Just when I go and post an entry saying I haven't done much lately and don't have much to say, I get an e-mail with a list. Since this touches upon my upbringing and formative years, let me go ahead and comment. Generally, I'd say every one of these is true for at least one person, and I'm sure there are several � perhaps dozens, or hundreds � for whom the whole thing is dead-on accurate. But here's how it all relates to me.

Ok, first, I don't know if this answers "why" you might be from the Jersey Shore. I could understand "50 reasons you know you're from the Jersey Shore." Perhaps that's more accurate.

1. You don't understand why there aren't more 24-hour diners elsewhere in �the country. I am a little young for the diner heyday of New Jersey, but I can appreciate a good plate of mozzarella sticks at 3 a.m. Twenty-four hour food service isn't uncommon around the country, but you can't rely on Wendy's or Denny's or Taco Bell. There's nothing better than the option for a burger or pasta or pancakes at any hour of the day.

2. You know what a Wawa is, and know the location of at least 15 of them. Wawa is fantastic. It's a convenience store like 7-11 but with a great deli counter and, sometimes, a gas station out front. Unfortunately, I can only locate about four or five in my mind and none are near where I live in the northeast corner of the state. I do know that the name "Wawa" comes from the sound seagulls make when they fly over in groups � "Wa-wa! Wa-wa!" Now that's very Jersey.

3. You think a mountain is that big freakin' hill in Atlantic Highlands. I'm a well-traveled New Jersey boy, so I've seen mountains. I've driven up the highest paved road in North America in the Rockies, and I've been around the Northeast too � to Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Hell, I've even made it to the northern tip of the Garden State, where our highest point is. Only someone who's never left Monmouth or Ocean counties would look at the Atlantic Highlands hill as a mountain. I have climbed it though.

4. You know Asbury Park is no longer the Mecca of East Coast resort towns. I don't know � I think it would be more accurate to say, "You know Asbury Park was once the Mecca of East Coast resort towns. It hasn't been since the late 70s, at least, and I don't know how many people would even think of it in those terms anymore, especially with the publicity it's gotten from Bruce Springsteen and the Today show.

5. Even though there's a new Walmart in your town, you still go to the Englishtown Auction for cheap stuff. Well, we don't have Walmart near my parents house (or ours), but they are popping up around the state. My dad still goes to Kmart, even with the new Target, so that's similar. I've never been to the Englishtown Auction, which is at least half an hour from the Shore.

6. You can name all the flavors of salt water taffy. That's more the southern part of the Shore. I'm northern. Is there really a set number? You'd think there'd be one or two new ones each year. I do know (I think) how salt water taffy came to be: a storm flooded a taffy/candy shop in or near Atlantic City with salt water back in the day and it didn't ruin the taffy.

7. Your car is covered with yellow-green dust in April and May. Yes. But I know this happens in New England, for one, as well.

8. You buy Shop-Rite brand food at Shop-Rite. It's happened occasionally, but with an A&P down the road, Mom would often shop there or at Food Town more regularly.

9. You can smell and know when it's low tide. Oh yeah.

10. The Jets/Giants game has started fights at your school and/or local bar. I've witnessed heated discussions, but no fistfights. I don't doubt they've happened, though.

11. There are no self serve gas stations and you like it that freaking' way... "yous gotta problem wit dat?" I must say, in the sweltering summer months and on these brutally cold winter days, I'm happy we don't pump our own gas. When I go out of state, I'm happy to do it myself, but at least I don't have to worry about it the other 95 percent of the year. And we pay less than most states anyway.

12. You've had sex on the beach, and I'm not talking about the beverage. Um, no. It's not entirely up to me, either. I've made out on the beach in Nantucket though.

13. You know how to successfully handle a traffic circle. I feel I've discussed this before, so I hope I haven't done a similar entry responding to this list. I didn't find anything in a search, so let's hope not. Anyway, I disagree with this one. Not only are New Jerseyites unable to successfully (and safely) navigate a traffic circle, the state didn't build them too well. In many cases, the cars in the circle are asked to yield, rather than those trying to get in. It's backwards. Massachusetts knows how to do it. Maybe that's why NJ is getting rid of the ones here.

14. You know what skeeball is and you can get three 50's in a row. I definitely know what it is, though Kevin Smith helped raise awareness with the scene in Chasing Amy. I don't believe I've ever hit three 50s in a row, however.

15. You think the Olive Garden is crap and should have never opened any restaurants in New Jersey. Amen! The rest of the country should think this way too.

16. You've run out of money on the Parkway. I don't think I ever did, but I came close once.

17. You're Italian. True, but that points more toward immigrant migration and settling patterns than it does anything else.

