Greetings to everybody out there in the cyberspace land – if you're reading this, there's a pretty decent chance that you're reading my blog. And for that, I apologize. However, if you're still reading this, then welcome to Cheesesteak in the Steel Empire. If you haven't gleaned by the description yet, this is the future home to a series of blogs about making the adjustment from being a Philadelphian to being a Pittsburgher.

Before we go on any further, I think it's pretty appropriate that I roll down some background about little ol' me. After all, what good is it to read a weblog by someone you don't even know? I'm known by Mitch Donaberger in most circles (and 'Adam Sandler' when I'm in California, but keep that one under your bonnet), and I was born in a sleepy suburb on the hem of Philadelphia. I grew up within eyeshot of a little town in Pennsylvania called Chester. And if you haven't yet heard of Chester, let's just say that you should be thankful. We'd all be better off if we don't talk about it.

As long as I can remember, I was being slung from the ancient suburbs of Delaware County to the grit and grime of Philadelphia – and after I worked for a summer as a courier in the city, I'm proud to say that I'm quite the city boy. Every stereotype about Philadelphians that you've heard were true for me in those days: 'youse', Geno's & Pat's arguments on the street side, appreciating what is basically the dirtiest city on Earth, etc. It had its problems, but, I'm proud to call it my home.

However, when the end of senior year of high school rolled around, I decided to go on a spirit quest of sorts. In order to find out who I was and what my place is in the world, it was necessary for me to take a dive and leave my city. It's almost as if I were in a tribe, and I was expatriating into the woods to suffer until I see the truth.

Enter Pittsburgh, stage left.

I chose to attend Point Park University, got accepted, packed my bags and pulled them across the Turnpike. Fast forward two years, and you have me now. An Oakland-bound junior PPU student that still can't adjust to the massive cultural divide you Pittsburghers have out here. As the days go on, I'll get more and more into the strange things I see around here, and hopefully, I can detail how I'm doing on that whole adjustment thing! Plus, maybe you other Philly transplants will read this and realize that you're not the only one that can't get a good cheesesteak anywhere in Pittsburgh –– and before you mention that place in the South Side, that stuff is a joke.

So, stay tuned. I'll try to make it interesting for youse.

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