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Just out of curiosity, how are you going to do this? Do you have a profession that is portable, so to speak? Or are you closer to retirement age so that working isn't going to matter much?
Every time I have relocated, it has been because of a job. Well, almost. When I was young I just pulled up my roots and went 'somewhere else'. Ah, those were the days.....
Greetings from the Great Big Yankee Containment Area!
We're rapidly approaching retirement age and with a little bit of luck and planning we'd like to make our exit before we turn 65. 2008 hit us hard. Although I can't complain too much as we've fared better than many. We're still reeling from that unexpected debacle.
The "08" snafu was not what prompted our desire to move out of CA., it has simply made living in S. CA that much more burdensome and is the catalyst that has fueled my eagerness to move. Mind you, we're far from affluent, but the value of our property has appreciated substantially since we bought it in 1998. It may, unless something truly disastrous happens, enable us to pay cash for a home elsewhere. Price of housing here is ridiculous. Lets all buy an overpriced house in CA.! Itinerant gypsies living in the basement? We don't care! Welcome to Hells Kitchen!
Meanwhile, I think our legislative body is donning party hats and has formed a hilarious conga line around Sacramento. I think I can hear them chanting, "More taxes! More Taxes!" Oh dear. What a sad mess. Property taxes, income taxes, sales....The Democrats are now in control and they're having a great time.
I took a peek at Jackson, MS via Google Maps and I didn't think it looked altogether bad.
Thanks for taking the time to thoughtfully address my question.
Southaven was incorporated 26 years ago and we are now the 3rd largest city in MS. Most of the people are from somewhere else.
Most people will judge you by who you are and not where you come from. Be yourself. The only advice I have is to not try to change the people or the culture. You are moving from CA for a reason. Don't bring it with you. That is happening in way too many places in the south. New battle in the war on culture in New Orleans begins
Don't bring it WITH YOU ? lol.....you must live outside of Memphis, and this is the attitude that keeps Memphis and Mississippi behind the rest of the nation !
Don't bring it with YOU ??? LOL.....yep, in this area the locals actually EXPECT you to leave your experience, tastes, culture, preferences, knowledge, and STANDARDS at the CITY LIMIT. That is exactly the attitude that's all around Mississippi or all over Memphis for example !
You hit the nail on the head ! Nobody in California would tell someone from say, North Carolina or Massachusetts to "leave their experiences" and knowledge "behind"
EVERYONE should bring their experiences "with them"....of course only if you don't live in MISSISSIPPI, the lowest ranked state in the United States using many metrics.
Don't bring it WITH YOU ?? that's stupid and arrogant in its own way.
Where does this implicit "demand" come from ?? some sort of resentment ? inferiority ? hate ?
In Mississippi, and in Memphis then, you're somehow "required" to just shut up, go along for going along, don't have or express divergent opinions, don't have a different demand in goods and services, and just sit down a be a good boy, and dare not complain...lol
This implicit "requirement" of outsiders is purely xenophobia, not cultural or community pride and pride of standard. It's STUPID.
You think folks living in Seattle are going to give a damn about what a Mississippi resident "brings" to Seattle ??? LOL......how about someone moving to Atlanta, do you think residents of Atlanta give a hoot what or how you "bring" anything to ATLANTA ?? Nope, they don't give a damn about crap like that.
This is symptomatic of classic parochialism at its worst.
"Don't BRING IT WITH YOU" ? indeed, how freekin primitive in any dynamic, mobile, global environment !
Laughable, and foolish. Mississippi has not fully matured I see....but that's hardly a revelation.
Don't bring it WITH YOU ? lol.....you must live outside of Memphis, and this is the attitude that keeps Memphis and Mississippi behind the rest of the nation !
Don't bring it with YOU ??? LOL.....yep, in this area the locals actually EXPECT you to leave your experience, tastes, culture, preferences, knowledge, and STANDARDS at the CITY LIMIT. That is exactly the attitude that's all around Mississippi or all over Memphis for example !
You hit the nail on the head ! Nobody in California would tell someone from say, North Carolina or Massachusetts to "leave their experiences" and knowledge "behind"
EVERYONE should bring their experiences "with them"....of course only if you don't live in MISSISSIPPI, the lowest ranked state in the United States using many metrics.
Don't bring it WITH YOU ?? that's stupid and arrogant in its own way.
Where does this implicit "demand" come from ?? some sort of resentment ? inferiority ? hate ?
In Mississippi, and in Memphis then, you're somehow "required" to just shut up, go along for going along, don't have or express divergent opinions, don't have a different demand in goods and services, and just sit down a be a good boy, and dare not complain...lol
This implicit "requirement" of outsiders is purely xenophobia, not cultural or community pride and pride of standard. It's STUPID.
You think folks living in Seattle are going to give a damn about what a Mississippi resident "brings" to Seattle ??? LOL......how about someone moving to Atlanta, do you think residents of Atlanta give a hoot what or how you "bring" anything to ATLANTA ?? Nope, they don't give a damn about crap like that.
This is symptomatic of classic parochialism at its worst.
"Don't BRING IT WITH YOU" ? indeed, how freekin primitive in any dynamic, mobile, global environment !
