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Even Mitt Romney has to put up with "the great unwashed" tromping past his La Jolla manse... and sunning on the beach in front of it, too.
Rochester's an awesome city which has been kicked in the groin, so to speak, with the downfall of Kodak. 
...and both have greatly reduced their work force since the 90's. If any bouncing back can be attributed to anything, Larry Glazer was likely the driving force behind it.
Despite its Erie Canal/Industrial beginnings, it's such a beautiful city! 
When I first turned on the TV today, this was all over the news and my first thought was of Starsky of Starsky and Hutch. 
But there was also a more recent movie. I did love the car... 
Since I'm in NE NY, I'm not familiar with Rochester, unlike some other DUers.
I was anxious to see a historical building that we discussed in my architecture class. That's my entire experience with Western NY. Oh, and Carl Paladino is from there! 
I actually considered going, but couldn't get anyone to come with me... 
It was like an old gangster movie!
Would you vote for this guy??
The threat of cement shoes, and all...
I never did find out if anyone showed up at his local campaign event. A lot of people were probably too afraid to go...
That was truly bizarre!
Though there is some religion around here in which people aren't allowed to dance at all. When I was in elementary school, one segment of gym class was coed square dancing, and I wished I belonged to that religion, whatever it is.
It seems that many activities have something to do with food, LOL. My mother belonged to a church group that provided a community lunch for the hungry and she helped the women of the church make and serve strawberry shortcake for the local arts festival.
And we have a popular Alcoholics Anonymous meeting every Friday in the church parish house. 
My family always drank and I joined AA in 2008. 
Many of the women in my home group have over 20 years, but they're still there, every week. They're a terrific bunch of women.
That group meets on Mondays and Fridays and we pass out coins at the beginning of the meeting. The first coin is for 24 hours, then we go to 1-11 months. When someone has a year, we have a celebration, and for every year after that. I celebrated five years last April along with one woman who had 18 years and another one who has 40!!! 
It's about a better way of living. A friend of mine in the program said that she wished everyone would live like that and she's right. I've learned quite a lot and it's a life long process. The woman with 40 years still shows up because she still gets a lot out of it and it's an opportunity for her to give back. That's what I do for the beginners' group.
Not everyone sticks with it, though. Two of the friends I made at the beginning and were very helpful to me "went out" again and one is back in rehab, again. But then you just make new friends. My sponsor is just terrific. She's an older Jewish lady and isn't very well, but I've learned a lot from her and she has really been there for me.
My view is that whatever works for you is fine. One of the sayings I like is "take what you want and leave the rest." That's worked for me.
I am a heretic at times.
But it's supposed to be a "spiritual" program, not religious. I don't know how good I am at the "spiritual" part, LOL, but it's worked for me and so I'm convinced it can work for anybody. It's "a simple program for complicated people." 
But then I got sent to boarding school where we had required "chapel" almost every day. I don't mind going now, though I don't on a regular basis. Having gone all my life, it is comforting because it's familiar.
Thays ok because I pray during the game.
And my former boyfriend played in college, was a huge sports fan, so I followed sports then, by necessity, LOL, not so much now. Also, for my job, I was the one who was responsible for sports. My partner at work was a guy, but he knew so little that I had to handle any sports we were responsible for.
I don't, either, but my brother is a huge fan. My college had a pretty good hockey team, but guys on the team who would blush if you said hello to them would change completely when they had a stick in their hands.
So my plan is to stay home, whether I want to or not, LOL, spend some time on DU and with my pup and new kitten. The kitten spends way too much time in his crate, so my goal is to get him used to being out - and teach him that not everything and everyone needs to be bitten. Yourself?
And sports can be a great thing to bring people together. Does your brother live nearby? I also have a brother, and I try, but he watches FOX News.
Are you close to your brother? I know that you have a sister, too. I just have one brother and we've never gotten along well, but since we lost our mother both of us have been making an effort, but it's tough - especially the Republican part.
I have two cousins I'm close to, the nearest I have to sisters, but one now lives in Connecticut and the other's in Colorado, so it's not like I can just stop by.
I'll be here! 
