A Place Called Normal

I'm amused by the towns that the people who regularly visit my blog live in. And recently, with nothing better to write about, I've discovered an interesting pattern.

I've had visits from Hollywood, Florida, and Hollywood, California.

Rochester, Minnesota, and Rochester, New York.

Columbia, Maryland, and Columbia, Missouri.

Hasting-on-Hudson, New York, and Hastings, New York.

Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, Missouri.

College Station, Texas, and College Park, Maryland.

Everett, Washington, and Washington, DC.

Manassas, Virginia -- or as a member of my former museum used to insist we address his mail, Bull Run, Virginia.

And while I would have thought I'd have the most city hits from my great state of New York -- and I have a fair number from Ithaca (of course), Hastings, Rochester, Central Square and Hasting-on-Hudson -- I actually am visited more by cities in Missouri.

Columbia, Kansas City, Independence, Birmingham, Liberty and Missouri City.

Texas is close behind -- San Marcos, Plano, Boerne and College Station.

I have my occasional readers from the United Kingdom, though most are from the United States.

My favorite city name thus far is Diamond Bar, California. Is it about the jewelry? Or about the beer?

But mostly I'm glad that in this crazy world I live in, over-analyze (who me?!) and write about, I'm just happy that there's such a place as Normal, Illinois, and that someone from there occasionally drops by to read about Ellie's search.