Do people really think MI is a ugly and dreary place? (Detroit: estate, work)

[gr8pyrz]

I really think it depends on where you live. I've lived here all my life (SE MI). I grew up in the country and moved to a city suburb 10+yrs ago when I got married.

I've wanted to leave this state for years and just haven't made it out. There may be a lot of plusses up north, but we live down here. We work and exist down here.

It's congested with road rage and traffic accidents all the time, it's materialistic, trees are being torn down in every little sliver of area to build some stupid housing complex where the houses are 6ft apart, there is NO thought to the enviroment except our curb-side recycle pick-up, there are cell phone stores/gas stations/tobacco shops/fast food places every freaking block, we have more cloudy days than sunny (although I admit we've had good weather this spring !), there is TONS of street/property trash and businesses don't care to clean it up......

It's just not all about the beauty up north. Where a majority of people live and exist, it's just not always nice.

And as for neighbors? Palleeze ! I've never seen so much insular living.....it's all about that perfect 40' wide lot and how green the grass is ! Hell we had a neighbor 4 houses down on the OTHER SIDE of the street have the nerve to ask us to take down our windchime a couple of years ago. We also live 1 block over from the "your grass is too long" enforcement officer and after 10yrs here he didn't even take a minute to come to the door to find out our lawnmower was in the shop for the 3rd time in a week.....no, he just sent a nasty letter 2 days after our grass had been cut. When we had a band of homeless guys setting up shop in woods near our house and I found out they were throwing food into our yard to our dogs, the police officer that responded told me I should go down to Florida as they are everywhere there. Basically shove off, who gives a ****. Respect? Neighborly love? It's just not part of the culture here.

We are in our second try to get out and it's not going to happen. The housing market won't allow it, so we're making plans to stay AGAIN. I'm really trying hard to stay positive about what I have access to here and our friendships. It's hard though.....it's just not a good fit for me.

[kimba01]

Originally Posted by gr8pyrz

I really think it depends on where you live. I've lived here all my life (SE MI). I grew up in the country and moved to a city suburb 10+yrs ago when I got married.

I've wanted to leave this state for years and just haven't made it out. There may be a lot of plusses up north, but we live down here. We work and exist down here.

It's congested with road rage and traffic accidents all the time, it's materialistic, trees are being torn down in every little sliver of area to build some stupid housing complex where the houses are 6ft apart, there is NO thought to the enviroment except our curb-side recycle pick-up, there are cell phone stores/gas stations/tobacco shops/fast food places every freaking block, we have more cloudy days than sunny (although I admit we've had good weather this spring !), there is TONS of street/property trash and businesses don't care to clean it up......

It's just not all about the beauty up north. Where a majority of people live and exist, it's just not always nice.

And as for neighbors? Palleeze ! I've never seen so much insular living.....it's all about that perfect 40' wide lot and how green the grass is ! Hell we had a neighbor 4 houses down on the OTHER SIDE of the street have the nerve to ask us to take down our windchime a couple of years ago. We also live 1 block over from the "your grass is too long" enforcement officer and after 10yrs here he didn't even take a minute to come to the door to find out our lawnmower was in the shop for the 3rd time in a week.....no, he just sent a nasty letter 2 days after our grass had been cut. When we had a band of homeless guys setting up shop in woods near our house and I found out they were throwing food into our yard to our dogs, the police officer that responded told me I should go down to Florida as they are everywhere there. Basically shove off, who gives a ****. Respect? Neighborly love? It's just not part of the culture here.

We are in our second try to get out and it's not going to happen. The housing market won't allow it, so we're making plans to stay AGAIN. I'm really trying hard to stay positive about what I have access to here and our friendships. It's hard though.....it's just not a good fit for me.

I agree with most of what you say about the SE, but the paragraph about the neighbors. I don't know what city you live in but I have the complete opposite where I am now. Took 16 years to find it but I am very happy with my neighborhood. For the first time in my adult life I have great neighbors. Lived 16 years in Hazel Park and barely knew anyone on my street. I sat on my porch everyday-alot and I was on a corner by a store so many people went by. Just not too friendly. Not that I wanted everyone in my business, but it would have been nice to chat once in a while.

