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Sept 17, 2003 I’ve had friends tell me that I’m too negative and employers tell me I have a bad attitude. That might be true, but to try and prove them wrong, I’m going to be positive in this column. I’m not fond of my home state, but after observing disasters around the nation (Ten Commandments monument flap in Alabama, power outage on the east coast and the political freak show going on out in California) right now I’m glad to say I live in Indiana. Yes, glad to live in Indiana. It’s not the flashiest of states, but right now things seem pretty normal. Our governor just died, and it’s safe to say that he won’t be replaced by a porn star or actor-turned-politician. It’s also pretty safe to say that no one will argue about his replacement, former Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan. He was sworn in on Saturday, and as far as I know, no one protested. Democrats and Republicans expressed their sorrow at Frank O’Bannon’s passing. Which I thought was nice. Even the mayoral candidates in my hometown agreed to stop their mud-slinging, er I mean, campaigning until after O’Bannon is buried. So besides having respectful politicians, what else is good about Indiana? The quirkiness of the politics: Despite Indiana being very conservative and for the most part Republican, we seem to end up with Democratic governors quite frequently. Cheap Real Estate: One of my friends picked up a cute little two-bedroom house with basement and garage for $40,000. She’s doing it on her own too; she isn’t married or living with anyone. So if you’re single and interested in purchasing real estate, Indiana is one place you should consider. Low cost of living: You pay a flat fee of $3 to park at the Memorial Coliseum for a Wizards game or a Komets game. If you want to park a little closer for a hockey game, you’ll pay $6. Compare that with the $10 we shelled out to park during a comic book convention in Chicago. Movies are around $7 if you don’t catch a matinee. And gas is hovering in the $1.65-$1.90 range. Proximity of major cities: Fort Wayne is too big for some people; not big enough for others. However, if you get the hankering for a big city or another country, Chicago is about a four-hour drive away, same for Detroit. Same for Canada. Indianapolis is a mere two-hour jaunt down I-69. Brown County State Park: I’ve not been here, but I’ve heard people wax poetic about this place in the fall. Maybe this year I’ll get down there. If not, I can always cruise down U.S. 24 from Fort Wayne to Huntington. At times, it’s like you’re driving into a covered bridge, except in reality it’s a highway with trees arching overhead. Shipshewanna: I went there a few weeks ago for the first time in years and was floored at what this little town had to offer. It’s known for having a huge (1000+ booth) flea market offering designer perfumes, tarps, collectables, school supplies, crafts and pet items, among many, many other things, but the town boasts an impressive collection of craft and antique shops, restaurants, hotels and Amish buggy tours. Consumerism meets minimalism in this small, northern Indiana town. Unique landscapes: Okay, it’s really flat here, but where else would you find a pond in the shape of the Indiana University logo? It’s right here, if you drive U.S. 33 north of Fort Wayne. For a few years, LaOtto was the home of the potato vending machine. I don’t know if it’s still there, but the machine would pop out a bag of potatoes if you put money in. If you venture far south, you’d swear you were in the real south. A visit to Hanover College reveals wonderful architecture, just the type of buildings you’d expect to see in a college in Kentucky (except it’s in good ol’ Yankee Indiana). Famous people: Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of the television set, lived in what is now a big yellow house at the corner of State Street and St. Joseph Blvd. A plaque out front says so. Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s washed dishes at the Hobby House restaurant. And you have diversity. From a whitebread state like Indiana came caustic late-night wit David Letterman, super-perky Brady Bunch mom Florence Henderson, and pop music’s ultimate freak show, Michael Jackson. The Indianapolis 500: The greatest spectacle in racing belongs to Indiana. Not France, not Monaco, not even Florida or California. Indiana is where the world’s eyes are turned every Memorial Day weekend. Many drivers come from more exciting places and might not even be American, but they make getting to Indiana, specifically Indianapolis, a goal. Not New York, not Los Angeles, not London, but Indianapolis. Indiana isn’t the most exciting place to live, but maybe that’s okay. That’s not to say bad stuff doesn’t happen here (it does; a little over a year ago a Fort Wayne woman was abducted from her home, beaten, shot and burned in a field a few miles from her home) or that weird stuff is out of the question (a few years ago there was a guy in Huntington who performed castrations without benefit of a medical degree) but for the most part, Indiana is far removed from the flashier places in the U.S. A co-worker told me her son, who lives in Los Angeles, refers to Fort Wayne as Mayberry. She laughs when she tells me this, but says it’s true. And it is to a certain extent. True, we don’t have Andy Taylor leading Opie to the fishing hole. But sometimes, when it’s summer and it’s a warm sunny day and I’m out in the country, I look at the countryside. I think of all the people who are returning home or who are already home, preparing supper, watching television, or doing whatever their early evening ritual might be, and it’s comforting. Despite all the madness in the world, Indiana is still a little removed from it all. Nothing much happens here. And sometimes, that’s a good thing. ------------ About the author: Gloria Diaz is an opinionated citizen of Generation X (member since 1967) who occupies herself by dabbling in photography, writing and as a written communications processing specialist for the government. She has written for several diverse publications including Scram, Spleen, The Fort Wayne Free Press, and for the Huntington County TAB. Email Gloria Diaz: Scoop5767@aol.com Comment on this column in the forum. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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