Do you like where you live?

[MaddBaggins]

I've lived in Tucson since 81. I left for a while when I was in the Navy, but came right back. I used to really love it here, but the last few years the heat has started to wear me down. Well, that and the people I work with at my job for the last 6 years. It's on the southside, barrio/gangland types. I'm definitely an outsider but I'm the supervisor and quality control. Being the outsider works in that position, but I miss having camaraderie and friendships at work.

Having said that, things may be changing soon and I really do love the Sonoran Desert.

If money were no object, I would probably move to the Bayfield area of CO. Get a spread on the river and raise chickens and vegetables. Steamworks and Ska are both a few miles away in Durango.

 

[bobeer]

I've lived in Tucson since 81. I left for a while when I was in the Navy, but came right back. I used to really love it here, but the last few years the heat has started to wear me down. Well, that and the people I work with at my job for the last 6 years. It's on the southside, barrio/gangland types. I'm definitely an outsider but I'm the supervisor and quality control. Being the outsider works in that position, but I miss having camaraderie and friendships at work.

Having said that, things may be changing soon and I really do love the Sonoran Desert.

If money were no object, I would probably move to the Bayfield area of CO. Get a spread on the river and raise chickens and vegetables. Steamworks and Ska are both a few miles away in Durango.

I hear you. The muggy summers here get harder and harder for me every year.
If money wasn't an issue I'd buy a farm somewhere and grow hops for the booming craft beer industry. I'd grow veggies too and sell them at all the farmer's markets that are popping up everywhere. Sure it would be a ton of work but it would beat working the 8-5 mon-fri office gig.

 

[drainbamage]

I can certainly attest that the UK fans deserve to be in the cons column! I am in Lexington, home of UK. I will never understand the concept of celebrating victory by burning couches and flipping cars! I personally observed a large group trying to flip a fire truck once.

I'm a UK grad myself, I'm just not especially rabid about sports. The atmosphere can be fun to an extent, but a lot of them take it way too seriously. And of course, there's never any reason to start burning stuff over a sporting event.

 

[celticinnbrewery]

I live just outside of Pittsburgh and have to admit I really enjoy it. It is a pretty diverse area - four distinct seasons, tons of outdoor stuff to do, good cultural offerings downtown, cheaper housing, good job market depending on what you do, everything is a fairly short drive, good sports, pretty safe and a good place to raise kids, and generally pretty easy going people. We're finally jumping on the microbrew train, with a few new ones starting up over the last couple of years. Pittsburgh probably isn't what most people think of when coming up with exciting places to live, but I definitely appreciate what we have here.

 

[captianoats]

Illinois
Cons
Chicago runs the state.
Chicago has run the state into the ground
Taxes are increasing
The state is broke, yet still spending like crazy
State infrastructure is crumbling
State population is decreasing
A area politician ran with a campaign of "Illinois greatest export is not grain, its college educations"

He's not far from the truth. My wife and I both were born and raised in so. IL and moved to ohio. Many of the guys in my dept are the same way, moved from Illinois after college.

 

[Hamaki]

More pros than cons here.

Excellent climate, plenty of outdoors stuff to do, cost of living is pretty reasonable (especially by California standards), not crowded, folks pretty well mind their own business and I don't have to worry about locking the house or vehicles while at home.

On the down side, there's not much diversity here and everything is an hour or more away, including universities, major employers and anything of much cultural value (unless your interests are confined to the history of the gold rush or the local branch of the Miwoks).

I've been on a few road trips, kinda like the OP, scouting for somewhere better. In my experience I found people in Montana and British Columbia to be the friendliest, most helpful and (seemingly) the most genuine. Had bad experiences in Texas, though.

 

[Curtis2010]

Sort of a weird question but my wife and I have been trying to move out of VA for years but can't seem to find a place that fits our lifestyle, wants, or needs. So, I'm turning to you HBT... Where do you live and what do you like and/or dislike about it?

More importantly, what are your wants & objectives? People can then suggest places that might meet them.

You can create your own reality, but you first need to carefully choose what it will be.

 

[ol-hazza]

I live in New Zealand (i'm not sure if you are after overseas entries?) and I think its pretty damn flash.
Terrain wise we have a bit of everything, mountains, plains (sorta) plenty of bush, glaciers, lakes, beaches, fjiords and some cool cities. apparently you are never further than 70 miles from the sea either. You can be skiing in the morning and surfing in the afternoon, and then probably pop back for some more skiing and a quick surf.
Climate varies, in the south it gets pretty cold but you wont have snow settling for any real length of time, where as in the north you would be lucky to see snow.
The food and beer scene is really coming along, I live rurally but have a couple of people brewing locally, and a craft beer is available on tap at most decent bars.
Outside of the biggest cities houses and land are affordable, with most working families owning a house on a 1/4 acre.

Oh and did I mention its beautiful? and our cops were only just allowed to carry tasers and when the buzz someone with them it makes the national news.

On the down side we have earthquakes, volcanoes, storms and sharks but no where is perfect. Its also fairly expensive by international standards i have been told but i live pretty comfortably.

Oh and you can grow hops here