Kris Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 . . . I hate living in Podunk. I stopped by the bookstore today to pick up SWB's new history book. Not only did they not have it, they couldn't even find it in the system. Not the end of the world, I know -- but I wanted it *now* and I don't have it and if I lived anywhere near civilization, it would be mine! Tonight! :rant: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 I hear ya sister! I moved from Baltimore to the middle of nowhere and all the local businesses are closed by 8:00 every single night. None of them have answering machines so if you call them after 8:00 to find out when they open, the phone just rings and rings. (HOW do you do business without an answering machine??? I mean, the drug store doesn't have an answering machine?!?!) We all just sit around at home after 8, because there's nothing else to do! Oh wait. Wal-Mart is open 24 hours. I guess everyone goes there... And get this--the library is as big as my living/dining room. And I live in a house called Bramble Cottage. Cottage=small. At least there is another library a little further away, so we make trips out to the "big" library every couple of weeks. (Big = normal sized Baltimore suburb library.) But I almost cried when I first saw the tiny library in town. Ok-done my rant. ON the good side, I NEVER get tail-gated out here. And people ALWAYS opened the door for me when the kids were babies (always--even teens outside smoking and looking surly opened the door for me.) And when I go to McDonalds it's fast and the people are very nice to me. When I go into the local diner I always see someone I know and we stop and say hi. I LOVE that about small towns... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 . . . I hate living in Podunk. I stopped by the bookstore today to pick up SWB's new history book. Not only did they not have it, they couldn't even find it in the system. Not the end of the world, I know -- but I wanted it *now* and I don't have it and if I lived anywhere near civilization, it would be mine! Tonight! :rant: I live in Podunk, too. All I can do after reading this is drool: You have a bookstore. Wow. I have to travel 60 miles to the nearest bookstore. Seriously, it stinks not having a decent bookstore, doesn't it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 I live in Podunk, too. All I can do after reading this is drool: You have a bookstore. Wow. I have to travel 60 miles to the nearest bookstore. Seriously, it stinks not having a decent bookstore, doesn't it! Yeah -- I shouldn't complain. You are really "out there!" The town I actually live in has less than 400 people in it. Then there's the "big" 20,000 or so town! That's where the bookstore is -- but it's about 35 miles away. I just realized we'll probably be going out of town this weekend and there should be a decent bookstore somewhere along that route! I was thinking of canceling -- I guess it would be selfish to make that trip just to go to the bookstore, eh? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 I hear ya sister! I moved from Baltimore to the middle of nowhere and all the local businesses are closed by 8:00 every single night. None of them have answering machines so if you call them after 8:00 to find out when they open, the phone just rings and rings. (HOW do you do business without an answering machine??? I mean, the drug store doesn't have an answering machine?!?!) Oh, I hear ya! And forget trying to find a website for any of these places. And don't call at lunch time, either! That's usually any time between 11:00 and 1:00. Seriously -- I don't know how anyone manages to get anything done around here, but they've been doing fine! Well, I guess they're doing fine -- I can't tell for sure since I can't seem to catch any of them. And now that it's deer season? ForGET it! :lol: We all just sit around at home after 8, because there's nothing else to do! Oh wait. Wal-Mart is open 24 hours. I guess everyone goes there... There's a McDonald's in the local Wal-Mart that's packed all day long. They just sit around and chat. At least they did -- they just remodeled the store and I haven't taken a close look, but it doesn't look like there's that much room in there anymore. Wonder where they'll move the bingo game? :001_smile: And get this--the library is as big as my living/dining room. And I live in a house called Bramble Cottage. Cottage=small. Actually, the library is pretty good sized. They never seem to have what I'm looking for, but there are a lot of books there! That doesn't surprise me, though -- I think I'm looking for weird stuff. I'm always jealous, though, of the people who say they get so much of their stuff at the library. At least there is another library a little further away, so we make trips out to the "big" library every couple of weeks. (Big = normal sized Baltimore suburb library.) But I almost cried when I first saw the tiny library in town. This *is* the library "a little further away." I've never bothered with the one in town here -- the building is about as big as the one you describe, and it's mostly for the little kids -- or so I've been told. Ok-done my rant. ON the good side, I NEVER get tail-gated out here. And people ALWAYS opened the door for me when the kids were babies (always--even teens outside smoking and looking surly opened the door for me.) And when I go to McDonalds it's