Do you miss massachusetts? (Boston, Lynn: quality of life, to live, price)

[baystater]

Originally Posted by manchester

No, I do not miss Massachusetts one bit.

I'm from the midwest and had a job opportunity in Boston. I was young and very excited about moving to Boston.

I was ready to leave after one year and managed to find a nice opportunity after 2 years to do so.

Don't miss the horrible weather (6 months of winter), ridiculously low standard of living compared to the rest of the country, the "attitude" or the traffic. I can't tell you how many times I went to a wedding where I was seated at a table with people I didn't know and turned around to introduce myself only to have them turn their shoulder to me. People in Boston tend to be incredibly cold, almost as if they have a fear of strangers. I'm sorry, but I don't have the patience to wait 2 years for someone to warm up to me. Coming from the midwest, where the majority of people are extremely friendly, this was a difficult adjustment.


you've lived around the country and those who have or have travelled around certainly say the same.

I will disagree with one thing you said
winter bad weather 6 months try 8 sometimes 9 months of lousy weather
for instance june this year was 40 and 50 degrees with rain most days, was beginning to think summer was never going to come .
the winters seem more colder the previous last three years and longer too.
Myb mother in law couldn't start her veggie patch till the beginning of july which only gives her two months then it's getting cold again

dark at 4.00pm o clock is depressing

I respectfully disagree about how cold the winter have been. Actually when I was living up there until about to two years ago. From what I saw I felt it was warmer in the winter starting around 2002 - 2003. It just didn't seem to snow as much as it did when I was growing up there during the late 70's until I moved. Though I must agree when It gets dark around 4PM it is rather depressing.

[manchester]

in 2004 it never snowed much because it was too cold


think we both can agree the winters suck

[baystater]

Originally Posted by manchester

think we both can agree the winters suck

You, Me, and alot of folks will agree to that. Especially during January and February.

[gamsauer]

Originally Posted by trekon

I agree 100% , I lived in Yarmouth, then to Worcester(bad), lived off Capital Blvd in Raleigh and am now trying to make a choice, affrordable living, job, .. , where did you think in uppperstate ny? Rochester??

I also live in Raleigh NC. Lived here for 13 looongg years. It may be for a lot of people but it is not for me. To each his own, I guess. I would prefer MA over NC any day!!

[MovingForward]

I'm originally from Texas (spent the first 25 years there)--have lived in Portland, OR and Chicago and VT--and have lived in MA for 25 years. I like all of the places I have lived in--but I love Boston and New England the best. Don't know why somebody would have so many, many problems with the people of MA--I never have. I absolutely adore this city and this region of the country and wouldn't live anywhere else. And New Englanders are no more "infatuated" with their state than people anywhere else. Please. Here's what I love about MA (the land and the people):

1) native folks are reserved (seen as "grumpy" by outsiders) but straightforward, behave in a civil manner (don't know who all these "rude" people are that others have encountered: maybe transplanted people from elsewhere?)
2) liberal politics--sometimes misguided, in my opinion, but usually willing to err on the side of caution and reason (if you think you've seen corruption "at its worst" in MA, take a trip to LA or TX sometime)
3) incredible natural beauty--I've never seen such effort put into managing conservation (although, in my opinion, development is getting out of hand)
4) cultural access (from the sublime to the ridiculous)
5) well-located (4 hours to NYC, 30 minutes to ME, NH, RI; one hour to VT)

I could go on, but I won't. I love Massachusetts--bad weather, grumpy people and all.

