Allee Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 I read a very moving account of the New Orleans disaster today, written by an author/professor who watched "his city" and his home sink from Toronto. His description of life in the city, the good and bad, up and down, was eye opening, to say the least. It got me thinking - why do people live where they do? What makes them visit a city and never leave? Is there somewhere you've always wanted to go, or to live? What is the good and bad of the place that you live, and why do you love it or loathe it? For me - I left New Zealand (this puzzles Canadians) to be somewhere more accessible for travel. I decided on Calgary because it was close to Banff, where I had spent a magical week in the mountains at Xmas 99, it was close to a dozen top ski hills, and there seemed to be good employment prospects. Now that I'm here, I'm in love with the mountains, the clean (for a city of a million people) air, the green spaces, the reasonable traffic, the chinook winds in the winter, and the get-it-while-you-can, frantic fun vibe in the summer. What's your story?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.E Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 I met a wonderful women in college and have been chasing her ever since. We're married, so its pretty easy to figure out where she is headed. Moved from Portland to Seattle so she could go to grad school. Portlanders couldn't figure it out. We then moved from Seattle to SLC so she could work as a librarian at the U. Portlanders, Seattlites, and probably 95% or everyone else couldn't figure it out. Just by luck I landed my dream job teaching art and outdoor recreation in a private HS. I work three days a week, and I drive through Park City when I do work. My wife will stay content riding her bike the 3 miles to her job while I while away the hours riding 5-7 days a week in some of the best snowboarding on earth. The Portlanders and Seattlites shouldn't have a hard time figuring that one out! ;) We'll stay for a bit I think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 Simple, I was raised here, all my family and friends are here, and it's a nice small city, cheap to live in and pretty. Way too far from any mountains though, but I learned from a couple of years in Calgary that I value family and friends more than sliding on snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C5 Golfer Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 An Ex-Iowan - Sioux City to be exact. Seattle guy now for a long time and still trying to figure it out what ever the H#ll that means. Wonderful place here but so are so many other places I have visited. I love the light rain and fall smells that come with it. Love the green trees and foliage year around. I do not mind mowing the lawn in Dec when most are shoveling snow. Love the golfing year around, specially the days I snowboard and golf the same day. I love the summers that are most of the time a high of 80° and convertible top can be down cuz it is not too hot. Many places have summers so hot you can’t lower the top. Most houses here do not have air conditioning because it is usually not needed, Mother Nature’s air conditioner off the Sound does a marvelous job, plus it is not burning any resources but that is another post. Love the long days we have in the summer when it is still light out at 10PM. Love the people here but I think you’ll find great people no matter where you live. We in Seattle area are so fortunate to have so many outdoor activities available on an easy daily basis. Here is a partial list: volleyball, softball, soccer, bicycling anywhere, kayaking (sea or river), hiking or mountain climbing, snowshoeing, fishing (salt or fresh, salmon, halibut to sturgeon to bass and walleye and just about every flavor of trout), three species of deer and two species of elk to hunt till your heart is content, power or sail boat to many islands, close to the beautiful Okanogan valley and Whistler, exotic or classic car enthusiasts, great job industry and opportunities, restaurants and food and wine industry is superb, and since we are at the end it is a great place to retire. Other items to mention – No state income tax. Yes, traffic sucks big time here but that is what you get when you plop a city down with a huge lake in the center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Portland, OR. Born and raised here and I've been away for long enough to appreciate its good qualities: affordable housing, great people, great restaurant scene, world-class local beers, proximity to outdoor sports (See C5 Golfer's post - I think we have most of that and I would argue that Mt. Hood is better than any of Seattle's local ski areas), and just general laid-back-ness. When I was growing up, it was widely accepted that there wasn't a single restaurant in Portland at which you couldn't dine in jeans. This may have changed over the last 2 decades, but it's still a remarkably relaxed/informal town. A few weeks ago, I walked outside my house with my longboard to go to the store and two guys were biking down the street. I said "hey, can I get a tow?" and they responded "sure, grab on." Can't imagine such friendliness towards strangers on the East Coast, or even in most West Coast cities. Having said all that, if I could only get a work visa, I'd move to Vancouver BC in a heartbeat. