Would you ever leave LA to live in the Midwest? (Los Angeles: vs, moving to)

[jackie100]

Originally Posted by Mighty Bleistift

I'm not trying to be condescending, but you're saying this from the perspective of someone who, by her own admission, doesn't have kids and "never wants kids... ever". That's kind of like a trust-fund baby saying that he doesn't see why someone would need a job to live in LA.

I've been here 26 years. 4 years was spent as a student in the Manhattan Beach school system. We left in 1984, but I came back in 1990 and currently live in Pasadena with my family. I've lived all over LA - Marina Del Rey, Sunset Plaza, Silverlake, Beach Cities and now SGV. Some of my family are teachers in the Torrance and Manhattan Beach school districts.

There are lots of reasons why many of us with kids think LA is not the best place to raise kids. To me and I'm sure most, the biggest issue is the schools. I have a 4th-grader and a 1st-grader. Pasadena is a beautiful, wealthy city that has a dirty little secret: it's schools are awful. So, if you care about your kids' education, that means you have to apply for the ultra-competitive private schools. We do well and our private school's tuition is relatively small compared to other LA schools like Crossroads, Harvard-Westlake, Lawrence or Campbell Hall, but it's still almost $20k per year, per student. Believe me, that takes it's toll after a while. Add to that the fact that private schools require annual monetary donations on top of tuition, and the cost really goes up. Including property tax, we spend probably $55k per year on elementary education!

Unless you are wealthy and can afford private school, or you can afford to live in an area that has a solid public school system, like Manhattan Beach, PV, BH, La Cañada, or South Pasadena, you are faced with a dilemma if you take your kids' educations at all seriously. Class sizes in many area public schools are huge - 30+ students in many areas, over 40 in places like Glendale! Then there is the social element, meaning the kids who aren't really there to learn but are there to socialize and/or cause trouble. That also leads to safety issues. My cousin in Torrance says he spends more of his time babysitting than actually teaching, and that's in a relatively decent public school. This problem is widely known to be true throughout the area.

Cream of the crop will always rise to the top and if your kids are dumbasses (not yours but just anyone's kids in general) no amount of private education will help them. I know plenty of people who went to average and subpar schools and still ended up at UCLA and Ivy League schools. Part of it is the school but part of it is ability; some kids will never be as smart as others even with the best education and care because they are just naturally slower and not as genetically gifted. Contrary to popular belief not everyone is created equal. You can have a dumb kid and pay for the best tutors and private schools and he may still flunk because he's slow and dumb. All the private school education won't help those kids. I guess if your kids aren't that bright they will need all the help they can get.

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by Marce30

NEVER EVER !
I don't want to be surrounded by stupid conservatives.

And you live in CA? C'mon, contrary to popular belief, CA is not as liberal as most think it is.

Originally Posted by dennismpat

At my last job, I worked with a lady who is a native Californian from Anaheim. At one point, she surprised us by giving her notice of resignation. The reason was that she had purchased a house in Minnesota and was moving there. She told us that she grew tired of how crowded and expensive California is. The reason she chose Minnesota was that her older daughter (who is married and has 2 or 3 kids) was already living there and she talked my co-worker into moving there. Last I hear, my former co-worker has adapted to life in the Midwest and is thoroughly enjoying it.

That sounds wonderful but I do not buy it. Anyone who say they thoroughly enjoy living in the Midwest is lying. They may enjoy it, may be even a bit more or should I say, there might be things they enjoy more living there than living in CA but no one could thoroughly enjoy living in the Midwest after living a while in CA. Saying otherwise, to me, sounds like they are trying hard to convince everyone that Midwest is 100% better and that they are 100% happy with their decision which I don't believe for a second. Been there, done that, not true.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by Marce30

NEVER EVER !
I don't want to be surrounded by stupid conservatives.

Absolutely! Just like one would not want to be around stupid liberals. The smart ones (from both sides of the spectrum)are a lot less annoying and far more interesting.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by TurcoLoco

That sounds wonderful but I do not buy it. Anyone who say they thoroughly enjoy living in the Midwest is lying. They may enjoy it, may be even a bit more or should I say, there might be things they enjoy more living there than living in CA but no one could thoroughly enjoy living in the Midwest after living a while in CA.

Wrong! I am looking forward to moving to the Midwest and getting permanently out of California. The only thing I will miss about California is the early start to Monday night football! I cannot understand how anyone can tolerate the extreme overcrowding of coastal California after experiecing the relaxed pace of living in the Midwest.

[Troof]

Originally Posted by TurcoLoco

...


That sounds wonderful but I do not buy it. Anyone who say they thoroughly enjoy living in the Midwest is lying. They may enjoy it, may be even a bit more or should I say, there might be things they enjoy more living there than living in CA but no one could thoroughly enjoy living in the Midwest after living a while in CA...

LOL, because you're the expert on EVERYONE, apparently.

[yamota]

Everybody goes back their roots eventually, either in life...or in death...Whitney Houston was just a beautiful young singer from New Jersey when she came to LA where she was seduced by all that fame and fortune and the lights and the money and the drugs...till one day she ended up dead in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel. But now she's finally back home in her native New Jersey. A cautionary tale for would be movers to LA with dreams of stardom in their eyes? Perhaps...but then again...perhaps not...

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by capoeira

I cannot understand how anyone can tolerate the extreme overcrowding of coastal California after experiecing the relaxed pace of living in the Midwest.

I cannot understand how anyone can tolerate the extreme overbearing nonsense of midwest biblethumpers after experiencing the relaxed pace of settling in a comfy spot at the beach after work, watching the sun go down in warm coastal California.

[Troof]

Wondering how many of the people posting in this thread have actually been to the places they are commenting on...

[jackie100]

Originally Posted by capoeira

Wrong! I am looking forward to moving to the Midwest and getting permanently out of California. The only thing I will miss about California is the early start to Monday night football! I cannot understand how anyone can tolerate the extreme overcrowding of coastal California after experiecing the relaxed pace of living in the Midwest.

I like overcrowding. I actually don't like it peaceful; I like it exciting and glamorous (West Hollywood).

[jamesdenver]

I cannot understand how anyone can tolerate the extreme overbearing nonsense of midwest biblethumpers

Isn't one of the largest megachurches in the country just a few exits south over in Orange County?

Most cities, midwestern or not, have urban areas where more liberal minded people live, surrounded by more conservative suburbs. Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago... You can drop into any one of these urban areas and find the same views and opinions you would in LA. Just on a smaller scale

No different than liberal LA vs outlying areas (OC, Inland Empire, etc...) I've spent years in LA and area, and many cities around the country and haven't never been thumped by a Bible, unless I go searching for it.

City vs suburban demographics aren't much different between LA and other large metro areas. Same thing - just smaller scale than LA.