Some truth for moving to parts of Arkansas (Little Rock: home, offer)

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by BassCat2005

If you have a desire to live in the past or wonder what it was like living in 1965 then you will love Arkansas. These people live it everday. I guess that is why people really like it here. Just takes a lot of time to get used to.

A friend I have who moved from where else but Little Rock said that moving to Ft. Smith was like going 30 years back in time.

[magrack]

I find a certain irony here.

I spent a good chunk of my youth growing up in a 4 room frame house in Independence County...hand pump in the kitchen, facilities out back.

Really a hardscrabble existence. I didn't know we were poor because we always had food.

My father couldn't find decent work and carried us off to California, a place he had spent some time in during the second war.

We were not welcomed there. My brothers and I were called Okies (I think it was a hold-over from the dust bowl era when the great migration was met at the CA border by citizens and law enforcement of CA in a futile attempt to turn people back) and listened to constant insults from many kids about the Okies. Explainations about the difference between AR and OK fell on deaf ears and the continued insults eventually resulted in a fight.

Those kids could have only learned that type of behavior from their parents.

The irony is, quite possibly, some of those kids may be some of the same ones who held thoses views are now retiring and are moving to different states, and facing that same behavior in judging someone because of what state they're from. (Karma can be a real b*****)

My father died shortly after we moved and after a time, my mother married a guy in the Air Force and we moved to WA, then AK and then back to CA for my last year of HS. Only in CA did I ever have to fight because I was a new kid.

I joined the Army after high school and got to see a lot of this country along with a few other countries. In the Army, didn't matter where you were from, only that you could do your duties (there was a mostly friendly rivalry between city boys and country boys, but we all learned to depend on each other)

Now, I see the Californians catching the same grief that I remember from my youth. I won't do it...this is America...people have the right to move, and everybody is seeking a better life for themselves.

It's a mobile society and I'll accept it and expect change; It's going to anyway, and I have no desire to return to the Arkansas of my youth. The 40's and early 50's were not idyllic here for most of us.

I don't dislike Californians...I married one, and after more than 40 years of marriage I figger she's a keeper (besides, she likes Arkansas just as it is, and now understands why I had to come home.)

My daughter is a Californian...she was born in the Army hospital at Ft Ord, but grew up in Japan, Georgia and WA. After she was married, she moved to CA. She's a keeper too.

I don't like California, for a lot of reasons, but I'll give anybody a chance to prove themselves.

I just don't want to see Arkansas turned into another CA or IL or whatever.

Arkansas is not 30 years behind the times...it's 2007 on my calendar...yours too, I'll bet. What it is, is a different lifestyle...if you don't like it...move.

It's a mobile society.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by magrack

I find a certain irony here.

I spent a good chunk of my youth growing up in a 4 room frame house in Independence County...hand pump in the kitchen, facilities out back.

Really a hardscrabble existence. I didn't know we were poor because we always had food.

My father couldn't find decent work and carried us off to California, a place he had spent some time in during the second war.

We were not welcomed there. My brothers and I were called Okies (I think it was a hold-over from the dust bowl era when the great migration was met at the CA border by citizens and law enforcement of CA in a futile attempt to turn people back) and listened to constant insults from many kids about the Okies. Explainations about the difference between AR and OK fell on deaf ears and the continued insults eventually resulted in a fight.

Those kids could have only learned that type of behavior from their parents.

The irony is, quite possibly, some of those kids may be some of the same ones who held thoses views are now retiring and are moving to different states, and facing that same behavior in judging someone because of what state they're from. (Karma can be a real b*****)

My father died shortly after we moved and after a time, my mother married a guy in the Air Force and we moved to WA, then AK and then back to CA for my last year of HS. Only in CA did I ever have to fight because I was a new kid.

I joined the Army after high school and got to see a lot of this country along with a few other countries. In the Army, didn't matter where you were from, only that you could do your duties (there was a mostly friendly rivalry between city boys and country boys, but we all learned to depend on each other)

Now, I see the Californians catching the same grief that I remember from my youth. I won't do it...this is America...people have the right to move, and everybody is seeking a better life for themselves.

It's a mobile society and I'll accept it and expect change; It's going to anyway, and I have no desire to return to the Arkansas of my youth. The 40's and early 50's were not idyllic here for most of us.

I don't dislike Californians...I married one, and after more than 40 years of marriage I figger she's a keeper (besides, she likes Arkansas just as it is, and now understands why I had to come home.)

My daughter is a Californian...she was born in the Army hospital at Ft Ord, but grew up in Japan, Georgia and WA. After she was married, she moved to CA. She's a keeper too.

I don't like California, for a lot of reasons, but I'll give anybody a chance to prove themselves.

I just don't want to see Arkansas turned into another CA or IL or whatever.

Arkansas is not 30 years behind the times...it's 2007 on my calendar...yours too, I'll bet. What it is, is a different lifestyle...if you don't like it...move.

It's a mobile society.

