Jersey Girl

As you can see, my blog title is "Forever A Jersey Girl."
I was raised and I live in Jersey (true, I was born in Rockville Centre, NY and lived in Valley Stream for awhile, but we moved when I was 4, so I don't think it counts).


Dictionary.com's definition of girl is:

1. a female child, from birth to full growth. I pass the test on this one.

2. a young, immature woman, esp. formerly, an unmarried one. Well, I've definitely been called immature, but I' m married and young wouldn't be the first word people would use to describe me.

3. a daughter: My wife and I have two girls. Ok here, I am someone's daughter.

I guess the issue might be with definition #2. Physically, my body is not young. I'm old enough to have a Jersey girl myself (hell, I'm old enough to have a Jersey granddaughter!) But, I tell myself, being a Jersey girl is a state of mind.

Now, why would I care about this? After all, being considered a Jersey girl often doesn't warrant a lot of respect.

"What's the difference between trash and a Jersey girl?"

At least trash gets picked up once in awhile.

Now you might think I'd take offense to that "joke." But, actually, my reaction is completely the opposite. I want to say "thank you" to the genius who thought that one up. I mean, what do you think of if guy says "Yeah, I "picked up" this babe last night." You're thinking "wow, he got lucky and she's a tramp." So, I take no offense to this joke at all.

How many other states are famous for their girls? (Okay, California, but that's a whole other subject). Would Tom Waits write a song about Illinois or Missouri girls? Just doesn't have the same panache, so to speak.
Where I get in trouble with my fellow Jersey girls is my strict geographical qualifier to be a true Jersey girl. You MUST live in a coastal NJ county from Monmouth south. Going "down the shore" to the rental you share in Belmar with a few dozen people (most of whom you don't even know) & hanging at Bar A or The Osprey (is that even there anymore?) does not make you a Jersey girl. My sisters in North Jersy will fight me on this, but Jersey girl is synonymous with the beach. Just visiting doesn't count.

So, here's to all Jersey Girls, whatever age you may be. See you on the boardwalk.

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