[OhEdo]

I've only actually lived in a few other places in the US and abroad but have visited many since leaving my native Mass after college. I've seen a few postings from people who've gone down South or out West and find the cookie-cutter scenery depressing - I could not agree more. I'm not sure where this "American Dream" came from; who wants to live in an anonymous subdivision even if it's a 4000 sq ft house and have to get in the car to go to the anonymous local chain outlet to run even the simplest errands? My version of the Dream is living on a tree-lined street with neighbors that you know and a downtown you can walk to, centered on a picturesque town square.
I grew up in a small town in Western Mass and never realized how good I had it until I left. I realize Western Mass is not the most exciting place for people in their teens to 20s, but on any given weekend you can go to Boston in less than 2 hours and New York in just over 3, skiing at Vermont's premier resorts less than an hour away and don't forget all the lakes and rivers. The autumn is simply breathtaking in the Berkshires and Vermont/NH. Moreover, the other postings about seafood, Chinese food and grinders (not to mention pizza), as well as higher end stuff (French is my fave) in the cities are right on, not to mention all the locally brewed beers. And I have never minded snow and the cold; I spent a year in the Southwestern desert and actually started to miss rain! Four distinct seasons is a privilege not easily had elsewhere, but I understand it is not for everyone.
The only reason I am not back in Mass now is work - having worked in large firm most of my working life, I was apprehensive about the lack of security (not to mention money!) working for a smaller outfit or for onesself. But I am really starting to think hard about that now because I really do want to go back.

[ogre]

Originally Posted by OhEdo

I've only actually lived in a few other places in the US and abroad but have visited many since leaving my native Mass after college. I've seen a few postings from people who've gone down South or out West and find the cookie-cutter scenery depressing - I could not agree more. I'm not sure where this "American Dream" came from; who wants to live in an anonymous subdivision even if it's a 4000 sq ft house and have to get in the car to go to the anonymous local chain outlet to run even the simplest errands? My version of the Dream is living on a tree-lined street with neighbors that you know and a downtown you can walk to, centered on a picturesque town square.
I grew up in a small town in Western Mass and never realized how good I had it until I left. I realize Western Mass is not the most exciting place for people in their teens to 20s, but on any given weekend you can go to Boston in less than 2 hours and New York in just over 3, skiing at Vermont's premier resorts less than an hour away and don't forget all the lakes and rivers. The autumn is simply breathtaking in the Berkshires and Vermont/NH. Moreover, the other postings about seafood, Chinese food and grinders (not to mention pizza), as well as higher end stuff (French is my fave) in the cities are right on, not to mention all the locally brewed beers. And I have never minded snow and the cold; I spent a year in the Southwestern desert and actually started to miss rain! Four distinct seasons is a privilege not easily had elsewhere, but I understand it is not for everyone.
The only reason I am not back in Mass now is work - having worked in large firm most of my working life, I was apprehensive about the lack of security (not to mention money!) working for a smaller outfit or for onesself. But I am really starting to think hard about that now because I really do want to go back.

Just wondering, if you don't mind, which town in western MA you're from A lot of the towns out there are kind of run down and economically depressed, but some are the picture of small town USA.

[SuperGrover]

I'm not sure if this post will achieve any artistic merit, but I want to see if I can interleave QUOTE tags...

Originally Posted by MovingForward

1) native folks are reserved (seen as "grumpy" by outsiders) but straightforward, behave in a civil manner (don't know who all these "rude" people are that others have encountered: maybe transplanted people from elsewhere?)

I've witnessed this behavior many times at Fenway park. Bostonians chant "Thanks and Luck", and wait patiently to get through turnstyles and between rows of seats. After the game, the young men will wait for the next quaint old green line car, while families with women and children ride comfortably home for bedtime.

Originally Posted by MovingForward

2) liberal politics--sometimes misguided, in my opinion, but usually willing to err on the side of caution and reason (if you think you've seen corruption "at its worst" in MA, take a trip to LA or TX sometime)

I'll never forget stopping in front of Burger King on Washington Street to talk to an "Angry Protester". She was holding a bold, obviously hand-crafted poster of a skinned cow's head, and I initially feared that she might do something outrageous like spit or cuss at me. In fact, she spoke calmly, reminding me that animals were people too. Would I eat my own children? Indeed not! Misrepresentation in the news media causes us to miss chances to connect with new friends that way.