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Why do I live in Houston????? Well, after my AF career, the man I was married to wanted to settle south of town. I did, finished a residency in Internal Medicine and opened a practice. My practice failed, I got divorced-not in that order-and I made plans to move back to Fort Worth-my chilhood home and the residence of my parents Then I met Sam....he is from here and committed to staying-until my kids are off to college. I told him that I was going to be a "boardbum" from Dec to April once the kids were gone. First, he laughed....now he's looking at things he can do in CO during the winter at the family cabin. Good things about Houston. The weather is amazing in March and October... I'm close to the gulf but not as close as I was (living on Galveston Island) Now that Houston is in the news, I'm glad to say I live here. There's no other town as close to N.O. that could absorb the extra population without a hitch. Being a native Nebraskan, I've always thought "Southern" hospitality was contrived. Now I know I was wrong.... As for N.O., I have visited often. I do not hang out on Bourbon St when we go, too.... The food is incredible... The ambience, attitude, whatever is just awesome. Nola to me represents everything that the US doesn't represent to the rest of the world. No overaggressive entrepreneural business climate...no overreaching imperialism...just "laisse bon temp rolle" Even relaxing against a live oak so old that the lowest boughs touch the ground(and are even reburied) in Audubon Park is worth the air fare to get there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 I place all the positive and negative about where I live and what I am doing on the shoulders of the US Navy...for the most part, excluding 4 years that I spent in GUAM I have enjoyed everyplace that I have lived...Japan right now has been incredible...good snowboarding and lots of neat things to see...travel from here (government sponsored or not) is great. That said after nearly 17 years, most of it spent overseas, I am happily moving to Ct. in Jan. where I will most likely retire and return to snowboarding in NH/VT/ME/MA. Why CT??? well I more or less grew up in Newport R.I. and New England in general has everything I want/need. Good roads to motorcycle, good rocks to climb, a few good skateparks to skate and good mountains to carve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncermak Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Born and bred on Long Island, NY. school in maine. Back to LI to teach for 2 years. too crowded...to many lines, too much traffic, too expensive. Moved to a boarding school in NH. 3 more years. all boys school in the miidle of the woods. lousy work schedule. lousy pay. went to the big city (manchester, NH) to seek Fame Fortune and Women. Promptly sent to Pittsfield Mass to work on a job site for 2 weeks. been here 7 years now...finally like the place, and the end is near for the job. who knows whats next... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 I feel for you Ice Coasters....way too crowded for me(and this coming from the 4th largest city in the US).... Give me Grand Co, CO-6 stoplights in the whole county-I have more on my way to the grocery store here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfell Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 Spend a year in Utah and you'll get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 Spend a year in Utah and you'll get it. Does that mean i'll have to learn how to say "oh my heck"? :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 "I love the light rain and fall smells that come with it. " Al you must be loving it alot right now! :D Basically mirror what Al said. I have lived here since I was 4 and my career and kids will keep me here for a long while. There are other places in the world where I have spent time but this is home. I take the good with the bad and do my best to keep it good. I do miss the Sierras in the summer where I spent alot of time as a kid but this is home, at least for the next 17 years till I retire, grow my hair long (whats left of it) and find someplace quiet where I dont have to get up in the middle of the night to solve somebody elses problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shred Gruumer Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 Man where to start.... Big mountains , huge dumps,(toilet) :o , big surf, clean air, burning rivers and rock and roll.. what more could you want.. Well low cost of living and a great job keeps me here and for a city its kinda cool great area and jobs are in plenty so if i make enough then I can get to anywhere.. $$ goes a long way here.. toys aren't free.. Right said Shred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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