Florida Girl Seeking Mountains (Denver, Boulder: HOA, employment, school)

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by MsMetal

It all depends on what you value, my DH & I would MUCH rather be in Denver, but we made the mistake of moving down here & are kinda stuck at this point. We are from a big city & hate the small town feel of the Springs, hate the tiny airport (though it's convenient if you're only doing pleasure travel), hate the lack of ethnic diversity in the restaurants (& quality restaurants in general), this is the land of chain restaurants, hate the ultra conservatism & lack of live & let live people, hate the lack of decent shopping, though that has improved in the last 20 years, hate the lack of services & no taxes.

So, while there ARE advantages to the SPrings, I completely understand why Denver-ites feel sorry for me. I commiserate with them & spend as much time as possible in Denver. Unfortunately, it would be hard to move at our age after establishing roots here. The advantages to the Springs are cheaper housing, MUCH less traffic, easier to get to - well anywhere, cuz the traffic is way better :-)

But OP, your budget is very low even for the Springs, I only know a few renters, but most are paying around $1200, my Denver renting friends, more (but they are in executive type apartments).

What kinds of things do you like to do for fun? Are you hoping for a singles scene? (cuz the Springs doesn't have one lol), what type of people do you like to be around? Are you religious? (you don't have to answer, just know that the Springs has a huge rep for that). The Springs is more of a family oriented city.

It all depends on what YOU are looking for.

ETA: Mtngigi, I live up north, between Focus & New Life & I get thumped over the head by bibles regularly, so I think it really depends.

The bold explains much of your experience regarding chain restaurants and ultra conservatism. I am by no means a homer for COS restaurants, but there are many, many non-chain restaurants in this city. Some of them are better than others, of course. But in the part of town you live in, there are tons of chains, conservatism, etc. I do not know why a person who wishes they lived in a bigger city so badly would choose to live up there.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by TCHP

Reading these and it seems as if there are two Colorado Springs; these examples and the rest of the city. I have never lived north of Woodman Road. I also have not ever encountered casual conversations with strangers in stores, parks, or sidewalks where people have waxed on about religious dogma while denegrating other groups of people. Its weird to hear about this and these types of things have never been apart of the Cos where I live. I also admit that I may be less sensitive about it and if someone wants to pray for me, it may not even register on my radar to be upset about it. I also have gotten my share of Jehovah Witness and Latter Day Saints solicitations who I politely dismiss from my front door like any magazine and cleaning product sales, but I've never attributed these to being in Cos so much as these groups natural expectations.

I would agree Cos is very family oriented, but is far from a singles wasteland with no ways to engage and be active. It is not a large city, despite the MSA numbers, and as such, one should not expect to be constantly entertained with a plethora of city amenities that will occupy your time year after year. I was single through most of the 80s-90s at a time there was a smaller demographic of 21-35 year olds than there is now. I found people to date, things to do, and activities that occupied my time in groups, as a couple, and by myself. I often had to plan weekends alone for "me" time if I wanted it. However, I suspect like much of life, your outlook and expectations will drive what find here and are able to do and whether you view Cos as a backwards hillbilly stronghold with nothing to do or if you find it inviting and active.

Great post. I've been here a year now, and I haven't had any of those sorts of experiences, either. I guess it depends on one's circle or part of town.

I'm an atheist, and most of my friends range from apathetic atheists to very liberal Christians who don't identify as evangelical. All of them lean left politically, save for a couple. My wife and I are vegetarians, and we have no less than five or six friends who are also vegans or vegetarians. Many other friends are also attempting to eat less meat. I only bring this up because vegetarianism is probably contrary to the stereotype most have of COS. Friend groups can be self-selecting, so I of course don't believe my circle represents the norm. But it is just funny to me how different my daily existence in this city seems to be from other posters at times.

[Vision67]

OP: Today would be a really good day to leave West Palm Beach Florida.

[wilberry]

yes I agree a good day to go somewhere else ..

[MsMetal]

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

The bold explains much of your experience regarding chain restaurants and ultra conservatism. I am by no means a homer for COS restaurants, but there are many, many non-chain restaurants in this city. Some of them are better than others, of course. But in the part of town you live in, there are tons of chains, conservatism, etc. I do not know why a person who wishes they lived in a bigger city so badly would choose to live up there.

