I never knew how much I missed Michigan till I lived in Tucson (Flagstaff: sales, employment)

[canudigit]

Another problem we have here in Michigan in regards to tourism is that it is so seasonal. The upper LP and UP only get about three months of really "warm" weather a year, so places like Mackinaw City and especially Mackinac Island can be prohibitively expensive for a lot of people, especially in this economy. Those places have to "make hay while the sun shines" so to speak, so they can't cut their summer rates, since business in the winter is almost nonexistent. Still, Mackinac Island in the summer is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen, comparable even to Coronado, CA. The huge new casinos in downtown Detroit were supposed to generate tourism, and they do seem to draw a lot of business, but a lot of the people who visit them live in the area and either drive in for a few hours or take a charter bus in for a day trip, so other touristy places in the Detroit area such as the zoo, Greenfield Village, etc. don't get the spillover from the casino crowds. It's too bad. In many ways, Detroit could be a really cool city and it has a great and fascinating history.

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by odinloki1

Ok, because of jobs and other factors I have had to live in Tucson for the past four years. I a moving to Chicago in May and with any luck, after I finish P.A. school I'll get to move back. I miss Michigan so much, I thought I'd list all the reasons

1. The weather. Yes Tucson has so much sunshine. So much sunshine it feels like my retinas are getting burned out (its boring) plus the dry climate makes you feel like if you aren't constantly drinking, you're going to die. I miss the humidity to keep me from drying out. I love the cold. You can layer up at 10-20 degrees. What do you do at 110? Walk around naked and then get skin cancer?

2. The people. Friendly, actual neighborhoods where people live for a long time, not just housing developments where a bunch of transplants just move in and never socialize. There are actual communities in Michigan where people care about the schools.

3. Plants. Actual trees and shade that grow, not these dead stick bush things that they call plants here. This place is a giant sand trap thats gradualy being overrun by this buffelgrass stuff that is going to kill off everything else.

4. Schools. The schools here suck. Yes some of you may want to villify teachers in Michigan, but here, they are basically minimum wage slaves who are treated like crap by students. The school standards are crappy. I'll never raise a child here.

5. Things to do. Boating, hiking, camping running. Here, everything is based on the amount of water you can carry. You can never find shade or take refuge from the giant ball of radiation in the sky. Even in winter you just got to layer up, but you'll never have to worry about dying from dehyration.

6. Lakes. Beautiful lakes with wildlife Lakes so big you can't see across. Beats dried out brown mountains any day.

7. The food. So much better variety and choices there than here. Greek Middle Eastern, African, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican. Its all there. Here its Mexican or chain restaurants or mediocre imitations.

8. Canada. Its a great country with great people that aren't covering our borders with crime and constantly trying to sell you things whenever you go into their country.

9. The cost of living. Houses are affordable there. Here its overpriced housing on tiny tiny lots, or overpriced apartments.

10. Grass. I don't care if it requires some work to maintain (anything worthwhile usually requires some sort of upkeep, I love to walk barefoot and not feel jagged stones digging into my feet.

Tucson has roads that are just as bad (you would think they wouldn't but they just don't want to pay to upkeep them here) unfriendly people (I barely know my neighbors after living here almost 2 years they just all hide inside with locked doors and security signs up), its just as unsafe to ride a bike in Tucson, and not to mention, theres little to see or do in this endless suburb.

I can't wait to get back to Michigan and a real small town (yes they think 1,000,000 people is a small town here too)

You do realize that Tucson is in the desert right? I can understand that Michigan is beautiful, but Arizona is beautiful as well. Travel the state and see the beauty of the Grand Canyon, go skiing in the mountains near Flagstaff, hike in the beautiful Catalina mountains near Tucson. There are a wealth of things to do in Arizona. The desert is completely different from the midwest, but it is really beautiful all the same.

[CCCVDUR]

Born and raised in Seattle I agree with much of what you have to say. Yes both in AZ and also NM you can't get to know your neighbors. It's impossible. And people do not return emails or phone calls. Back in Seattle, if your neighbors don't immediately welcome you, then you think they're criminals or drug addicts - I kid you not. I'm in flagstaff and someone said tucson was friendlier than both albuquerque and flagstaff, and I'm very sorry to hear this from your post. Why people are so unfriendly I have no idea. I am an introvert so I prefer extroverts, and can't stand parts of the US where everyone behaves like an introvert except in their own little cliques.

As for the cost of living in Arizona its due to the Arizona Smart Growth Act. All cities in AZ are required to meet certain Smart Growth criteria. Just ridiculous.

