1993… First Impressions
The Mt. Auburn Welcome Wagon tracked me down within a month of my arrival to Cincinnati. Community volunteers fanned the flicker of interest I expressed in the
Mt. Auburn Community Council, one of the City’s 52 neighborhood associations. Quickly pressed into service, a whirlwind of activities ensued: A Day in Eden, National Night Out, District 4 Police Appreciation Night, Community Gateway Garden, and more.
Within a few months, I surprisingly surpassed the civic engagement level back in my home state of Maryland. Maryland prepared me well for community involvement as the first state to institute 75 hours of service as a high school graduation requirement. Even though I had served as a youth representative on our PTA, a youth advisor to the County, Governor’s Intern and head of Goucher College’s Community Auxiliary for Service corps, the speed of acceptance and inclusion in civic life in Cincinnati pleased me.
On more than one occasion, I had to overcome the urge to answer the name of my college to the quintessential Cincinnati question of “What school did you graduate from?” (meaning which high school). Like every Cincinnati transplant, an “I’m not from here” reflex kicks in, followed by a quick transition to another way to build connections.
Who knew that people saying “Please?” are really asking you to repeat yourself? Charming. There’s a secret pleasure that non-native Cincinnatians take in finding shortcuts to the airport using the West Side, exploring parks on the East Side, visiting restaurants in Hyde Park, and shopping in Northern Kentucky. Foil those misconceptions.
1999… First Recruit
Michael & I debated where we would live after our wedding in Eden Park. After 6 years of Cincinnati life, the city’s charms grew deeper. A native New Yorker, Michael had spent over 5 years living in Charlotte after stints in DC, FL, & Bloomington, IN.
Charlotte (ironically also known as the Queen City) boasted warmer climates, shorter drives to the Ocean, fine parks, and great YMCAs. Access to North Carolina’s state college system also proved attractive.
Cincinnati’s history, illustrated by architectural beauty of a diverse housing stock and unique buildings, may have been the deciding factor. Knowing Michael’s appreciation for Civil War history, a few well-timed visits to U.S. Grant’s birthplace in Point Pleasant, OH, his boyhood home in Georgetown, and such may have been the trump cards I needed in this delicate negotiation.
My first recruit to Cincinnati arrived to stay on April 16th, a week before the wedding. Future taxpayers, Alex & Adam, arrived 4 and 5 years later.
2008…
After lifetimes in Baltimore and a lengthy search for the right retirement environment, Mom & Dad picked Cincinnati! Besides the obvious benefits of being minutes or hours closer to all of their grandchildren, they eagerly await our region’s lower cost of living, bigger house for the same money, and, yes, much lower taxes.
Frequent road warriors, Mom & Dad will now be within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the U.S. Daytrip opportunities abound to all sorts of awesome places to visit. And, coming home to Cincinnati is all the sweeter.
Speaking of sweet, Mom can’t get enough black raspberry chip from Graeters and my special order raspberry-filled white cake from Servatii’s. I’ll need to add another 30 minutes of cardio to my work out to make up when the Carb Queen moves within a mile of us! (Anybody got a friend who needs a great house in Baltimore?? The boys want Mom-Mom & Pop-Pop here now!)
Now, onto those northern Ohio siblings of mine…