Neil Miller is responsible for The Columbus Movie Guy blog, as well as a couple others. Neil was nice enough to let us ask him our Ohio 5 questions and talk a little bit about what he likes about living in Ohio and where he likes to hang out and how much he likes Columbus.


1) You and your town: a marriage of love, convenience, or necessity?

My relationship with the great city of Columbus began as a marriage of necessity, as I was relocated with my "real" job here about a year and a half ago. Since then it has been a pairing that has blossomed into a lovely union, as I have completely fallen for the heart and soul of the Capital City. Being from Cleveland, I had always thought of Columbus as being a world away; just a small town that sat next to a big college. I have learned though, that there is a much greater community of youth and culture here than anywhere else in the entire Midwest. Living here has captured both my love of being a part of a big metropolis and my affection for the spirit of the Midwest. Needless to say, I am hooked on living here in Columbus.

2) A mysterious benefactor gives you $75, with the condition that you must do nothing productive. Where in town do you go, and what do you do?

I would take an afternoon downtown, in the Arena District. I would start with catching a movie at the Arena Grand, which is the best theater experience in all of Ohio. I would then grab a bite to eat, probably down at Gordon Biersch (where I could enjoy a fresh brewed glass of greatness). After dinner I would walk over and use the remainder of my money to purchase a ticket to see my beloved Columbus Blue Jackets play at Nationwide Arena. But then again, I don't need a benefactor to give me $75 to do that... I do it all the time anyway.

3) You are your town's tour guide, on a tight schedule. What is the one place you show visitors? OK -- two places.

Oh what a tough question! There is just so much to do in this town. I would most likely take someone down High Street, through campus and all the way down into downtown. We would swing by the Capital building, breeze through the Arena District and end up down in German Village, at Thurman's for the World's Best Burgers. It would be a wonderful drive that would show off a lot of what Columbus has to offer.

4) The mysterious benefactor is back, this time with $500, three days off, and the condition that you must not leave the state. What's your plan?

This mysterious benefactor is beginning to sound like someone I should call more often. $500 would easily buy me a trip back up North to my hometown of North Olmsted, which is just southwest of Cleveland. There I would round up all of the friends and family whom I miss so much and take them downtown for a day. We would hit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, maybe catch an Indian's game, and swing on down to the Warehouse District for some drinks. At the end of it all I would make sure that I had enough money left over to put a tank of gas in my car and make it home, right back here to Columbus.

5) You're an Ohioan. What about that makes you proudest? The flip side of pride is shame; go there too if you want.

Once you get over the shame of being the state that messes up just about every Presidential Election, there is a lot to be proud of being from Ohio. We may not have the greatest professional sports teams in the world *cough* the Browns *cough*, or the biggest cities, but we have a lot of heart. There is no place in America where people work harder to support the ones they love most. Ohio may not have the glitz and glamor of California, but we still know how to have a good time. It is a great place to raise a family and an even better place to have been brought up. In all of my travels, I have never once had any ounce of shame telling someone that I am from Cleveland, Ohio... Even after they make fun of our football team.