Pennsylvania, I Have Beef with You

To Be Honest I'm Over the Keystone State

I’m a lot of things, and that’s why I had to stop watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. That cartoon triggered me so hard as a kid I couldn’t shut up about the injustices I saw. Never mind it was animated or a Christmas tradition. I had to align with the misfits. And I wanted to slap the reindeer coach silly for his caveman attitude.

Why start a post with a Christmas show and my attitude about it?

Because when I get on a topic, it’s hard to back down. My husband has often said, “Tell me how you really feel,” because although I try hard to speak the truth in love, you ARE going to hear the truth from me. And 85% of the world doesn’t want to hear it. Yeah, it’s a random stat, but judging how most people have no idea what to do with me, I stand by it.

So, Pennsylvania. Why would I write about this state that has been part of my life without ever living there? Well, this is my creative space where I promised myself I’d write whatever I felt I was supposed to without concern for my fiction-writing life. This is my safe space and writing haven.

And darn it, I have beef with Pennsylvania.

In April, I had to go to Pittsburgh, or near it, three times. I became anxious every single time. I tried different routes. Every time I was a mess.

• The Hills. Growing up, I was in the Southern Tier of New York, bordering Pennsylvania. It was nothing to go over the border for cheaper gas (not anymore) or a day trip. My dad was a pioneer of sorts, entering rehab before it was celebrity trendy. Where did he go? A place called Endless Mountains in PA. Obviously, that isn’t a fun time in my life, but when I take that route, I hate it. Now I live on the other side, in Ohio, bordering Western PA. Hills, hills, steep slopes, major inclines. My brakes are still smoking. I’m over the hills and Endless Mountains.

• The construction. Not just any construction, but the kind that takes you one lane on a turnpike so narrow you could kiss the concrete barrier. Then, the brief break before the next stretch of construction you get to fight the tractor trailers struggling on the hills, but set on staying in the left lane. Ugh. Over it.

• The newsworthy stories. I had to take my daughter to a doctor appointment outside of Pittsburgh and we passed an exit for Butler. I said, “See that? That’s where President Trump was ‘hit”. Then, when we arrived in the suburb for our appointment, I said, “Hey, this is where the bad guy is from.” Another time we met my sister halfway, and that happened to be Altoona. Why did that sound so familiar? I kept thinking about it. Then it hit me. The man Tik Tok has felt is too handsome to face consequences for his alleged part in taking out another person, Mangione, was arrested in Altoona. And kudos to those who did, because I couldn’t navigate that city to save my own life. It took 20 minutes to get anywhere in that city. It made no sense. It was one way at times. Hills all times. Red lights all times. Anyway, I thought Ohio and Florida had all the newsworthy stuff going on but PA, this was a crime tour I didn’t count on, being in these places.

I will say I have fond memories as well. The PA Grand Canyon area is gorgeous, especially in the fall. Gettysburg is my jam. I love history and I’ve taken the car tour three times to get different perspectives. Hershey. Who could hate Hershey? I ate my customized bar in one night. My BFF since middle school lives in PA. Pennsy, you have good points.

But living outside of Youngstown, I learned fast that we are equidistant between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. For years, I watched Youngstown porches host a Browns flag only to take it down in embarrassment and replace it with a Steelers flag.

If this city rivalry were a Bachelor-type show, my rose would go to Cleveland all day long. No hills. The construction and infrastructure makes sense. The gas is thankfully not taxed to the point of being a hardship.

Cleveland, Drew Carey was right. You DO rock.

Pittsburgh, I can’t with you. I lack the patience, the brakes, the brainpower it takes.

Pennsylvania, you stress me out. April did me in and I declare we have beef.

But don’t worry, you’re not as bad as West Virginia. Don’t even get me started on them…

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As I mentioned above, my real writing life is in the fiction world. I write clean and wholesome small-town romances where funny enough, there are hills and mountains, LOL.

Anyway, I love encouraging other authors. This week at my OG blog I have the May 2025 new releases from Fiction Finder. If you aren’t sure what book to read next, Fiction Finder can help you by subject or author. I’m there. Happy reading!