Friendless in Seattle - Page 2

unclemick · 09-20-2007, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclemick

My ding dong Sister is trying to convince to at least try living in Kent(south of Seattle) for a while. Hoo Ha

Don't get me wrong, I love my sister - but you can't convince me she didn't bump her head as a child.

Born West side of the Cascades - she votes Republican. And married to a Mining Engineer also born in Washington - having lived all over the United States from California to Vermont - she thinks the PacNW is the greatest thing since sliced bread - just having got back 2-3 years near Kent.

Go figure. You just can't explain things to some people.

Heard any good Seattle jokes lately?

heh heh heh

Of course perhaps I should never say never again - before Katrina I wasn't leaving New Orleans! And to think I grew up at the foot of Mt Saint Helens and it didn't do a dang thing. Then!

Helen · 09-29-2007, 01:19 PM

I've heard others say that of Seattle. I moved to Portland from Boston (I'm a midwesterner though) and find the people to be very friendly. I love it here.

old woman · 10-06-2007, 08:59 PM

I am a couple of miles south of Seattle near Renton and the people are just right. I have been on the same corner since 1985 moved across the street in 1992. Since about 1995 neighbors have been pretty friendly, I have been in three houses once or twice each and had one in mine once. We have a community garden just outside my hedge and I and my cat go see people that are working and chat a minute. Once a year we have a garden party. Two neighbors go walking and invited me once. One called to ask when our vacation was so she could see if I needed her to feed the cats like last year. She also borrows my boyfriend and his chainsaw if something needs cut. When we had a windstorm he cut trees for 4 neighbors and a friend of a neighbor. I even took the lady that feeds my cats to a Mariner's game once because I had two tickets. But I don't know their families and one had a broken hip weeks before another lady who works in the garden called me about the garden. I know the names of most neighbors and I think all the ones from when the neighborhood was built in the 50s but mostly talk to them if I happen to see them. I don't associate with coworkers outside work.
You can see the garden and hedge in my avatar.

GladToBeFree · 10-07-2007, 05:43 AM

I spent a winter in Portland back in the early '90s and didn't experience it there, however I moved from MN to VA (Lynchburg to be exact) and found the natives to be most unfriendly. I was and am used to chatting with people around me in lines, like at the groc. or a movie. I also like to talk with the checkout people and boy was I given the cold shoulder! In social situations with friends and fellow workers I never noticed it but folks from that part of VA don't like strangers. I sort of got used to it and forgot how cold they were until I went to Denver on business. What a difference.

DW who was born and raised in VA kind of agrees with me.....I think.

They are pretty up tight about other things. After I moved in, I was working on my car one afternoon. A neighbor walked up and introduced himself. Being neighborly I offered him a beer. He said "No thanks", turned around and walked away. He never spoke to me again for the 14 years I lived there.

But then I found I have to be careful of who I offer a beer to here in GA too. These folks are just a bit too intolerant of non-fundamentalists.

Jim

haha · 10-07-2007, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GladToBeFree

They are pretty up tight about other things. After I moved in, I was working on my car one afternoon. A neighbor walked up and introduced himself. Being neighborly I offered him a beer. He said "No thanks", turned around and walked away. He never spoke to me again for the 14 years I lived there.

I wonder how people like him acted in high school, or college? Did they drop that posture for a while, and later get re-captured? Or did they always act as if they were afraid of contact?

Ha

GladToBeFree · 10-07-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha

I wonder how people like him acted in high school, or college? Did they drop that posture for a while, and later get re-captured? Or did they always act as if they were afraid of contact?

Ha

After having spent 14 years in VA, I suspect he wasn't interested in contact with someone he felt wouldn't be receptive to a suggestion that I attend his church. I had a lot of that over time. Never could understand why people were surprised I didn't want to embrace their form of fundamentalism.

Jim.

audreyh1 · 10-14-2007, 07:17 PM

Oh Wow! LOL!

And I thought it was just because we had TX license plates

Finally - it's explained!

Seriously, I thought one look at our license plates and WA folks blamed us for George Bush! LOL!

But since we never really got that reaction from other states, maybe the WA "chill" was the true reason.

Audrey

Achiever51 · 10-15-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GladToBeFree

... After I moved in, I was working on my car one afternoon. A neighbor walked up and introduced himself. Being neighborly I offered him a beer. He said "No thanks", turned around and walked away. He never spoke to me again for the 14 years I lived there.

