Some Minnesota questions (Minneapolis, St. Paul: rental, loan, attorney)

[HappyandPeppyPepper]

Do a lot of people smoke in Minnesota or is it a healthier lifestyle?

What is the best way to meet people? Are the libraries decent in the St. Paul suburbs?

Do you have to be religious to be accepted?

Sorry if these sound silly.

[golfgal]

Most people do not smoke, although that number is rising again with younger people-college age kids or so, but overall, you see very few people smoke-and really notice the lack of smoking when you go to other states were a lot of people do smoke

Meet people? Join something-a club, civic organization, etc. be outside in the neighborhood, etc.

Libraries are very good in most suburbs-there is also inter-library loan across the 7 county metro area

You will find more people that are religious than not but it isn't a focus of life like it is in say the deep south/Bible belt

[Glenfield]

I would agree with golfgal.

[asitshouldbe]

There are quite a few smokers here.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by HappyandPeppyPepper

Do a lot of people smoke in Minnesota or is it a healthier lifestyle?

What is the best way to meet people? Are the libraries decent in the St. Paul suburbs?

Do you have to be religious to be accepted?

Sorry if these sound silly.

I agree with the others.

Some people smoke, many don't. In my experience far more people don't than do (I think I know one person who smokes currently). I think it would be tough to be a smoker in Minnesota, as in the winter if you wanted a smoke break at work you'd have to trek outside and puff away in below-freezing temperatures.

Lots of ways to meet people. Volunteer, get active in the neighborhood, talk to your neighbors, maybe meet some nice people through work.

Libraries are very good.

Religion: there are plenty of people who are religious, as well as many who are not. I am not religious, and it was never, not even once, an issue. Unless you're in a context where people are talking about religion, it likely won't even come up. (very different from one place we lived, where when we moved in everyone -- and I mean everyone from the welcome lady to the bank manager to everyone at my work -- asked what church we attended! People don't do that in Minneapolis.) If you ARE religious it's a nice way to meet people (and there are churches/temples/mosques/etc. for a diverse array of beliefs), but if you aren't, no one is going to blink an eye or consider it odd.

[Beenhere4ever]

Originally Posted by asitshouldbe

There are quite a few smokers here.

Something like three out of four or four out of five are NONsmokers. And smoking is banned inside every commercial establishment. So you can go practically everywhere and find a majority not smoking. As a state we're probably more comfortable for nonsmokers than for smokers. In fact, when its below zero, and people are standing outside in their shirt sleeves taking puffs, it is VERY uncomfortable to be a smoker. I don't now of another state where there is so much activity against smoking. Our attorney general "smoked out" the tobacco companies. He got the settlement that put all their secret files online (The first model for Wikileaks, the one the government liked)

[HappyandPeppyPepper]

Thanks for all the replies.
I think I would like Minnesota just because of what you said. I am into a healthy life style and can't stand smoking.

Could I ask, if anyone is knowledgable, is Minnesota's weather similar to Northern NH or VT's?

I lived near Dartmouth College years ago and survived that weather okay. Would it be worse than that in winter? (I have visions of Little House on the Praire and Pa being lost in a blizzard!)

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by HappyandPeppyPepper

Thanks for all the replies.
I think I would like Minnesota just because of what you said. I am into a healthy life style and can't stand smoking.

Could I ask, if anyone is knowledgable, is Minnesota's weather similar to Northern NH or VT's?

I lived near Dartmouth College years ago and survived that weather okay. Would it be worse than that in winter? (I have visions of Little House on the Praire and Pa being lost in a blizzard!)

Well, we recently got plumbing installed but we still have to pump the water by hand. The long burning candles sure make a difference at night when we are trying to darn our socks by the fire to stay warm My roommate in college seriously asked her if we had electricity and if we were afraid of the Indians riding around on their horses shooting arrows....we are a bit more modern than that.

Winter here might have a few colder days then you get there but the east coast has seen a lot more snow than we have in the past 10 years or so.

[1stpontiac]

Smoking varies by location around MSP. The 5 houses immediately next to mine and the 9 rental units across the street from me each have at least one smoker (I can't wait to move). You'll run across pockets of heavy smoke in downtown Minneapolis, as well.

In other parts of the metro, though, you'll see much less of it.

[cgy1]

Having moved from the SF bay area, I would have to say that I was shocked at the amount of smoking I see here compared to the bay area.