Learning to Stop Talking About OSU Hats

Or at least adjusting how I do.

Here. He lives here, Jim. So do you.

I’m sure you’ve seen the Progressive commercials with Dr. Rick:

VOICEOVER: Progressive can't protect you from becoming your parents, but we can protect your home and auto when you bundle with us.

It occurred to me at school pickup that I might need Dr. Rick to help me realize that I’m an Ohioan again. After 17 years in VA and 4 in Missouri, I’ve become accustomed to asking people wearing Cleveland or Ohio State gear—total strangers—where they are from in Ohio.

It’s just built in.

As a crowd of parents waited for their kids outside of our school, I saw an Ohio State hat and was about to ask “Where in Ohio are you from?”

Ohioans also love ending their sentences with prepositions.

In Virginia, I asked the question to probably 700+ people. (That’s 41 times a year, on average, for those doing the math at home.)

But I caught myself.

Here. He’s from here, Jim. Your kids go to the same school.

Look what the cat dragged…

No.

I was proud of myself. But it is hard to stop a 20+ year habit and turn on a dime. Now I can talk with strangers about how much Ryan Day sucks and should be fired.

On the official Ohioan front, I’m all licensed and plated. The Saint Ignatius license plate? Glorious. Behold:

My Ohio ID? It does have Gov. DeWine’s name on it, as well as Charles L. Norman, Registrar. Some things never change. I did also notice something interesting: my State DL Number? It’s the exact same as my first license.

There are smart reasons for doing this, but I like to think it’s because Ohio is so confident that you’ll be back, they hold the registration for ya.

As Mark Titus wrote: “Proud to be an American, but even prouder to be a Buckeye.”