Do You Love Your City?

[martyb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Hmm! Then I guess that is a reason why the movie was called "The TEXAS chainsaw massacre". To be serious, here in Louisiana I think everybody has a chainsaw. I almost bought one myself but then decided to borrow his when I need one.

Well, I sold mine, but since I'll be retiring in Louisiana, I guess I'll be getting another one!

[Orchidflower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyb Make mine Bluebell Rocky Road, please!

Yankees won't get that, so here:


Blue Bell Creameries - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Only sold really in the South...pity. It's da bomb!

[Sarah in SC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinker25 How's the cost of living in SC? The climate sure beats southern New England, where I'm from.

That's a bummer about all the ties to your area. But I guess it won't last forever and planning where you will go might be part of the fun, I know it seems like that has been the case with our own W2R.

I don't really know about that whole cost of living question. I mean, we can live cheap or live big, depending on what we want to do. I live outside the city limits, so my taxes are cheap. I think our houses might be cheaper than other parts of the country, but there are expensive ones, too.

It isn't exactly possum living, but I think you can live fairly cheaply here and I don't hear quite the complaints about taxes that you do in other areas, like up North. But then again, we've got no services, really.

It is hot in the summer, but we've got the beach right here and a million places to go on the boat in little creeks and big rivers. Come see us on vacation and we'll give you the dog and pony show!

[Rustic23]

DW and I have moved a total 23 times in our 43 years of marriage. While some places were better than others, I can't say we disliked anyplace. We always took the attitude that there were thousands of people that choose to live here and are happy, so let's find out what they are doing and try it. That lead to volks marches, snow skiing, surfing, wind sailing, rodeos, and lots of other things we would have never tried. We don't live in a city now, but find our little part of heaven on earth just right.

[clifp]

Three or four years ago I would have said, "I love living in Honolulu what's not to love". However, I voted just very happy living her. Reflecting back I actually loved Silicon Valley the passion that people in the Valley had for inventing the future was infectious.

So I would say that I loved working in Silicon Valley (if you have to work) but as place to live it is too crowded and too expensive. All in all living in Honolulu is pretty sweet, but I am glad I don't have to work here.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clifp All in all living in Honolulu is pretty sweet, but I am glad I don't have to work here.

I worked there, and you've got that right! Working in a tourist destination like Honolulu or New Orleans is less about the location and more about the job....

[Purron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic23 DW and I have moved a total 23 times in our 43 years of marriage. While some places were better than others, I can't say we disliked anyplace. We always took the attitude that there were thousands of people that choose to live here and are happy, so let's find out what they are doing and try it. That lead to volks marches, snow skiing, surfing, wind sailing, rodeos, and lots of other things we would have never tried. We don't live in a city now, but find our little part of heaven on earth just right.

I really like your comments Rustic23. Looking for the beauty in every place you've been. Because of you're positive outlook, I'm thinking people welcomed you and your DW in all these places. Who wouldn't like someone to moved to their area then found something to love about it?

DH and I often hear people complain about our area and comment about how the place they're from is so much better. You know, cheaper, better weather, slower place, less traffic, etc. This place far from perfect, but it's our home.

[Independent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinker25 I moved to the midwest from the northeast. I didn't realize how different the culture would be. I've been here 24 years and still don't feel bonded to it. The main thing I miss is the ability to easily go to the beach, or mountains - I mean for the day, not after a 10 hour drive. Especially, I miss the ocean. I don't know what I was thinking... Just that Boston had gotten too intense for me. I also find people are way too polite here - they don't say what they think, they say what they think they should say. It's weird for me. I got used to it - like, when people asked me how I was doing, I was supposed to say "great, how about you?". Even if I was recovering from bronchitis or cancer... the answer is that you're great, or fine, or whatever. It's not supposed to be the real answer. OTOH it's much cheaper to live here, and the salaries were not that much lower. So I was able to retire. But I miss my friends and family - on both coasts, mostly - and the ocean. I was unprepared for that. I can't leave now - SO's mother is our responsibility and she's here. I think for me and for many others, where our roots and families are have a lot to do with it. I grew up in a (cold) beach culture. I had no idea. I've travelled extensively and found places I thought I'd like to live in, but really have only lived in 3 cities. Strange. Sorry if this is a rant!

I got to the same result via a different path. I was raised in Detroit, married a woman from Nebraska, and settled in a county seat in Iowa. I had hoped to move after I retired. Realistically, "moving" would have meant a house closer to the kids in a larger city in the midwest, plus a condo for three months somewhere warm and probably a couple vacation months during the summer in the mountains or along a coast, but that would have been fine. I'd like to see more places rather than move to one.

A combination of health issues, the economy, and a more realistic view of my wife's tolerance for travel seem to have stopped that.

Unlike you, I like the polite people in the midwest. I learned from my wife that in a small town you can start a little conversation with the person behind the counter at the convenience store, the bank teller, or whomever. If it turned into a long conversation you'd probably discover you had a number of mutual acquaintances. But, the little traveling we've done says there are better views, better weather, more things to do, and plenty of nice people elsewhere.

