Middletown, Rhode Island?

Steve Dunn | November 22, 2006
While pretending to work, I clicked on Amy's profile and I see that you live in Middletown, Rhode Island.

How about that? I lived in Portsmouth when I was in 3rd through 5th grades. I bet we're the only people on the site who ever lived on Aquidneck Island!

Tony Peters | November 22, 2006
NOPE....I grew up in Newport RI though I at present live in Westerly RI...I even graduated from Rogers Highschool

Amy Austin | November 23, 2006
Heh... small world. Or, at least, a very small state. ;-) (However, I've known Tony for a number of years and knew we weren't the only ones... it was actually knowing someone up this way that gave me just that tiny, extra bit of momentum/courage to apply for a job that would have me relocating halfway across the country at my own ...(okay, E's!)... expense. ;-p)

Steve, I guess you were too distracted by the "Great O.J. Debate" in my Scavenger Hunt discussion ("GOJD") to notice my new job/relocation announcement and its ensuing details. ;-p ;-) (It's okay... I know what it's like to be swept away by the Passion of a hot topic... ;-D)

Pretty cool... I didn't know you'd lived here! So far, I am finding it attractive but QUITE EXPENSIVE... but that will hopefully change once E accompanies me up here (not until January '08 at the earliest... ;-0) -- and we may decide to buy a house up this way. I am thinking that Tiverton/Little Compton would be nice, or perhaps South County. Much as I like Aquidneck, it is shoulder-to-shoulder here (I've never driven such narrow streets! ...and yards?!!! you know it's small when it's measured in sq. footage instead of acreage!!!), and quite pricey with space at such a premium. Although, I don't exclude the possibility of finding something in Portsmouth, either. From what I've heard, the housing market has been suffering a bit here -- prices have fallen over the last couple of years. I'm not too sure what to make of this, though, because on the one hand it sounds good, the possibility of being able to afford a place in a buyer's market... but on the other hand... how long are values going to keep dropping??? Who wants to buy a place that is going to keep losing value?! And it's making me a little bitter on Yankees, too, because it seems like all the good property up here is being hoarded by really rich folks who've had the land in their families for years and years (*generations* of rich folks), or else dumped in short order (at a nice profit) to retire to/take advantage of the cheap housing markets in the South where I come from -- namely, Wilmington, NC (ironically, I saw a zillion real estate ads for new developments there while trying to find a place to rent here!) and almost *anywhere* in Florida!!! Hard for me to feel sorry for all these multi-property owners scrounging for renters in the wintertime, when no one in their right mind wants to be here then, and people like me just want to own their own little piece of pie... but instead spend HALF their fucking incomes on rent alone!!!

Okay, I need to calm down now... and go put some holes in my landlords' walls... ;-D

Steve Dunn | November 23, 2006
WOW, hey there, Tony! Aquidneck represent!!

We lived on Ethel Drive in Portsmouth. Go check it out. Boomshakayah.

Have dinner at the Sea Fare, maybe lunch at Reedy's, get some pizza from Steve's, and keep it real at Elmhurst Elementary School.

Rock!

Amy Austin | December 20, 2006
You know, I stupidly forgot that another very good friend of mine (who is currently, with his wife/daughter/one on the way, on an open-ended mission in Guatemala -- I've tried to get him to "do the goo" with me... but I guess he has more important things to do... sigh) is originally from Newport, too! I was reminded of this with a recent "catching up" phone call from him down there, and I told him that they need to come up for a stay. (An invitation, btw, that is open to anyone else here that might be in my neck of the woods... I have a spare bedroom!)