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Old 01-02-2008, 09:18 AM   #21
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When I travel to Houston for work, I don't even tell the cabbies that I'm from Louisiana!! Houstonians don't think much of Katrina evacuees, and probably for good reason.
I lived in Houston from 2003 to 2006. And while I was proud of the city's response to Katrina while I lived there, it's also proof that no good deed goes unpunished.

For what it's worth, I'm from California and my wife is originally from Pennsylvania, and we haven't had any issues about that here in Texas.
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Old 01-02-2008, 10:45 AM   #22
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Lots of Pennsylvanians in the Clear Lake area near Nasa have come in as engineers to work there. Lots. That used to be one of my main territories to work, so I spent 8 years down there working.
I found that the Houstonians weren't so negative about the Californians than they were Yankees. Not at all. I think they think Californians are cooler by far, since California wasn't involved in the Civil War...and some Southerners are still begruding the North for winning the war.
And, yes, there are pockets of areas (like Clear Lake and around Nasa) where it will not make one whit of difference where you are from. Why? Lots of transplants that weren't native Texans coming in and out of those pockets.
I sold for 16 years all over the wealthier areas of the city, and it was surely an eyeopener. You would think that Houston people were the same all over, but that wasn't true at all. Some areas were definitely more Yankee and/or more open minded than others--even among the wealthy and supposedly well educated.
And, yes, I have friends there who still talk about the Katrina people as if they are ALL riff-raff, which, of course, is untrue. But the crime rate zoomed up so much after Katrina, I can see how they got such a bad impression, unfortunately.
I agree with you about being proud of Houston taking in so many Katrina victims, tho. I had two friends who were having fits over it, but I was, personally, proud they helped them. Somebody in some major city had to. It isn't like the people of New Orleans asked for a disaster, and they surely needed a little help and kindness after that one; so, I, too, was thrilled and proud Houston could lend a kind hand to them, myself. Good for Houston!!!

(REWahoo: You are just a Texas booster, I think, no matter what they do, right? That makes you a native now, kid.)
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Old 01-02-2008, 10:50 AM   #23
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(REWahoo: You are just a Texas booster, I think, no matter what they do, right? That makes you a native now, kid.)
Kid? Texas booster? Wrong twice over...
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Old 01-02-2008, 10:56 AM   #24
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Maine is colder and has higher taxes than NH, yet, if you read about NH, people are supposedly leaving that State due to the cold. WHAT! Maine is colder than NH!
Check this out:
New Hampshire Real Estate, Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Salem, Dover
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Old 01-02-2008, 01:38 PM   #25
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Lived in Houston from 1989 to 1996 and have not been back (but plan on it this May). Should be interesting. The medical center where I worked is twice as big but none of the Texans I worked with have left.

Been to Maine once in the week of summer.
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Old 01-02-2008, 02:18 PM   #26
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The Good Life - by Helen and Scott Nearing back to the land elder's in Maine(from badda bing badda boom New York City!) starting circa the 1930's or so. Had the book in my Mother Earth news reading days - stayed in Colorado - till I transferred to New Orleans.

Now my Sister lived ten years or so in White River Junction, VT - drove the politicans batty and got three kids into the Naval Acedemy. Rumors that the Maine border was closed to her are probably not true. Only time I felt a little sorry for politicians.

Now in the PacNW - she still thinks the Pats are a good football team and prefers cross country to downhill sking.

heh heh heh - 3 degrees north of Kansas City this morning.
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Old 01-02-2008, 02:26 PM   #27
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I have never been to Maine, but looking at photos, parts of coastal Maine appear to be absolutely spectacular and yet uncrowded and unspoiled. Photos of Maine remind me of Nova Scotia in that respect. I get the sense that it is more uncrowded and unspoiled than New Hampshire (though I really don't know that from personal experience). Some summer, it would be fun to see both Nova Scotia and Maine.

I would have seriously considered Maine, but Frank pointed out that taxes are higher there than some places, and it's very VERY cold. Colder than that. Cold, cold, cold. So, we decided against it.
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Old 01-02-2008, 02:40 PM   #28
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I have never been to Maine, but looking at photos, parts of coastal Maine appear to be absolutely spectacular and yet uncrowded and unspoiled. Photos of Maine remind me of Nova Scotia in that respect. I get the sense that it is more uncrowded and unspoiled than New Hampshire
I rode through New England for a few weeks. Away from its southern coast it feels extemely remote,
much more so than Vermont / New Hampshire (which were also very nice). Very low traffic on the
roads, scenic, relaxing. A hermit could feel very at-home in northern or western Maine.
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Old 01-02-2008, 03:41 PM   #29
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I rode through New England for a few weeks. Away from its southern coast it feels extemely remote,
much more so than Vermont / New Hampshire (which were also very nice). Very low traffic on the
roads, scenic, relaxing. A hermit could feel very at-home in northern or western Maine.
That has its allure, I must admit. I could see myself finding my own version of Walden Pond up there and settling in to enjoy the simple life, in tune with nature, and so on. The rational part of me says nope, I should retire to a place with good medical care close by. The rational part of Frank says the taxes are too high. So, I guess we will leave that to younger ERs. It might be wonderful for a hermit that is healthy and doesn't mind the cold, but it is not the life for me.
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Old 01-02-2008, 06:17 PM   #30
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Houston has it's own unique culture. As does each of the large cities in TX. I lived in Austin for 30 years, had parents living in Corpus Christi and later San Antonio, so spent lots of time in both those cities. Spent 12 months as an intern in Houston in the late 70s. Didn't take a more than a month in Dallas to figure out that it too was completely different...

And then outside of the TX cities is a completely different rural culture, with some variation across the state. If you cross the Trinity river, you might as well be in Lousiana (yay for the much improved seafood restaurants). Isolated West Texas is also different. When in TX we spend most of our time in the rural areas now, and it's nothing like the big cities.

