Do you like where you live?

[Dngrsone]

I am somewhat the polar opposite of Moody... she may be my evil twin!


I was born in Connecticut, but my family moved to Florida when I was five or so and I grew up there.

I grew up in that humidity, on those warm beaches on the Gulf coast... I am really quite spoiled by that water.

I weathered hurricanes, heard tornadoes spinning through the neighborhood, dodged lightning bolts (as some of you may remember hearing about), rescued various wandering reptiles, hunted shark, played in the swamps. I've been attacked by leeches, ticks, snakes, snapping turtles, opossums, raccoons.

I had pygmy rattlesnakes living on my front door, alligators out back, raccoons in the trees, festooned with Spanish moss, and a family of skunks who would cross my path on a regular basis.

Then I traveled the world, at the behest of my dear old Uncle Sam.

I have traveled the US, driving through nearly all of the lower 48. I have yet to visit Alaska.

I have lived in Virginia Beach and San Diego. I spent a few weeks in Seattle, which I liked very much.

I currently live in one of the California deserts, centrally located several hours from everything cool (both figuratively and literally). Much as I can tolerate the heat, this dryness is very hard on me. Lately, so are the 100 degrees plus days. The air here is horrible. The cost of living here is moderate only compared to San Diego (where I would love to be able to live, but make only half as much as I'd need to live there).

I miss Florida. I miss the green of the East coast; and though the mountains (one failing of Florida) are pretty awesome here, I am unable to live in them at the moment-- my work keeps me here, and I am unfortunately a niche specialist trapped in an at the moment dead-end job.

I have aspirations, and a treasure-trove of untapped skill, but I am not as patient as people think I am.


Should Dngrswife stumble across a winning lottery ticket, though; I'd be out of here in a heartbeat.

 

[bjacks12]

Dirty as in dirt or dirty as in questionable activities? I've actually never been to Las Vegas (well, not the one in Nevada--I've been to the one in New Mexico!), so all I know about it is based on things I've seen on TV or publications. The Strip looks almost Disney-esque, as if in a very deliberate attempt to create a fantasy world impression. But what hides behind that fake veneer?!

Both. Although if you stay off the strip you don't really run into the 'questionable activies', other than seeing slot machines in every gas station and grocery store. But the town itself just has a dirty, depressing feel IMO, unless you're in Summerlin or maybe Henderson(richer areas in town).

Utah looks beautiful, from what I've seen. Some of those rock formations...wow, I'd love to see them in person.

It is. There's so much to see. Between deserts and mountain forests and lakes and canyons, there's a little bit of everything(except humidity. easterners can keep that).

 

[MoodyBlues]

I am somewhat the polar opposite of Moody... she may be my evil twin!

No, you've got it wrong: YOU'RE my evil twin! :evil:

:rofl:

I was born in Connecticut, but my family moved to Florida when I was five or so and I grew up there...

Oh my goodness. Your story mirrors my husband's. He was born in New Joisey but moved to Florida's west coast as a small child. He's never considered NJ home, even though he was born there. Like you, he grew up with that humidity, the beaches with their warm water, etc. Something that used to piss me off was that when we were in mosquito-thick places, like Florida and Dallas, *I* would be absolutely covered in mosquitoes, happily chowing down on my blood, while *HE* would have NOT ONE mosquito on him. We joked that it must've been due to all that toxic spray he sucked in as a child, when vector control trucks drove slowly through the [Florida] neighborhoods spraying...??? (DDT?)...to control the mosquitoes. I don't know what else could explain it!

I grew up in that humidity, on those warm beaches on the Gulf coast... I am really quite spoiled by that water.

Yeah, the Pacific is downright chilly compared to that.

Then I traveled the world, at the behest of my dear old Uncle Sam.

Thank you for your service.

