Chapel Hill is a College town lined smack up against Carrboro. I've spent all of my life in just about the same location, making my major move two years ago.

My father, mother and sister still live in the house I came from, down the street. My Uncle, Aunt and three Cousins live up the road from me. My father's parents were two hours away in Virginia while my mother's parents lived where I do now, in Chapel Hill.

I enjoy having all of my family in one place. It's a very warming thought to know that the house in Virginia is only two hours away and there peace and quiet awaits me. Keeping in touch with my extended family is very important to me and I couldn't imagine living so far away from them that we couldn't meet up every Saturday somewhere.

I wouldn't call Chapel Hill a small town, but it's no New York City either. There can be a lot to do if you want to do the right kinds of things. We have about five movie theaters and a few major shopping centers. University Mall is just a block away from me, across the street from my parents' house.

Most of the action comes from Franklin Street, the "downtown" section of Chapel Hill that runs into the "downtown" section of Carrboro. We call it downtown, though the locations are actually very "up." Franklin Street climbs a rather large hill that not only houses the "downtown" section, but the University of North Carolina campus as well. Up there you can find the Planetarium and a Museum or two but the sports are what most people I know go to see.

When I need more of a something to do, it's only a hop skip and a jump to either Durham or Raleigh.

Fifteen minutes away from my house down good old 15-501 you can easily run into Northgate Mall or Southsquare Mall, two of the larger malls in that area. I often end up here if I'm looking for something other than what I'm used to seeing. Sometimes it just feels good to look through stores you don't see every day. These malls house larger versions of Belk and JC Penny, Footlocker and Bath and Body Works, not to mention the many clothing and eating locations and the Lion King Store (Oops, did I say that? I mean the Disney store, of course.)

On the way there's a nice little plaza that holds the crafts store I frequent. That same section contains a Barnes and Noble, Wallmart, Best Buy, and Office Max. Traffic here is horrendous on weekends and busy shopping hours. If I'm buying threads for cross stitch or paints for my mirrors, I usually try to avoid the hectic times of day.

Right across the lot from those stores is where Boxers entertains me on the nights when I just feel like getting out, but don't really want to deal with the crowd.

I rarely visit Raleigh, though it's only thirty minutes away, right off of I-40. If I'm there it's for a Star Trek Convention, to pick up a friend who goes to North Carolina State, or because I'm headed to the State Fair. Legends is the only place in Raleigh that I spend time in on a more day to day basis.

I've been very lucky in my location. Chapel Hill has four seasons and few disasters. Those of us that are old enough remember good snows and hot summers with beautiful springs and falls stuck in between. I have everyone important to me right here in my area and a nice job right down the road.

As I decide how to treat this page, there will be more posted. Glad you stopped by.

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