Getting sick of this city! (Des Moines, Blakesburg: rental, house, live)
Des MoinesDallas, Guthrie, Madison, Polk, and Warren Counties
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Exactly. I don't dislike this city at all, actually it is a nice, clean city for its size but my main issue here is not being able to relate to the way most Iowans think. I have met people here who have never been on airplane, never been outside of Iowa or the Midwest, some have absolutely no desire to think differently than the herd or expand their horizons, I am trying to find a nice, PC, non-offensive term to define this "lack of curiosity and worldliness" but I think, ignorance is the only term that comes to mind.
Do yourself a favor and stay away from New England and the PNW. I met a lot of people in both who had never been outside their area, including Boston and Seattle. I could add New Orleans and a few other metro areas but I assume you get the point.
It does surprise me when I hear that someone has never traveled outside their home area. But I would never call those people ignorant, but that's just me.
And speaking of ignorance, I also would never move to one of the smallest metros in a given area and expect "worldliness". But again, that's just me.
Textbook replies...it's always "you". These people simply cannot accept the fact that not everyone is amazed by Des Moines. It's a nice city for it's size, but also thinks its a small NYC or LA, when it's so far from that.
Des Moines has this "drone" mentality that isn't for everyone. It's like when you're there no one even realizes there is a world outside of it.
And a textbook reply from Ronnie Jonez... I run a website full of boosterism and braggadocio about Des Moines, and not once in 8 eight years now have I ever run across anybody that thinks that DSM is nearing the same level as NYC or LA, let alone even Minneapolis. It's more exaggeration and putting words into people's mouths to try to convey his same old campaign.
Ronnie Jonez and the OP seem a lot a like. At the end of the day, they would appear to be people that would just be happier in much larger cities than Des Moines, and there's nothing wrong with that. What is wrong, and would should draw a defensive reaction is when the attacks center on the people here, or being unrealistically stupid and saying "where's the IKEA?"
And a textbook reply from Ronnie Jonez... I run a website full of boosterism and braggadocio about Des Moines, and not once in 8 eight years now have I ever run across anybody that thinks that DSM is nearing the same level as NYC or LA, let alone even Minneapolis. It's more exaggeration and putting words into people's mouths to try to convey his same old campaign.
Ronnie Jonez and the OP seem a lot a like. At the end of the day, they would appear to be people that would just be happier in much larger cities than Des Moines, and there's nothing wrong with that. What is wrong, and would should draw a defensive reaction is when the attacks center on the people here, or being unrealistically stupid and saying "where's the IKEA?"
I agree. I lived in LA and San Francisco before moving to Iowa 18 years ago. No one I have encountered here in Iowa thinks DSM is remotely near the same level of NYC or LA.
I agree. I lived in LA and San Francisco before moving to Iowa 18 years ago. No one I have encountered here in Iowa thinks DSM is remotely near the same level of NYC or LA.
People in NYC and LA mostly wish their cities approached the level of sophistication of Mount Sterling.
They don't literally think that; but they think Des Moines in a small package is near there. There is an odd civic fanaticism in Des Moines that reaches cult levels - I've never encountered it anywhere else. Just pick up a DMjuice and you'll see, lol.
And a textbook reply from Ronnie Jonez... I run a website full of boosterism and braggadocio about Des Moines, and not once in 8 eight years now have I ever run across anybody that thinks that DSM is nearing the same level as NYC or LA, let alone even Minneapolis. It's more exaggeration and putting words into people's mouths to try to convey his same old campaign.
Ronnie Jonez and the OP seem a lot a like. At the end of the day, they would appear to be people that would just be happier in much larger cities than Des Moines, and there's nothing wrong with that. What is wrong, and would should draw a defensive reaction is when the attacks center on the people here, or being unrealistically stupid and saying "where's the IKEA?"
You, being Mr. Des Moines (exclude WDM), should be more aware about some of strange things about it.
First of all, your website (which I still read sometimes purely from a vaudeville angle) still has topics from 2005 being discussed. Stuff like "Mixed Use Ingersoll Project", then all this lame data trying to prove civilian foot traffic will somehow go through the roof if this goes through.
I remember several months back some member of your forum said he was moving to Portland and he got the standard replies..."if you don't like it here you should have left sooner!". You could tell the active 7 or 8 members of your forum still discussing how awesome Zombie Burger is got mad. A few nearly cried.
LOL, this mentality permeates your forum:
Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:32 pm
"About 3 years ago, I had the pleasure of having a 30 second chat with Michael Kaiser when he was visiting Des Moines. He's the President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He said in a later interview that arts leaders in Des Moines were no different in their sophistication or their creativity than their counterparts in New York or San Francisco."
Of course someone visiting a city is going to say nice things, and probably pander heavily to the city. It's standard. Well, that is actually believed in Des Moines. Especially with all the fanatical local organizations. It's like Waco. Simply too cult-like.
Exactly. I don't dislike this city at all, actually it is a nice, clean city for its size but my main issue here is not being able to relate to the way most Iowans think. I have met people here who have never been on airplane, never been outside of Iowa or the Midwest, some have absolutely no desire to think differently than the herd or expand their horizons, I am trying to find a nice, PC, non-offensive term to define this "lack of curiosity and worldliness" but I think, ignorance is the only term that comes to mind.
