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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-23-2006, 10:23 AM   #41
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Quote:
I think some of them think I am in the whitness protection program.
You could have some fun with that one...
That's what I was thinking:

Kentuckian: "Are you in the witness protection program??"

You: "Hey, Youse got a problem with dat?"
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-24-2006, 06:07 AM   #42
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by TromboneAl
You could have some fun with that one...

That's what I was thinking:

Kentuckian: "Are you in the witness protection program??"

You: "Hey, Youse got a problem with dat?"
ROFL,,,,you guys are quick very quick

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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-24-2006, 08:53 AM   #43
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

"But we're them ol' boys raised on shotguns..."

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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-26-2006, 12:51 PM   #44
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Kitty,

I like the comment of "if I had your money, I'd burn mine." Very good and witty - isn't it interesting the differences on this board as to 'acceptable' lifestyles and money....different strokes etc

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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 08:16 AM   #45
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Don't understand the "love" of NYC. It's too big, too crowded, too much crime,
too expensive, weather sucks, nasty people.
Lots of towns in this country with great culture, music, shows, friendly people,etc to compete very well with NYC. For example: SF, Chi., Phoenix, Pittsburgh, lots of college towns, and more.
Since I live in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, I can say we have a great symphony,
ballet, opera, summer theater downtown, broadway shows come here regularly,
a baseball team, a football team, a hockey team, lots of good restaurants, the Carnegie Museum, the Carnegie Science Center, Heinz Regional History Museum,
art galleries, half a dozen malls, over 100 golf courses, good bus system, a growing downtown new condo scene, a terrific water park, and a great amusement park locally, the mountains and skying are only a hour away.
We have everything NYC has, just not a much of it, but we have 1/5 the population.
I'm sure there are many towns in this country with similar attributes and some even have better weather!
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 08:21 AM   #46
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by bennevis
Don't understand the "love" of NYC. It's too big, too crowded, too much crime,
too expensive, weather sucks, nasty people.
Lots of towns in this country with great culture, music, shows, friendly people,etc to compete very well with NYC. For example: SF, Chi., Phoenix, Pittsburgh, lots of college towns, and more.
If I've learned anything from a fair number of moves, it's that you can't explain or compare locations. People like places for so many reasons and one (wo)man's paradise is another's hell. Not all the alternate cities you mention are real appealing to me, for example.

As long as you enjoy where you live and feel it's worth the cost, enjoy it.
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 08:23 AM   #47
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by bennevis
Don't understand the "love" of NYC. It's too big, too crowded, too much crime,
too expensive, weather sucks, nasty people.
Lots of towns in this country with great culture, music, shows, friendly people,etc to compete very well with NYC. For example: SF, Chi., Phoenix, Pittsburgh, lots of college towns, and more.
Since I live in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, I can say we have a great symphony,
ballet, opera, summer theater downtown, broadway shows come here regularly,
a baseball team, a football team, a hockey team, lots of good restaurants, the Carnegie Museum, the Carnegie Science Center, Heinz Regional History Museum,
art galleries, half a dozen malls, over 100 golf courses, good bus system, a growing downtown new condo scene, a terrific water park, and a great amusement park locally, the mountains and skiing are only a hour away.
We have everything NYC has, just not a much of it, but we have 1/5 the population.
I'm sure there are many towns in this country with similar attributes and some even have better weather!
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 08:26 AM   #48
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Rich,
You're absolutely right. My parents retired to Clearwater, just over the bay from you, but I could never live there....too hot and HUMID, and Pinellas County is too conjested for me.
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 12:10 PM   #49
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by bennevis
Don't understand the "love" of NYC.* *It's too big, too crowded, too much crime,
too expensive,* weather sucks,* nasty people.
Lots of towns in this country with great culture, music, shows, friendly people,etc to compete very well with NYC.* *For example:* *SF, Chi., Phoenix, Pittsburgh, lots of college towns, and more.
I had a member of this board decide that Honolulu was too small for their acculturated tastes. No offense intended or taken.

I was a little surprised since I thought Honolulu has more surfing than any other city in the world. However it was explained to me that "culture" should also include things like the symphony, theater, art, museums, and other big structures with high ceilings & lots of empty interior space. Some of them even expect you to wear socks.

When I reflected on Honolulu's culture compared to NYC or DC or LA or other major metropolitan areas, I realized that culture has absolutely nothing to do with my criteria on where I'd live. I was last in Waikiki almost six months ago. I haven't hiked Diamond Head in over a year. I haven't been to the Academy of Arts in a decade, I've never seen the Honolulu Symphony or any of our major theaters, and I've never been to the Waikiki Shell. I've spent most of my time on the beach or at home-- and if there's any other culture I need to see here then please send me the video.

So if you're trying to choose your location based on its culture, it might be worth listing all the culture that you've experienced more than once a decade in your current location. The results could be a surprising indication of whether culture is really that important to you or not...
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 01:15 PM   #50
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Comparing and ranking places to live is frustratingly subjective and often a complete waste of time.... but it's fun*
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 01:24 PM   #51
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

I love to visit Honolulu but could not handle the island fever if I lived there.

I love to visit Manhattan and I could live there if I could justify it.

I love Chicago in the summertime.

I love New Orleans in the spring and fall. Also Texas.