Laughable, and foolish. Mississippi has not fully matured I see....but that's hardly a revelation.
You have joined and made two posts just to expose that you are immersed in negativity. You have a lot of baggage and obviously believe you should take it all with you and force/share it with all.
You made the point well for the poster you were responding to. No matter where an intelligent person goes, they are first and foremost going to deal with individuals. If it is an agenda that you tout, go join an anarchist group.
As far as not bringing your 'culture' with you and forcing down peoples throats; imagine the places in the world that we like or are at least drawn to. Imagine if all the people who have visited Paris or Rome had changed it through time. You are so wrong. Places can and should be unique to themselves. Sure they can be sophisticated and offer trendiness and boorishness, but underneath all that should remain the heart of a place. (that is what is wrong with the mass migration of America. No one feels connected to a place.)
I am glad that I don't think as small as some people who come online to post such useless negativity. You do re-enforce me however. I am vigilant to not be like you. I am open to share in both directions and have no need to change what I find when I am at the end/fork in a journey.
Greetings from the Great Big Yankee Containment Area!
We're rapidly approaching retirement age and with a little bit of luck and planning we'd like to make our exit before we turn 65. 2008 hit us hard. Although I can't complain too much as we've fared better than many. We're still reeling from that unexpected debacle.
The "08" snafu was not what prompted our desire to move out of CA., it has simply made living in S. CA that much more burdensome and is the catalyst that has fueled my eagerness to move. Mind you, we're far from affluent, but the value of our property has appreciated substantially since we bought it in 1998. It may, unless something truly disastrous happens, enable us to pay cash for a home elsewhere. Price of housing here is ridiculous. Lets all buy an overpriced house in CA.! Itinerant gypsies living in the basement? We don't care! Welcome to Hells Kitchen!
Meanwhile, I think our legislative body is donning party hats and has formed a hilarious conga line around Sacramento. I think I can hear them chanting, "More taxes! More Taxes!" Oh dear. What a sad mess. Property taxes, income taxes, sales....The Democrats are now in control and they're having a great time.
I took a peek at Jackson, MS via Google Maps and I didn't think it looked altogether bad.
Thanks for taking the time to thoughtfully address my question.
There are other around here who know more about Jackson than I do, and they can guide you to some of the nicer areas to live that are close to Jackson.
Also, someone suggested Southhaven. I had forgotten about that area because it is actually part of greater Memphis. Southhaven may appeal to you because you can live right outside of town and still have city amenities. And there are a couple of small towns on I-55 south of Memphis that you may like.
I think you have it figured about right with the value of your California property vs Mississippi property. We're retired, and the house is paid for. And with the tax breaks we get for being over 65, our total taxes come to $900/year. That's for a 15 year old 1900 s/ft, 3-2-2 ranch in a town of 30,000. There is absolutely nothing like financial peace of mind. Nothing!
I recommend you put lots of miles on your car driving around the state. Go out in the Delta, and drive down MS - 1, to see how our state has suffered from the change in farming habits. We went down that highway last year. Drive with your window open and people will give you a casual wave. I think Mouldy (post above) lives out in that area.
And visit Clarksdale, where you can stay in a genuine old sharecropper house, or in a cotton bin, like we did. Sit in the old cotton gin and have a beer, and talk to the owner; he'll explain to you how the gin was set up and how it worked. Sit outside and watch the traffic slide by on "old 49". Maybe a train will come through. Sometimes they build a fire at night for the guests. And sometimes they have live music. Blues, mostly, but Blues comes in many flavors, so go the the Blues Museum in town to sort it all out. shackupinn
Remember, "Dey ain't nuthin to be skeered of. It's just people doing the best they can."
""Don't fool yourselves, there are many in the region opine for the "days gone by" and long for things like the cotton plantation and slavery. They "long" for yesteryear and curse the future and outsiders. They dream and fantasize about the PAST, all have disdain for progressive societies and attitudes/concepts. They revel in the prospect of maintaining a bifurcated community. They are experts at "rearview vision". They seem to romanticize what should have disappeared from the face of the state 200 years earlier. They CAN'T let go. ...why? they don't WANT to. They live in a fantasy of days GONE, but they constantly make reference to the long-gone oppressive society. They like it, they like it A LOT....and that's fine with me, but don't tell residents of this great nation called America, that it raining while pissing on my shoes."""
Dear Bobbieq,
Mother? Is that you? Have you been listening to Chris Matthews again?
What the gentleman suggested was that I not steamroll into MS all wild eyed, foaming at the mouth, armed with, what they may consider, an offensive agenda. This aging liberal/California Girl/ baby boomer has marched in support of Gay rights/women's rights and, as a young straight woman, danced in the arms of some of the prettiest transvestites in CA. My aunt marched from Selma to Montgomery. Dynamic enough for you?
The point is that I would no more bring this stuff to Mississippi than I would run all willy-nilly with my handgun in Japan, or wear a halter top in Dubai. Give it a rest. Take a deep breath, or a Zanax if you're from the bay area, and read the stories of Eudora Welty and Tennessee Williams. They will melt your heart and provide you with, not only some of the best writing in America, but some genuine insight into these quite singular and complex people of MS.
