Chicago (Berwyn, Lincoln, Paris: city hall, homes, colleges)

[Avengerfire]

3/9/08

Originally Posted by stephei2000

I am going to have agree with the first poster. I believe this is one of the ugliest big cities I have seen. It threw me off and almost did not make me want to move here. Now I know about the tree line neighborhoods in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Lincoln Square etc.... But I could not believe how there were not that many trees or green space compared to other major cities i.e. Washington D.C. even neighborhoods in New York seemed greener. I know most people will disagree with me, but Chicago needs to work on green space. It use to depress me to drive down the 290 and see all the brown. I am never post so this is a strong interest to me.

9/3/08

Originally Posted by stephei2000

sorry it is not just the weather I moved from Mich. So it is not that different, I guess that I am not in to Chicago that much anymore. I am not really an urban person. I am looking to move out West

Bye.

Still here almost a year and a half after posting that you hate Chicago?

[stephei2000]

Lastly, what drives me crazy is that you can not even speak your mind it this damn forum!! Anything negative about Chicago Banned!! It makes me think you do not want to hear the truth the inferiority complex is true

[surlycue]

I don't know why people in this forum are complaining that they can't find any educated people in Chicago. Perhaps it's because I'm from the South (so just knowing the difference between there/their/they're impresses me) but I've had no problem meeting people here all over the city that I can share intelligent conversation with and debate various viewpoints politely. I tend to be particularly chatty on the bus and have had wonderful dialogues with my peers and men and women up in to their 80s.

Sometimes I wonder if people are looking for actual educated folks, whether it be formally or through experience, or just blue blood Gossip Girl types.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

Lastly, what drives me crazy is that you can not even speak your mind it this damn forum!! Anything negative about Chicago Banned!! It makes me think you do not want to hear the truth the inferiority complex is true

What in the world are you talking about?

I think you have your own issues that have nothing to do with where you live.

4/2/09

Originally Posted by stephei2000

I understand what this person is going though. I am 27 moved to Chicago at 25 and I pretty much in the same boat. I am about 4 hours away from my family , and young and single. People think that is all exciting, but once you been though that stage of life it gets old. In addition, the op post might not have a wide range of interests. I do not know. However, being in your 20s and single really is not that fantasic

You must be a glutton for punishment if you still are here two years after you decided you are unhappy in Chicago.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

Lastly, what drives me crazy is that you can not even speak your mind it this damn forum!! Anything negative about Chicago Banned!! It makes me think you do not want to hear the truth the inferiority complex is true

I don't understand why people find it odd that when they post an incredibly incendiary thread/post bashing Chicago and Chicagoans on the CHICAGO board, people from Chicago get upset. is there some other city one can do this that wouldn't get the same reaction? you wanna try posting a thread about how much City X sucks and everyone living in City X have an inferiority complex on the City X forum? go ahead, try it

[j33]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

Lastly, what drives me crazy is that you can not even speak your mind it this damn forum!! Anything negative about Chicago Banned!! It makes me think you do not want to hear the truth the inferiority complex is true

You clearly haven't read my posts. I'm from Chicago and have stated plenty of unflattering things about the city's infrastructure and political culture. I've never been banned and any criticism I've received by those who disagree with me has been pretty mild.

However, I don't make sweeping generalizations about the character (or perceived lack thereof) of the entire population of the city after a short time living in a tony neighborhood on the northside. That is the difference.

As far as intelligence, or lack thereof, if you can't find intelligent people, it is because you have chosen to hang out with idiots, it isn't because the entire city is populated with nothing but idiots. There are plenty of well respected colleges and universities who provide extensive public lectures and programing, as well as an active cultural center, film center (facets), vibrant storefront theater scene (written up in UK's Guardian as being one of the best in the US), etc. There are classes offered at the Newberry Library and a myriad of artistic and educational pursuits that are there for the taking (although they may cost some money). Just because you have chosen to get drunk at the local bar and then later kvetch about the lack of intellectual stimulation your company provides doesn't mean those who chose to spend their time in other ways and perhaps are prone to more interesting (to you) pursuits do not exist.

Oh, and surlycue, my family is from New England, the (erroneously) perceived locus of where one might find those 'intelligent people' that some people are convinced Chicago is entirely devoid of, and I've never the problem that a few of these posters have claimed in finding company that speaks in more than two syllable words. So location isn't the problem here, the problem is something else entirely.

[tribecavsbrowns]

Originally Posted by softdev

I feel your pain.

Up until recently, I had lived and worked in Manhattan and DC. Chicago has been...well...quite the let down. Anywhere outside the Gold Coast is overrun with either blue collar (i.e., nothing in common) or annoying people from crappy Big 10 schools.

The east coast is just a lot more sophisticated than the midwest. People grow out of their college years immediately or within a few years. People are focused on getting ahead in their careers and not just waiting for 5 o' clock to roll around.

Midwest 101: "Sophisticated" is not a synonym for "overstressed," "neurotic," or "pretentious" here. It's sort of like how you guys pronounce marry, merry, and Mary differently.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by 4eversearching

Yeah I was referring to the insane sales tax here. Also, the issues with jacking up parking meters and whatnot, but at least I don't have a car, so that helps a lot.
My friend in Denver did mention the insane storms and things there this month, but I'd like warm thunderstorms way more than cold drizzle. That's why I'm not in Seattle right now.

Seattle's gone a month without rain. Somehow we got their spring, but they didn't get our winter.

[j33]

softdev - The entire east coast? Is that so? If that is the case, I know more than a few hayseeds in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Western Mass that I'd love to introduce you too, and a few beer swilling frat boys in Boston (have you never dealt with Red Sox fans?). You've ever been to Maine, there are some parts of that state that are like Deliverance with a New England accent. So don't give me your 'oh, the east coast is so much more sophisticated than the Midwest nonsense' nobody who has an actual clue about reality actually believes that BS.



However, there is nothing whatsoever wrong with pronouncing Merry, Marry, and Mary differently, nothing whatsoever.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

The few educated people that are here are clicky and closed minded.

Okay, you've got me here. I am reasonably well educated, and am, indeed, clicky. However, that's only because I have a bum knee, and to be fair, it only clicks every once in a while.