I live in Vancouver because spring starts in February and ends in July. Fall starts in October and ends in January. But we escape to warmer places regularly between October and May to avoid the dull grey skies.
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 01:39 PM   #52
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa
As long as you enjoy where you live and feel it's worth the cost, enjoy it.
There ya go again Rich, hitting us with that silly idea that peoples personal likes and dislikes can be different without anyone being "right or wrong."* You're never going to fit in on this board until you righteously declare your own opinions as the only possible correct opinions!* *
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 02:33 PM   #53
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

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Originally Posted by youbet
There ya go again Rich, hitting us with that silly idea that peoples personal likes and dislikes can be different without anyone being "right or wrong." You're never going to fit in on this board until you righteously declare your own opinions as the only possible correct opinions!
Sorry - character flaw. I'm workin' on it. .

I'm a big believer in the theory of relativity - everyone sees the world from where they stand (I'm not spinning, everything else is), and can't understand why every other idiot doesn't see it the same way.

I would offer the observation that the need to defend one's territory as the best seems to affect the younger posters more than those a bit longer in the tooth. I imagine I was the same way years ago, but it was hard to pull off - my first three home towns were Rochester, NY, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. All fine places in their own right, but usually don't make most people's Best Places to Live list.

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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 05:12 PM   #54
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa
.... my first three home towns were Rochester, NY, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. All fine places in their own right, but usually don't make most people's Best Places to Live list.
According to Cities Ranked & Rated (Sperling & Sander, 2002):

Rochester, NY #214 out of 331
Cleveland, OH #264
Milwaukee, WI #198

And yes, Rich, I own the book and it IS the final arbiter of quality of life locations in the US* *
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 07:38 PM   #55
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Thanks for all the feedback and comments. Really getting me to think.

A few more comments:

(1) NYC was ranked #10 in Money Mag's recent Best Places issue. (So there. )

(2) A good portion of our extended family has moved to NY-metro (Westchester, etc.) since we moved here 8 years ago. This does give a reason to stay. We are not native to NYC, but we now have an established network here. I also don't like driving a car, which is optional here.

(3) I only started working for The Man at 32. Cleverly avoided serious work until then (via grad school and several other socially-acceptable excuses). So our net worth has gone from negative to 2mill plus in 7 years. We save about 200-250k a year. If I leave my current position, I am not putting up with the BS of a job again. So I think it is worth socking away a bit more now while I can.

(4) "Sick of NY" - well, I wish I were. It would make things simpler. I was happy in grad school in a college town living on 12k a year stipend. But unlike the poster above, I really do use and enjoy the activities of NY. We go to an art exhibit, concert, play, opera, jazz club etc. at least once a week. The food is really good here, across the board. We can exchange our apartment for one in London for free, then fly there in a few hours.

Also, this might sound sappy, but I came here to take a chance at something and it worked. I also stayed here through 9/11 (saw it in person). NYC has been very good to me, and I feel like I might be abandoning something if I left. I know that is irrational, people move all the time for many reasons, but it is what I feel when I think about it.

I thought the result of posting here would be to encourage me to quit, but the more I think about it, the more willing I am to stick it out, at least a while longer.

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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 07:53 PM   #56
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa
I imagine I was the same way years ago, but it was hard to pull off - my first three home towns were Rochester, NY, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. All fine places in their own right, but usually don't make most people's Best Places to Live list.
I never lived in Rochester, but for a smaller city it seemed very nice to me My BIL went to medical school there, and we visited him fairly often. Excellent Medical Center, Eastman School of music, etc., etc.

A lot there for the manageable size and low hassle. And the Lake seemed nice too.

Does Genesee beer still exist?

Ha
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-28-2006, 10:50 PM   #57
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

It's hard to find much negative about Milwaukee......

"Milwaukee is known as "The City of Festivals" for its great number of ethnic and musical festivals, the largest of which is Summerfest. It has also been called "the nation's watering hole," having more bars per capita than any other large city in the country. Milwaukee residents are known as Milwaukeeans. Milwaukeeans often comment that Milwaukee feels like "a big small town."

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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-29-2006, 05:59 AM   #58
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by youbet
It's hard to find much negative about Milwaukee......

"Milwaukee is known as "The City of Festivals" for its great number of ethnic and musical festivals, the largest of which is Summerfest. It has also been called "the nation's watering hole," having more bars per capita than any other large city in the country. Milwaukee residents are known as Milwaukeeans. Milwaukeeans often comment that Milwaukee feels like "a big small town."
I love the place. Raised my kids there in Whitefish Bay, years of Summerfest, lakeside walks, booming downtown.
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-29-2006, 07:53 AM   #59
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nords

So if you're trying to choose your location based on its culture, it might be worth listing all the culture that you've experienced more than once a decade in your current location. The results could be a surprising indication of whether culture is really that important to you or not...
Nords, I listed the "culture" stuff in Pittsburgh. Here's what I do and see:
symphony, opera, football, baseball, malls, restaurants, science museum, golf courses, mountains, Kennywood amusement park (do you remember Kennywood?) - all done recently. What I don't do is go to hockey games (too expensive, but I follow the team) and I don't ski. Yes, culture and sports are important to me. Have to admit, though, that I only go to malls when the wife drags me there.
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences
Old 07-29-2006, 08:23 AM   #60
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Re: Big City to Small Town: Experiences

i love the city but wouldn't want to live there for more than a few days at a time. i loved living in rural florida college town (gainesville) but drive outside 20 minutes into the sticks and suddenly i'm a new york jew in the wilderness.

i like to visit museums during the year but i don't need them nearby. though i like a good restaurant i don't need one on every block. i appreciate convenience but i don't need a drug store on every corner.

culture for me has less to do with places & events and more to do with understanding, attitude & approach towards life. so while i don't need to discuss opera with a stranger on a subway, i also don't care much for some rural guy checking out my forehead for horns.

i guess i'm just suburbia guy at heart.
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