There is nothing like a vacation to change your perspective. I forget how odd (and mid-20th Century) Pennsylvania is until I visit family out of state. Not that New Jersey doesn't have it's own peculiarities (What is up with those jug handles and turning right to go left?).
My first clue that I might be back in civilization was when my grandfather and got off the train and passed a liquor store in the station. The State of New Jersey treats its citizens like adults, unlike the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which treats us like children when it comes to buying spirits.
Another change is that both of my uncles are in North Jersey, which means they're in the New York media market. More below the squiggle.
At breakfast, I got to page through the New York Times where I found the following article. This probably isn't the first time, probably more like the 12th or the twentieth, but I don't always get to read a real paper (the Inky used to be a real paper, but it goes downhill more and more.)
Then I had go back home from Thanksgiving vacation and it was back to Pennsylvania, which in some ways is still stuck in 1950-something. (Particularly if you're outside Philadelphia proper.)