This reminded me of an incident shortly after we moved into this house. I was out on our driveway when the neighbor who lived behind us came over with a loaf of freshly-baked bread. She handed me the bread, noting that she made it herself from scratch, and started to ask me questions like "Do you own or lease your car?"; "Are you married or just living together?"; "I see you have a child. Has she ever been in any kind of trouble?"

At first I thought it was funny, but then I realized she was serious. I gave very non-committal answers, trying to be "neighborly" but thinking I was dealing with a kook! She apparently didn't like my responses, because she took the bread out of my hands, turned around and walked away. She didn't speak another word to me for the next six years -- and then moved out (thank goodness!) Before she moved, I caught her spying on me numerous times; once she was watching my house with binoculars!

Fireup2025 · 10-15-2007, 10:25 AM

Wow - interesting tales. I grew up in CA, have lived in VA (military town) and southeast MI before moving to NJ (military transfer at the time) I fell in love with the locals...crazy, psychotic, "in your face" - with warmth! (and most would do anything for you - and talk your ear off. I am home now! Visiting relatives regularly in CA still amazes me. People look at you crazy if you give a hand or talk to them in public (ie - at a neighboring table in a cafe) I guess the lack of warmth is up & down the west coast?

**Want2retire** · 10-15-2007, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireup2025

Wow - interesting tales. I grew up in CA, have lived in VA (military town) and southeast MI before moving to NJ (military transfer at the time) I fell in love with the locals...crazy, psychotic, "in your face" - with warmth! (and most would do anything for you - and talk your ear off. I am home now! Visiting relatives regularly in CA still amazes me. People look at you crazy if you give a hand or talk to them in public (ie - at a neighboring table in a cafe) I guess the lack of warmth is up & down the west coast?

I never noticed that living in San Diego in the 1980's, or living in San Francisco in the 1960's. Maybe I was just lucky! Or, maybe times have changed.

Moemg · 10-15-2007, 07:07 PM

People make fun of New Yorkers and New Jerseyians but they really are in your face friendly and they'll tell you their whole life in minutes after meeting you !

**Janet H** · 10-15-2007, 07:18 PM

Hmm... I never found Seattle to be unfriendly. Anyone with a tan can instantly be identified as a tourist and I've had total strangers walk up to me and ask where I was from. Oddly most were trying to sell copies of the Real Change news...

**Khan** · 10-15-2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Want2retire

I never noticed that living in San Diego in the 1980's, or living in San Francisco in the 1960's. Maybe I was just lucky! Or, maybe times have changed.

California has changed much from the '60s and '70s when it was low cost and laid back.

Brat · 10-15-2007, 07:22 PM

I grew up in the Wmt. Valley, worked for a couple years in the NY Metro area, and have been living in the Seattle area for 10+ years.

Just guessing, perhaps 50% of the population has immigrated from other areas of the US in the last 15 years for professional level jobs and are working long hours. Add to that the fact that culturally earlier settlers were English, Scandinavian, New England-er, Japanese and Chinese (typically Cantonese). The first four groups tend to formal until they know you well. Cantonese Chinese are gregarious within their own ethnic group and with others they know well, otherwise they are also formal socially.

Most social interaction is affinity group based, whether it be cycling or genealogy.

In Portland Thirst Thursday is the evening to get out and mix. There is a very active singles group that sponsors lots of activities. There are a bunch of us 'old farts' who didn't appreciate the newly arrived fuddy-duddes quashing a favorite fund raiser: the annual pub crawl for the symphony. Honest, we do party.

We have our full quota of odd-balls, but generally folks don't intrude in the private business of others.

Grizz · 10-24-2007, 12:35 PM

I live one province to the right of the coast, and it's odd, but I've found those on the west coast here in Canada to be a much more easygoing and friendly lot than here, or anywhere else in Canada, well, except for the Newfies.

Of course in British Columbia, marijuana posession and usage is very accepted and generally punished with a similar severity as jay-walking in the states. I guess when I think about it, If I had to choose between a pot smoking hippie

, or one of the many drunken rednecks

that reside in my province, I know which I'd choose.

