You Know You’re From Parma When. . .
We put together some fun points any Parmidian will understand. You know you’re from Parma when…
You, and half of your friends, have worked at Marc’s
You have a pink flamingo in your lawn…and on your white socks…and on your bumper sticker…
Pierogies don’t mean Mrs. T’s
Parmatown mall was where you hung out and did your Christmas shopping
You go to the same neighborhood bar your parents went to, sometimes with your parents…
You’ve been to “Uki” school or know someone who has
There is a pizza shop, ice cream stand, bowling alley and bar within walking distance
A trip to the “grocery” store includes paying $1.50 for a full lunch from the snack bar, which you enjoy while spending 20 minutes browsing the closeouts aisle buying things that aren’t on your list, then saying a quick “Hi” to live parrots before you put a single food item in your cart
There’s a church on every corner. . . right across from a bar
It could be blizzarding and you still wouldn’t get a snow day
You drink pop. . . soda doesn’t exist unless it’s orange
You saw Marc Glassman in public and was disappointed that he didn’t have a parrot on his shoulder like in the cartoon
You have three high schools and two libraries
Only the Browns stadium is bigger than your high school football team’s
You look forward to that dull period between New Year’s and spring break because it’s fish fry season!
You try to get out of Parma, but then end up coming back because you love it
You know that Chuck is big and John is little
You are surprised to learn that not every city has its own golf course, metroparks and skating rink.
You remember sledding down State Road Park hill
You spent Friday nights in junior high ice skating at Forestwood rink
The phrase “lake effect snow” strikes fear in your heart
Friends meet at your house because it’s cheaper to Uber or Lyft downtown
While figuring out what direction you’re heading, you refer to Broadview Road and Pleasant Valley
You STILL can’t figure out where Pearl intersects what street
Every place you shop at is off Ridge Road
You have your own personal freeway downtown
You can live on the same street as someone living in Parma Heights or Seven Hills, then turn the corner and you’re in Parma again
It’s acceptable to drink at family parties, or really at anything
You wish that you could read Ukrainian so you could understand what the heck two-thirds of the businesses on State Road are selling
Many of your friends’ last names end in “ski”
You have been woken up by a marching band at 8:30 a.m. in the middle of summer vacation
The main event of summer is the Rib n Rock
Your fondest childhood memories were from United Skates, Marc’s Funtime Pizza Palace and Discovery Zone
You spend your summers going church festival hopping
Half your friends went to Catholic school
You hit every Berea fairground festival because you’re only 20 minutes away
You try a fish fry out of state and are appalled they only serve meatless spaghetti
You go an hour south and people tell you that YOU have an accent
You know that riding your bike up “The hill” is a great accomplishment
This blog has been republished from ParmaYPs.com.
Kathie Zipp
In her day job, Kathie Zipp is managing editor for Solar Power World magazine, published by WTWH Media out of Cleveland, Ohio. Outside of work, Kathie enjoys sharing her passion for Cleveland and its suburbs by blogging on the content council for Engage! Cleveland. She also recently joined the marketing and communications committee for the Young Professionals of Parma and is excited to advocate for her hometown in this role.