Hometowns

My hometown is hosting a professional conference I got a invite to today. (only in that everyone on the list serv got the list. I am quite certain that I will not be an attendee because I didn't understand a word of the description except the where and when.) Of course, I was struck by the description of my hometown, so I went to the website and then went and googled my town to see what they were telling tourists these days. Shocking stuff to be sure. Not only did my hometown get converted to some Disney version of Cape Cod except maybe quainter and more p.c. but even odder-there is apparently some HUGE mall. "one of the nations largest malls" that is not actually in my hometown but in the place synonymous with PRISON when I was growing up. Now, this was interesting to me. Because, well, my hometown...seems to throw malls next to prisons and jails and mental institutions every time they build one. hmmm

Of course, the other amusing part was the fact that people were led to believe that this conference occurs during a time of beautiful weather and great tourist potential...which it does not. Most definitely. not. (not that I am not homesick enough to pretend that I understand bio whatsit interdependence with chemio whatsits and architecture whatsits and swampland.)