Lawn Guyland

[z28luvr01]

You might be from Long Island if:

You live in the shadow of the greatest city in the world, but you almost never go there.

When you're away from Long Island, you love it and when you're there, you don't.

You think if you're not from Long Island or NYC, you're not really from New York.

You know the exact point at which Queens turns into Nassau simply on intuition.

You don't go to Manhattan, you go to "The City".

You never realize you have an accent till you leave.

Everything north of the Bronx is "upstate."

New Jersey sucks.

At some point in your life you've gone clamming.

Either your parents or your grandparents lived in the city.

You'd pay $11.50 for a movie.

You don't live in Long Island. You live ON Long Island.

You know where the Commack Motor Inn is.

Your distant future might involve the state of Florida.

You can correctly pronounce places like Ronkonkoma, Hauppauge, Wantagh, Mineola, Islandia, Massapequa.

You know the location of 6 malls and a dozen McDonalds and 36 7-11's.

You never, ever want to "change at Jamaica..."

You've tried to find the Amityville Horror house.

No, you don't want mustard on that burger!!

You can't understand why a diner would ever close.

You've had a seagull crap on your car.

You have or someone you know has fallen asleep on the LIRR and ended up in one of these three places; Babylon, Port Washington or Hicksville.

You went to an elementary school that promoted dodge ball as the number 1 game among children 7-13.

You know White Castle is terrible for you and the food sucks but you periodically "Get the Crave"

You want the Yankees to stay in the Bronx, but would probably go to more games if they moved to Manhattan.

You think that somehow, the Jets and Giants still play in New York.

You've missed that "Drunk Train", the 2:42 out of Penn and had the dreaded wait until 5:30.

You or someone you know has owned an animal that came from North Shore Animal League.

Quick! Who's your county Executive? Don't know do you?!

You've never taken an MTA bus.

The Long Island Expressway isn't really as bad as everybody thinks.

You don't associate Fire Island with gay men.

You know which parts of the Godfather were filmed on Long Island.

You've paid a $10 cover charge to get into a bar, but got nothing for it.

You miss wiffle ball and running through sprinklers.

You think Islip MacArthur airport is cute and you enjoy watching it grow up.

Billy Joel said it best, "either you date a rich girl from the North Shore, or a cool girl from the South Shore".

You don't really see the big deal about the Hampton’s, unless you got smashed at the Bordy Barn.

When people ask "where are you from?" you answer Long Guy Land and automatically assume everyone in the world knows that answer means New York.

You've always liked Billy Joel and you own several of his "records."

The Belt Parkway sucks!

You've been stuck in a traffic jam for more than 2 hours (without moving).

Your parents took you to All American, Nathans or Carvel (on the way home from the beach).

Regular gas - $2.69 and you still pay it!!!

You hate paying tolls.

You don't have to go far to see your family.

You remember Grumman.

You've gotten drunk on the bleachers of some high school.

You know the color of the water at Jones Beach is not BLUE!

You were upset when all the Roy Rogers turned into Wendy's and Arby's closed for good.

You can spout off all the LIRR stops between Penn Station and Ronkonkoma.

Paying $35 for a haircut doesn't sound so crazy.

You think the people from Brooklyn are "da wunz dat tawk wit a accent."

You went sledding in the sumps.

You've partied on a golf course in the middle of the night.

You knew of Massapequa before the Amy Fisher-Joey Buttafuoco nightmare.

You think going to Queens was a hike.

The first time you heard the term "Long Island Iced Tea" you were somewhere else and you laughed.

When you live somewhere else and are astounded to see that people actually stop at yellow lights.

When you just sort of presume that wherever you live, you'll be able to find good delis, good pizza, and good bagels.

You can name at least three bands that came from Long Island.

When you walk in the city and you see two men holding hands...it becomes normal to you.

No word ends in an ER, just an AH.

[NDL]

Z28, thanks for the great thread! Here are my favorites:

When you're away from Long Island, you love it and when you're there, you don't.

I near hate Long Island, but suprisingly enough, the above one is true! I didn't miss LI, until I moved away...