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Old 01-02-2008, 06:45 PM   #31
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I can see the appeal of New England but Orchid Flower you have mentioned several times that you would like to find a mate and I'd wonder how much opportunity there would be for that in Maine .I 'd head more to a year round climate that featured golf .
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Old 01-02-2008, 07:32 PM   #32
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I can see the appeal of New England but Orchid Flower you have mentioned several times that you would like to find a mate and I'd wonder how much opportunity there would be for that in Maine .I 'd head more to a year round climate that featured golf .
Somehow, I thought there were a lot of interesting, ruggedly good-looking, intelligent single men living in Maine. But then, what would I know? I've never been there.
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Old 01-02-2008, 07:42 PM   #33
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Somehow, I thought there were a lot of interesting, ruggedly good-looking, intelligent single men living in Maine. But then, what would I know? I've never been there.

and since you haven't been there you know this because ?
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Old 01-02-2008, 09:51 PM   #34
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and since you haven't been there you know this because ?
Because of the same reason that Muslims figure heaven is full of young beautiful virgins.

By the way, why do they assume that these virgins will suddenly want to get physical with some nut-job who just dynamited himself and a schoolhouse full of kids?

Ha
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Old 01-02-2008, 10:22 PM   #35
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Despite being around for a few years, I still feel I don't have much to contribute to the investing threads, so I am very glad to be able to offer the following genuine and reliable information :

We presently live in Maine. And LOVE it.
The very apt state motto is "the way life should be."

It is not THAT cold. If you are used to anything south of the Mason Dixie, then yeah, it can get colder but not that biting mean cold that you get in the midwest or NY. We are on the coast, so even during a heavy snowfall, or after, the temperature is nice enough to bundle the little one up and go for a sled ride.

If you are a foodie or a locavore, this will be a wonderful place for you. CSA's, farmers' market almost every day of the week in season, cow or lamb shares. Local award winning goat cheese. The honest-to-God best honey I have ever tasted, produced just 20 min away. The local holes in the wall are proudly and entirely organic. Our local dairy farm: best chickens I have tasted outside of Europe. Beautiful rich dark orange yolk'ed eggs. Cabbage as tender as artichokes. Leeks that melt in your mouth. Intense blueberries. Crisp, flavorful apples. Lobster $5.99/lb.

Nice art scene. Lots of indoor and outdoor activities.

The air is fresh and clean. The first day we woke up here, I noticed no boogers in the nose.

Lots of outlets, so you can afford to live in style too. One store was clearing out Lenox china when I happened to walk in one day. So I stocked up on platinum rimmed, made in the US china for @$2/plate.

My only complaint so far: the people here do not know how to drive.

And I have noticed there is a large population of retirees. (this last sentence not being a complaint )
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Old 01-03-2008, 02:46 PM   #36
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I've been to Maine a few times, though not recently. We took a few family vacations to Nova Scotia and PEI back in the 80's. Used to drive up to Bar Harbor and take the ferry over.

I always loved going up there. The Maine lobsters were the best and the people were always very friendly to us out-of-towner's. The scenery was beautiful, especially along the coast and it didn't feel congested at all.

I totally see the appeal.
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Old 01-03-2008, 05:28 PM   #37
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Still laughing at haha and PS's comments...
Well, no boogers in the nose, PS...that does it for me. I am heading north now, baby....
Actually, I would just LOVE to move to NH. I am doing lots of homework on tax rates there in the hopes that I can somehow figure out how to live there and not pay their damned high property taxes (God! it is almost so bad as Houston) and 5% on my interest and dividends...both of which will eat my lunch if I don't be careful. Well, I will keep conniving and see if I can pull this off.
Moemg, here is a site where you can see just how many retired are there, how many are married...and how many men that are older are there (and then you can compare it to Florida where you live now, I think...I'll wait for your screams of agony....) NH is mecca for finding someone as a mate for an older, single gal:

New Hampshire

I have been watching the Boston weather daily, and the weather there is actually warmer than it is here on the Illinois/Iowa border west of Chicago. Yes, northern NH is cold...but the Seacoast area is not so cold. More rain there, but Houston rained all the time and am used to it.
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Old 01-03-2008, 05:31 PM   #38
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Old 01-03-2008, 06:00 PM   #39
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[quote=Orchidflower;596452
Moemg, here is a site where you can see just how many retired are there, how many are married...and how many men that are older are there (and then you can compare it to Florida where you live now, I think...I'll wait for your screams of agony....) NH is mecca for finding someone as a mate for an older, single gal:

.[/quote

Orchid Flower ,

You don't have to sell me on New England . I love it there .Both of my children went to school in Mass . So I've spent a lot of time there .It is hands down much better than Florida .If my daughter still lived there I would be happily living in New Hampshire sipping Sam Adams beer .
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Old 01-03-2008, 07:26 PM   #40
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I live in the NH Seacoast area. For anyone who says it isn't cold and has rain and not snow......I wish you were here with me today. It was 3 degrees out and I can barely see out my picture window, because the snow is so high.


The best part of NH, though, is that 1) we have no state income tax (yeah), 2) are about an hour or less from everything (big city = Boston, mountains, ocean, lakes), and 3) have 5 wonderfully different seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter, and mud).

Honestly, the only downside I can think of is 1) heating costs and 2) if we want to go anywhere other than Maine, Vermont, Mass - well it is quite a drive.

DH and I are still talking of moving to a warmer climate when we retire, but honestly - there is nothing like surviving a good New England winter. Once spring comes and the sun comes out - you feel completely reborn again. Unlike other areas where the seasons blend quietly into one another - ours are very distinct - each season is a new experience.
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