I Like it Here! (Traverse City: house, travel, jobs)

[MIhome]

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

I was born and raised in Michigan(lower mid west). Because of a death in the family, in "69" at the age of 15 I was on my own. I jumped a frieght train to Mexifornia. I lived there until 6/07 when I moved to OK.
What I'm getting at is, and I'm not saying anything against anyone, but if you think you have it bad in Michigan, move to So,Ca, or, for that matter, any state out west or down south that,s over crowded with Illegal Immigration. Live there for 1 year.
I guarantee that you'll be back and jobs will have nothing to do with the decision to move back. Then you will know how good you had it.
I know, some of you don't believe me, and I understand that. Those who argue about it are the one that don't know the true reality of what illegal Immigration is like.
You can go to Illegal Immigration - Americans for Legal Immigration PAC and learn the difference and find out what is realy going on in different states.

Yeah,same thing here in vegas,people back home think they have an immigrant problem....yeah,right.And it's getting worse out this way,the violence is escalating beyond anything i have ever seen.They had 4 elementry school lockdown's here yesterday,my 8 year and 5 year old being in one of them.

[tecpatl]

I love it here...especially on sunny fall days like today.
I love it here...because I work for the most demanding boss there is.. no calling in sick, no excuses why something didn't go right, no avoiding taking blame for mistakes, no explanation for why I have to change my plans so I can work today. Yes, you guessed it: I'm self employed. And I love it that no one is going to lay me off or move my job away to China.
I love it here...because Michigan winemakers have figured out how to make great stuff.
I love it here...because I can't imagine not being surrounded by water, water, everywhere. Even though I like to visit other places in the winter months

[MIhome]

Originally Posted by tecpatl

I love it here...especially on sunny fall days like today.
I love it here...because I work for the most demanding boss there is.. no calling in sick, no excuses why something didn't go right, no avoiding taking blame for mistakes, no explanation for why I have to change my plans so I can work today. Yes, you guessed it: I'm self employed. And I love it that no one is going to lay me off or move my job away to China.
I love it here...because Michigan winemakers have figured out how to make great stuff.
I love it here...because I can't imagine not being surrounded by water, water, everywhere. Even though I like to visit other places in the winter months

Yeah kinda agree with you on the water water everywhere,guess it's better than money money everywhere like i'm used to

[somelikeithot]

california has better wine.
Mass. has better falls.
every where has more demanding bosses.
Florida has more water around it and it is usable all year around.
Nothing in michigan you can not get more of and better elswhere.

[suydam]

Originally Posted by somelikeithot

Nothing in michigan you can not get more of and better elswhere.

Fresh Water

Cherries

Snow (Michigan has 3 towns in the nation's 10 snowiest cities list...so does NY...tied for "first")

[tecpatl]

Originally Posted by somelikeithot

california has better wine.
Mass. has better falls.
every where has more demanding bosses.
Florida has more water around it and it is usable all year around.
Nothing in michigan you can not get more of and better elswhere.

Dear Michigan Hater,
Try to buy a California house to drink that wine in. ummmm...how much?!?!? By the way: Michigan wines do very well in head-to-head blind tastings.

Mass. has FAR higher taxes, regardless of the falls. lol Ever hear of Taxachussets? Google it.

There is NO more demanding boss than me, thank you. I've successfully employed myself for 36 years, have fully funded a comfortable future retirement (not with promises but actual invested money), purchased a winter vacation home for cash, and live in a paid-for home in one of NW Michigan's most desireable resort towns.... all as a result of my self-employment and my hard-a** boss. I feel lucky, of course, but IF I cared about credit or acclaim for this I'd post my name. It just takes guts, brains, discipline and hard work. How do you stack up, Pookie?

Florida.... jeez, if you like it, fine. Why whine about Michigan then? I haven't been there for 25 years. And Michigan has more coastline, by the way. "World Book Encyclopedia (v.13, p.500 of the 2000 edition) states that Michigan's shoreline, at 3,288 miles is "more than any other state except Alaska. This includes 1,056 miles (1,699 kilometers) of island shoreline." In v.1 (p.284 and 294) of the same edition it states that Alaska has 6,640 miles or 10,686 kilometers of coastline."
You can look it up.

I have spent weeks touring California's wine country, months sailing, diving and fishing in Florida's Keys, all paid for by my boss, to whom I'm grateful.
Falls? hee-hee...here's a quarter, call someone who CARES!
There's no better place to be than Michigan (though I'll admit to a regular escape during the cloudy winter months)... a beautiful place rich with natural treasures and very fine people. Maybe that explains why you're not here.

[tecpatl]

Originally Posted by JenM

Hola,

I don't post on here much anymore because I too, am sick of the doom and gloom.

I once sat and complained that I didn't have a good job and that Michigan was crap and that I wanted to move away. But one day I realized it wasn't Michigan that needed changing, it was me.

So my husband and I decided that even though we have 3 kids it was time to quit our jobs and go to school. And that is what we did. We took out $80,000 in private and federal student loans and are now both in school. He's going for pharmacy and I'm going for Nursing. And you know what, we have never been happier.

I'll graduate in 2009 and have a decent paying job and he'll be done in about 7 years. Then we'll be financially set. And you know what???? We never had to leave this beautiful state to find greener pasture. We were standing in it all along!

Good Luck to all of you!!!

BRAVO! to you Jen, and to your husband. It's so much easier to whine, complain and blame anything and everything (except the person in the mirror) for one's troubles than to figure out what needs to be done and do it.

You'll do well....and the complainers will say you're just lucky. But you and I know that "lucky" is where preparation and opportunity and courage meet.
I wish you the best!

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by suydam

Fresh Water

Cherries

Snow (Michigan has 3 towns in the nation's 10 snowiest cities list...so does NY...tied for "first")

It sounds like you go up to Traverse City and pick cherries. My home town is above GR (49mi S of TC) and we went up there every year.

[tecpatl]

I"m up in that area myself, mkfarnam, but find the cherries much more fun to eat than pick. Most of the picking near me is done by a friendly mix of local and immigrant Hispanic labor. They work darn hard and I get to share the sweet rewards.
NW Michigan is now Wine Country as well, and produces many delicious white wines and some decent reds. They're still picking and crushing right now
HoneyCrisp apples are another treat....a new variety of eating apple that is amazing.
Just a couple more reasons to love the Mitten!

[Bydand]

Lets not forget the peaches either. Sure Georgia peaches are bigger, but you cannot beat the flavor of a Michigan peach. Grew up in the Ludington area and simply love the apple, peach, and cherry orchards everywhere. NO place I've ever lived had a better selection of different FRESH, LOCAL fruit and veggies.