18. You know where to get the best bagel. Bagel Station, Red Bank.

19. Donald Trump is mentioned at least daily in your local paper. I think "weekly" is more accurate, unless you subscribe to the Atlantic City Press. Of course, with his show, he's getting a lot more mentions.

20. You say "water" weird. So what if it sounds like "wudder"? I had a biology teacher in high school who made fun of this pronunciation. Sadly, he died last week.

21. Even your school made good Italian subs. I have to say, with my limited food tastes as a child, I wouldn't know. Oftentimes, though, the cafeteria would actually smell good.

22. You've lived through hurricanes, nor'easters and fires, but have never, seen a tornado, earthquake, tsunami or volcano. I can't say I've personally lived through a fire, but the other two are true. I've seen volcanos, though not in the act of erupting. It's true that I haven't experienced the other two.

23. You can't believe MTV went to Seaside Heights. Yeah, that's true. It's cheap there and the bars are open later than elsewhere along the Shore, so it's at least explainable. Belmar might've been a better fit when you look at some of their other sites � like the Hamptons.

24. You know that ACME is an actual store, not just a Warner Bros. creation. True.

25. You only go to New York City for day trips. I've only ever slept over in New York at friends' apartments or, for the first time last July, in a friend's (in this case, Casey's dad) hotel room.

26. You know what a "jug handle" is. Yep, and in some cases, it's the way to go. I can see how it would be confusing � getting into the right lane to make a left turn � but it cuts down on traffic in certain areas.

27. You have mandatory recycling. Enforced by law. As it should be.

28. You've eaten a pork roll and cheese on a hard roll ... and like it. Fuck, no.

29. You go to at least one parade at the boardwalk each year. I've been to parades and I've been to the boardwalk, but not a parade on the boardwalk.

30. You've pondered, "Maybe basketball would be more popular in New Jersey if the Nets didn't blow." This theory has now been tried and proven false. The Nets, like the Devils, have trouble drawing crowds. I suspect it has more to do with the insane ticket and parking ($10 per car) prices than anything else. When we went to the hockey game Saturday, only people with parking passes could use the lots adjacent to the arena. The rest of us had to cross the highway that bisects the complex and park near the football stadium, then cross over the walkway. Ridiculous.

31. You can go bowling at 1:30 A.M. (with automatic scoring)! Done and done.

32. In high school, you worked at a Friendly's. No, I worked at Sickels Farm and then Arrow Exterminating.

33. Route 18 doesn't freak you out at night. Not sure why it would. It's a country highway, what's scary about that?

34. Because your town was founded before 1776, all the restaurants, taverns, and shops have "ye," "olde," and "colonial" in their names. Sort of. My town is less than 100 years old because it broke away from a larger township that's much, much older. There are a lot of Ye Olde Colonial places around though.

35. You don't have to go to Red Lobster to get fresh seafood. HA! No one goes to Red Lobster for "fresh" seafood, do they?

36. You once said, "It smells like New York in here." Shit, yeah. That's a pun, too.

37. You've waited for the goddamn drawbridge for more than 20 damn minutes. So damn true.

38. At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen. Hells yeah, and it has nothing to do with being from the Shore.

39. There's a fruit and vegetable stand down the road. See No. 32. The farm is across the street from my parents' house.

40. "Anyone who makes bad pizza can go to hell" is your attitude. Having to eat bad pizza is a form of hell, so I think that's punishment enough. I'm looking at you, Mr. Domino's founder. That's why your Tigers suck. Or is he the Little Caesar's guy? Same difference.

41. You always use a minimum of 10 variations of the word "damn"while driving. Not "always," but it's happened.

42. You don't take any shit from anybody. Especially from someone from New York, because you live here for Christ's sake and just who the hell do they think they are anyway? Invading our damn beaches and bars, they're just here for the damn summer and they think they own the damn place. Don't they though?�

43. You've gone to the race track with twenty different daily double bets �from twenty different people. Yes, but not to that extent. Mom still does it every Kentucky Derby day.

44. You've spent St. Patrick's Day in Belmar. Um ... sorry. I'd love to, though.

45. You know that there are bakeries which are not part of a supermarket, but actual individual stores. And they're better, too.

46. You've ordered a "hard roll with butter" for breakfast. Can't say that I have.

47. One time, a sea gull shit on your head. Thankfully, no. Mom's had it happen, though. In Maine.

48. You've eaten at a Windmill, drunk off your ass, at 1 am at least a dozen times. Once or twice under those parameters.

49. You know what a "benny" is and can pick one out at the beach. Unfortunately, I technically now am one. But, yes.

50. You've planned a local trip around ensuring you pass at least one Dunkin' Donuts. I think this one is is a bit contradictory after the bakery comment at No. 45. But Will has often made sure we hit a Dunkin' Donuts on the way to the movies or the CD store or to help Elise move.

So come to New Jersey! I have a list of things we can do!