You never realize you have an accent till you leave.

Again, this is true too! Funny enough, because I never considered Long Islander's as those having accents, but to the rest of American's, we do.

When you just sort of presume that wherever  you live, you'll be able to find good delis, good pizza, and good bagels.

True. While I don't consider LI pizza or bagels the best (because I compare everything to the Brooklyn - which is 'The Standard'), I gotta admit that the above one is true.

No word ends in an ER, just an AH.

LOL

[trinacriabob]

Four things:

1.

Need some more nicknames for some of the towns...i.e. Massapequa = Matzah-pizza

2.

You know that Great Egg and Little Egg in "The Great Gatsby" is Great Neck and Little Neck - I think.

3.

New Yorkers love to complain. Period. Who is worse? Jews or Italians? I think the former, but both are obnoxious.

A bi-coastal from New York:

While in Los Angeles: there's no culture heah. you can't get good food at 2 am heah. the portions are too small heah.

While in New York: the weather is awful heah. there's too many people heah. yada yada yada

4.

Change at Jamaica - don't get it. Actually, Jamaica Estates is very nice.

And thank you so much for the Jersey comment , being that it is the only place in the metro area in which I have resided (age 8 to 9).

[CSpec]

2.

You know that Great Egg and Little Egg in "The Great Gatsby" is Great Neck and Little Neck - I think.

It was East and West egg in the book. :AH-HA_wink:

[z28luvr01]

Four things:

4.

Change at Jamaica - don't get it.  Actually, Jamaica Estates is very nice.

It's a Long Island Rail Road thing. All LIRR trains run from Eastern LI to Penn Station. The major lines all combine at Jamaica before heading into Penn, but if you want to reach Brooklyn or somewhere else in Queens, you have to "change at Jamaica"...this really decrepit old station in a decrepit section of Queens. I've never done it, but even the three minutes that the train sits at Jamaica is too close for comfort for me.

[NDL]

Great seeing your face here Trinacria ! Time prevents me from replying fully, but for now, here are some answers:

Four things:

1.  Need some more nicknames for some of the towns...i.e. Massapequa =

Matzah-pizza

I'm sure it might surprise you, but few Long Islander's go by nicknames...

3.  New Yorkers love to complain.  Period.  Who is worse?  Jews or Italians?  I think the former, but both are obnoxious.

Nah, I wouldn't say that New Yorkers like to complain, but the above ethnic groups have rightly earned that distinction.

4. Change at Jamaica - don't get it.  Actually, Jamaica Estates is very nice.

And thank you so much for the Jersey comment  , being that it is the only place in the metro area in which I have resided (age 8 to 9).

That's because Jamaica Queens, is a notoriously bad neighborhood. Plus, switching trains is a pain-in-the-neck. Think quick, because on an off day, it's possible to miss the train!

One last thing: Check out Glen Cove, an area where Mass is still said in Italian. In fact, on a Sunday morning, it's common to smell sauce being made from area residents, while driving down the street...

[Paolino]

Mostly true Thanks Z28

You might be from Long Island if:

You live in the shadow of the greatest city in the world, but you  almost never go there. - VERY true.

When you're away from Long Island, you love it and when you're there, you don't. Not so true.

You think if you're not from Long Island or NYC, you're not really from New York. Very true

You know the exact point at which Queens turns into Nassau simply on intuition.  Same goes for when Nassau turns into Suffolk, and when Queens turns into Brooklyn.

You don't go to Manhattan,  you go to "The City". Kinda conflicts with the one above, but honestly, I don't know what to call Manhattan other than "The City"--I think that's it's real name LOL

You never realize you have an accent till you leave. Okay, NDL, you have a heavy Brooklyn accent when you're not watching your pronunciation.  I, however, have a heavy Long Island accent when I'm not watching.  I can tell at times, but most of the time I feel I tawk normuhl.

Everything north of the Bronx is "upstate."  Well, technically, it is

New Jersey sucks.  - OMG, YES.  JUGHANDLES MUST DIE.

At some point in your life you've gone clamming.    No, but I really want to.

