[STLCardsBlues1989]

Originally Posted by malamute

You should show the Ozarks, they are truly beautiful.

Flickr: Search
^ Flickr search for the Missouri Ozarks. You can browse them there certainly. I usually don't post a pick with the IMG tags that I don't own. It makes the page longer loading and even if I provide a link, if the picture is there, nobody will go look at it. So, I don't want to step on any photographers toes, even if I give them credit.
Here's a link to a few of those Flickr pics:
Greer Spring ~ Ozarks Shangri-La on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Montauk State Park in Missouri Ozarks on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Current River in Missouri Ozarks on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
The Missouri Ozarks on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Missouri Ozarks on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Ozarks Color on London Road - Rural Wright County Missouri on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Missouri Ozarks on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Photobucket search as well
Missouri ozarks images, Missouri ozarks pictures, and Missouri ozarks photos on Photobucket
Some of the pics
Missouri ozarks image by BeauPhoto74 on Photobucket
Missouri ozarks image by IrisClayton on Photobucket
Missouri ozarks image by sedonajeans on Photobucket

Parts of the Bootheel are beautiful of course.
CR 401 - Foggy Morning on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Kennett, MO & surroung area - a set on Flickr
Barn_0733 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Bootheel Sun on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
The Last Field Standing on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
^ Missouri cotton.
Road to the Sun on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Winter Wheat on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
The bootheel does get snow occasionally.
The White Wave on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
The bootheel area of Missouri (most east and south of Poplar Bluff) are pretty flat. Cape Girardeau is very hill, though. Cape has a hill on the Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) campus called Cardiac Hill. It's not an easy climb).
Cape Girardeau
Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge @ Cape Girardeau Mo. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Old Coca-Cola sign on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Cape is currently working on its riverfront.
The Old Bridge across the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, Missouri on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Cape Girardeau Fall 11.3.2207 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And there's Northeast Missouri (Hannibal, hometown of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) and the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Sherman Potter from M*A*S*H was born in Hannibal (he's a fictional character, obviously). Hall of Fame Baseball player Jake Beckley was born in Hannibal.
Missouri on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
"Flooded Sunset" on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And Columbia and Jefferson City, between St. Louis and Kansas City
Columbia was recently voted as One of the Best Towns in America in 2008.
Best Towns 2008: Columbia, MO | Outside Online (http://outside.away.com/outside/destinations/200808/best-towns-columbia-missouri.html - broken link)
Columbia:
Portal in College on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Hulen Lake 1.30.2008 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Morning Light 10.12.2006 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Scacred Heart Church 1.10.2008 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Jeff City:
IMG_7520_HDR on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Capitol Fireworks 7.4.2008 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_3952 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_8413 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Of course St. Louis has some nice views, especially around the arch. St. Louis City has fallen on some hard times, but I do think it's getting better. But they still need to fix the schools and lower the crime. Overall, I think the problem is that St. Louisans in general (including suburbs) are very negative about the city, other than maybe the arch and the Cardinals.
Lots of St. Louis images here:
Flickr: Search
And Kansas City as well, and Blue Springs and Independence are nearby. Blue Springs is where David Cook (American Idol 7) was raised.
http://flickr.com/search/?s=int&q=Ka...issouri&m=text

In the Southwest Corner of Missouri of course you have Springfield, Branson, and Joplin. Springfield also has a Minor-League baseball team (as seen in my last post)
Springfield
Flickr: Search
PowerPlant - Springfield, MO on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Burrell Park on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Springfield, MO - a set on Flickr
Springfield is headquarters to the Assemblies of God Church and Bass Pro Shops. Springfield also has a I think like 4 colleges.
Branson is near Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals Lake (also in Arkansas).
Caught God painting the Taneycomo bridge with light. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Flickr: Search

But this is the Michigan forum, not the Missouri forum, so I'll leave it at that.