Had it not been for Uncle Sam, I'd have never met my husband. He was off doing his thing, overseas, in the Air Force when he got injured. They quickly shipped him back to the US for surgery--and chose Edwards AFB. If they had sent him to MacDill--near his family--we'd never have met. After he was released from the hospital, and while on medical leave from the USAF, he decided to stay in California. He had an apartment in Hollywood, which is were we met via mutual friend. Funny how fate works.

I have traveled the US, driving through nearly all of the lower 48. I have yet to visit Alaska.

You're ahead of me, I think my count is ~25 states. And I haven't made it to Alaska yet either. I'd like to, though.

I currently live in one of the California deserts, centrally located several hours from everything cool (both figuratively and literally). Much as I can tolerate the heat, this dryness is very hard on me. Lately, so are the 100 degrees plus days. The air here is horrible. The cost of living here is moderate only compared to San Diego (where I would love to be able to live, but make only half as much as I'd need to live there).

Yesterday's LA Times had a 'how much can you afford to buy/rent?' calculator for the LA area. It's pretty sobering.

I miss Florida. I miss the green of the East coast; and though the mountains (one failing of Florida) are pretty awesome here, I am unable to live in them at the moment-- my work keeps me here, and I am unfortunately a niche specialist trapped in an at the moment dead-end job.

Can you see yourself moving back to Florida at some point? Honestly, I hated the humidity there, plus the mosquitoes, the mini-van sized bugs, and the flatness. Now that both of my in-laws are gone, I know I'll never go back there even for a visit, let alone to live. But, obviously, many people choose to retire there. After being in the CA desert dryness, though, how do you think you'd do with the extreme contrast in humidity?

 

[Dngrsone]

No, you've got it wrong: YOU'RE my evil twin! :evil:

:rofl:

That very well may be.

Oh my goodness. Your story mirrors my husband's. He was born in New Joisey but moved to Florida's west coast as a small child. He's never considered NJ home, even though he was born there. Like you, he grew up with that humidity, the beaches with their warm water, etc. Something that used to piss me off was that when we were in mosquito-thick places, like Florida and Dallas, *I* would be absolutely covered in mosquitoes, happily chowing down on my blood, while *HE* would have NOT ONE mosquito on him.

Yes, I have that talent for avoiding mosquitoes as well. It may be because I don't sweat as much as other people do out here, something that I have become somewhat famous for. That might also explain why I'm not tolerating the extreme heat out here so well-- not enough sweat to cool me down properly.

Can you see yourself moving back to Florida at some point? Honestly, I hated the humidity there, plus the mosquitoes, the mini-van sized bugs, and the flatness. Now that both of my in-laws are gone, I know I'll never go back there even for a visit, let alone to live. But, obviously, many people choose to retire there. After being in the CA desert dryness, though, how do you think you'd do with the extreme contrast in humidity?

That is a good question. Were I by myself, possibly. But Dngrswife is a native out here and doesn't handle humidity well. She'd rather move to up-state Arizona. I wouldn't mind going north a little-- Oregon, maybe.

Ideally, granted I could get all my kids off on their own, we'd 'retire' and swap this tiny house for a spacious RV and just go... wherever. Visit Alaska in the summer, drive through the South in the winter, and I can try to make a little extra by writing.

That's a good fifteen years from now, though; and I am way behind in accumulating a workable retirement plan.

 

[jefboyardee]

Okay, here goes... off to Laughlin, to get kind of dirty and check apartments across the river in Bullhead... wish me luck!

 

[The_Chief]

We lived in Fort Walton Beach, Florida for 6 years. After the hurricanes in the early to mid 2000s, the taxes and insurance were getting eye-watering. We literally opened a map, closed our eyes and pointed.

"Manchester, Tennessee huh? Let's see: largely rural, a small base there, VA hospital up the road, right between Nashville & Chattanooga on the interstate... let's go look at it." So we took a weekend trip up, liked it, and moved. That was 2007.

