Only the Strong Survive

Yeah it is not pleasant being buried in the white stuff not once but twice in a week. It’s no fun walking in snow up to your thighs, having the current indoor temperature be lower than it will be in a couple months outside. Yeah, life in the Garden State is far from perfect, and, as a transplant from elsewhere, I'll be the first to say so. People love dumping on New Jersey, and there are lots of things to complain about. But there must be a reason why it’s the most densely populated state in the country. Here are a few that spring to mind:


Mountains, beaches and forests.

Boardwalks, fields and marshes.

Cranberry bogs and pine woods.

Ethnic and cultural diversity

Pharmaceutical and insurance industries

Princeton, Rutgers and an excellent network of community colleges

Legalized gambling

Liberty State Park and Liberty Science Center

Some of the best regional theater in the country

Live original music from Southside Johnny to the Swingin’ Neckbreakers. Other famous names include Bruce Springsteen, Lesley Gore, The Smithereens, Dramarama, Bon Jovi, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, The Gaslight Anthem, Connie Francis, The Misfits, Kool and the Gang, Frankie Valli and George Clinton.

Revolutionary war historical sites

Proximity to New York City and Philadelphia and their fabulousness

Films made in NJ include “Clerks”, “The Wrestler”, “Welcome to the Dollhouse”, “Return of the Secaucus 7”, “The Purple Rose of Cairo”, “On the Waterfront”, “Broadway Danny Rose”, “A Beautiful Mind”, “Big Night”, “Chasing Amy”, “Atlantic City” and “Baby, It’s You.”

“The Sopranos”

Hundreds of amazing restaurants featuring cuisines from throughout the world

Only the strong survive, baby…


So to sum up, yeah, New Jersey ain’t for everybody. But those of us who call it home wouldn’t live anywhere else. And perhaps that’s the way it should be.