[upandrunning]

Branson is a very cool place. I have been there many times and if you take a couple of time share presentations you can have shows, eats, and motel for free. I would not want to live in Branson. It would be like living on the Vegas strip. But just outside of Branson would be fine. Eureka Springs is the coolest place I have ever been, With Victorian homes built right into the side of rock faces. Some homes have bubbling springs inside the basements. I have been all around the nation and nothing is like this place. You have to go to know what I am talking about. It is like our Mac. city. dies in winter for the most part. Not as bad as mackinaw city but it does slow down a lot. It is kind of a hippie town or artist town. Lots of art shops. If you are going to Branson take one day and do the 30 mile trip there. You will not regret it. And go to the crescent hotel, where the cats go in and out of the little doors and free roam the 5 star hotel.
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

[LighthouseLady]

I live in the Battle Creek area and there are no jobs to be found. I have had enough of people telling me that we arent hiring or we have a hiring freeze on right now. Other than that, I would stay here forever.

[annika08]

My husband and I are in Ann Arbor. We located here when he came back from Iraq so I could go to school but we are looking to leave ASAP. He's about to lose his job (the place he works at is not renewing the contract; he doesn't know when he'll be out of a job but we know it will be sometime in 2009, probably within the next six months). He's going to ask for a transfer out-of-state; ideally we want to go to Washington state or somewhere in the PNW but at this point anywhere would be better than this. I work at a hotel-a job I loathe and I've been looking for something else since August and have had no luck so I'll have no problem kissing that good-bye. I don't make much more than minimum wage, I have no benefits and the job can be kind-of dangerous (working midnights by myself without security). I told my husband if we have to pack up and leave in the middle of the year-which would mean my quitting school-I would be more than happy to do so because I want out of here.

It is a beautiful state but it seems like everything is on such a downward spiral. The loss of work, the rising unemployment, the rising crime, the grim and despair, the taxes, the terrible roads...I'm done. I know the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side but we've decided we're willing to give it a shot.

[Michigan Refugee]

My family and I loved Michigan...but were forced to leave in Aug. 2007. I couldn't buy a teaching job and my husband lost his job with GM on 02-15-06. We have been living in Fayetteville, North Carolina for the last 18 months. approx. I like North Carolina but still miss home and check the blogs, newspapers, and any Information to be had about Michigan on the Internet. My two boys really miss the snow. If things would improve in Michigan we would go back in a heartbeat. The problem is...things aren't improving and seem to be getting worse with each passing month. Most of our family and friends left in Michigan are hanging on by a thread where they are in foreclosure, possibly facing foreclosure, or have already lost their home, job, etc., etc. My hometown was Chesaning, Michigan. In 1995 it was great! By 2007,...it had nearly become a ghost town. All the quaint antique shops that lined the boulevard are gone. The Heritage House Restaurant and Bonny Mill Inn are closed. We still own our home in Chesaning as we were unable to sell it. It's rented by family of family. Sometimes our renters can pay the rent and sometimes they can't leaving my husband and I to make up the difference. I've thought about putting our house on the market again...but I doubt that I could get enough to pay off the mortgage.

[tonilee]

Hi everyone and Happy New Year to all! I've been reading the boards on this forum as of late 'cause I told my husband that "I have to keep my dreams alive in the form of moving out of Michigan someday or I will literally LOSE MY MIND!"

My husband moved to Michigan from the New York City area 1 1/2 yrs or so BEFORE me and he had to twist my arm to join him. He did get stable work with DTE Energy and for that, I am truly grateful. When I eventually joined my husband here in Michigan in January 2006, I immediately recognized how difficult it was going to be for me to adjust...and I haven't adjusted.

I lived in NYC (Manhattan) for 12 years and a few places before. I have never experienced such a BLEAK, miserable and depressing place in my life! My husband and I fight about living here nearly every day...it's awful. He promises me that when he retires from DTE we can move out of here...I cannot even envision that day 'cause it is soooooooo far off in the future and I will be kinda old by that time.