Either your parents or your grandparents lived in the city.    Brooklyn.

You'd pay $11.50 for a movie.    Is it cheaper elsewhere?

You don't live in Long Island.    You live ON Long Island.  Well, the first sentence might be considered grammatically incorrect, as you don't live physically in the Island, you live physically on top of the Island.

You know where the Commack Motor Inn is.    I'm going to say, umm... Commack.  And yes, I know where it is

Your distant future might involve the state of Florida.    Maybe as a trip but never to live.

You can correctly pronounce places like Ronkonkoma, Hauppauge, Wantagh, Mineola, Islandia, Massapequa.    Hmmm... yeah, I can.  I guess I never thought about that.

You know the location of 6 malls and a dozen McDonalds and 36 7-11's.    God, there's like 3 malls in a 10 mile distance and god-knows how many McDonald's and 7/11's!

You never, ever want to "change at Jamaica..." Well, if I wanted to risk my life I might.

You've tried to find the Amityville Horror house.  I've found it.

No, you don't want mustard on that burger!!    Ewww... who puts mustard on a burger?!

You can't understand why a diner would ever close. Do diners close?  I'm serious on this one.

You've had a seagull crap on your car.    Yup

You have or someone you know has fallen asleep on the LIRR and ended up in one of these three places; Babylon, Port Washington or Hicksville.    Ugh.  I've fallen asleep and woken up in Huntington!

You went to an elementary school that promoted dodge ball as the number 1 game among children 7-13.  Actually, it was kickball.

You know White Castle is terrible for you and the food sucks but you periodically "Get the Crave".  Dude, they have to have some sort of additive in their burgers that makes you want them like once every 3 years.

You want the Yankees to stay in the Bronx, but would probably go to more games if they moved to Manhattan.    Dunno about that one.

You think that somehow, the Jets and Giants still play in New York.    Don't they? lol

You've missed that "Drunk Train", the 2:42 out of Penn and had the dreaded wait until 5:30.    Why do they have a 3-hour wait between those two trains?!  I never understood that.

You or someone you know has owned an animal that came from North Shore Animal League.    Hmmm... Brookhaven Animal Shelter.

Quick!    Who's your county Executive?    Don't know do you?!    Uh, I think it's a man.

You've never taken an MTA bus.    Well, kinda hard when there are NONE around me.

The Long Island Expressway isn't really as bad as everybody thinks.    Yeah, I agree with this only because the Belt takes the cake as the largest death-trap of a road on the face of the Earth.

You don't associate Fire Island with gay men.    Actually, I do

You know which parts of the Godfather were filmed on Long Island.  Never saw them.

You've paid a $10 cover charge to get into a bar, but got nothing for it.    Yup.

You miss wiffle ball and running through sprinklers.    Yup

You think Islip MacArthur airport is cute and you enjoy watching it grow up.  One day it aspires to be a real airport

Billy Joel said it best, "either you date a rich girl from the North Shore, or a cool girl from the South Shore". Yup.

You don't really see the big deal about the Hampton’s, unless you got smashed at the Bordy Barn.  Again, yup

When people ask "where are you from?" you answer Long Guy Land and automatically assume everyone in the world knows that answer means New York.    No, only people from the US.  If I ever talk to people online out of the country, I say "New York" or "Long Island, in New York.

You've always liked Billy Joel and you own several of his "records."  I think NDL had them--I never owned a record--didn't really pay attention to music until CDs came out.

The Belt Parkway sucks!    Amen.

You've been stuck in a traffic jam for more than 2 hours (without moving).    Yup.

Your parents took you to All American, Nathans or Carvel (on the way home from the beach).    Think so.

Regular gas - $2.69 and you still pay it!!!    Self serve, too

You hate paying tolls.    Yup.

You don't have to go far to see your family. Live with 'em.

You remember Grumman.  They still exist you know--dad kinda works for them (granted it has the word Northrop in front of it now)

You've gotten drunk on the bleachers of some high school.  Nope.

