The Jersey Shore Ain't The Beach

On October 27 I started a topic in a private staff forum just to alert everyone that there was a storm coming that may effect the ability of some staff members to help out for a time. Hurricane Sandy is slowly receding in the rear view mirror for many of us but far from all. There are still millions without power and far to many that are now homeless. This was not just a hurricane but a combination of weather events.

I am looking through the previous mentioned topic to see if there is any reason not to move it to public view.

Now to the topic. People all around the world go to the beach in the summer. That is not true in the New Jersey area which includes much of the NY metropolitan area as well as the same for Philadelphia. We do not go to the beach we go "Down the Shore" New Yorkers and I believe Philadelphians go to the "The Jersey Shore." The only time we go to the beach is if we are already down the shore.

For many of us our childhoods are wrapped up in part by the memories of The Shore. Later we brought our children and they theirs.

To those of you whose concept of the Jersey Shore is seen through the eyes of Snookie and The Situation etc. you are only partly right. It all takes place in Seaside Heights which is one of the more northern amusement areas down the shore. It is all but gone. The roller coasters, rides and he piers that they stood on are now in the Atlantic Ocean.

Perhaps that is not all that important when compared with the loss of life and the homelessness, Much of the Jersey Shore was being gentrified anyway. Asbury Park where Springsteen electrified us all at the Stone Pony was unrecognizable even before the storm.

But now Seaside is gone too along with many beach front properties throughout the region. I can only wonder what will replace what has been taken away. Whatever it is it will never be the same and I am sad!

No, as bad as this was and is, it is not Katrina and should not be compared. But loss is loss and it is being badly felt around here.