B/C we thought it was basically a bedroom community for Denver. Didn't know it was so small & so religious & so ultra conservative. You got more bang for your buck property wise than Denver & a much bigger (but still tiny) yard. We should have done more research, but I was house hunting the entire I-25 & part of 36 corridor, b/c we could live anywhere, so I looked in Westminster, Lafayette, Broomfield, Denver burbs, Evergreen, Conifer, Parker, Perry Park/Larkspur, Castle Rock & finally the Springs. I really thought it was just another Denver burb, just further out. Not being a religious sort, I had no idea about the whole Evangelical Mega Church thing. I knew 1 person down here & she did try to warn me, but I didn't realize how bad it was. The one really close friend I had in Denver, was actually pretty conservative, so I don't think it occurred to him to warn us.

I would still choose this part of town though b/c although the demographics don't match our values, the houses do! We like brand new large houses & there really isn't many other areas in the city that have that. It's easier to make friends in another part of town, than it is to find a 5K sq foot new house, in another part of town. It's fine, it's home now & we've been able to find people who share our values, but when people ask on here, I tell the truth. Someone else said they've never been thumped over the head by a bible, but up in this neck of the woods, which btw, is the fastest growing area of the Springs & has been for years, your head gets thumped by a lot of bibles, quite often, even when you're just minding your own business & not sharing your liberal views with anyone. It's just the way it is up here. Everyone assumes you share their beliefs or if they have an inkling that you don't, they'll try to shove theirs down your throat. Like when I told my neighbor 'good luck, I hope your house sells soon, I wish you the best' & she told me "I'd rather you prayed for me dear" & there's a whole lot more where that came from.

I am excited to try that Lu'au's Taco place though, so glad to see that tip, the menu looked great!

[MsMetal]

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

Great post. I've been here a year now, and I haven't had any of those sorts of experiences, either. I guess it depends on one's circle or part of town.

I'm an atheist, and most of my friends range from apathetic atheists to very liberal Christians who don't identify as evangelical. All of them lean left politically, save for a couple. My wife and I are vegetarians, and we have no less than five or six friends who are also vegans or vegetarians. Many other friends are also attempting to eat less meat. I only bring this up because vegetarianism is probably contrary to the stereotype most have of COS. Friend groups can be self-selecting, so I of course don't believe my circle represents the norm. But it is just funny to me how different my daily existence in this city seems to be from other posters at times.

It's interesting to me too! Actually, it's from this forum that I've learned that the ultra conservative, ultra religious attitude that I get day in & day out, is NOT all over the city! I really thought the whole city was like 80920. I've learned through the forum that it does seem to be clustered up north. However, since most of the new homes are also clustered up north, it's where I think a great many people hoping to move here, look b/c many people, esp families, want new homes.

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by MsMetal

It's interesting to me too! Actually, it's from this forum that I've learned that the ultra conservative, ultra religious attitude that I get day in & day out, is NOT all over the city! I really thought the whole city was like 80920. I've learned through the forum that it does seem to be clustered up north. However, since most of the new homes are also clustered up north, it's where I think a great many people hoping to move here, look b/c many people, esp families, want new homes.

I don't even go up to briargate every time I do my left hand burns and the mark of baphomet appears.

[BenBoosted]

What are you folks experiencing that is so ultra conservative & religious especially in 80920?

I just moved here a few months ago and other than seeing the churches on the side of the road I haven't had anyone knock on my door asking me to go to church with them. Nobody has bopped me on the head with a bible. None of my neighbors have tried to "save" me. What am I missing because I'm not seeing this extreme religious based conservatism in the zip code I live in?

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by BenBoosted

What are you folks experiencing that is so ultra conservative & religious especially in 80920?

I just moved here a few months ago and other than seeing the churches on the side of the road I haven't had anyone knock on my door asking me to go to church with them. Nobody has bopped me on the head with a bible. None of my neighbors have tried to "save" me. What am I missing because I'm not seeing this extreme religious based conservatism in the zip code I live in?

Focus on the family is headquarterd there and there followers tend to live in the northern part of the springs. Granted I don't think the Springs is as conservative as its reputation. With its continued growth I see it going purple within the next decade.

[BenBoosted]

Originally Posted by BornintheSprings

Focus on the family is headquarterd there and there followers tend to live in the northern part of the springs. Granted I don't think the Springs is as conservative as its reputation. With its continued growth I see it going purple within the next decade.

I've seen their building... just like many of the other church buildings all around town. Nobody from Focus, or any other church, has come to my front door, tried to preach to me, thrown bibles on my porch, slapped their church sticker on any of my cars, stopped me in the grocery store to invite me to their church, etc. In other words just because they are down the street doesn't mean I've had any interaction with any of the churches here nor any of their followers impacting my daily life.

I just don't see the ultra-religious conservatism stereotype in real life that is portrayed online.