You know the color of the water at Jones Beach is not BLUE!    I don't think it's blue anywhere on the Island--unless you're driving on Robert Moses Causeway.

You were upset when all the Roy Rogers turned into Wendy's and Arby's closed for good.  Very... I feel I didn't experience enough of Roy's before it shut.

You can spout off all the LIRR stops between Penn Station  and Ronkonkoma. Can't everyone?

Paying $35 for a haircut doesn't sound so crazy.  Yes it does, I hate paying 10 bucks for my 3-minute haircut as it is!

You think the people from Brooklyn are "da wunz dat tawk wit a accent." True.

You went sledding in the sumps.    Yup.

You've partied on a golf course in the middle of the night.  Yeah.

You knew of Massapequa before the Amy Fisher-Joey Buttafuoco nightmare.    Yup.

You think going to Queens was a hike.    Yeah.

The first time you heard the term "Long Island Iced Tea" you were somewhere else and you laughed.    Nope, was in Long Island... in Jericho, at a bar, drunk.

When you live somewhere else and are astounded to see that people actually stop at yellow lights.    No, yellow means speed up.

When you just sort of presume that wherever you live, you'll be able to find good delis, good pizza, and good bagels. Yup.

You can name at least three bands that came from Long Island.    Yup.

When you walk in the city and you see two men holding hands...it becomes normal to you.  What's wrong with that?

No word ends in an ER, just an AH.  Well, I actually pronounce things with "er" and not the "uh" or "ah" most people do.

[z28luvr01]

Very... I feel I didn't experience enough of Roy's before it shut.

There's ONE left. In Shirley. Take Sunrise Highway to the William Floyd Parkway south exit (57, I think). Drive less than a block on WFP and it's there on the left. If you hit Montauk Highway you went too far.

They were so awesome. We used to get a box of their chicken. They literally blew KFC out of the water.

[NDL]

You never realize you have an accent till you leave.  Okay, NDL, you have a heavy Brooklyn accent when you're not watching your pronunciation.  I, however, have a heavy Long Island accent when I'm not watching.  I can tell at times, but most of the time I feel I tawk normuhl.

I was somewhat surprised to hear you say that I have a heavy Brooklyn accent when I'm not watching my pronunciation, because I don't see (hear) it. Then again, you are far from the first person to say that, so I must assume that it's true ...

New Jersey sucks.  - OMG, YES.  JUGHANDLES MUST DIE.

ROFL @ Jughandles

No, you don't want mustard on that burger!!    Ewww... who puts mustard on a burger?!

Mustard on burgers is nasty. I didn't know that people had mustard on their burgers, until I moved out of NY. Then I found out, that we're the odd ones ...

[evok]

"You know where the Commack Motor Inn is."

ha ha ha

[trinacriabob]

This guy who sat in the next office at work was from Smithtown. Through his endless stream of L.I. stories, I lived on Long Island vicariously. He kept telling me over and over that I would fit in there. (But it's too cold)

His wife was a pain the ass. She would come in to the office and complain to me about California...constantly. I would just nod. They moved back. Then they returned. When they got back to L.I., she missed California. Poor guy...he acted like he was tough, but he was really P.W.'d. One time, his wife brought me back a phone directory from L.I. called "The Jewish 411." She knew I'd bust a gut over it.

Edited March 28, 2006 by trinacriabob

[Paolino]

There's ONE left. In Shirley. Take Sunrise Highway to the William Floyd Parkway south exit (57, I think). Drive less than a block on WFP and it's there on the left. If you hit Montauk Highway you went too far.

They were so awesome. We used to get a box of their chicken. They literally blew KFC out of the water.

That's so funny you should say that... as soon as I posted it, I started thinking--it reminded me that my friend's family makes an "outing" to Shirley to go to Roys like a few times/year. I feel like I might have to make a trip out there... hey, I go out to Rocky Point once/month to do dinner with friends... maybe I should pick up some food for the ride home and throw it in the fridge for the next day. Then again, doubt it'd be on my "diet" that my sarge has me on (phys ed/health teacher here) She's bustin' my ass--lost 12lbs in the past 4 weeks