Now I'm the lead contender for County Commissioner (the Commission will break the tie my opponent & I are in on September 9th). But if the political winds shift to my opponent, that's fine. We're ready to move. After being in the Navy for so long and transferring so often, seven years is the longest we've ever stayed in one place!

We could love this place some more... but Darling Bride & I want to buy 9 square acres of wooded property, clear out the middle acre, and build our dream home there. That way nobody can see the house from anywhere on the property boundary (except maybe in the winter). That's the ultimate plan, anyway...

 

[MoodyBlues]

Okay, here goes... off to Laughlin, to get kind of dirty and check apartments across the river in Bullhead... wish me luck!

Tons of luck, my friend! Please give a nod to Laughlin for my mom.

 

[Scuttlebug]

no...y...cause at least on the show payton place..it was just a show!!

 

[MoodyBlues]

no...y...cause at least on the show payton place..it was just a show!!

Tell us more, Scuttlebug! We'd like to hear about it.

 

[lunatic59]

no...y...cause at least on the show payton place..it was just a show!!

LOL!

I hear you. I have a neighbor who won't talk to us now because a friend of my daughter-in-law insulted their son's girlfriend.

 

[MoodyBlues]

LOL!

I hear you. I have a neighbor who won't talk to us now because a friend of my daughter-in-law insulted their son's girlfriend.

Seriously?! Okay then...

 

[bjacks12]

LOL!

I hear you. I have a neighbor who won't talk to us now because a friend of my daughter-in-law insulted their son's girlfriend.

Is your neighbor's son's girlfriend Snooki or something?

 

[lunatic59]

Seriously?! Okay then...

Yep. I understand the kids getting their noses out of joint, even though it was really not as bad as everyone seems to think. But, for the parents to hold a grudge against us? I mean these are 50+ "adults". C'mon people, Jr. High School was 40 frikken' years ago.

 

[lunatic59]

Is your neighbor's son's girlfriend Snooki or something?

Umm, I'll go with something *else*.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I mean these are 50+ "adults". C'mon people, Jr. High School was 40 frikken' years ago.

Yeah, I remember that...I think...wait... :hmmmm2: what were we talking about? :hmmmm:

 

[Stuntman]

I lived in Vancouver, B.C. all my life save for a couple of years in Dayton, Ohio when I was really young. I don't see myself ever moving out of Metro Vancouver. The landscape has trees, mountains and ocean. I just moved into a new place and has a nice view of the mountains.

The climate is quite mild. Summer time highs are in the mid to high 20's Celsius. In the winter, temperatures are mostly above freezing with very little snow. I describe the climate in Vancouver has having 2 seasons. The wet season goes from October to May. We get a lot of rain in the wet season which tends to be light, but lasts for hours or days at a time and is often cloudy. The other season is the dry season which goes from June to September. There is very little rain in the dry season and we could go for weeks without any rain. During this time, we get a lot of sun.

The big complaint is the real estate prices in Metro Vancouver. The price of a home has increased at a remarkable rate over the past couple of decades. I have been fortunate enough to have benefited because of some sound investment advice I received. I bought my first house over a decade ago when I could afford it and its value increased dramatically since. I do understand that I am in the small minority. Many others who grew up here are having difficulty buying a home here. I definitely would not have been able to buy that house now.

 

[Scuttlebug]

Well..where does one begin..i live in Georgia..an ok place..i guess..but between..the bounty hunters knocking at the door( not for me or my boyfriend), for people that seem to just show up here..or the police with warrents..one was for me, cause i forgot to pay a ticket!! The marshals coming out..cause apparently we are the place..to bring ur car, if its broken..or just want it..removed..lol
I guess i should mention..its a single home..that is 2 apartments..i live in the basement part..and the "folks"..that live upstairs..well..lets just say..they have more traffic in and out..then 85 has on a busy weekday!!

 

[jefboyardee]

Tons of luck, my friend!