It's miserable here...awful...I detest it. The only way I can begin to deal with living here is by leaving as often as I can...whenever I get the chance.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by tonilee

Hi everyone and Happy New Year to all!

No wonder, you location shows as Belleview. Hate to say it, but Belleview blows IMHO. Instead of running out of state to escape, try other areas of MI. Honestly, not all areas are like the Detroit area and there is a very wide spread of towns and attitude all over the State.

[tonilee]

...thanks for taking the time to reply! Yes, actually I've heard that the western part of Michigan is beautiful but I've only seen it briefly while passing through on my way to Chicago. I DO want to see the dunes (more Northwestern, I think) and the coast along Lake Michigan...I heard that area is really, really pretty (Like Muskegon, Grand Haven, South Haven, St. Joseph).

Unfortunately, I'm stuck here in Southeastern Michigan 'cause my husband works in Newport, down in Monroe County, near Toledo at the Fermi. We bought a big old farmhouse here in Belleville (I call it Helleville) which is the bright spot of my life...our house is really pretty.

But my husband won't budge...he believes his job is (fairly) stable and he wants to get a few years out of his job before we depart (when he retires). Frankly, I don't think I will ever leave here 'cause my husband thinks we've got it made here He's very happy here. I think the only way I will leave will be in a casket.

It's okay because I HAVE to adjust to being here and one way I do that is to travel elsewhere whenever I can. I have family back in New Jersey and friends in New York City, so I try to get back whenever I can!

Thanks again for the post...I appreciate it!

[malamute]

In the downturn, Michigan doesn't rank so poorly | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press (http://www.freep.com/article/20081230/OPINION01/812300353 - broken link)

When you lead the nation in unemployment, the assumption is that no one could be worse off. Not so, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which ranks Michigan only 16th among the 50 states in economic distress.

[fallingwater]

Originally Posted by Michigan Refugee

My family and I loved Michigan...but were forced to leave in Aug. 2007. I couldn't buy a teaching job and my husband lost his job with GM on 02-15-06. We have been living in Fayetteville, North Carolina for the last 18 months. approx. I like North Carolina but still miss home and check the blogs, newspapers, and any Information to be had about Michigan on the Internet. My two boys really miss the snow. If things would improve in Michigan we would go back in a heartbeat. The problem is...things aren't improving and seem to be getting worse with each passing month. Most of our family and friends left in Michigan are hanging on by a thread where they are in foreclosure, possibly facing foreclosure, or have already lost their home, job, etc., etc. My hometown was Chesaning, Michigan. In 1995 it was great! By 2007,...it had nearly become a ghost town. All the quaint antique shops that lined the boulevard are gone. The Heritage House Restaurant and Bonny Mill Inn are closed. We still own our home in Chesaning as we were unable to sell it. It's rented by family of family. Sometimes our renters can pay the rent and sometimes they can't leaving my husband and I to make up the difference. I've thought about putting our house on the market again...but I doubt that I could get enough to pay off the mortgage.

I can relate. Hubby and I bailed this past summer. NC was where we thought we would end up but he got a great job offer in South Bend, IN. I wasnt thrilled at first but when it comes down to survival I was ready for anything. We are pleasantly surprised we like it here. We live in a small charming town with friendly people. I find myself looking up news back home as well. I miss my friends and family and its bittersweet when I call home. Its never good news and everyone I know is on the brink. I actually feel a little guilty and have no idea why. We also had to rent out our house and I have had to make the trip back home 3 times since August. I get a renter, everything seems good and then a month or two later the people want to move out due to job loss etc. I dont bother giving them a hard time cuss what's the point? Im on my 3rd renter and he just called me 2 days before Christmas to let me know he is laid off. So I get start the process all over again. I just wish the people wouldnt leave the house so dirty. I no longer have an emotional attachment to the place. Each time I see it, its a little more torn up than before. I spent more money on newspaper ads and carpet cleaners than anything else. I wish I could sell it but at this point, Im about 30k in the hole and it just keeps getting deeper.