Finally moved, and I met my neighbors as we were moving in. We go to all the kids birthday parties, holiday parties, adult parties, weddings and graduations. I have only been here 4 years. I know that if I leave my kids here for a few they can go to them for anything. It's great-and now we have to relocate to Vegas. I read that most neighbors there are cold but the weather is far from that. Figures.

[deslok]

The weather is bad no doubt. IN the summer however, Michigan is a tough place to beat in terms of how the state looks and feels. My only gripe, same as the above poster are the people. I love coming to Michigan to visit family, but it is only for so long as you are bombarded with negativity about housing, weather, job loss, etc.. You also do see a lot of trash on the streets in very nice, green grass areas where nobody seems to respect the place they are in to begin with. This might bug some people as well, but since the weather is so bad year round, when the beaches finally do open, only a few seem to be in the shape necessary to lay out and not offend people. Coming from NewPort beach, Huntington, etc... this might seem shallow but the lack of self-respect residents seem to have doesn't help the population grow any.
Lake Michigan is a wonderful area, as is up north, and even the neat older buildings in downtown Detroit.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by deslok

This might bug some people as well, but since the weather is so bad year round, when the beaches finally do open, only a few seem to be in the shape necessary to lay out and not offend people. Coming from NewPort beach, Huntington, etc... this might seem shallow but the lack of self-respect residents seem to have doesn't help the population grow any.
Lake Michigan is a wonderful area, as is up north, and even the neat older buildings in downtown Detroit.

I've been to Newport Beach as well as Huntington Beach and seen my fair share of beached whales there also. And as you say at the start of your post, the Summers can't be beat. Don't know why you preface the comment about out of shape people on the beaches, with how the weather "is so bad year round" then. Yes Michigan is out of shape, but then again, so is the majority of the US irregardless of what state you are in.

[snow4461]

I moved to Michigan ( southwest corner by Indiana state line ON lake Michiagan , Sawyer is the town ) and it is beautifull here, the beaches are great and we have Warren Dunes state park here that you can go to in the summer or sleding skiing in the winter. We have lots of woods for hiking and the list goes on.....
My husband is from here , born and raised, I am from Florida and Georgia ( parents divorced so I lived both places ) we are moving to Savannah next yr due to hubbys job , but I have liked being her in Michigan and think all those people need to come here. Upper Michigan IS my favorite but its all pretty...

[tiamot]

Another Michigander chiming in here. I was born and raised in Michigan's thumb, and will fully admit that I used to think that Michigan was boring and slow until I moved overseas. I tell you what, there's nothing that can make you appreciate your home and country until you try out another culture. I lived in Norway for quite a while. You want to talk about scenic views, untouched forest, clean environment, old history, and people who are genuinely peaceful and kind? Norway fits the bill. I went from living in the flat area of Michigan's thumb to 1500 feet up in a mountain valley. I went from muddy rivers to clear cascading waterfalls, fjords, and majestic wildlife. (I truly do suggest a vacation to Scandinavia for anyone thinking of European travel, it really is lovely there.) Coming from such a flat area left me in awe of the beauty of the country. Yet I still couldn't help but think of where I came from. After I moved back home to Michigan I found that I had a new appreciation for my home. Even though we don't have towering mountains here in MI, I was surprised to find that the small towns here still felt like the ones back in Norway. Everyone knows everyone to some degree, people hold doors open for others and help old ladies with their groceries. There is a sense of community that is hard to find in a big city.

I would visit Norway again in a heartbeat-I have family and friends there that are dear to me and I am in love with the land itself, yet I also feel the same way about my home state. I appreciate the fact that I live in a place where crime is low, where I can make a short trip and be in the midst of a lovely forest, and witness deer and other animals in my own backyard.