I don't think Iowa has the monopoly on the things you mentioned. Some people simply choose to live a quiet, low-key life that's focused on their immediate family, community and surroundings and it's OK!
Why am I, from Pennsylvania, commenting on a Iowa board? Because we have many communities here that resemble what you mentioned. This could be anywhere in America. However, that doesn't make them "bad" per se. Many communities are struggling to hold on to that feeling where neighbors are still civil to one another and that "small town America" feeling. that's going away fast from the landscape.
I have met a lot of people from the midwest over the years and work with a few now. The vast majority I have dealt with are down to earth, conservative and family oriented people. Are these traits exclusive to Midwesterners? Of course not. I'm just relaying my own experience and giving an example.
At first I didn't like the feeling of my town and area. I thought people here were stuck in the past, out of touch and backwards. I felt suffocated. I KNOW where you are coming from, because i've been there. However, instead of complaining, I simply grew to appreciate the fact that people where we live now are not always going 100 MPH in every aspect of their lives, flaunting their wealth or looking for the next big "score". I like the fact that people here are not pretentious. What you see is what you get. They could probably care less about what goes on beyond the scope of their own world, what you drive or your income.
I work in a big city, but enjoy the small town feel that our commuunity has when I get home in the afternoon. Friday night football games, yard sales, parades on holidays and the laid back atmosphere is the kind of place I would want to raise a child. Don't get me wrong. I love that fact that we are located near some of the largest urban areas in the US and I relish that. However, I still enjoy the quiet life in our town and wouldn't trade it for anything now.
I will guarantee you this, though..If you ever needed help in Des Moines or other small town, I'll bet you will get it before you did in a larger city, and without asking. In the end, you simply have to find where you fit in. The bottom line is that you will never change people, but you can change your own outlook and if need be, location.
You, being Mr. Des Moines (exclude WDM), should be more aware about some of strange things about it.
First of all, your website (which I still read sometimes purely from a vaudeville angle) still has topics from 2005 being discussed. Stuff like "Mixed Use Ingersoll Project", then all this lame data trying to prove civilian foot traffic will somehow go through the roof if this goes through.
I remember several months back some member of your forum said he was moving to Portland and he got the standard replies..."if you don't like it here you should have left sooner!". You could tell the active 7 or 8 members of your forum still discussing how awesome Zombie Burger is got mad. A few nearly cried.
LOL, this mentality permeates your forum:
Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:32 pm
"About 3 years ago, I had the pleasure of having a 30 second chat with Michael Kaiser when he was visiting Des Moines. He's the President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He said in a later interview that arts leaders in Des Moines were no different in their sophistication or their creativity than their counterparts in New York or San Francisco."
Of course someone visiting a city is going to say nice things, and probably pander heavily to the city. It's standard. Well, that is actually believed in Des Moines. Especially with all the fanatical local organizations. It's like Waco. Simply too cult-like.
You always seem to have a real hard-on for your favorite topic that you always bring up. You should write a book about your supposed theory, and I could even sell you the rights to use our funny website quotes that amuse you. At the end of the day, it still amounts to you grossly exaggerating people's comments, or you making things up to fit your preconceived notion that you're trying to continiously impose.
And I'll say it again, I'd rather live in a place that's prideful of their community, even boastful
than the alternative. If a city has a bragging point that is worth shouting about, we're condemned by the court of Ronnie Jonez because we're not NYC, LA, or Miami. And around and around we go...
1 point for not using the word 'feigned' in your post this time.
You, being Mr. Des Moines (exclude WDM), should be more aware about some of strange things about it.
First of all, your website (which I still read sometimes purely from a vaudeville angle) still has topics from 2005 being discussed. Stuff like "Mixed Use Ingersoll Project", then all this lame data trying to prove civilian foot traffic will somehow go through the roof if this goes through.
I remember several months back some member of your forum said he was moving to Portland and he got the standard replies..."if you don't like it here you should have left sooner!". You could tell the active 7 or 8 members of your forum still discussing how awesome Zombie Burger is got mad. A few nearly cried.
LOL, this mentality permeates your forum:
Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:32 pm
"About 3 years ago, I had the pleasure of having a 30 second chat with Michael Kaiser when he was visiting Des Moines. He's the President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He said in a later interview that arts leaders in Des Moines were no different in their sophistication or their creativity than their counterparts in New York or San Francisco."
Of course someone visiting a city is going to say nice things, and probably pander heavily to the city. It's standard. Well, that is actually believed in Des Moines. Especially with all the fanatical local organizations. It's like Waco. Simply too cult-like.
Someone making a comment like Mr. Kaiser isn't saying it to blow smoke up people's ---. He truly did mean it. Albeit with the fact Des Moines is a much smaller city, in mind. You assuming you know his true motivation is quite funny. LOL
I don't know what you mean about the Ingersol thread. That and several other mixed use projects have long since been happening. Ingersol is quite a healthy vibrant corridor. Foot traffic and redevelopment is picking up quite nicely there.
Des Moines is growing. And it's growing quite well. The fact that the growth in or around Des Moines isn't catapulting it into a metro of 3 or 4 or 5 MILLION people overnight can't really be solved by anyone or anything aside from natural trends. midwest metro's like Des Moines or Whichita or even Omaha are not going to be as impressive to someone who is holding them up against NYC or Chicago or LA, etc. I don't even know why it's an issue for discussion among some people as some sort of dissapointment.
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