fast and the people are very nice to me. When I go into the local diner I always see someone I know and we stop and say hi. I LOVE that about small towns... See -- that might make it worth it, but we don't have that "small town charm" here. Just last week I actually had a guy stop dead in his tracks about fifteen feet from the door so I would get there first and he wouldn't have to open it. I thought that was pretty strange. My Dad lived in a pretty small town many years ago. He moved there from Sacramento. He said he knew he was in a different kind of place when he was waiting to cross the street and the cars actually STOPPED for him, even though he was in the middle of a block! Around here? You need to stand *way* back from the road. Not only won't they stop, they won't slow down or pay any attention to where they are in the lane. If you're in the way? Well, you should have moved. :lol: This is not a "charming" little town. Might make it worth it if it was. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 . . . I hate living in Podunk. I stopped by the bookstore today to pick up SWB's new history book. Not only did they not have it, they couldn't even find it in the system. Not the end of the world, I know -- but I wanted it *now* and I don't have it and if I lived anywhere near civilization, it would be mine! Tonight! :rant: I can so understand this frustrated feeling. Do you have a library? If we did not have a library I would not know what to do. At least ours is a country wide library system and while the local one rarely has what I am looking for they can order it within a day. I suppose this kind of living teaches us patience!? :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 (edited) You're playing my tune!! :nopity: Our one local and independent "library" is smaller than the local post office ...with no interlibrary loans! I have to pay $30 a year to use the library in the city, which does use an interlibrary system. No bookstore in the county either. Not to much as a news stand! So it's a 45 minute drive to Borders in the "city". I use Amazon.com if I can wait for a book; otherwise, I make a trip to Borders. Our county has a population of around 25,000 people, but it prides itself on being a 'retail-free zone'. Which means that we have to drive half an hour to find a Wal-mart. However, things are slowly looking up! They just opened up a new mexican restaurant yesterday in our podunk county! It's our second...yes...second sit down restaurant in the entire county (meaning, the ones where fries are not the only available entree). AND...they're supposedly building a Wal-Mart in 2010. It will be the first retail available in our county EVER. For the most part, I don't mind it so much .. at least not as much as I did when we first moved here (3 1/2 years ago). But there are times when we need something and it's a 30 minute drive to find anything. Now....if we could only get cable TV or high speed internet, we'd be all set! Oh...and our street paved. That would be very nice. A road with 60 houses on it and 2 miles long doesn't hold up well with dirt and gravel. :glare: I've heard that folks who live in cities have paved roads. :D Edited November 21, 2008 by hsmamainva Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 My library doesn't even have a copy of the WTM. No where in town. We are in small suburbia, Walmart is the only thing open past nine, unless you want to drive into town. It's not that far away, but dh is concerned about safety as crime seems to be escalating in the city. I can't walk anywhere except around the neighborhood, wah, wah, wah. My bookstore never has a book I want. Even if they do it's cheaper to order off amazon. The highlight of retail around here is the coinstar kiosk where I can get Amazon.com gift certificates. I'm in there about every ten days getting one. :lol::lol: Can you play the violin just for me too? :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 . . . I hate living in Podunk. I stopped by the bookstore today to pick up SWB's new history book. Not only did they not have it, they couldn't even find it in the system. Not the end of the world, I know -- but I wanted it *now* and I don't have it and if I lived anywhere near civilization, it would be mine! Tonight! :rant: My closest bookstore is 40 miles away. Amazon must love me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 Woo hoo! I'm on my first cup of coffee -- actually, I'm still waiting for it -- so I'm not going to try to compose a coherent post. I just wanted to say I'm so glad I'm not alone! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 When I was a kid I grew up in a tiny town of 300 people. The "library" was a two-shelf cabinet in the post office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Are you kidding? Amazon is my best friend! Aside from our pitifully small, underfunded library, Wal-Mart is the only other source for books here. :glare: I have to drive at least 45 minutes to get to a real bookstore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Yes, Podunk is in MA Just drive to the Barnes & Noble nearest you, they probably have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Nearest Barnes and Noble??? That would be one long day. :) We do have a nice small university bookstore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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