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this place turns into Boston or San Fran, I'm out. I get the strip part thought. We had two in Memphis. Beale Street where the tourists went and the Highland Strip for the locals.
this place turns into Boston or San Fran, I'm out. I get the strip part thought. We had two in Memphis. Beale Street where the tourists went and the Highland Strip for the locals.
I wouldn't lump Boston and San Francisco together. I lived in the Boston area (Cambridge) and it was a pretty liveable area if you were a student or working. Have traveled a fair amount to San Francisco - and I think our last trip was our last. At least our bums in downtown JAX tend to "do their business" somewhere other than the streets (perhaps we have the new library to thank for that ).
I would lump SF together with the French Quarter though. Last time we were there (and that was before Katrina) - we went for azalea season. Two weeks after Mardi Gras. The place still smelled from vomit and urine and industrial bleach. The Ritz Carlton was a joke in terms of being a "luxury" hotel. Didn't mind the transsexual prostitutes who approached me and my husband - but they might unnerve some people. Really didn't have a problem with crime (or hear of any problems with crime) - but I have heard things have gotten somewhat worse in the FQ since Katrina. It's really a shame. I used to make frequent business trips to the FQ in the 70's when Florida was part of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (main location in or very near the FQ) - argued cases there - and it was always an extremely fun pleasant place to visit - even for a woman traveling alone. Perhaps a little "down at the heels" - but in a homey friendly way.
Anyway - I think these are 2 places that are today full of nothing but tourists in t-shirts (Disney type crowds) and convention people and bums. Not my cup of tea.
And luvingme23 - since the Jax metro area is so big - I think it is hard to generalize about all the people here. You can find people here ranging from confederate flag flying gun toters to Orthodox rabbis. And if you dislike the area so much - why don't you leave? Apart from the years I spent in my profession here - I tend to like the outdoor parts of living in Florida (something it is perhaps hard to relate to if you've never spent 2/3 of the year inside because of cold crummy weather). When I was younger - it was everything from scuba diving to tennis to bicycling to canoeing to collecting sea shells all over the state. Even used to go to the JAX pier to catch "aquarium" fish (that's what I call those pretty little tiny fish I caught and released there). Now that I am older and my husband has some problems doing certain things due to his MS - we like to play golf and I enjoy my gardening. Guess I have liked the outdoors too much - because I just had my first skin cancer removed - and I reckon it won't be my last . Robyn
. And if you dislike the area so much - why don't you leave? (. Robyn
people always kill me with the love it or leave it response. but this particular response was especially unnecessary since i've already stated in THIS THREAD...
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yeah, at this point i'm saving up funds and moving on.
. but thanks for proving my other point about how people here don't want to deal with the problems of jville. it's easier to tell someone to leave than to face the realities of the shortcomings of a place. that's why i will continue to say that the biggest problem about jville are the people. btw, One thing i will say about the people of San Franscisco. When there is something that they do not like about their city, they have a history of trying to confront it. thus it is a more progressive city today (bums and all).
people always kill me with the love it or leave it response. but this particular response was especially unnecessary since i've already stated in THIS THREAD...
. but thanks for proving my other point about how people here dooolsn't want to deal with the problems of jville. it's easier to tell someone to leave than to face the realities of the shortcomings of a place. that's why i will continue to say that the biggest problem about jville are the people. btw, One thing i will say about the people of San Franscisco. When there is something that they do not like about their city, they have a history of trying to confront it. thus it is a more progressive city today (bums and all).
Whoa. I didn't tell you to leave. Just asked why you hadn't left if you were unhappy. Big difference. As for the people in San Francisco - there is basically no one left in the city proper except for really rich people - homosexual people who don't have kids (homosexual people with kids worry as much about schools as heterosexual people with kids - and the school system in SF sucks) - tourists - people who go to conventions - and really poor people and bums. You may consider that "progressive". IMO - it's a nonstarter for most normal people (the 80 % in the middle) in the US.
So what do you find attractive about a city like San Francisco. Try to be specific. I know it's not a place for golfers . Robyn
There's a difference between complaining about Jacksonville and complaining with a purpose. When someone complains about Jacksonville's shortcomings, they usually have good reason for doing so and then follow it up with action. When you're complaining just to be complaining, that's when Jacksonvillians will tell you to leave if you don't like it here. I was born and raised in Jacksonville and I happen to love it here. Do I wish we had more amenities like other comparable size cities? Yes, who wouldn't? At the same time, I know those things will come in time. In truth, I'm gonna remain in Jacksonville long enough to see it's greatness come to fruition.
