24 Comments

Durham, and the rest of the state, is nice. You’ll hate it.

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Haha. Can't wait :D

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Durham, NC is nice. You'll only be 3 5 hours away from Myrtle Beach.

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Nice piece. I appreciate the brevity and will more quickly open and read the next one without fear and apprehension.

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Moved to Durham from Northern California last year. It’s been amazing. Give it a chance.

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I honestly think I'm going to love it. Excited for the trees. But that'd be a boring piece

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My best friend moved to Raleigh 2 years ago. I wanted to hate it because it was taking him from me, but it's a very nice place. Beautiful but humid. I think you might hate it.

I go there a couple times a year to visit, so you should meet ME. My friend is a very talented woodworker (not a euphemism) also, so if you need/want anything made definitely hit him up.

The short length isn't a bother but I do want more. Probably a good problem for you to have.

You should absolutely immediately write about this stalker because I need to know everything right now.

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Okay amazing. I'm adding you to my list of people to meet there :D

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Now I’m freaked out about your stalker. Damn, Alex. Do I have to come down there to protect you? Big mama bear energy. Let me at ‘em.

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I mean. I'm not concerned but my mom and sister and someone named Natalie are

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1. I've got no one. 2. Shorter is fine! 3. Maaaaaybe better to wait??

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I have no idea what Durham, NC is like but I wish you both well! Can’t wait to read about your new experiences there.

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First cigarette I ever inhaled was a Bull Durham in my 4 man tent at Camp Wallawhatoola in 1968 in southern Virginia. Never so good as that first sweet inhale at age 13. Now I know where they came from and why I hardly ever saw that provincial brand again. Why do I mention this? Because your writing is so wacky and I just had to offer something wacky in return. I might have been disembodied when I signed up for your Substack, but it’s fucking funny.

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Thanks Chris. Wallawhatoola sounds like a place you made up

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Hey Alex, well my husband and I live in Durham so you should meet us. And we don’t have bull shaped pancakes, sorry to disappoint.

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You have one year to figure out how to make them!

I'll add you to my newfriends list. See you next June :D

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Hilarious

I've lived in eight states and, for a variety of reasons, spend the most of the time on the South Side of San Antonio. But now I'm the small town that serves as the county seat of Atascosa--and work in the Strawberry Capital of Texas. Yay, strawberries! My rule is, where ever you are, there you are. I've spend a life being a stranger in a strange land.

My friend Leonard Gomez told me the joke about the guy falling out of a tall building's window...partway down, a guy sticks his head out a window and asks the hapless falling guy--how's it going? Answer: So far, so good.

And Dad always said, cheer up, things could be worse...so she cheered up and sure enough, things got worse.

My prediction? Durham will be interesting in ways you least expect it. Besides, there's always baseball :D

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Yeah I'm very excited to move, honestly. I am so bored in Miami. Thank god I now have a stalker. Something to occupy my mind ya know.

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Uhhhh, okay?! hmmmm. Well, be careful O_o

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*in

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Alex, I don't know, why I found you so late!? Probably because I am not good in the technics of anything and Substack is complicated for me. Anyway, I am delighted to read your stories. But your humor is almost tragic, like Russian Gogol. Forget about Durham. I myself exchanged St. Petersburg for New York! Cried a little and fine after all, great city also. But what happened with a little girl and her operation? So much fear...

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Alex this piece was 100% perfect, as all your writings are 100% of the time.

I can’t have a stalker kill you, you provide me too many laughs.

Please let me know as much information about your stalker as possible, and I will begin to stalk your stalker to ensure your thorough protection.

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Have a friend moving out there for education job. They are hoping to buy a house out there. Prices in socal/SD are insane still. Great job with the foreseeable future. We all have that voice thinking the same thing. Crazy how many places you’ve lived dude. Let us know if there is a hillcrest out there haha

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Have never been to Durham, but have heard it is full of bull. It is always best to keep expectations low as then you are usually pleasantly surprised. If you write about the stalker and s/he is aware you are writing about them then the relationship is already too familiar. Better not to poke the bear. I think some stalkers believe they are being friendly and may turn on you once they realize you don't agree.

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