[Meadbh]

Finding value in wherever you live is a subject I have been thinking about quite a bit recently, since I am planning to move from a much maligned frigid (in winter) prairie location to a warmer and more congenial location in 2011. I am thinking not only about the climate and physical location but the people and customs. I'm going to miss the cultural diversity of where I live now, and the community spirit. Hopefully there will be plenty of that where I'm going!

Here is a photo of my street taken this afternoon.

[Purron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Finding value in wherever you live is a subject I have been thinking about quite a bit recently, since I am planning to move from a much maligned frigid (in winter) prairie location to a warmer and more congenial location in 2011. I am thinking not only about the climate and physical location but the people and customs. I'm going to miss the cultural diversity of where I live now, and the community spirit. Hopefully there will be plenty of that where I'm going! Here is a photo of my street taken this afternoon.

It's beautiful Meadbh. Even so, I can understand your desire to move to a more temperate climate. The older I get, the harder it is for me to tolerate winter. Please keep us posted on the move. Sounds exciting

[Khan]

I'm here. I've been here ~32 years. Would be an introvert no matter where I lived.
Have been trying to figure out where to move to for old age.

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Finding value in wherever you live is a subject I have been thinking about quite a bit recently, since I am planning to move from a much maligned frigid (in winter) prairie location to a warmer and more congenial location in 2011. I am thinking not only about the climate and physical location but the people and customs. I'm going to miss the cultural diversity of where I live now, and the community spirit. Hopefully there will be plenty of that where I'm going! Here is a photo of my street taken this afternoon.

Pretty picture ! I love looking at snow . Living in it not so much !

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Here is a photo of my street taken this afternoon.

Why are all the trees on your street wearing belts?

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Why are all the trees on your street wearing belts?

Silly question. Did you ever try to put suspenders on a tree?

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Why are all the trees on your street wearing belts?

Very observant, REW! The "bands" are impregnated with chemicals that kill the beetles that cause Dutch Elm Disease.
Dutch elm disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[theloneranger]

Don't like cities. Never did. Grew up on my Granddaddys 600 acre farm and had no playmates except for the children of sharecroppers.
Several times when I moved for a job, I lived in a city for a short time till I found a place out of town to move to.
Now have been in the same county for almost 32 years, but have never been
"in the city".
We moved eight years ago to a 12 acre place seven miles out of town.
Less than ten minutes to the golf course and grocery store.
I hate traveling to most big cities, especially in the LACA area.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Finding value in wherever you live is a subject I have been thinking about quite a bit recently,....

Quote:

Originally Posted by theloneranger Don't like cities. Never did. Grew up on my Granddaddys 600 acre farm and had no playmates except for the children of sharecroppers. ...

I didn't vote in this poll, as I am somewhere between the top 2 poll choices. The two posts above put everything in context for me.

I feel fortunate to have lived in a rural/farm area, and the 'Big City' (NW-N side of Chicago), and the suburbs. Each have their own positives, and each would suck (for me), without ready access to the other areas.

I love that we can make a day or weekend trip into the city and enjoy world class entertainment (the Chicago Symphony, Art Institute, museums, the vibrant City itself, etc).

I love that we can come home to a quiet, almost crime-free place to relax.

I love that we can travel 15 minutes in the other direction to real farms, or just a few minutes to deep forest preserves.

And if I lived in another area, I'm sure I would seek out the positives that it had to offer, and make the most of them. In a similar vein, I've been planning a trip with a friend (DW refuses to get in an airplane). We debated about this destination or that. I said that I pretty much didn't care, we would find a way to have fun regardless of the destination (within reasonable limits, of course).

-ERD50

[BTravlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 I didn't vote in this poll, as I am somewhere between the top 2 poll choices. The two posts above put everything in context for me. I feel fortunate to have lived in a rural/farm area, and the 'Big City' (NW-N side of Chicago), and the suburbs. Each have their own positives, and each would suck (for me), without ready access to the other areas. I love that we can make a day or weekend trip into the city and enjoy world class entertainment (the Chicago Symphony, Art Institute, museums, the vibrant City itself, etc). I love that we can come home to a quiet, almost crime-free place to relax. I love that we can travel 15 minutes in the other direction to real farms, or just a few minutes to deep forest preserves. And if I lived in another area, I'm sure I would seek out the positives that it had to offer, and make the most of them. In a similar vein, I've been planning a trip with a friend (DW refuses to get in an airplane). We debated about this destination or that. I said that I pretty much didn't care, we would find a way to have fun regardless of the destination (within reasonable limits, of course). -ERD50

Have you ever been to Vancouver, BC? If not, I suggest you visit soon as it sounds right up your alley.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTravlin Have you ever been to Vancouver, BC? If not, I suggest you visit soon as it sounds right up your alley.

Yes, just a short stay en-route to an Alaskan Cruise. The PNW is absolutely at the top of my list for places to retire to if my ties to N IL become weaker, which is increasingly likely at some point in the next decade (kids moving to start their own lives, remaining parents passing on, etc).

Wherever I travel, I'm going to have to have at least an annual fix of a Chicago-Style hot dog (no Ketchup!). We can get frozen Lou Malnatti's Pizza now that is pretty good, and I can make my own. I've never been able to capture the essence of a Chicago Hot dog made in my own kitchen though.

-ERD50

[Brat]

My city loves to have people make fun of our quirky culture, evidently there is a series in production:

YouTube - Portlandia - Dream of the 90s