[jeeg]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

^^
Are you referring to my post above yours?

I've lived in the UP for years. I haven't seen the expected "the UP is a backwater of ignorance and inbreeding" posts that usually pop up, so I don't know why you think it has been mischaracterized. I think people have described it quite accurately so far.

Most people here do have jobs they are not passionate about just to pay the bills. I have a friend from the UP who's almost 50 and just moved to another state for first time. She was raving about what it's like to actually have a fulfilling job. She'd never experienced that before.

Sad and pathetic are rather harsh charges to level against another human being. Please, interfere.

LOL!! I was hoping people would see that I was mostly jesting with my response. Mostly. We have very fulfilling jobs and life up here, it's not like it's that difficult to find. Sorry for your friend that she couldn't find it here.

(and no I wasn't specifying your post in my previous post )

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by baystater

But I like to here from you guys what you think of each and which has the better Jobs, education system, senery, lifestyle, ect.

Thanks
baystater.

After living both in Da UP and being a Troll, here are my personal opinions on the two place in regards to your questions.
Which has better...

Jobs - Lower

Education - both have schools that range from crappy to excellent. so a draw.

scenery - UP mostly. The Lower has some great views though as well.

Lifestyle - Depends on your lifestyle actually.
If you are into Opera, Dinner Theater, Concerts, and other "highbrow" forms of entertainment it is hands down New York... oh wait, that doesn't fit the question . It would be Lower, and I mean WAY lower, where there are bigger cities.
If you are into hunting, Fishing, Nature, Slower pace life and genuine "take it or leave it" attitude neighbors who will give you the shirt off their backs if you need it more than they do - UP. Not that you cannot find that anyplace in Michigan because you can, but the UP is more laid back. While not "warm and fuzzy" people usually, they are 100% genuine and real neighbors.
Personally I think a good middle ground can be found in the northern LP section of the state. Great views, better pay than the UP generally, but still an overall lower cost of living that the far SE to Mid- MI area.

Like I tell people: I am a Yooper at heart, but a Troll by birth. I graduated from the Soo and still love my UP (yes even the Eastern UP in the Soo area).

[Bluefly]

Originally Posted by jeeg

LOL!! I was hoping people would see that I was mostly jesting with my response. Mostly. We have very fulfilling jobs and life up here, it's not like it's that difficult to find. Sorry for your friend that she couldn't find it here.

(and no I wasn't specifying your post in my previous post )

Well, I don't know which UP you're living in. Most people I know with a college degree are working WAY beneath their potential. Unless you're a doctor or a professor in Marquette, you're pretty much doing whatever you have to to survive - whether it's selling insurance or installing car radios. Most people without a college degree I guess are doing fine, but those jobs aren't exactly inspiring.

I guess I moved from somewhere that everybody had really interesting and fulfilling jobs, so perhaps I perceive jobs as something more than most Yoopers do.

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

Well, I don't know which UP you're living in. Most people I know with a college degree are working WAY beneath their potential. Unless you're a doctor or a professor in Marquette, you're pretty much doing whatever you have to to survive - whether it's selling insurance or installing car radios. Most people without a college degree I guess are doing fine, but those jobs aren't exactly inspiring.

I guess I moved from somewhere that everybody had really interesting and fulfilling jobs, so perhaps I perceive jobs as something more than most Yoopers do.

Interesting take on things..... just not one I agree with. We live just southwest of Marquette Mountain and work in Marquette. Don't know anyone that sells insurance or installs car radios but if they find that fulfilling, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. We were not born here, just chose here to raise our family. I've lived in dozens of places in the lower peninsula as well as Chicago, Denver (actually Aurora), and several communities surrounding San Diego. Have visited a dozen more states.
We chose to settle where we found the best all around quality of life for us
(No we don't work for the hospital or university! LOL )

[Torrid]

Always causing trouble Jeeg....tsk, tsk, tsk! LOL JK!!!!!

[bryan61]

I agree that the UP is one of the most pristine and beautiful places on the planet but the job situation and winters suk

for air

My wife just graduated summa *** laude from LSSU and found an excellent career position in a large city in the midwest, we are set for life. NO way in my, or, my childrens lifetime will such career opportunities be found in the UP. And I didnt just arrive here, my ancestors were in the UP before roads

[tuebor]

LP vs UP? You're comparing apples to oranges (or maybe I should say apples to thimbleberries). Both are yummy and good for you -- it depends on what you're hungry for.

[roxyh]

Being for the LP I love to go on vacation in the summer to the UP. It's like another world from Grand Rapids, which is a small city, but still one of the biggest we got. It has concrete and skyscapers, bars and musuems, etc, but the UP is gorgeous scenery and is a far away cry from metro life

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by Torrid

Always causing trouble Jeeg....tsk, tsk, tsk! LOL JK!!!!!

Torrid!! How have you been?? Haven't heard from you in ages!!

roxyh - You're the first person I've ever heard call Grand Rapids a small city!!

But yes, as everyone else has said if you seek things normally associated with the fast paced life, the lower peninsula is for you. If you love nature and a slower pace of life (but still within reach of some of the "fast paced life") then the upper peninsula is for you.

[Bluefly]

Well, I guess I don't know many who are happy with their jobs. Content, perhaps, since it allows them to live here. But not truly passionate about the way they spend 40 hours of their week.