Louisiana needs an attitude adjustment (Shreveport, Lafayette: leases, home, job market)

[Innotech]

I think southern Louisiana probably has a much better attitude about...well...everything. Especially in Lafayette, the overall outlook is very positive, and people here love to party and seem to have high spirits. Maybe it is the cajun culture that keeps it fun, but everyone is out to have a good time. This does have some downsides, like sloth and sloppy workmanship in some cases, but overall I prefer it to a bunch of angry cynics.

[Alpharetta123]

Originally Posted by Vampgrrl

I'm from Atlanta. I came to live in New Orleans as I was pretty miserable in Atlanta <snip> lack of any local culture or history and the inability to have neighbors who wanted to talk to each other.<snip>

There is local culture and history anyywhere there is a population. Atlanta= Martin L. King, Dr, Benjamin Mays, Joel Chandler Harris, Alonzo Herndon, Margaret Mitchell, Spellman, Morehouse, Agnes Scott College, Georgia Tech, Drama-Tech, High Museum, Alliance Theater(The Color Purple musical began here), Ujima Theater, Fox Theater, Little Five Points, Piedmont Park, Midtown, Morningside, Stone Mountain Park, Lake Lanier, Phillips Arena, Georgia Renaissance Festival, Sweet Auburn Festival, Pearl Cleage, etc.
As far as neighbors to communicate with; that depends on where one lives. Atlanta does have its share of sterile suburban neighborhoods, but there are just as many friendly down-home ones too.... Metro-area is a huge place.
I do 'feel you', however..... all preferences are not alike.

I purpose to visit Southern Louisiana one day.

[Vampgrrl]

Still Atlanta does not compare, there is no locally unique area culture that permeates the city, and development runs wild even to erase what historical structures remain. Perhaps a city that looks only to the future is appealing but Atlanta is rushing there and giving no thought to it's past or present.

I would find it quite difficult to live in the Atlanta metro area again I'm afraid.

[Huckleberry3911948]

i am powerless over other people. i can only work on my own character defects.
i do this daily thru god my higher power.
by doing so i make a difference in my world. i have a dream.

[Alpharetta123]

Originally Posted by Vampgrrl

Still Atlanta does not compare, there is no locally unique area culture that permeates the city, and development runs wild even to erase what historical structures remain. Perhaps a city that looks only to the future is appealing but Atlanta is rushing there and giving no thought to it's past or present.

I would find it quite difficult to live in the Atlanta metro area again I'm afraid.

I do understand.
Whenever a friend or relative talks about moving here, I jokingly reply: "Stay where you are. There's enough people here already."
The growth here is mind boggling, occurs too fast, and has contributed to the air quality problems, traffic, housing market issues; you name it.
I still like the newness of some suburban areas combined with the aethestically pleasing green space, walking trails, and amenities..... but planners are guilty of overkill in that area.
Eventually.... I'm considering a more small-town life.

I'd always planned to visit New Orleans... Then Katrina happened.
I'm wishing the best for the area.

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by Alpharetta123

I do understand.
Whenever a friend or relative talks about moving here, I jokingly reply: "Stay where you are. There's enough people here already."
The growth here is mind boggling, occurs too fast, and has contributed to the air quality problems, traffic, housing market issues; you name it.
I still like the newness of some suburban areas combined with the aethestically pleasing green space, walking trails, and amenities..... but planners are guilty of overkill in that area.
Eventually.... I'm considering a more small-town life.

I'd always planned to visit New Orleans... Then Katrina happened.
I'm wishing the best for the area.

Theres no reason not to visit New Orleans now. I visited it 2 months after Katrina and it was already bustling again in the French Quarter. the town does not let anything hurt its spirits. there are Katrina joke shirts in many stores on Bourbon street for example and the whole party atmosphere is stronger than ever. A lot of reconstruction is underway, and many shops are reopening. It is of course a shadow of its former self but the FQ was always pretty crumbly and worn down looking. thats part of the charm. It certainly isnt lost.

[buildings_and_bridges]

Originally Posted by Alpharetta123

I'd always planned to visit New Orleans... Then Katrina happened.
I'm wishing the best for the area.

Still come visit New Orleans; it's still a wonderful place to be. Plenty of nice places to stay. It's not a cheap one, but I'm a little partial to Le Pavilion on Poydras, which is just outside the French Quarter. And if it's your first time in the French Quarter, you'll find a lot to do.

[hdwell]

I can only have hope things will change for the better here in La. Leaving to go live somewhere else is not an option for me and my family at this time. Both wife and myself are close to retirement and daughter is near college time. We don't have it bad here financially, but we would like to see the state improve itself. Many Louisianians want that; however, some don't. I believe the main difference between the two groups is that one can see the bigger picture, while the other cannot.

maybe a better Louisiana would be asking too much at this time. With the national economy questionable I don't know how it would affect us. This is one of several states that benefits from the high price of oil, but if that price tanks like it did in 1986, we will be in a slump again.

Frankly I don't like getting told what a lousy dang place this state is, with poor ignorant uneducated inbred racist s**s'. I don't mind living here and I can tell you now I can live here til my time has come.

[texdav]

I have to be truthfull. I visted new orleans in the late 60's and it was a very historic town and I love going to the french quarter. I visited two years before Katrina and frankly the french quarter stunk like a sewer. The place was filthy.Most of the old places to hear jazz etc were gone and now they mostly had bars that had no personality. It is really a shame because ti was so unique really.

[sadiesmiles]

Hey, guys...newsflash! Louisiana is no longer at the bottom of the barrel! Have any of you people moaning and groaning about Louisiana even looked at the news lately or read the Wall Street Journal? There are so many articles being written about how Louisiana is improving by leaps and bounds. Louisiana has one of the LOWEST foreclosure rates in America and the largest oil/gas reserve was just found in the Shreveport/Minden area. There are so many movies being filmed in Shreveport (recently featured in the New York Times) that it has been nicknamed Ho-So (Hollywood South). Lots of money is being made in this state, and thanks to Governor Jindall, the old way of doing politics is over. Suddenly, Louisiana looks fantastic. Did any of you even know that some states are dealing with a veritable depression? Municipalities in California are going bankrupt, the state of Michigan is in terrible shape, along with places in New York and states in the midwest. By comparison, Louisiana is doing great, so quit dissing it and start reading about the rest of the country's predicament before you make sweeping generalizations about Louisiana.