Just where have I been?

The red states are those I've trod upon. If you want to make yer own map, check out this site. In fact, if you like, you can respond to this post with a map of yer own; just copy the HTML code from the site and paste it onto your response. Fun for everyone!

If you want to be really bored, read on.

States I've hung out in:

ARIZONA: My mom and aunt live there; visited several times, most recently last year.
CALIFORNIA: Visited friends in 2002.
COLORADO: Been there a few times. Visited a friend there in 1996. Survived a blizzard.
CONNECTICUT: Been up there a couple times, most recently in 1997.
DC: Went there for an honor society field trip, 1989. Freaked out classmates by acting drunk.
DELAWARE: Passed through a couple of times.
IDAHO & MONTANA: Passed through when I moved from Illinois to Oregon in 1998.
ILLINOIS: Duh.
INDIANA & OHIO: Passed through a few times, most recently in 1997.
IOWA: Passed through a few times, most recently in 1998.
KANSAS: Lived there for several years when I was a kid.
MARYLAND: Passed through a few times. Most striking Maryland memory: my grandfather, with my grandmother, cousin, and myself, getting lost trying to pass Baltimore and ending up on "Gay Street." I'm not sure who Gay Street was named after, but, given the nearby bars and folks of similar gender walking down the sidewalks holding hands, I guessed it was a Gay Street indeed.
MICHIGAN: Passed through when my dad drove me from New York to my college dorm.
MISSOURI: Lived there as a kid. Visited a few times since then. Been to two weddings here.
NEW JERSEY: Visited relatives there many times as a kid.
NEW MEXICO: Passed through a few times en route to Arizona.
NEW YORK: Was born there. Last visited in 1997.
OKLAHOMA: Passed through a couple times, last time in 1996.
OREGON: Lived there before moving to Chicago.
PENNSYLVANIA: Passed through a few times. Part of same trip that took me to Gay Street. Gettysburg rocked, but the Amish are pretty dull and so was Hershey.
SOUTH DAKOTA: See Idaho. I saw both Wall Drug and Mount Rushmore, which sums up the entire South Dakota experience right there.
TEXAS: Passed through a few times, most recently in 1996. Ask Mr. Kiosk about the foggy night and the giant glowing blue cross. 'Twas freaky. Also peed on the state, an experience I will forever cherish.
UTAH: Visited a few times. Camped in Moab and was bitten by approximately six gazillion mosquitos. I swore I'd never camp again, a vow I have kept.
VIRGINIA: Colonial Williamsburg! What fun for a 12-year old! Blortch.
WASHINGTON: Visited friends in Seattle. Drove around there a few times, most recently in 2001.
WISCONSIN: Got married there. No further comment required.
WYOMING: Visited friends there in 1995. Some of the most gorgeous country I have ever seen.

States I've not been to:
ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, & KENTUCKY: Uh, no.
ALASKA: Someday. It's not in my plans for a few years.
FLORIDA: No thanks. Maybe Key West.
GEORGIA: My girlfriend went to college there, so it's only a matter of time before she drags me there.
HAWAII: Nah. Maybe in my 40's.
LOUISIANA: The only state whose citizens have lynched Italians. I should stay away, just in case.
MAINE & NEW HAMPSHIRE: I'd love to visit during the summer someday. Not in the cards right now.
MASSACHUSETTS: I have some friends who live in Boston. I do want to see them sometime in the next couple of years.
MINNESOTA: This is one of my dirty secrets: I really, really want to visit the Mall of America.
MISSISSIPPI: There's this bookstore in Oxford I'm itching to browse through; other than that, no.
NEBRASKA: For someone who has lived in the Midwest most of his life, I'm not sure why this state slipped through the cracks.
NEVADA: The girlfriend loves Las Vegas. It's inevitable I'llbe forced to join her. And I wouldn't mind visiting the Liberace Museum.
NORTH CAROLINA: A large chunk of my girlfriend's family lives there. I'll be there before the year is over.
NORTH DAKOTA: South Dakota, North Dakota...what's the diff?
RHODE ISLAND: Might slip by here when I go to Boston.
SOUTH CAROLINA: My girlfriend's sister lives within twenty miles of SC; I'd like to visit just so I can say I've been there.
TENNESSEE: Same as South Carolina, albeit a slightly longer drive.
VERMONT: My grandmother lives there, and it's supposed to be gorgeous in the fall.
WEST VIRGINIA: If I live my entire life visiting only 49 states, I want this to be the 50th.

Comments

[Tina]

OMG you want to go the the Mall of America??? Do u realize that its a mall??? Mind you, it could be the greatest place on earth, but YOU?...Thats shocking.....

