[her2001]

Originally Posted by Strel

As if it would be "wiped off the map".

Psst...your ignorance and prejudice are showing.

Agreed. Tree damage here and there. Big deal.

I had a house in GV and Pensacola the year Florida got hit so bad.

Pensacola was crushed and so were all the costal areas that received a direct impact.

GV is as safe as it gets in FL.


The shooting was a rare road rage case and the shooter was caught.

GV is not heaven on earth but it ok.

[ArthursChoice]

LOL...it's funny to see the idiots try and DEFEND this horrible pit of a place. Everything you said in that post is the GOSPEL! The people who have been there all their lives are like the stepford wives. And as for culture, Gainesville wouldn't know culture if it bit em in the "arse" BY a "gator!" It is one of the most backward ass places I have ever encountered and I like you have had the blessing of living any many areas. STAY OUT OF GAINESVILLE.

[mg83]

How very objective and well-thought out... I'm SURE everyone will take your advice to heart now.

Move along, kiddies.

[Bubba Cue]

Originally Posted by gainesvillesucks

hey the worst part of it all is, I've always been a Gator fan.

And my expectations for a job market were that at least a qualified non student would have a fighting chance for a decent wage. Instead many of the UF programs recruit students into companies all over Gainesville without ever even accepting applications from external applicants. Others just transfer to their job in Gainesville from all over the country and again, do not even have to apply.

Perhaps the reason is this: There are so many IN-STATE applicants that I can't consider anyone outside! I have 20 applicants for every SINGLE position in my business. So who should I take first? THE 15 OUTSIDERS INVADING MY HOME, OR THE 5 FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WHO ARE MORE THAN QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION?

What would you do, if this was your own home business built from many generations in Newberry, your HOME TOWN?

Yep, I know you think I should neglect natives in favor of you people...Still, I cling to my land. I won't even consider selling...I guess we're the last ones to be considered valid in our own homeland, even though I'm a 10th generation SEMINOLE INDIAN, and you think you deserve to invade whenever you feel like it...on occasion...when you don't like snow..

As for the rest of you who hate my home, GO AHEAD AND TELL ME WHAT I OWE YOU, you spoiled little brats! And I'll recant with what your evil, selfish losers owe ME, and MY PEOPLE!!!!!

[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by mg83

How very objective and well-thought out... I'm SURE everyone will take your advice to heart now.

Move along, kiddies.

haha........

[Pink flamingo]

To the OP

If you have lived in all of those places, did you just now get to Gainesville, at 25-30 year old? Have you learned nothing? Is there a ball and chain around your ankle, are you in prison. What is your real problem? Come on, we are listening. Otherwise, shut-up and do something with your life that you can be proud of.

[AT9]

To the OP: I think your problem is that Gainesville is much, much smaller than the other cities you've lived in. Of course it's downtown is not going to seem great to you, because you've lived in so many major metropolitan areas. Gainesville is only like 250,000 if I remember correctly. So you have to take that into consideration. Also, beuaty is in the eye of the beholder. To me, Gainesville's swampy feel and lush vegetation was kind of pretty. And of course the trails aren't the best. It's FLORIDA! You should have known that before you moved here.

But I've only visited there, never actually lived there. So maybe you are right on some of your points. But you think it has the worst urban planning???? Clearly, you have never been to Pensacola....

[GR82BAGATOR]

I think this a mute topic with the budget cuts and lack of employment opportunity in my home town...aka Gainesville! So please if you are unhappy then move! UF is the biggest source of employment in this area and it is laying off people as I type and I am just thankful that my husband and I have not lost ours, so forgive me if I cannot take the time to argure about location, culture and scenery!

[Gil3]

