I moved to Allentown from a small town in the Pocono Mountains about five and a half years ago. I was closer to work, closer to my friends, and more importantly, I was out of my parent's house. I don't live in a big place, it's a 900-sq foot townhouse at the eastern end of the city. It's no palace, but I've made it my own. I'm five minutes from center city Allentown, and ten minutes from downtown Bethlehem. There's lots of shops, restaurants, and movie theaters all around. It's impossible to be bored in this area.

I love my house, but I'd like living in it even more if I wasn't on the outskirts of the quasi-ghetto. Too many Jerry-Springer worthy fights on the street, too many drunken parties until 3 am on Saturdays, my car's been broken into at least once, and (bonus!) you never know when the neighbors are going to feel like having an impromptu fireworks show. Fun!

I'm lucky enough to live on a quiet street in the neighborhood, and people leave me alone for the most part, but sometimes? Sometimes I miss my old quiet life in the country.