Rant #10: I am fairly certain the existence of North Dakota is a rather complex joke that is being played on me

I grew up in Rockland County. When people ask me how big Rockland County is I tell them the population is about 100,000 people. I have been telling people this for years. I tell them this because in 6th grade at a school assembly, an authoritative figure told us the population of Rockland was 100,000. I have been assuming for many years that this person (whose identity I do not remember) was correct and that the population remained unchanged since 1991 (quite an intelligent assumption). According to Google the population of Rockland was just over 300,000 people as of 2009.

I have realized that I just repeat many “facts” like this all the time. I am a parrot with opposable thumbs.  I know very little in life except how to repeat things said by authoritative figures many years ago. Most things I know are just things I have no individual knowledge of and have just heard second hand. I know Mercury is the closest planet to the sun because someone told me that. I know it is really cold at the North Pole because someone told me that.  I just repeat these facts.

Where am I going with this? I don’t believe in the existence of North Dakota anymore. I have been to many states, met people from many states, and spoken with many about their travels in different states. The one state in which I have never been to, never met anyone from and never even heard of anyone traveling to is North Dakota. I am convinced the idea of North Dakota was told to me many years ago by an authoritative figure and I just went with it. The joke became more elaborate as North Dakota was added to maps and included in the stars on the flag. But, I challenge you to find someone who has been or even knows someone who has been. North Dakota is the least visited state for a reason, it does not exist. World, I am not falling for the existence of North Dakota anymore.

Please note that this post was a rambling mess of a rant that may kill more brain cells than a 6 pack of miller light.