[eighmie]

Don't bother with the Mall of America. Imagine what your retail life would be like if you worked in the biggest mall ever. Sad little retail whores trapped away from the sun. That was my take on it,, and this was after i had not been in an inside mall for almost 2 years. It's big, but if you've been to one mall, you'e basically been to them all.

[Reverend H.L. Spork]

I know, it's shameful. The candy store gig seriously depleted my good will towards indoor shopping malls, but I liked them ever since I was a kid. Thing is, I don't really know why. When I lived in Kansas City over twenty years ago, I could say the metro area then had more shopping malls than Chicago, and I might just be right. My mom and stepdad dragged me to every damned mall in the area, from Independence, MO to Olathe, KS, and I didn't mind a bit.

As a kid, I think I was fascinated by the crowds of shoppers there, all the pretty lights, the food courts. Although I have grown to properly hate all these things, the kid in me still has a say, and he would love to check out the biggest indoor mall in the country. What do you expect from kids? Hell, he still likes reruns of Dukes of Hazzard.

[Laura]

Well, YOU asked for it (I really should get my own blog eventually, I suppose).

(hope this works)
[ed. note: no, it didn't. But that's cool.]
(have a bad feeling it didn't--so, gist is, I've been to 27 states, 52%, which isn't bad for someone who really doesn't like to travel)
[ed. note: you're right]

Sporkian capsule descripts, for the really bored:

ARKANSAS: Camped there with family one summer. My parents had the idea of retiring there years ago, but I think they're probably staying in Illinois at this point.
ARIZONA: Been in the airport in Phoenix several times--does that count?
CALIFORNIA: Several times, last in '95 or '96??
COLORADO: Spent a couple weeks in summer with family friends. Almost lost virginity there, but we didn't want to do it in the car and couldn't find anywhere else. Hey, I was in high school.
CONNECTICUT: Lived there since '96, probably won't leave, at least until my stepkids grow up and we can say goodbye to all of this ("Good-bye, all of this!") and flee to Canada.
FLORIDA: Grandma lives there; visited occasionally. Might go back to visit old friend in Ft. Myers; otherwise, there's not much of a point. I hate heat.
ILLINOIS: Born 'n raised.
INDIANA & OHIO: Passed through often, mostly on family trips.
IOWA: Visited the same friends that we went to Colorado with when they were living there; I was still in grade school.
KANSAS: Drove through on the way to Colorado. My father told me I was not to go to college anywhere that involved driving through Kansas; his best friend says that the worst thing about Colorado is that "when you first get there, it looks just like damn Kansas."
KENTUCKY: I know I went there as a little kid, but I don't remember much about it. We went in a big cave.
LOUISIANA: Went to New Orleans as a kid, on the way to Florida. Had a wonderful time; might want to go again.
MAINE: OK, this is a little embarrassing. . . I've gone to church camp there for three summers, probably a fourth this year. Better than it sounds.
MASSACHUSETTS: Next state over--gone to Northampton and Boston a few times; went to Walden Pond last summer. Should go more often.
MICHIGAN: Camped there several times as a kid; also visited dear friend's family cabin as adult (well, sort of).
MISSOURI: Lived right near the border while I grew up; St. Louis was always my "big city."
NEVADA: Went to Las Vegas with dear friend. Everyone should go at least once, if only to marvel at the horrors Americans are capable of.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Drove thru en route to Maine.
NEW JERSEY: Have a bunch of relatives, mostly aunts and cousins; visited many times.
NEW MEXICO: Passed through on a train trip from Illinois to California in college. One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen; always wanted to go back.
NEW YORK: Have many relatives in Albany area; visited many times.
PENNSYLVANIA: Passed through often, mostly to get to NY or NJ. Most of my partner's family lives there, so I expect I'll be going again at some point.
RHODE ISLAND: Used to fly out of the airport there before the Hartford airport got Southwest and the fares went down.
TENNESSEE: Went a few times to visit dear friend; also visited Memphis with family. Ate alligator and turtle.
VERMONT: Went to meditation retreat in '97 (it was the weekend Princess Diana died, so completely missed immediate media frenzy).
WISCONSIN: Camped with family; also visited a few boyfriends. Highlight: went to the Kohler toilet and sink factory--it's more fun than it sounds.

Of the states I haven't been, I don't have much of a yen to go to any. DC would actually be my first choice; I'm surprised I've never made it there. I wouldn't mind going to North or South Carolina at some point, and I hear Minnesota is nice for us progressive types. Right now, though, I'd rather spend my money (what money?) on building up my life here, rather than traveling. You can always read about other places. :)

[Myke]

I've been to 35 states, and run races in 9 of them. I thought the Visited Countries map would be fun, but it seems like the ones I've been to are mostly small, and close together.

[Bil Stevenson]

I went to the Mall of America - it was pretty cool, for a mall, but pristine kitsch. I think one could have an even more interesting sociological experience by working at a casino.