Originally Posted by MovingForward

3) incredible natural beauty--I've never seen such effort put into managing conservation (although, in my opinion, development is getting out of hand)

Boston sports some of the most pristine coastlines north of Jersey. From the shorelines of Chelsea and Revere or Lynn Harbor, I find myself staring in wonder. This is the visual bounty we can harvest from the earth when communities live with it, not just on it.

Originally Posted by MovingForward

4) cultural access (from the sublime to the ridiculous)

I've seen Blue Man group four times. Also Stomp. These were both much better than Cats. If you are not from Boston, you do not have the opportunity to take in shows like this. And the tickets are surprisingly inexpensive.

Originally Posted by MovingForward

5) well-located (4 hours to NYC, 30 minutes to ME, NH, RI; one hour to VT)

I best like being in the Eastern Time Zone. Tonight I get to stay up until 3AM to see the end of the Red Sox game. It makes me feel like my younger self, waiting restlessly on Christmas Eve to see what Santa left. Moments like that make getting up for tomorrows daily grind much easier to bear.

[findingmesomeday]

Since I'm still here, I don't miss it. But will I miss it when/if I'm gone? Parts of it, yes. Skytrekker might disagree but I've lived in a lot of other cities and I've enjoyed some more than the Boston area (Seattle and Portland) some decidedly less (Phoenix and Philly) and some just about the same but for different reasons (San Francisco).

What's driving us out now is finances. I don't know if we'll make it out anytime soon. The original idea was to move to NC if a job opportunity came through for one of us. They were coming through faster for me--I'd turned down two jobs earlier this year (I'm not going to take just ANY job just to move...). I'm waiting to hear on one that will more than double my salary and hopefully my husband will have more opportunity down there too. For what we each specialize in, Boston is not really the best area and it's been a bit of a struggle for most of the 10 years we've been here. The first 5 were fine but when he lost his job in 2002, things went spiraling downhill and we just about lost our shirts trying to figure out some way to stay in town, provide continuity for the kids and make ends meet. And now the rubber meets the road. We've gone through our savings and retirement funds, had to sell our house which was mortgaged to the hilt, have enormous credit card debt (got to find some way to put food on the table when there's little to no money coming in) and, even though we're both working now and pulling in over six figures combined income, we're really just running in place and not making much headway in trying to reduce our debt and save.

If we move, I'll immediately more than double my salary, housing will be cheaper and if my husband is able to get employment quickly, he'll add another 25% to his salary. We can live off one income and bank the other. BUT.......(there's always a but...)

Our oldest is going into 11th grade. If I could have made this job thing happen over the summer I think I could have sold it to him with less guilt. Now? Pulling him out mid-Junior year leaves a bad taste in my mouth so I fear our window of opportunity has passed us by--at least until he graduates. By then my next oldest will be going into 10th grade and we could make a move then.

However, my husband is up in arms about this. He absolutely hates it here. I don't know if it's because he's had such a rough 5 years (job loss, business failure, the resulting depression and mental chaos that comes from that, etc.) or if it's because he's a Pacific Northwest native and there truly is a difference between west coast and east coast people. What I see as reserved and cautious, he sees as rude and condescending. Yes, there is a lot of that, but I've learned to look around it and find people who don't have their noses in the clouds. He can't seem to get past it.

We could move to a cheaper town but that defeats the school issue. Part of the charm of New England (town-centric governments, school districts, etc.) is also a drawback here. I could move a few miles down the road and housing is cheaper but my kids would have to switch schools. I might as well move to NC!

[OhEdo]

Originally Posted by ogre

Just wondering, if you don't mind, which town in western MA you're from A lot of the towns out there are kind of run down and economically depressed, but some are the picture of small town USA.

Greenfield. It is actually more on the depressed side, but it is also trying to transform itself from a small industrial town (the Greenfield Tap & Die used to employ a good number of people many years ago, and there are still companies like Lunt Silversmith's based there) to a small hip town, I suppose as a link in the chain between Northhampton to the south and Brattleboro to the north.