In 1977, I moved From california when I was 9 to Oregon. My first day of 5th grade, the teacher asked us to tell the class about eachother. I metioned I was from Reseda California, and was glad to live in a real forest now (such as it was at the time in that town ). Apparetnly, the parents of the place had taught thier kids to hate californians. I did not know you were supposed to be hated, or I would not have said anything, after all, this was 1977, Californians did not have this HUGE equity they bring now to ruin it for everone else. Long story short, after school, I got my a$$ kicked by 3 of the tough kids. The who class disliked me for 2 years. I finally got into JR high. This time I did not tell my new classmates that I was from California. New School, new rep. I was fine from there on. Message here, and from the previous post is don't program your kids for hate. I had nothing to do with my Dads desire to live the "Good Life" and it wasnt my fault that my father knocked up my mom in the state of California. Now all that said, I understand why you don't like people who knock your "behind the times" state. Oregon, at least most of Southern Oregon is very similar. Californians and Well as Washintonians think that those of us from Southern Oregon are Hicks. If you ask me, its what makes your state more charming. If you were 2007, as every one else sees 2007 then I think your state would just be very different. Terrible sprawl, high real Estate, your trees would be disapearing (like in Colorado and my state of Oregon). Keep up the good work.

[nmnita]

Hearing Magrack's story I think, how lucky my husband was. The moved to Calif from Ohio after the second World war. His dad had visited Calif druing the war when he worked for GoodYear. Though they lived in Acron, OH they were West Va through and thruog. Choosing to live in a small community about 25 east of Los Angeles was a good move for them as many of his friends were Okies and Arkies as they were called. All were middle to lower middle income and the families were just trying to give their kids more than they had. He never experienced any hostility, still almost 60 years later is close to some of his friends and all of them have done well. The interesting things; most of them would love to get out of Calif, some have, some will in the next few years.

Nita

[magrack]

The 70's was tough on anyone moving into Oregon.

Signs and bumper stickers about thank you for visiting, now leave and keep Oregon green, bring money, now leave and other such were common.

Didn't change a thing.

WA still has plenty of people who adhere to the principle of "don't Californicate WA." so does MT, ID, AZ and Texas.

Won't change a thing.

As more and more Caiifornians wake up to the fact that there are better places to live, they're going to move.

I'm not necessarily talking about the physical attractions as being a better place to live, I'm talking about living in less crowded conditions devoid of having to compete for breathing space. Places where neighbors know their neighbors and offer a helping hand when necessary.

The whole country is going to experience population growth...it has in the past and it will in the future.

With the increased population, social dynamics will change. There will be "culture" clashes.

People, by and large, don't like change. They find a comfort zone and like to stay there.

People fight change.

It's a normal and natural reaction.

Hopefully the changes in Arkansas will happen at a pace comfortable to all.

Arkansas has changed.

I've watched it change from a different perspective than many. I've seen it from the view of someone who has had the opportunity of living in many different places with different norms.

Every visit was an eye opener, because I didn't get to see it as a gradual event, but had it thrust upon me.

We are not un-educated nor unsophisticated. We have access to the same mass communications/media as the rest of the country and we're certainly smart enough to see what is happening and to make up our own minds of what we desire.

We are not culturally lacking.

Our culture is that of the rural or semi-rural south of the 21st century. You can accept it or not.

If you find that unappealing, don't bother showing up.

[magrack]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Hearing Magrack's story I think, how lucky my husband was. The moved to Calif from Ohio after the second World war. His dad had visited Calif druing the war when he worked for GoodYear. Though they lived in Acron, OH they were West Va through and thruog. Choosing to live in a small community about 25 east of Los Angeles was a good move for them as many of his friends were Okies and Arkies as they were called. All were middle to lower middle income and the families were just trying to give their kids more than they had. He never experienced any hostility, still almost 60 years later is close to some of his friends and all of them have done well. The interesting things; most of them would love to get out of Calif, some have, some will in the next few years.

Nita

Shoot, Nita, I consider myself quite lucky. I've had a great life.

Hasn't always been easy, but there's no guarantee that life has to be easy or fair.

A little hard work, adherence to principles of personal and fiscal responsibility, a lot of skull sweat at night school...no problems.

My wife and I are not rich, but we managed to get a couple of kids through college on our own dime so they could start their lives without obligation.

We own our place and all that sits on the land. We did it by living frugally and putting aside something for the future whenever possible.

The last "brand spanking new" vehicle we bought was in '98....we still own it, and although relegated to monthly grocery shopping (mini-van that can carry a bunch of stuff), we figure to keep it till it breathes it's last.

Because of the way I grew up, I'm not bound by the same rules that others seem to be...I don't care what the Jones' have... if they were smart, they'd be trying to keep up with me.

Since we want for nothing, and have no debt, I'd not trade my life with anyone.

Can't do better than that.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by magrack

Shoot, Nita, I consider myself quite lucky. I've had a great life.

