[Lodger]

Brandon, I feel your pain. This could be a great place, or at least a nice place, but Tuscaloosa is growing by leaps and bounds and the city government is micro-managing instead of macro-managing, if that's a word. And there is no way I'd send my child to a public county middle school here. High schools aren't as bad from what I've heard.

If I were moving to Alabama, I'd probably pick Huntsville. My wife is from there and it's nothing like the rest of Alabama.

[grace1202]

Lodger - what in particular makes you want to leave Tuscaloosa?

I think if we had lived in a more progressive area of AL, such as Huntville, our experiece in AL would be much more positive. One of my best friends who lived in Huntsville for over 20 years (and left only to care for her aging father in MN and desperately wants to move back) warned me that there was a vast difference between Huntsville and Tuscaloosa. I guess I just didn't think the differences would be as marked because T-town is a college town and one of the larger cities in the state. We love the South in general as we lived in the Atlanta metro area for 6 years and had a wonderful experience. I guess we need to take some weekend trips up to the Huntsville area and see what all the buzz is about... It's like someone said in an earlier post - "you've got Huntsville and then you've got everywhere else in AL."

[Lodger]

I don't mean to sound so negative. Tuscaloosa is my home and I've raised my family there. Tuscaloosa, outside of Huntsville, is probably one of the better areas of Alabama.

Now, let me say I'm an old fashioned Republican, not a screaming liberal. I believe the less government we have the better, and just enough taxes to provide essentials. Alabama has gotten so right-wing nutjob redneck the past few years it's disgusting. Moderation is unheard of here. If your not a fundamentalist Christian and bragging about it you are on the outside looking in. I'm not talking about racism, more like Christianism.

Just my two cents. I'd like to live in a place that wasn't so full of hypocrites. People in this state will vote for any yahoo that says he's going to get prayer back in schools, ban gay marriage, put the ten commandments in the criminal code, nail the ten commandments to the courthouse wall, yada yada yada. Alabama will gladly pay lawyers hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting something to the US Supreme Court which will surely lose, like the ten commandments monument of Judge Roy Moore. We actually have a law outlawing the sale of vibrators to women. What business is this of the government? God, don't get me started, I know there are lot's of places just like Alabama all over this great nation, but surely there is someplace left where reason rules.

[brandoni57]

don't get me wrong, I like Tuscaloosa.. the campus at least. tuscaloosa is making some progress though. There are some private developments coming up which will help. The schools I really don't know about, the only great school there is the University of Alabama and also, Shelton State is good too.

Huntsville really is an OASIS... the GOVERNOR of ALAMABA has even been quoted saying that.. that's got to tick off the rest of the state. Huntsville has a diverse economy, educated people, affluent people, yankees, southerners, foreigners(Asian, Indians, Middle Easterners). There is a diverse crowd of religions:mostly Christians, and also Muslims, Hindus, Atheists, Jews. Huntsville is now the third largest city in the state and still growing. Many say it's a perfect size now: not too big or too small, but it won't stay that way for long.. because people from other states are catching on to all those top 10 national rankings in all the different categories that matter. And then there is also the 10,000 JOBS transfering here from Washington DC.

Definitely take a weekend to find the corner you want to settle down in.

[AJ67]

they come from florida!... everyone including the bugs are moving out of florida!

[Buzz]

After reading this entire thread, I am taken aback at how people continue to bash Alabama as a whole, just for common misconceptions that they hear.

Personally, the draw to living in Alabama was the overall small town feel it had. I lived in Sprinville which is a small town close to Birmingham. I loved it, the small town was great and I enjoyed every minute of it. While I would definetly reccomend private school, as you already have done, the school system isnt that bad. To me it's just a nice place to live.

I hope you enjoy your stay in Tuscaloosa and not regret any of it.

Good Luck, and ROLL TIDE!

[IDVague]

A few of the things that make Alabama a great place to live:

Front porch swings
Home-made ice cream
Grilling burgers out back
Friday night football at the high school
Roll Tide and War Eagle on Saturday
Church on Sunday, no matter what
Kids playing in the yard until it's too dark
Catching "lightnin' bugs" in a jar
Flowers and berries in the spring
Sweatin' in the summer
Colors of the fall
Maybe one snow in the winter
Flying the flag more than one day a year
A Christmas parade that lasts 5 minutes
Staying 2 hours after the parade to say hello to everyone
Knowing the neighbor's dog by name
Saying sir and ma'am
Having a neighbor show up with a "mess of fish" to share
Covered dish suppers and "dinner on the grounds"
Vacation Bible School and kids with koolaid stained faces
Knowing the difference between family and community, but not making a big deal out of it.
And most of all, thinking of Alabama FIRST when you hear the word HOME.

[southerngirl_for_now]

I live in Alabama and can't find one good thing to say about it. Hate it and am moving within the next 6 months. It's dirty and it's hot and the hurricanes really take a toll on your emotional state as well as your pocketbook. Utility costs are outrageous. Economy sucks. People say the cost of living is low and well it is because most jobs pay $5.00 an hour. I'm one of the lucky ones and have a good job. But I hate this area and will never return once I get away from here. It is hell on earth.

[Lodger]

Well, there is certainly a place for everyone in this great nation of ours. If you like to hunt, fish, go to church, if you want a slower pace of life and like hot weather Alabama may be perfect for you. My problem is I don't fit in any of those catagories except the slower pace part. I know more than one northener who has moved down here and loved it. It's hard to ask for opinions about a place, one mans purgatory is another mans paradise.

[IDVague]

Originally Posted by southerngirl_for_now

I live in Alabama and can't find one good thing to say about it. Hate it and am moving within the next 6 months. It's dirty and it's hot and the hurricanes really take a toll on your emotional state as well as your pocketbook. Utility costs are outrageous. Economy sucks. People say the cost of living is low and well it is because most jobs pay $5.00 an hour. I'm one of the lucky ones and have a good job. But I hate this area and will never return once I get away from here. It is hell on earth.

You say you are lucky to have a "good" job, but in another thread you say you are near the poverty level. How can it be both?