10-15-2007, 10:25 AM	#29
Fireup2025 Full time employment: Posting here. Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 649	Wow - interesting tales. I grew up in CA, have lived in VA (military town) and southeast MI before moving to NJ (military transfer at the time) I fell in love with the locals...crazy, psychotic, "in your face" - with warmth! (and most would do anything for you - and talk your ear off. I am home now! Visiting relatives regularly in CA still amazes me. People look at you crazy if you give a hand or talk to them in public (ie - at a neighboring table in a cafe) I guess the lack of warmth is up & down the west coast? __________________ Make no mistake, my friend, it takes more than money to make men rich. - A. P. Gouthey

10-15-2007, 07:22 PM	#34
Brat Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2,867	I grew up in the Wmt. Valley, worked for a couple years in the NY Metro area, and have been living in the Seattle area for 10+ years. Just guessing, perhaps 50% of the population has immigrated from other areas of the US in the last 15 years for professional level jobs and are working long hours. Add to that the fact that culturally earlier settlers were English, Scandinavian, New England-er, Japanese and Chinese (typically Cantonese). The first four groups tend to formal until they know you well. Cantonese Chinese are gregarious within their own ethnic group and with others they know well, otherwise they are also formal socially. Most social interaction is affinity group based, whether it be cycling or genealogy. In Portland Thirst Thursday is the evening to get out and mix. There is a very active singles group that sponsors lots of activities. There are a bunch of us 'old farts' who didn't appreciate the newly arrived fuddy-duddes quashing a favorite fund raiser: the annual pub crawl for the symphony. Honest, we do party. We have our full quota of odd-balls, but generally folks don't intrude in the private business of others. __________________ Duck bjorn.

10-24-2007, 12:35 PM	#35
Grizz Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 260	I live one province to the right of the coast, and it's odd, but I've found those on the west coast here in Canada to be a much more easygoing and friendly lot than here, or anywhere else in Canada, well, except for the Newfies. Of course in British Columbia, marijuana posession and usage is very accepted and generally punished with a similar severity as jay-walking in the states. I guess when I think about it, If I had to choose between a pot smoking hippie, or one of the many drunken rednecks that reside in my province, I know which I'd choose.

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09-29-2007, 01:19 PM	#22
Helen Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 489	I've heard others say that of Seattle. I moved to Portland from Boston (I'm a midwesterner though) and find the people to be very friendly. I love it here.

10-06-2007, 08:59 PM	#23
old woman Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 266	I am a couple of miles south of Seattle near Renton and the people are just right. I have been on the same corner since 1985 moved across the street in 1992. Since about 1995 neighbors have been pretty friendly, I have been in three houses once or twice each and had one in mine once. We have a community garden just outside my hedge and I and my cat go see people that are working and chat a minute. Once a year we have a garden party. Two neighbors go walking and invited me once. One called to ask when our vacation was so she could see if I needed her to feed the cats like last year. She also borrows my boyfriend and his chainsaw if something needs cut. When we had a windstorm he cut trees for 4 neighbors and a friend of a neighbor. I even took the lady that feeds my cats to a Mariner's game once because I had two tickets. But I don't know their families and one had a broken hip weeks before another lady who works in the garden called me about the garden. I know the names of most neighbors and I think all the ones from when the neighborhood was built in the 50s but mostly talk to them if I happen to see them. I don't associate with coworkers outside work. You can see the garden and hedge in my avatar.

10-07-2007, 05:43 AM	#24
GladToBeFree Dryer sheet wannabe Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 22	I spent a winter in Portland back in the early '90s and didn't experience it there, however I moved from MN to VA (Lynchburg to be exact) and found the natives to be most unfriendly. I was and am used to chatting with people around me in lines, like at the groc. or a movie. I also like to talk with the checkout people and boy was I given the cold shoulder! In social situations with friends and fellow workers I never noticed it but folks from that part of VA don't like strangers. I sort of got used to it and forgot how cold they were until I went to Denver on business. What a difference. DW who was born and raised in VA kind of agrees with me.....I think. They are pretty up tight about other things. After I moved in, I was working on my car one afternoon. A neighbor walked up and introduced himself. Being neighborly I offered him a beer. He said "No thanks", turned around and walked away. He never spoke to me again for the 14 years I lived there. But then I found I have to be careful of who I offer a beer to here in GA too. These folks are just a bit too intolerant of non-fundamentalists. Jim

10-14-2007, 07:17 PM	#27
audreyh1 Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,222	Oh Wow! LOL! And I thought it was just because we had TX license plates Finally - it's explained! Seriously, I thought one look at our license plates and WA folks blamed us for George Bush! LOL! But since we never really got that reaction from other states, maybe the WA "chill" was the true reason. Audrey

10-15-2007, 07:07 PM	#31
Moemg Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sarasota,fl. Posts: 3,263	People make fun of New Yorkers and New Jerseyians but they really are in your face friendly and they'll tell you their whole life in minutes after meeting you !

10-15-2007, 07:18 PM	#32
Janet H Administrator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 1,776	Hmm... I never found Seattle to be unfriendly. Anyone with a tan can instantly be identified as a tourist and I've had total strangers walk up to me and ask where I was from. Oddly most were trying to sell copies of the Real Change news...

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