Originally Posted by starieyed

I'm writing this for all those 22-40 year old married or single professionals who have traveled quite a bit, consider themselves cultured, and have lived in at least two parts of the US/world already: If you are considering moving to Gainesville, Florida, DO NOT DO IT. This is a horrible place, incredibly boring, and somewhat of an enigma since it appears to be diverse because of the university, but yet EVERYONE IS THE SAME (even the "alternative people"). So far, I have lived in CA (LA, Santa Barbara, and San Fran), NYC, NJ (Hoboken), TN (Nashville), FL (Gville and Orlando), IL (Chicago), CO (Denver) and Madrid, Spain and this place is BY FAR the worst place I have ever experienced. And, sadly, I spent the best young hip years of my life in this hell hole (25-30). People who live here will tell you the following "positive" aspects of Gville, which I will debunk one by one. 1) "It's a great place to raise a family" - no, it isn't. It's disturbingly racist (from all sides), the crime is really bad and not like typical urban crime...scary rural crime, and it's like raising children in a bubble. All they do is socialize with the same people, do the same things over and over, and see the SAME stuff year in and year out - NO preperation for the real world. Yes, people think it's safe and that their children are protected, but they confuse this "protection" with putting their kids in a bubble of sameness. 2) "UF Gator Spirit is Contageous" - at first, yes. Then it only becomes annoying because you realize that 90% of the people in Gville went to UF and have never "grown up." They still tailgate every weekend, their lives revolve around the games, and in my opinion, it's really sad to see adults, ages 26-90 (yes 90) partying with the college kids. They have nothing else going on and it's sad. I have no objection to having school spirit, but COME ON! Find something else to occupy your time other than a dream you once had and now are too old for. 3) "It's a beautiful city with great nature" - no, it really isn't. Maybe it's me, but all I see is overgrown brush and marshlands and spanish moss hanging off everything. After living in NJ, CA, and CO, Gville is NOT aesthetically pleasing (and for those who are wondering about NJ...if you actually have lived there and know the state, you know what I'm talking about). The nature hikes suck in Gville too...it's Florida...which is synonomyous with FLAT. 4) "Gville is a big city with a small town feel" - NO and NO. It is NOT a big city. It probably has THE worst urban planning I have EVER seen. The traffic is ridiculous and there are NO back roads to get anywhere. I think the motto here when traffic gets bad is "add another traffic light"??? I could at least appreciate small town charm, but Gville doesn't even have that. There are not any cute "boutique shops" or mom and pop restaurants (and believe me, I've tried it all...even the places people have sworn are "the best secrets" like Satchels and many more I can name, and sorry, NO NO NO NO!). Everything is chain chain chain and those who think downtown is charming have not really seen a real downtown. Gville's downtown is dirty, disgusting, and BORING!!! And, as a sidebar, this town has THE WORST FOOD I've ever had anywhere. Seriously. It's terrible. Everywhere. 5) "The weather is great" - ok. This is definitely up for debate. I hate the weather here because in my opinion there are no seasons and it's HOT all the time. But, I seem to be in the minority on this one. The town is smack in the middle of the state and 80% of the year, it's stifling hot. This does not make me smile. 6) "The people are sooo nice" - I'm on the fence about this one because yes, the people are nice. However, I've experienced more often than not, that this "niceness" is also fake. Lots of smiles and waves, but also lots of whispering and backstabbing. And check your honesty and sarcasm at the door because they are NOT appreciated here. You are better off just smiling and nodding like everyone else. There is definteily an eschelan of those who think they are upperclass here (the yuppies raising families here who also went to UF and never left). This is very annoying and if you move here from anywhere else (especially the North), you will ALWAYS be an outsider and plan on losing any anonymity you have. Everyone is all up in YOUR **** and everyone else's ****. It's like highschool for adults. Lots of whispering... 7) "It's a great place to meet someone" - NO IT IS NOT. If you are over 25, you are in NO MAN'S LAND. And GOD help you if you are over 30 and single...especially if you are female. Everyone looks at you as if you are some pity case. And, they are always ready to set you up with their friends who are on their second marriage (at least), who always end up being psycho, and who make it clear that they never want to leave Gville. It's a nightmare here to date as a single person. You should just sign up for every online dating service you can within a 200 mile radius (at least) of this town and you might get lucky...

Okay, so that about covers the major stuff. I can go on, but I'm sure I've already acquired some haters because, in addition to the above, you are NOT allowed to speak out against Gville and have a different opinion without being bombarded with negative and nasty comments. So I expect them. It's okay. I"m used to it. I will say here at the end that OF COURSE what I write sounds like generalizations and hey, they may be. But I've been here five years (moving by Spring THANK GOD!!!!) and everything I have mentioned above, I have experienced first hand and have heard the same complaints from others. As I wrote above, I have lived many places and traveled to about eight times those places all over the world, and I always LOVE to experience new people, cultures, and places. I felt that way when I ventured down here, and I still feel that way moving on to my next city. But, I have never left a place saying "I HATE IT HERE and can't wait to leave" until I moved here. But, hey, maybe I'm the problem...I seem to be since most of those I talk to love it here...everyone except those of my friends and family who visit...they can't wait to leave too....

Good grief!

[House4Sale]

I think starieyed should try Spring Hill, Brooksville and Weeki Wachi. LOL