Nico Addai

I just moved back to the New York City commuter area (nowhere Northern NJ) and I hate it here. The fact that my family grew up in this area or that my brother and mom live with me do little to assuage the problem.

Personally – it’s because of how inhabitable the built environment is in this never ending tale of suburbia. The nearest grocery store is less than a mile away from be – but requires that I drive because of the lack of side walks on the sides of the road. Car are supposed to drive at 35 miles/hour, but we all know that the driving speed is a suggestion at best in NJ.

There are parks here, but those parks are for children. I’m not interested in children and feel weird as a 25 year old woman with no children of my own hanging out in the park.

I miss Kansas City desperately.

The apartment that I had, cheaper than living at home with my parents also was in a cul-de-sac where I knew my neighbors by name. I recognized where everyone lived and got to know some of their relatively mild tea from time to time. We all lived on a hill by a park for kids and a walking trail that scanned 7 miles between my cul-de-sac and other apartment housings, ending at the beginning of a huge suburb which was next to several shopping centers.

But there was also more functional places to go. A church, a two Laundromats, a grocery store in walking distance WITH SIDEWALKS and a burger joint. It was an old, wilting community, but it was a community nonetheless.

I’m stuck here for the time being, and trying to make the best of it but damn – I hate commuter towns. I work entirely remotely!