The library is the most popular cultural destination in America in 2019, but not for me.

Gallup released its survey of the most common cultural destinations for Americans in 2019.

The most popular cultural destination by far was the library, averaging 10.5 visits in 2019.

As an author, I’m thrilled to hear that reading books is alive and well in America, but I’m also a bit torn. I hope some of those library visitors are also going to bookstores and purchasing books, too.

Twenty-one Truths About Love, Storyworthy, and four other novels in particular.

Women also visited libraries twice as much as men, proving once again that they should rule the world.

As for me, I far exceeded the average of 10.5 visits in 2019. Between speaking at libraries and bringing my children, I probably doubled that number in 2019.

Next was going to the movies at a theater, which averaged 5.3 times last year.

I can recall seeing at least 6 movies in the theater last year, but we would see many, many more if our daughter, Clara, and to some degree, our son, Charlie, weren’t so opposed to going to the movie theater. Clara doesn’t like movies very much, eschewing conflict whenever possible, and Charlie is picky about the movies he wants to see.

It makes Elysha and me crazy. When they are old enough to be left alone, Elysha and I will be leaving them behind often to go to the movies.

I’d like to also point out that since the kids have been born, Elysha and I have seen about half a dozen movies per year, and in some years, many more.

A lot of terrible, self-loathing human beings took great joy in telling us that it would be years before we could return to the movie theater after having children. Despite the existence of our kids, we have continued to see movies at the national average.

The average American attended a live sporting event 4.7 times per year.

I far exceeded this total, attending seven Patriots games and a couple minor league baseball games in 2019.

Concerts or theater events came in next at 3.8 times in 2019.

Once again, I far exceeded this number in 2019. Elysha and I saw Elton John and Elvis Costello and Blondie in concert, plus Hamilton and Rent in the theater. We took the kids to the circus. We also attended a Moth Mainstage in New Haven, a handful of comedy shows including Lisa Lampanelli’s “Losin’ It” (on which I am now a credited writer), and several smaller events like concerts in the park. Add to this list the theater shows that we saw during our week at Disney, and this easily becomes our most popular cultural destination.

If I add in the theater events that I produced and events in which I performed, the number gets even larger.

The average American visited national parks 3.7 times in 2019. I visited many parks in 2019, and I also hiked local trails and visited state parks like Gillette Castle, but in terms of national parks, I haven’t visited one of those… ever?

Wow. I’m not sure if I’ve ever visited a national park.

Americans visited museums 2.5 times in 2019. Thanks to our children, we far exceeded this number. I suspect that visiting a museum is my children’s favorite cultural destination, and they would be happy if we took them to one every weekend.

It’s a little annoying.

Americans visited casinos 2.5 times in 2019. Elysha and I saw the Elvis Costello/Blondie concert in a casino, but other than quickly passing through the casino to each the theater and eating a quick burger in a restaurant, we actively and aggressively avoid casinos whenever possible. I play poker (which is not actually gambling), and for a time, played often enough and well enough to pay for our honeymoon and make two mortgage payments from my income, but I’ve only played poker at a casino a handful of times.

Most of my poker profits came from online play before it was made illegal in 2011.

Elysha and I can’t stand casinos. The cigarette smoking is enough to send us running, but the whole place makes us a little crazy. Watching small children awake around midnight, playing games in the arcade or calling for their parents from just beyond the slot machines, hurts our hearts.

There is a palpable feeling of sadness and desperation in a casino that I detest.

Rounding out the list of cultural destination is the zoo, at 0.9 visits in 2019.

We visited Animal Kingdom while in Disney in 2019, and we tend to visit the zoo once or twice each year.

Overall I'm pleased with the culture that we experienced in 2019.

More movies, maybe a national park or two, and perhaps a couple more Patriots playoff games would've been nice, but you can't have everything.