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| - I have had a love affair with Pittsburgh for as long as I can remember. I am a native Pennsylvanian, but not a native Pittsburgher. I suppose that means I am a transplant Pittsburgher. Even though I am the latter, this city has been welcoming and very hospitable that no matter where I roam to, I end up back here.
I admit that when I first moved to the area I was that annoying driver that had no clue where he was going. Not my fault I must say. When the downtown is set up like a triangle and some of the streets turn into sidewalks or stairs, it can be confusing to a newbie. I also admit that I had no clue where the neighborhoods began or ended. With over 90 neighborhoods that comprise the city, it is hard to figure out what GetGo someone wants to meet at.
As time passed, I grew into Pittsburgh or maybe Pittsburgh grew in me. From the way I dressed to the way I now talk, I have become a Pittsburgher. You can call me a 'yinzer' if you like, but my response to you is going to require the word 'jagoff' in it. A yinzer isn't anything bad to represent, it's like being a New Yorker, Philadelphian, or Bostonian. They all have their unique way of living just as this area does.
Pittsburgh has grown and changed over the years, but for the better. Pittsburgh is kind of like that annoying person you know that loves the limelight, but easily melds back into the crowd without missing a beat. That person that can be gracious yet confident enough to own up to the achievements it has accomplished.
Here's to Pittsburgh, my home, and my home away from home. As Willie Stargell said, "I would always reserve a special place in my heart for Pittsburgh."
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