Am I missing the Maine experience?....In Maine (living, economy)

[msina]

I am so sick to death of all the years of posts talking about how retirees will take everything away from locals. It's just not true. I am not a Martha Stewart or a Hollywood actor or a bizallionare - just a couple of people from rural West Virginia who want to retire and spend our money supporting our new community.

I agree. We're just plain people that haven't taken any jobs, we support the local economy and do what we can for others.

[Elcarim]

We, too, moved here from away. And guess what....my husband has "taken" TWO jobs since we've been here! Why? There aren't enough Mainers to fill that particular need in the state. I'm quite sure that when a "local" has a heart attack and is laying in the middle of the kitchen floor, or if their house happens to be burning to the ground, they will be VERY happy my husband is here - working - in Maine.

We, too, pay taxes. Federal, state and local - just like the "locals." We are supporting our community with our involvement, our taxes and our spirit. We are not trying to change a thing. If we wanted to have things "like the place we left," we never would have left there!

Gross generalizations don't make a good arguement or prove a valid point, I'm afraid.

[Draconiator]

What is Maine? Hooo boy, like someone else said, everything is here, IF you look for it. As a simple example, there is a patch of woods behind my house, separated from the wilderness by an ATV trail. In the late summer, if you just look at that piece of woods...it looks green and that's it. However, if you go hike out in there, you will find lots of natural food. Hazelnuts, Blueberries, Raspberries, even a few blackberries. As well as rare plants you won't find just staring at the woods. And if you go deeper into the wilderness, you can find forested areas where light can't get through the canopy; one of those places is where I go when I want to think. It's quiet and serene there.

[ILUVMAINE]

I get so tired when people post on here about how retirees are taking away locals jobs, homes, etc. and try to change their new place into the place they left. For the umpteenth time I will say that we are retiring to Maine and we will not be trying to take anyones job, change anything or try to insinuate our way of doing things into our new home. My husband and I worked hard all our lives, saved our money, raised our children and sent them into the world with the most skills we could afford to give them. We have paid our taxes and contributed to our local economy all our lives. Now, it's our turn for the great retirement dream. We have owned our home in Eastport for better than 5 years working to get there after retirement. We don't want jobs, we've already worked all our lives. We don't want to change anything, we want to absorb and be a part of the community and to contribute to it in any way the community would want us to. We want to pay taxes in our new community, we want to pay for services in our new community, we want to worship in our new community and we want to contribute in our new community.

We will take no jobs away from anyone, we will not try to change anything. I just hate being lumped in with all the rest of the retirees who have moved to Maine for the same reasons we are - to live the rest of our lives in the most beautiful place on earth.

I am so sick to death of all the years of posts talking about how retirees will take everything away from locals. It's just not true. I am not a Martha Stewart or a Hollywood actor or a bizallionare - just a couple of people from rural West Virginia who want to retire and spend our money supporting our new community.[/quote]'

You go Corgis! I couldn't have said it better myself. My husband and I are wanting to move to Maine to be part of a community NOT change it. We had hoped to move up there earlier, but since jobs are so hard to come by, we are waiting until (I) retire. SO we wouldn't be a drain on the economy.

God Bless You!

[Revi]

I don't think that there is any problem with "taking jobs" from people. If you move to any other state you don't worry about taking jobs from "the natives". I don't think people in Maine need to have any affirmative action taken. There are lots of people who have the qualifications for all sorts of jobs here.

A lot of people move out of Maine in search of jobs that they have trained for.

[mainegrl2011]

Hi
One thing that really bothers me is how certain people are drawn to Maine because they visit or hear about it from a friend who visited. Once they arrive, they want to change it to be more like the place they left. Does this make any sense to anyone?

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

Hi One thing that really bothers me is how certain people are drawn to Maine because they visit or hear about it from a friend who visited. Once they arrive, they want to change it to be more like the place they left. Does this make any sense to anyone?

I guess.

I like it exactly as it is.

I hear long time locals complaining that they 'want' change, more jobs, more stores, etc.

However I see many problems with so much growth, mainly being higher crime, higher taxes, and higher stress.

We were drawn to Maine for what Maine already has [lots of rural areas, tiny towns with very low populations, low cost-of-living, and very low taxes].

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

Hi
One thing that really bothers me is how certain people are drawn to Maine because they visit or hear about it from a friend who visited. Once they arrive, they want to change it to be more like the place they left. Does this make any sense to anyone?

