Does anyone else not like living in Indiana? (Indianapolis, New Albany: home, rent)

[BSL63087]

I'm from New Albany which is next to Louisville, KY and I am somewhat suprised at how many people I talk to seem like they really love living around here. I'm not really posting this to rant or anything I'm just wondering what makes people like it so much? Is it something that I don't see or what? The cost of living is reasonable I guess but after seeing some other cities in other parts of the country, the Louisville area is far behind.

I am planning to move away to the Dallas/Fort Worth area within a year or two, likely permanantly. I grew up here and never liked it at all. I don't like the weather, it gets too cold in the winter time and the early spring and late fall are usually pretty much too cold too, making for about 5 months of cold weather. I don't mind the heat in the summer I just don't like the cold. Another reason is that I don't think there is much at all to do around here. I am a huge sports fan and hate not having any pro sports teams. Yeah you have U of L but A) I don't like them and B) I'm much more of a pro kind of person. The Bats are a joke to me although I would agree that they have made the best out of what they have. For triple A, the stadium is pretty nice. I just never did like it around here. Am I missing something or are the people too narrow minded to see that there are better places or maybe this is just where they are from and don't know any different?

I in no way am intending to offend anyone or start anything up... I'm just seeing if anyone else views it the way I do.

[X-Greensboro Resident]

Come up to Indy....We're here...We'll show you a good time. Just remember, the grass is always greener on the other side. I've been to Dallas area and I hated it. It's way too big, too hot and just wierd. Not to mention, you're stuck watching the Cowboys!! YUK......... Go Redskins!!!!!

[Kin Atoms]

BSL,
I'm no expert by any means, and not even an Indiana resident yet, but I really can't wait to get to IN. I have lived in NJ for 35 years from birth, moved back and forth to CA and lived there for over 11 years, and spent a year in MN. IN is a great place to raise a family. From my short time there, the people are very down to earth, no facades, no misgivings, just really decent persons. On this forum, I think the native people go out of their way to be fair, open minded, and even handed. This is not an exercise in over-extending themselves as much as it is an experience in strong values and goodness. This is how people should be, not dreamed of being. Larger cities lose the personal touch and the true character of persons often gets hidden by the rush and anomie of urban experience.

Unfortunately, the weather in IN can't be changed unless you wait some years if you've been listening to Gore. If you are already bundled up by late August, and don't put away the down coat until May, you probably should move to warmer climates. My wife grew up in the tropics and believe it or not, California winters can be very harsh on her - her skin dries out, she wears parkas and down coats, and enjoys wool hats and scarves at 55 degrees. Individual differences in weather experiences are extreme among persons, and for you friend, go South or even Southwest, where it is warmer.

Regarding sports, I can't speak about it personally, but I think going to stadium experiences can get tiring over time and costly. Big screen TV's aren't all that, but they are as good as being there. There's probably a handful of players you'd like to see sweat, but for my beans, not enough to want to be in close proximity to many thousands of others, whose mingled sweat is a noxious, malevolent assault on olfaction.

Wherever you go, I wish you well, and like Dorothy, hope you find home. You raise some very valid points for yourself and your liking, and they are very real for you. With your attitude, you should find bliss wherever you land.

[LouisvilleJake]

I am a native of California - and now live in Chicago, and I cannot wait to move back to Louisville.

If you're not happy in New Albany, Indiana then you need to pull up stakes and move to a place that makes you happy - but just because you don't love it doesn't mean other people who do are "narrow minded" or don't know better. I've lived from coast to coast, and I've adopted Louisville because I think it is an amazing city.

Hopefully Dallas will be all you think and more!

[dodeca]

I think it really depends on your phase in life. When I was just out of college, I wanted to be anywhere but Indiana. I moved to rural Arizona, then Japan, and then traveled on the cheap all over the world. I can't imagine my life without those experiences, but now that I'm back in the Midwest, I'm very content. I live in Indianapolis now, and while there are some things I wish Indy had (like more local shops, mass transit and a pedestrian atmosphere), I've learned that I love the landscape, and that the city is good for cycling. I can't comment much on Dallas, but if that is the place that seems to be drawing you, then you should give it a chance. Twenty years from now, I think it would be awful to be still in Louisville, hating it, and wondering "what if?" you'd moved to Dallas. You might be very happy there; you might be very miserable. Good luck with your decisions - and your move?

[domergurl]

When I finished grad school, I couldn't wait to get out of Indiana. Lived, worked in Chicago for 10 years but now am happy we moved back to Indiana once we started having children. There was an article in Indianapolis Monthly recently about boomerang hoosiers, count me as one of them. Indiana isn't the most exciting place to live, but it's really what you make of it. You can be happy or miserable anywhere.

[Southside Shrek]

I am happy in Hoosierland. It suits me just fine.

[domergurl]

Moi aussi mon ami

[billman5000]

Louisville is much cooler than Indy. So is Nashville. I can't stand it here, the crime, weather and the never-ending sports focus.

[Sonnenwende]

I just feel neutral about Indiana. I don't love it or hate it. There is nothing compelling about it keeping me here, beyond the fact that I have to wait for my tax check to come in to move elsewhere. I don't think where I am going is OMG11!!!!111! SO MUCH BETTER 10090482590%%%, but it is a better fit in terms of my and my husband's lifestyle and what we want from an area.

I would recommend Indiana for people looking for a quiet, stable place to raise their families. That is what it is.