I am thinking that for those of us who are stuck here for now, that here in flagstaff is the best place in arizona because of the outdoor environment and people into the outdoors. The bike trail system here is ranked very highly and is the best part of every day after suffering with a very severe knee injury in 2008

[CCCVDUR]

Originally Posted by D-Towner

I have a question for my Arizona Brethren. Do y'all get sick of people who moved to your state for one reason or another telling you (who are proud of your home territory) how much it sucks and how they want to move back to where they came from? I mean, it seems to happen a bit in the Texas forum. Just curious.

D-Towner ..... Reply to your post. I'm not asking you personally, but here's my sarcastic response as a radio guy (I like it! I'll give you rep points for it!)

Yeah but do you know how many of us got stranded in Flagstaff on I-40, tried to make it here, and it didn't work, and we're still stuck here?
Why doesn't AZ work out for us?
Where do you want us to go?
Why don't you welcome your new neighbors when they move in?
Why do you have Socialist policies like "Smart Growth" that limit economic development, w/ resulting high unemployment and inflated home prices? How Smart Growth Exacerbated the International Financial Crisis
Why did you stop Tesla Electric Cars from coming to Flagstaff?
Why do you stop and then re-start big box stores in flagstaff? Which is it?
Why is your college tuition so high?
What is wrong with Wallmart and Costco?
What is wrong with Labor Unions?
What is wrong with two consenting adults of the same sex in a Civil Union?
What is wrong with a statewide gay civil rights employment ordinance?
What is wrong with medical marijuana?
What is wrong with immigrants who are working harder than most native Arizonans?
What is wrong with celebrating Martin Luther King Day?
Why don't you elect people in AZ who will give tax breaks to new companies, like in Texas and Oklahoma?
Shall I continue or should we listen to Mark Lindsay explain this?

Arizona - Mark Lindsay - tells the whole story, but Arizona will never, ever change
Warning: Clicking this starts a U-Tube audio session. Don't let your boss hear it. Or, take a chance, and remember how to shut windows down if s/he walks by (as Jim Rome explained today if you're streaming college sports. Sorry, I don't remember the keystrokes. HA HA HA)

YouTube - ARIZONA / MARK LINDSAY

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Why doesn't AZ work out for us?

Because you are not able to fit in

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Where do you want us to go?

Anywhere but Arizona

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Why don't you welcome your new neighbors when they move in?

They do

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Why do you have Socialist policies like "Smart Growth" that limit economic development, w/ resulting high unemployment and inflated home prices?

Smart growth has nothing to do with high unemployement or "inflated" home prices

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Why did you stop Tesla Electric Cars from coming to Flagstaff?

Just didn't work out. That happens sometimes


Why do you stop and th

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Why do you stop and then re-start big box stores in flagstaff? Which is it?

Neighborhood complaints

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Why is your college tuition so high?

Talk to the legislature. They tell the Universities how much money they can have.

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

What is wrong with Wallmart and Costco?

Nothing. I belong to both. But, they are not right everywhere

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

What is wrong with Labor Unions?

What is right with Labor Unions? That aside, Arizona is a Right to Work State - and always be. Union membership nationwide is at 12% and dropping.

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

What is wrong with two consenting adults of the same sex in a Civil Union?

As long as they do not call it Marriage. Arizona Constitution defines a Marriage as between one man and one woman. The people voted on that last November you may recall - and overwhelmingly - the Amendment passed.

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

What is wrong with a statewide gay civil rights employment ordinance?

Don't need it. EEOA covers it

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

What is wrong with medical marijuana?

The People will not approve it

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

What is wrong with immigrants who are working harder than most native Arizonans?

As long as they are legally in the country - nothing is wrong. If they are here illegally - they will be caught and deported.

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

What is wrong with celebrating Martin Luther King Day?

Nothing. We already do celebrate it.

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Why don't you elect people in AZ who will give tax breaks to new companies, like in Texas and Oklahoma?

We already do. You should check out the MAJOR tax breaks given by the City of Mesa to a developer in the last week or so

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Shall I continue or should we listen to Mark Lindsay explain this?

Whatever floats your boat.

[D-Towner]

Originally Posted by IWantToBelieve

Some northern states, sure, but if you have a week or two of double digit negative (F) temperatures... private skating rink!

... I've never seen an outdoor pool open through the winter, they get drained to avoid ice damage as far as I know.

I was referring to the late spring and early fall periods...it isn't as hot up there as it is down here usually

[CCCVDUR]

"quote=Greatday;7934737
Smart growth has nothing to do with high unemployement or "inflated" home prices"

Yes it does. Please check Dr. Wendell Cox at:

DEMOGRAPHIA: Demographics Development Impacts Market Research & Urban Policy

How Smart Growth Exacerbated the International Financial Crisis

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

"quote=Greatday;7934737
Smart growth has nothing to do with high unemployement or "inflated" home prices"

Nope - it does not

Your links are crap

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Smart growth has nothing to do with high unemployement or "inflated" home prices"

Here - learn something about what Smart Growth really is all about

Smart Growth Online