It absolutely makes sense. I can tell you that I went to Maine and was frustrated to no end that it didn't have what I left. I resented it for not having those things.

After a few years, I came to terms with the fact that it didn't have what I left and become a LOT more fond of Maine for being unique in that regard. In fact, the place I resented with passion quickly started to become a place I admired with passion.

I've since moved out of Maine as it really didn't have what I personally was looking for, but I'm glad I spent the time in Maine it took to realize what a great place it is (regardless of whether or not if "fits" my needs). I am thankful that I had enough time to realize that my resentment was unfounded and by asking for what I left, I was unable to appreciate what Maine had to offer. I'm more able to do that now and admire Maine for being the way it is.

[slalemand]

only if you come here with your eyes closed.

By this I mean … it's Maine! That simple. It's like every other state in the country. You get out of it, what you put into it.

I'm from Amsterdam, NY (many years ago) and didn't have any choice when we moved here.

Is there any other place I'd live, if I could … I'm sure the answer is yes. But I don't know about other states, cites enough to want to leave and stay there.

Maine is and has been a wonderful place to live, grow up, and raise a family.

It's about an hour for me to the mountains, ocean, and 10 minutes to some of the prettiest back roads, lakes, and 20 minutes to camp, shopping, train rides, dinning and so much more.

Now Mainers are a strong bunch of folks, who do what it takes, when it takes, how it takes, to get it done. There are just about more entrepreneurs here then any where else in the country. Now this is because of the lack of good or many jobs (and folks who say out of stater's take the good jobs just don't know what they are talking about). They are a strong INDEPENDENT lot of folks who just to do their own thing.

They like the freedom that being self employed offers them. Many love to hunt and fish, and can do so, when they are the boss. MANY work VERY hard, so that they can justify taking time off, when they do. I know that I work 7 days a week, 12-15 hours a day (By choice), but I do this so that, when I want to take time to go somewhere, do something, I can do it, without feeling guilty about not being at the office.

Maine is about, being able to go to NH, VT., MA., NY or any other place you want to go, when you want to go there.

Many, way to MANY Mainers don't go outside of the state, and for them I feel sorry. There IS a whole world out there, of great places to see and visit, things to do, that doesn't exist in Maine.

Me and family members go back to NY several times a year.

- We go to http://www.meadowbrook.net to see some OUTSTANDING concerts, at a wonderful outdoor venue.

- We go to the White Mountains of NH, for train rides, shopping and site seeing

- We go to Vermont, for Ben & Jerry's, Cabot Cheese Farms, Museums, wonderful out shopping in Burlington and more

- We go to MA., for God so much.

- We go to Northern Maine, to escape the city, and be one with the wildlife and the outdoors.

- We go to the coast for outstanding scenery - lighthouses, seafood, people, lifestyle, shopping and mixing it up with tourist.

Maine is just like where you live, it's what you make of it.

Some of what we love about Maine.

- You can leave your car running anytime, but in the Winter it's great to get into a warm car.

- You can leave your doors unlock, and not worry to much that you did.

- You can go places, and let you kids run free, and not worry to much about them getting into trouble, getting hurt or missing.

- You can say hi to the person next to you at the store, restaurant, shop or where ever, and ask some questions (you'll be answering more, because out-of-staters ask a lot of questions.

- You can ask for advice on places to go and see, and HOW to get there.

- You can enjoy the fact that you are a Mainer.

Maine is a state of mind, just as is NY city, San Diego, Florida and so on.

MANY of Maines young adult's head out to other states for the opportunity for good jobs and to see the world - MANY end up back here within a few years.

I travel a fair amount (on the road salesman -http://www.designsbyskip.com), and will say, Maine is MISSING some great things.

- Florida has some of the nicest city parks I seen
- DC has got some much to do, museums and all
- NY, is NY, what can't you see or do here
- VA., has the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive and many war museums and sites

I could go on and on, but it's simple a matter of appreciating what you have, and Mainer's do that as good as anyone.

If you can learn to live within your means, Maine is a GREAT place to live, work and play.

In any case, sorry for the rambling.

Skip

[dmyankee]

Originally Posted by slalemand

Now Mainers are a strong bunch of folks, who do what it takes, when it takes, how it takes, to get it done. There are just about more entrepreneurs here then any where else in the country. Now this is because of the lack of good or many jobs (and folks who say out of stater's take the good jobs just don't know what they are talking about). They are a strong INDEPENDENT lot of folks who just to do their own thing.

There is a huge underground economy here because of the various economic factors.