I lost about 150 each of the first two days, made 35 the third day. I'm home now, leaving at the start of the third paid night there. I was disgusted with my luck, my play, and with my reassessment of Bullhead.

Bullhead relies all but completely on the success of those giant casinos right across the river. And Casino Drive is a ghost town. Sure, they're open and staffed, but there's hardly any customers in them. That's undoubtedly why I got my room for just sixteen bucks a night.

Given the sparsity at those casinos since '08, the downfall of most, if not all of them seem inevitable. And when they go down, Bullhead goes with them... given that dark opinion, do I really want to move there?

Nope, I gave up. Even found a great apartment out of the scum, four-fifty a month -- I think they're desperate too. But even with a nice pad, there's just no point in being there.

...what the hell do I do now.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Sorry to hear things didn't go too well out there, jefboyardee. But I wonder if there might be hidden opportunity. With rents so cheap, I don't know, it just makes me think. :hmmmm:

...what the hell do I do now.

Perhaps move there anyway. Get one of those nice apartments with low rent. Move there with the expectation that it's temporary, that if/when things shut down you'll be on your way. Until then, make the most of the opportunity. You're very bright--perhaps there are opportunities you could seize to bring in some money. (And I don't mean gambling! I mean more like something you could do from home.)

Look at the bright side: you'd be out of the shadow of your former life. The house you designed, the ex-wife whose voice you have to hear all the time, etc. Just THAT might do you good.

 

[jefboyardee]

Sorry to hear things didn't go too well out there

As for the losing money, that does happen in casinos, but it also contorts the mind.

Perhaps move there anyway.

That option is still bouncing in my head. I think about Laughlin when I'm back home in Zona, and about Zona when I'm in Laughlin.

The thing I didn't mention is the heat -- pretty much like Phoenix, about twenty degees warmer than my mile-high town. It was 110, in September. That I can take, just going from the car to an air-conditioned something. But this summer, when it hits 125... not sure I can take that.

Move there with the expectation that it's temporary

Yep, option 34Fq7b still exists -- snowbirding, with just a three-hour commute in my case. Laughlin relies on those birds in winter to survive the summer... I might just have to learn how to fly!

...appreciate your provoking.

 

[jefboyardee]

can't remember what I did to piss them off but I never wrote to thank them.

I remember, or at least I remember what I thought had pissed them off:

They had put 'How am I driving? Call 123-456-7890' stickers on their cars' rear bumpers; black text on a yellow background. I would cut a little bit of the yellow off and stick it over the number, so that the correct number was changed, like turning and '8' into a '3' with a little piece on the left center of the '8.' I had suspected that they got wise to that but were never quite positive it was me doing it, so they just decided to eff things up for me.

 

[64MarcoV]

Do i like where i live?

No, that 's why i visit the USA as much as i can. Or Norway.

 

[lunatic59]

Do i like where i live?

No, that 's why i visit the USA as much as i can. Or Norway.

Interesting ... I live in the US and visit the Netherlands every chance I get. Are you saying you live in the New Jersey of Europe?

 

[64MarcoV]

Interesting ... I live in the US and visit the Netherlands every chance I get. Are you saying you live in the New Jersey of Europe?

<-- Iceland Blue Lagoon last March.
Hahaha, im not living in some ugly big city if that's what you mean. Nofi to New Jersey. ( Garden State )
I live in a small town in a very green environment (They call it the Green Heart )
It is in the middle of the big cities Amsterdam, Utrecht , Rotterdam and The Hague.

I like the mountains and deserts, two things we don't have in the Netherlands. We got stuck with a lot of water, green grass, windmills and clogues.

 

[Stuntman]

I like the mountains and deserts, two things we don't have in the Netherlands. We got stuck with a lot of water, green grass, windmills and clogues.

If you like mountains and deserts, come and visit the Okanagan. It is in the southern interior of the province of British Columbia in Canada. It is a desert-like region in the Rocky Mountains.