Let's face it, every state and country has its 'rednecks' and ignorant people. Every state and country has it's big, dirty, ugly cities. Every state and country is going to have its economic woes from time to time. People in Michigan do gripe about the economy-as would a person from any other region. What I see here now, is potential. We made the mistake of putting all of our eggs in one basket, and now have the opportunity to change our economy and make it better. It will likely be a slow and tough climb, but one that is necessary.

Our economic problems are not going to be around forever, and don't change the fact that the state still has many inherent beauties to offer. We have our lakes and coastlines, woods, and wildlife. But what I feel is perhaps the biggest gem is the myriad of small towns that can offer a person a place to live peacefully and to enjoy what is around them. There are many small cities, like the one that I live in, where you can still leave your door unlocked when you run to the store, and where you know and trust your neighbors. Its only a short drive to get the bigger items that I might need to purchase in a larger town. Here, I can take advantage of a school system that is top notch because of smaller class sizes, locally grown produce, and a walk through the park unharassed. I even have my choice of quality and top rated colleges and universities-something that Michigan is often over looked for.

I love living in Michigan. There is more variety here than meets the eye. We have a gorgeous UP, a wine growing region, many festivals and tourist towns, just to name a few more things. But really, things like this can be found in any state. I sincerely invite anyone from anywhere to look about them and appreciate what their state has to offer. There is plenty to be found not only here in Michigan, but anywhere you put your roots.

[deslok]

Originally Posted by Bydand

I've been to Newport Beach as well as Huntington Beach and seen my fair share of beached whales there also. And as you say at the start of your post, the Summers can't be beat. Don't know why you preface the comment about out of shape people on the beaches, with how the weather "is so bad year round" then. Yes Michigan is out of shape, but then again, so is the majority of the US irregardless of what state you are in.

My theory since the weather is bad year round, the majority of people do not stay in beach shape as they would an area surrounded by nice weather through the year. What is the incentive to look good in a bikini or shirtless if you do not have to be in shape but a few months in the year. ( or a few trips to the lake)
The whales in Newport or Huntington are in the minority.

[Michigansnowflake]

Originally Posted by deslok

My theory since the weather is bad year round, the majority of people do not stay in beach shape as they would an area surrounded by nice weather through the year. What is the incentive to look good in a bikini or shirtless if you do not have to be in shape but a few months in the year. ( or a few trips to the lake)
The whales in Newport or Huntington are in the minority.

What? What? The weather is bad year round????? WTH are you talking about?

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by Michigansnowflake

What? What? The weather is bad year round????? WTH are you talking about?

I was kinda wondering that myself?? Or even the people who say the weather is bad half the year?? I just don't understand folks like that.

[gr8pyrz]

I think maybe I need to invest in a pair of rose colored glasses, cause I just don't have the same feelings as a lot of Michiganders do.

Growing up in the country we did know our neighbors but in the end our house was robbed and cleaned out, so it evened out I guess.

Our experience in the city has just been crappy. We've had stuff stolen from our porch 2x, my truck was broken into 1x, we had the band of homeless guys setting up shop and walking our house line all day every day for months, a woman in the apartment complex accross the street from us called the cops on us when our dogs were out before 7pm on a sunday and proceeded to say to the cop "they're crazy over there" and she wanted to remain annonymous because she didn't want a "brick through her window" when it's just my husband and I !...two working adults, no kids, no parties....just people trying to live !......ironically the cop that answered that call was my husband's childhood best friend.....best man at our wedding, who also stopped by for dinner once in a while so apparently everyone assumed we were in domestic despute with his cop car coming and going. Nothing like assumptions !

We only know our nextdoor neighbor's name and when a storm blew trees into our street last summer, we went out to clear the branches and only 1 other guy came out to help. There is just no sense of community here or friendliness.

And low crime in MI? WHERE? I'd LOVE to know !! We live in Allen Park which certainly isn't a crime ridden area, but leaving our doors unlocked? Uh, not going to happen !

I'm glad there are some small towns out there where there is peace. I really wished our experience was better because I certainly wouldn't have such a hard time staying around then !