I just don't know that it would work for me, and this picture may explain just a little--

That's a church sign in Reese. There's nothing wrong with the sign; after all, it shows a close-knit community where a whole lot of things happen. But look closely at the last line on the sign--

When I first saw that it made me chuckle; later, it make me think.  Now, I've never been a member of AA, but I do know some people who have, and to a person they take the “Anonymous” part of the organization very seriously. So to have it on a sign like that, especially in a small town where anyone can drive by Monday nights at 7 and see who's going into the meeting...

Well, that's why I don't know that I could live in a small town. Everybody knows everybody else's business and, in all honesty, I kind of prefer my anonymity.

I know; it sounds stupid for someone whose name is sometimes followed with the phrase “media wh*re” to talk about preferring his anonymity, but it's true. I'm just not comfortable with people knowing each and everything I do. I like to have a little privacy (once again, a weird thing for someone who seems to live his life in public). While I don't have anything to hide, at least nothing I feel is worth hiding, I still don't know that I'd want everyone within a three mile span to know what I'm doing and with whom I doing it. Like I said, that's just me. Maybe I'm strange that way.

I just know I wouldn't be comfortable any other way.

I really do think that Marquette's about the smallest place that I could live. After all, with 25,000 people around you you'd hope that not everyone would know what going on (assuming, once again, you don't live your life in the media, like some doofuses do). But if I had to live someplace smaller, especially someplace with only a few hundred or a few thousand people?

I dunno.

Like I said, maybe I'm weird. It sure wouldn't be the first time. And if the thought of living with 25,000 or 2,500,000 million people freaks you out, that's cool. I understand completely. We're all different people, and we're all comfortable living in different ways. More power to you. I just know on which end of the spectrum I sit, for better or for worse.

(jim@wmqt.com), now slinking back to his private little corner.