Things I'll Miss About Atlanta

I stumbled across this post a few weeks ago and it made me laugh because it is so, so true. You can see the original at http://www.justpictureitnow.com/2006/08/02/good-ol-atlanta/

This is for anyone who lives in Atlanta, who has ever lived in Atlanta, has ever visited Atlanta, ever plans to visit Atlanta, knows anyone who already lives in Atlanta, or knows anyone who has ever heard of Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta is composed mostly of one-way streets. The only way to get out of downtown Atlanta is to turn around and start over when you reach Greenville, South Carolina.

All directions start with, “Go down Peachtree.” and include the phrase, “When you see the Waffle House.” (Except that, in Cobb County, all directions begin with, “Go to the Big Chicken.”)

Peachtree Street has no beginning and no end and is not to be confused with:

Peachtree Circle

Peachtree Place

Peachtree Lane

Peachtree Road

Peachtree Parkway

Peachtree Run

Peachtree Terrace

Peachtree Avenue

Peachtree Commons

Peachtree Battle

Peachtree Corners

New Peachtree

Old Peachtree

West Peachtree

Peachtree-Dunwoody

Peachtree-Chamblee

Peachtree Industrial Boulevard

Atlantans only know their way to work and their way home. If you ask anyone for directions they will always send you down Peachtree. (note from Kristin: I know how to get to church, John's work, Target, the zoo, and the grocery store. That's it. And I have to start from home or I'll get lost)

Atlanta is the home of Coca-Cola. That’s all they drink there, so don’t ask for any other soft drink unless it’s made BY Coca-Cola.

Gate One at Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport is 32 miles away from the Main Concourse, so wear sneakers and pack a lunch.

The 8 AM rush hour is from 5:30 to 10:30 AM.

The 5 PM rush hour is from 2:30 to 8:00 PM.

Friday’s rush hour starts Thursday afternoon and lasts through 2 am Saturday. (note from Kristin: this is not an exaggeration. I swear)

Only a native can pronounce Ponce De Leon Avenue, so do not attempt the Spanish pronunciation. People will simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you. (The Atlanta pronunciation is “pawns duh-LEE-on”.) (from Kristin: transplants just call it "Ponce" to prevent confusion)

The falling of one raindrop causes all drivers to immediately forget all traffic rules!

If a single snowflake falls, the city is paralyzed for three days and it’s on all the channels as a news flash every 15 minutes for a week.

All grocery stores will be sold out of milk, bread, bottled water, toilet paper, and beer.

I-285, the loop that encircles Atlanta that has a posted speed limit of 55 mph (but you have to maintain 80+ mph just to keep from getting run over, unless you are stopped completely during “rush hour”), is known to truckers as “The Watermelon 500.”

Don’t believe the directional markers on highways.

I-285 is marked “East” and “West,” but you may be going “North” or “South.” The locals identify the direction by referring to the “Inner Loop” and the “Outer Loop.”

If you travel on Hwy 92 North, you will actually be going southeast.

Never buy a ladder or mattress in Atlanta. Just go to one of the interstates and you will soon find one in the middle of the road.

The last thing you want to do is give another driver the finger. Unless your car is armored, your trigger finger is itchy and your AK-47 has a full clip.

Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.

There are 5,000 types of snakes, and 4,998 live in Georgia.

There are 10,000 types of spiders. ALL 10,000 live in Georgia, plus a couple no one has seen before.

If it grows, it sticks.

If it crawls, it bites.

It is not a shopping cart; it is a buggy.

“Fixinto” is one word (”I’m fixinto go to the store.”).

Sweet Tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you’re 2 years old.

“Jeet?!” is actually a phrase meaning “Did you eat?” (”Jeet yet?”)

And the thing I'll miss the most:

Seeing this each time I go out after dark.