Love It or Hate It???? (Boston, Lexington: fit in, construction, elementary school)

[Megabit15]

Originally Posted by 2KidsforMe

Megabit-by what you have described, I think you will really like Boston. The people, the sports, the natural beauty, the weather (for the most part) sounds like a good fit. Best of luck on your interviews!

Thanks, I appreciate your feeback!

[brightdoglover]

I know I couldn't stand the heat/humidity anywhere south of, say, New York. I find the summers in Massachusetts too humid! It's hard to remember that when, today, the leaves are turning, the air is perfect, and the post-season baseball is thrilling.
I've lived in Massachusetts most of the time since age 20, 34 years. I chose Boston-area for no real logical reasons (hey, I was 20) and have found over the years it works pretty well for me. I like the general intellectual climate (I guess that includes culture/history), a relatively un-glitzy world even for the moneyed (although this changed somewhat with New Money since the mid-80s). A lot of smart people wherever you go. A lot of opportunity for career/job/school if you want to make changes or improvements.
Downsides, of course, expense of housing. I was able to twist and turn (and work extra) to sort housing out, but I wouldn't have stayed unless I could manage some sort of housing that suited me. A matter of priorities.

[LilBiggy781]

Originally Posted by puffle

Do most of the people that live in Massachusetts dislike it (rather not use the word hate) and only stay for work and family, or too uneasy about leaving in general? Or is it simply one extreme or the other??? I am working my *** off to get there while I read so much negativety from those that have been living there. I currently live in California and if you have read the threads there you will see the love it or hate it attitude...not much of a grey area. But in my opinion, as a life long Ca. native, California pales in comparison to the beauty of New England and the genuine quality of the people who live there, good or bad. You know what you are getting. Am I just being naive here?

I love Massachusetts!! I love the rocky coasts, the ability to breath FRESH AIR whether it be outside or in attitude...everything about Massachusetts I love. I love the Red Sox, the Patriots, the Celtics...I love the fact that my church is a liberal free-thinking church and that I have many who believe in the same things I do.

The only thing that I do not like about Massachusetts (especially in the area I live in) is the high cost of living. But that is about it. Here you will find very nice, polite people who would just as soon give you the shirt off their backs to help you. It is a friendly, nurturing place - full of culture, intellect and great medical care. I wouldn't trade Massachusetts for any other place on earth. I mean that.

[puffle]

So good to hear LilBiggy781! I knew I wasn't crazy!!

[cousinsal]

Like everybody says, cost of living is too high, compared to what people are able to make.

I hate the summer with the humidity, but coming from upstate NY, it's a little better than there. So, I stay in all summer in AC. The winters are MILD compared to growing up in NY with 3 feet of snow, and a -20 temp. So, I don't mind it, and I love the fall. Sometimes, it's not cold enough for me here.

I like the fact that we are the smartest state in the Union (or usually close to the top) - I meet so many smart, educated people from all over the world.

And, coming from a very small town in NY, there's so much to do here. I picked Boston chiefly for the ocean, and I live down the street from the harbor. So, I love that. And, you can go to the mountains, the country for camping, Maine is beautiful, Boston has just about anything you want. Also, we have the best healthcare, and since I had cancer a couple of times, that was wonderful.

I'd say it's the best "small" big city in the U.S. I would not like living in NYC or SF or LA or anywhere like that. I love the architecture, I love the way the streets are all laid out at random, I love the history, etc. etc.

Yeah, I'm pretty satisfied after 30 years here. Oh, and I got to be right up front last year to see the Rolling Stones at the Garden, my favorite band since 1964. Bands like that don't always make it to rural areas. I also like going to plays - I like being in the hub of things where everything is happening, I like that we debate everything here on radio, there are so many different people with so many different lifestyles, and on and on........guess I could do a commercial for "come to Boston for your vacation"!

[jandrew]

Massachusetts is everything.

[gamsauer]

Moving to Boston Mass has been the best thing I have ever done. I don't regret it for one second.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by puffle

Do most of the people that live in Massachusetts dislike it (rather not use the word hate) and only stay for work and family, or too uneasy about leaving in general? Or is it simply one extreme or the other??? I am working my *** off to get there while I read so much negativety from those that have been living there. I currently live in California and if you have read the threads there you will see the love it or hate it attitude...not much of a grey area. But in my opinion, as a life long Ca. native, California pales in comparison to the beauty of New England and the genuine quality of the people who live there, good or bad. You know what you are getting. Am I just being naive here?

I can see why you are confused, but if you love Massachusetts and New England and the people you should trust your gut feelings. Anyway, I absolutely love New England - no, not every single town or place, but most of it - and you didn't list other reasons why you like Massachusetts.

This is just my feeling, but those who don't like Massachusetts probably don't feel much interest in the things that others like me crave: I crave the remarkable, and IMO, no where else in the U.S. reproduced, intellectual hotbed atmosphere. In metro Boston and Cambridge, you have the research and world class care and teaching provided by Harvard Medical School, which will intermingle with the medical-technology innovations at MIT and Harvard and the many companies that focus in medical/technology research, then you have the other brilliant researchers and companies affliated with MIT, Harvard and Northeastern U, as well as in other science departments at BU, BC, Tufts, etc., you have the world class academic economists, historians, the JFK (Harvard) School of Government, Harvard Law, BC Law, other great law schools, the entire outstanding museum network: the Museum of Fine Arts, the Fogg Art and other Harvard Art Museums (Fogg just had it's name changed), the many other contributors to literature and criticism, linguistics, you name it and all of this affects the common person whether or not he/she even knows it. Then there is the continuing influence of the heritage of colonial Boston and the founders of this country, the beauty of the Boston Harbor and the neighboring harbors north and south, etc.

I left out the incredible musical training and talent and performance in New England: The Boston Symphony, the Berklee School of Music (Jazz), the hundreds of musical groups all over the place.

I like Massachusetts because it is easier to find people there (I only know Eastern Massachusetts, I must admit) who value what you know or do for others more than how much money you have or how thin you are, etc.

[puffle]

I am almost breathless reading your descriptions of what interests you in Ma. and they are all amazing qualities. Especially your last sentence regarding what you value. So true.
F.Y.I. I made it to Ma. Nov. 2007!!!

[FrozenAngel]

Originally Posted by Martha Anne

This is just my feeling, but those who don't like Massachusetts probably don't feel much interest in the things that others like me crave:

Personally, I think the people that do not like MA are people that do not live in the better parts of MA that are close enough to do all the things you crave or they are like me and LOVE MA May thru October and HATE it the rest of the year!