Hasn't always been easy, but there's no guarantee that life has to be easy or fair.

A little hard work, adherence to principles of personal and fiscal responsibility, a lot of skull sweat at night school...no problems.

My wife and I are not rich, but we managed to get a couple of kids through college on our own dime so they could start their lives without obligation.

We own our place and all that sits on the land. We did it by living frugally and putting aside something for the future whenever possible.

The last "brand spanking new" vehicle we bought was in '98....we still own it, and although relegated to monthly grocery shopping (mini-van that can carry a bunch of stuff), we figure to keep it till it breathes it's last.

Because of the way I grew up, I'm not bound by the same rules that others seem to be...I don't care what the Jones' have... if they were smart, they'd be trying to keep up with me.

Since we want for nothing, and have no debt, I'd not trade my life with anyone.

Can't do better than that.

And you have succeeded the way you have because of the princeples your parents inslilled in you.

I have to admit, my background was a little different, I was raised in Los Angeles proper (in the good ole days) we were financually better off than most of hubbies friends and family and better off than many of my friends as well. Who was the spoiled one between hubby and me? Hubby, the only child of working class parents or me, one of four kids with a dad that was an Electical Engineer? Of course, me. I didn't have everything I wanted, but I certainly can't complain. Hubby had everything he needed but worked from the time he was 13 and didn't know there was another way to live.

Nita

[magrack]

And those principles are from a backwards azz place where a handshake is as good as a contract (at least in my neck of the woods).

For those of you who don't have that where you live, too bad for you.

No, I'm not putting us down, I putting down the folks who don't understand us.

[DFWMike]

We are not un-educated nor unsophisticated. We have access to the same mass communications/media as the rest of the country and we're certainly smart enough to see what is happening and to make up our own minds of what we desire.

We are not culturally lacking.

Our culture is that of the rural or semi-rural south of the 21st century. You can accept it or not.

If you find that unappealing, don't bother showing up.[/quote]




Isn't that the truth! I said it earlier, if you are unhappy about where you lived before, why on earth would you try to change the place you moved to into the same society you were so unhappy about. You usually find a place appealing because the culture that is already there, if you don't like that culture, keep on looking because you're not going to be able to change it, and you shouldn't want to.

[JGAngel97]

Originally Posted by sberdrow

In 1977, I moved From california when I was 9 to Oregon. My first day of 5th grade, the teacher asked us to tell the class about eachother. I metioned I was from Reseda California, and was glad to live in a real forest now (such as it was at the time in that town ). Apparetnly, the parents of the place had taught thier kids to hate californians. I did not know you were supposed to be hated, or I would not have said anything, after all, this was 1977, Californians did not have this HUGE equity they bring now to ruin it for everone else. Long story short, after school, I got my a$$ kicked by 3 of the tough kids. The who class disliked me for 2 years. I finally got into JR high. This time I did not tell my new classmates that I was from California. New School, new rep. I was fine from there on. Message here, and from the previous post is don't program your kids for hate. I had nothing to do with my Dads desire to live the "Good Life" and it wasnt my fault that my father knocked up my mom in the state of California. Now all that said, I understand why you don't like people who knock your "behind the times" state. Oregon, at least most of Southern Oregon is very similar. Californians and Well as Washintonians think that those of us from Southern Oregon are Hicks. If you ask me, its what makes your state more charming. If you were 2007, as every one else sees 2007 then I think your state would just be very different. Terrible sprawl, high real Estate, your trees would be disapearing (like in Colorado and my state of Oregon). Keep up the good work.

Being a native Californian, I am so tired of hearing how we "ruin" other places. People are people are people. I am an American citizen and am free to live wherever I choose

Unfortunately, I chose Las Vegas!!

Now I'm going to choose Arkansas. Why? Because on a 2 day visit, I fell in love with the place. The newer homes are better equipped than the newer (affordable) homes in either CA or NV - well, there aren't any affordable homes in CA or Las Vegas. The people are so much nicer in AR than in LV. There is room. You aren't able to shake hands with your neighbor through the windows. It's a slower pace, for the moment. There is water, ie, lakes and rivers. They have historical homes and buildings. In LV, they blow it up if it's more than 15 minutes old!!! There is very little history here. I like the idea of seeing Civil War battlegrounds and possibly living in an Lhistoric home. I like the idea of seeing the color green. LV has no green except for the MGM Grand and we don't go there!
There are 4 seasons in AR, so I hear. I cannot wait to see fall in NWA. LV weather has 3 seasons: hotter than Hades, about the same as Hades and a little cooler than Hades. It has not rained here since April 19th!!!! No green.

When I tell people I want to move to AR, the usual reply is:

"WHAT? Why on earth would you want to live there? They are all hicks. They say "y'all". What is wrong with you?"

I guess I just can't wait to be a "hick" and say "y'all" while living in my c 1900 or lakefront home, sipping sweet tea and breathing in the clean air.

Thanks for lettin' me vent...!