#NaBloPoMo: Five Ridiculous Things Genealogists Do

Irish American Pittsburgh

I rarely refer to myself as a genealogist (a word I often struggle to spell), preferring ‘family tree explorer’ or ‘family history documenter’ mainly because genealogists seem to be nuts. Not all of them, not all genealogists. But enough of them are loud enough to suck the fun out of it. Rigidity about who I […]

My Pittsburgh Basket #NaBloPoMo2019 #NaBloPoMoPgh

The Prompt – You are packing a Pittsburgh box for someone who has moved away. Describe what you include and why. My box would include Yinz is a Gender Neutral Pronoun shirt from Etna Print Circus A piece of slag from Brown’sDump Locally roasted and ground coffee from Eat n Park and Coffee Tree Roasters […]

Where is your coat? #NaBloPoMo2019 #NaBloPoMoPgh

Hallloween costumes

The Prompt – How often did you have to wear a coat with your Halloween costume? Should this be a dealbreaker? It was hit or miss. As I got older, I tried to lean into costumes that were inherently weather flexible. One year, my Dad made me a costume that allowed me to wear a […]

What qualifies as Pittsburgh Famous? #NaBloPoMo2019

Pittsburgh Famous

The Prompt – There are lots of folks described as “Pittsburgh famous” – what does that phrase mean to you? Please list a few Pittsburgh famous folks that most people might not immediately think about. Pittsburgh famous includes high-profile local folks, often members of the media and politicians, but also artists, creators, quirky neighbors who […]

Bridges and Tunnels, Oh My #NaBloPoPgh #NaBloPoMo2019

The Prompt – What are the names of the bridge and tunnel closest to your childhood home? What about now? I’m tickled by how hard these prompts can be even though I created them. I grew up in West Mifflin, minutes from Century III Mall – literally. I had to use Google maps to determine […]

Pittsburgh Needs Policies for Urban Wildlife and Homeless Domestic Animals #NaBloPoMo

The Prompt – Is Pittsburgh a cat or dog city? (Or alligator city?) Explain your answer. I’m a cat and dog person, but I have more cats right now. Thus, I plead the Fifth on this one. I wish the CITY as an entity had more concrete policies with regard to homeless cats and dogs. […]

Okay, Boomer, What Happened To My Pierogies #NaBloPoMoPgh #NaBloPoMo2019

The prompt – Pittsburgh is famous for slaw and fries on sandwiches, cheese on fries on salads, pierogies, and more food speciality items. Did you have these types of items when you were growing up? Does the Pittsburgh food of your childhood carry into your adulthood? I had my very first pierogie courtesy of Mrs. […]

The Real Legacy of the Immaculate Reception and Franco Harris for this Pittsburgh Kid #NaBloPoMo2019 #NaBloPoMoPgh

Franco Harris Pittsburgh

The Prompt – Were you alive during the Immaculate Reception? Do you have any memories of that moment in sports history? If no, tell us about the first time you heard of this historic event, even if that means you googling it right now. The Immaculate Reception The Immaculate Reception is one of the most […]

I Still Know How to Fold a Newspaper #NaBloPoMoPgh #NaBloPoMo2019

The Prompt – Pittsburgh no longer has a daily newspaper in print. Did your family ‘take a paper’ when you were growing up? Did they watch the local tv news or listen to the radio news regularly? Do you regularly read any Pittsburgh based media sites, both mainstream and alternative, now? The short answer is […]

Growing Up in Kennywood’s Backyard #NaBloPoMo2019 #NaBloPoMoPgh

Kennywood 1916

The Prompt – Kennywood is a very unique regional resource. Most people do not have fully realized amusement parks so accessible. Did you visit Kennywood as a child? What is/was your favorite ride?  I grew up in West Mifflin, home to Kennywood. It was so much a part of my childhood. We went to Kennywood […]