Homesick for Knoxville, now living in Florida (Johnson City, Kingsport: real estate, renting)

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Yes. I asked and I thank you for the answer.

I'm a liberal, but if you go too far either way this is exactly what you get.

Yes, it is worse in other places (I know and I'm sorry) but 12.5 percent is still really, really bad. We use to live in Florida where it was the other way. People didn't pretend to go to a green meeting, but they were all trying to get the best Hummers and Escalades.

Same thing happened in both places. The mortgage and credit cards became due. Fort Myers unemployment is at 13 percent and people are flocking there. They all think they will get a job when hundreds have applied.

The wonderful news is that Knoxville's unemployment is the lowest for metro areas in the state. Last time I checked it was at 8 percent-something.

It doesn't mean you are guaranteed a job, but at least you have a better chance.

I've seen homeless people downtown, but very few and none of them asked me for anything. The rest of the Portland nightmare that you described is not here. If anything, this area is the complete opposite.

Two more observations.

I was born and raised in Mass., and never saw anything resembling Portland.

Underage kids are suppose to be detained. They are not suppose to be wandering the streets.

Absolutely crazy stuff and I really feel very badly for you. Anything we can do to help, just ask.

Thanks. That was a nice post. Yes I also never saw anything resembling Portland in Mass or any place. Yet people here tell me its like this everywhere. They need to take a trip and visit America I think.

[Cheryl A. Koski]

Regarding the number of homeless people and the haves who own million dolllar condos with the have nots living in the alleys of those condos--that's what St. Petersburg, Florida, offers as well. Like JimRob1 of Portland says, St. Petersburg has taken a big toll on me. In Knoxville the living was easy in comparison to what I've found here. Thanks to all of you who commented on the "Portland mindset." It appears to be very, very similar to the "St. Petersburg mindset." Not to mention that the housing bubble popped here BIG. Some people got rich; other people lost their shirts.

[Jimrob1]

I think a number of us on citydata are looking for a simpler more practical and realistic location to live. Evidently there is something in the Knoxville forum, or information I have heard on this community that has sparked my interest. There seems to be a genuine friendliness in the people on the forum. My instincts just tell me the area has a friendlier population. No place is perfect not Portland not Knoxville not St Pete, but Knoxville just seems more real. There just doesn't seem to be the pretentious, plastic and flaky type baloney I see so much of here in Portland.

I want to make a trip to the area in the Spring I think. I was in Mass in June for 10 days. I didn't have the time on that trip to make the sidetrip to Knoxville but in the Spring I will. Actually I would have liked to make a trip in Sept but I have been plagued with 2 knee surgeries since July 11th. I had the 2nd surgery today because the first one was incorrectly done. I am not really enjoying the summer this year at all, but it gives me time to play on the computer. People will probably see my name on the different forums more frequently as I recuperate.

Cheryl I hope when you make your trip up to Knoxville, that you will immediately know if returning is meant to be. I think when a place we are not from takes a toll on us, then its time to look elsewhere.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

I was in Mass in June for 10 days. I didn't have the time on that trip to make the sidetrip to Knoxville but in the Spring I will. Actually I would have liked to make a trip in Sept but I have been plagued with 2 knee surgeries since July 11th. I had the 2nd surgery today because the first one was incorrectly done. I am not really enjoying the summer this year at all, but it gives me time to play on the computer. People will probably see my name on the different forums more frequently as I recuperate.

I wish you a great recovery! I hope you said "hi" to Massachusetts for me. I haven't been back in 13 years.

[pottymouthgranny]

I live in the Panama City Florida and have never felt that I was so close to hell. I keep hoping that a huge hurricane will come and blow this damn place off the map.

You gotta have a dream. Maybe someday mine will come true.

Immediately after moving here my family was victimized by an ex-con working as a ******. His family is "well connected" and have a judge in their pocket.

Outsiders have no chance at justice in Panama City, Florida!

1. Drug use is huge!
2. Education is horrible!
3. The law is often corrupt!

Living in Panama City Florida eventually sucks the life out of you once you realize that trying to fight crime and corruption is a losing battle.

However, the beaches are beautiful.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I wish you a great recovery! I hope you said "hi" to Massachusetts for me. I haven't been back in 13 years.

Thanks: 13 years a very long time. Take a trip up sometime. I make a visit every year sometimes at Thanksgiving but mostly in June.

[teddy12]

Originally Posted by Cheryl A. Koski

I lived in Knoxville for 15 years, and then I made the biggest mistake of my life: I sold my townhouse in Knoxville and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, for a job. I foolishly thought that St. Petersburg was going to be a dream destination. It wasn't long before I realized my mistake.

Everything went wrong. The job itself wasn't a good long-term fit for me. Finding affordable housing was a nightmare. The sun beating down nearly every day of the year was merciless. The pace of life was faster, and the people seemed totally out for themselves. To top it all off, I was bitten by a rabid bat in downtown St. Petersburg among the hustle and bustle of people and cars, meaning that I had to have the month-long series of rabies shots.

I went from being a happy, confident woman to someone I could barely recognize.

Sooner or later, I thought that I would adjust to being here. But after six years in Florida, I just plain don't like it. And I'm extremely homesick for Knoxville even though it was my home only from my early 30s to mid-40s. I've begun asking myself why I'm staying here.

Somebody please help. It seemed easy to move down here, but it seems so much more difficult to come back. I would appreciate any ideas that anybody can provide to help me make my way back to Knoxville.

You can fly up here on Allegiant Air for 19 to 49.00 $$ come on up

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by pottymouthgranny

I live in the Panama City Florida and have never felt that I was so close to hell. I keep hoping that a huge hurricane will come and blow this damn place off the map.

You gotta have a dream. Maybe someday mine will come true.

Immediately after moving here my family was victimized by an ex-con working as a ******. His family is "well connected" and have a judge in their pocket.

Outsiders have no chance at justice in Panama City, Florida!

1. Drug use is huge!
2. Education is horrible!
3. The law is often corrupt!

Living in Panama City Florida eventually sucks the life out of you once you realize that trying to fight crime and corruption is a losing battle.

However, the beaches are beautiful.

I would have to agree....can't wait to get out of this place.

[Cheryl A. Koski]

Originally Posted by teddy12

You can fly up here on Allegiant Air for 19 to 49.00 $$ come on up

Thank you, Teddy. I plan to make a trip sometime this fall.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by Cheryl A. Koski

Thank you, Teddy. I plan to make a trip sometime this fall.

Keep us posted on how you are doing.