Robyn55, i have some very specific experiences as well as historical knowledge about San Franscisco that i find to be very progressive. however, i have respect for the rules. thus, i feel that if i start going into detail and given that i would expect you to respond then it would be hijacking a thread that is clearly about the downsides of jville. on a jville forum. which brings me to NorthsideJacksonville. I complaining within the purpose of this thread. i do not feel that i am just complaining just to complain. i feel that as per the purpose of this thread i am giving my very honest assessment of jville just like i do thought the other threads. on other threads i try to give assessments as it is relative. some are good some are bad. most are probably neutral or both within the same post. I know there is a tendacy to treat a city much like a local sports team. you want to cheer for it through good or bad no matter what. but a sports team that performs poorly doesn't effect lives. even the players on that team at the end of the day walk away with a very healthy paycheck. however, a city that performs poorly can ruin lives and more commonly just not allow the opportunity for all of it's residents to live up to their full potential. i once pondered over so many of the famous people that jville now claims as it's hometown heros. most of them, if not all had to go somewhere else to achieve their greatness. this is different from some other cities like atlanta, new orleans, and, yes even san franscisco, where so many national heroes and historical figures achieve greatness from their accomplishments right in those cities or surrounding areas. people should stop blindly cheering and take an honest look at why that is. also, i reiterate something no one has even addressed yet. jville at one time was potential mecca of the south. you can find old news articles and photos to back that up. it attacked the interests of alot of investors and big dreamers. it had the potential to be orlando, hollywood, and vegas all in one if it wanted too. at this point it's not even jville anymore. as people pointed out it's more like a collection of generic suburbs in the south rather than a city with it's own unique identity (at least one that everyone can really be proud of).
people always kill me with the love it or leave it response. but this particular response was especially unnecessary since i've already stated in THIS THREAD...
. but thanks for proving my other point about how people here don't want to deal with the problems of jville. it's easier to tell someone to leave than to face the realities of the shortcomings of a place. that's why i will continue to say that the biggest problem about jville are the people. btw, One thing i will say about the people of San Franscisco. When there is something that they do not like about their city, they have a history of trying to confront it. thus it is a more progressive city today (bums and all).
That simply isn't true. SF has a lottery system in terms of schools. So you can buy a $2 million condo in a great neighborhood - and wind up having your kid assigned to the worst school in the city. And - confronted by this - most young couples with kids move out of the city. It was a big issue last time we were in that neck of the woods.
There's the old definition of a conservative - a liberal who's been mugged. And the new definition - an upper middle class family whose kids have just been assigned to schools where only 20% of the students are reading at grade level.
And to save a message slot - I don't agree with everything NorthsideJacksonville said. Wasn't born here. Don't love it here. Don't think all the things I'd like to see here will be here before I die (I'd give away my first born for a Bloomingdales). But I do like it here in general - and I really like/love certain specific things. With regard to those things - it's more or less "use it or lose it" IMO. So I use them (or at least pay for them - like if my husband's back is acting up and he can't use the Y for a while - we'll pay our membership anyway instead of dropping out for 4 months). Come h*** or high water.
Anyway - I suspect you are kind of young - at least younger than I am (not hard to do) - and haven't been around that much. In that event - I do suggest leaving JAX - especially if you can find a decent job elsewhere. You may find somewhere you like better - or perhaps not. But living in a variety of places will give you some perspective. I've met younger people who moved from SF to JAX because they only took a small pay cut - and simply didn't want to wait until they were 65 to be able to afford to buy a house. Ditto with older retired miitary who moved from San Diego to JAX. Also - since I graduated from high school (in New Jersey) - I've lived in upstate New York - the Boston metro area - Philadelphia - Miami - and now here. If you're young - it's a good time to explore what's out there - just do it for the sake of doing it (without any political or similar excuses). If you're a really young person - it's always a good idea to get away from family for a least a while - make it on your own. I left home when I was 16 to go to college - and never looked back. Robyn
Jacksonville is one of the worst cities I've ever been too. It has a very high crime rate and a TERRIBLE school system. Yes it has a beach but is it not the worst beach on florida with the dirty St. Johns river dumping into it making the water dark and ugly?
The City is so spread out which makes you use more gas than probably any other city and the energy prices are through the roof. The once nice thing about it 5 or so years ago which was the low housing cost, has now sky rocket up to catch up with the rest of the nation.
The fishing is good, but once again, the worst of any major city other than Orlando in the state. The cost of living is well above average, infact its much higher than nice cities like Denver, SLC, Houston and just about any city not in NY or CA.
So I ask, why do people want to live here?
Well said..that is why I am moving back to Ft. Lauderdale
people always kill me with the love it or leave it response. but this particular response was especially unnecessary since i've already stated in THIS THREAD...
. but thanks for proving my other point about how people here don't want to deal with the problems of jville. it's easier to tell someone to leave than to face the realities of the shortcomings of a place. that's why i will continue to say that the biggest problem about jville are the people. btw, One thing i will say about the people of San Franscisco. When there is something that they do not like about their city, they have a history of trying to confront it. thus it is a more progressive city today (bums and all).
Yes......
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).
. Robyn