There are no more racists in MS than in CA. Believe me. My African-American neighbor and her caucasian husband visited MS last year. We waved a tearful goodbye at the airport thinking perhaps this would be the last we'd see of them..probably vanish in the hinterlands of Ole MS. They loved it!!! THey are both going back next month! She said not one Klansman jumped out of the bushes at them and no one was wistfully humming Dixie.
I, for one, would be more than willing to leave CA behind. The storied past of MS, their beautiful linguistics, and most of all—some very nice people from whom I could learn a great deal.
Last edited by Seadory; 09-19-2013 at 04:58 PM..
Reason: grammatical error/punctuation
Heh, heh.....It appears 'Dory will be coming to Mississippi armed with information. I will show her retort to my own black neighbor. We will howl with glee.
Caution Bobbie with an 'ie': You are in over your head. You do not know your subject matter.
heck, someone sounds a bit wound up tight ! lol .....someone's retort sounds awfully angry and visceral......just like perhaps a true Mississippi unreconstructed angry 'neck' who moved from the deep south to California who now is seeking their true "roots" of their own family perhaps.....lol...because no one gets angry in a retort like this if they didn't have an existing filial connection to Mississippi.....LOL.....funny stuff
if you believe that Mississippi is a mecca calling you from California, who cares ? knock yourself out.
There are worse places than Mississippi for sure....California is NOT one of them....pre-1975 South Africa would qualify, or the old Rhodesia
and if you think your "interracial couple" as you described will be greeted with open arms of inclusion, you go right ahead and believe that ! fine with me, but I know better ! ha ! I mean I hope you're right, but again I LIVE in the region and YOU don't ! so I'll take my a priori knowledge over anecdotal optimism couched in ignorance.
Mississippi is not some bastion of anything...certainly not education, tolerance and freedom. It's history is its own. I don't care...I don't live in Missipi lol......nor would I, notwithstanding perhaps Pass Christian or other small cities on the Gulf Coast.
This is one opinion, based on hands on experience in the State of Mississippi. I'm not "selling" anything ! ah ha.....you want to "find your rainbow" in The Great State of Mississippi, then who cares ??? pack up and get in you Time Machine and enjoy ! and may God Bless you
Heck, Mississippi and it's history and current environment was by its OWN HANDS, not mine ..I had nothing to do with its "position" relative to other communities in these United States Of America.
Don't get angry. I don't live there and I am not selling booster tickets ! I have great friends in Mississippi, many of whom are natives,,,,,,and they STILL agree with Truth about Mississippi because they are not Blind, wearing rose-colored glasses or impervious to the facts on the ground in Mississippi.....
Even my old friend Trent would reluctantly agree with me.....lol....but he's from the coast....LOL
Seadory, I bet you'll fit right in....but your so-called bogus "liberalism" is your own red herring. You should consider the move in a serious light.....home is calling....don't fight it...returning to your roots may be a good thing !
You seem disingenuous....the giveaway is your invoking the name of a known vocal Democrat, and television liberal commentator, CHRIS MATTHEWS !.......I'm NOT a Democrat, but your sheet is showing ! lol.....you're maybe a displaced "Dixiecrat" in CA......welcome home ! welcome home to Mississippi...you found a like-minded anti "Chris Matthews-like" electorate......by your mention of this, you lost credibility.
By the way, I'm a Southerner whose great uncles were colonels in the Confederate Infantry/Army...one being a field surgeon.....neither were stupid rednecks from Mississippi either.
As background, I was born, raised, and educated in very rural Mississippi. I have lived in towns ranging in size from 20 to 20,000 to 250,000 to 2,000,000 in multiple states. I have visited Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and rural southern California multiple times.
To answer your main question, Mississippians have just as many locked-in misconceptions of Californians as ya'll have about us. Many are convinced that all Californians have the traits outlined by Mouldy Old Schmo. They believe Boxer and Feinstein speak with the united voice of all Californians. Some believe that all Californians undergo mandatory abortions, that the state religion is Islam (where religion is allowed at all), and that homosexuals can be seen copulating on every other street corner.
Most southerners don't realize that more Californians (4.8 mil) voted for Mitt Romney in the last election than the total number of people living in Mississippi.
As for will you fit in, the following quotes are key:
Don't try to bring your old culture with you, and most definitely don't try to change the habits of the locals (even if, especially if, they are "doing something wrong"). The very fact that you choose to leave California gives you a free pass. If the locals think you moved to get away from the same people they hate and to improve your life, then you'll be good to go. If the locals think you are trying to infect them with your "west coast hedonism" then you'll have a hard time assimilating. It sounds like your friends who moved to Laurel (small town in the pine belt) adapted quite well.
I think it's ok to bring where someone is from with them. There's just a way to do it. It's part of you. But folks sometimes are sensitive to judgment, imposition, or senses of superiority as a result of where they come from. Most folks I've met in the South appreciate cultural differences, Asian, South American, even Yankee, California, etc. It's when folks attach a superiority to that cultural difference that conflict rises. On both sides of the equation (i.e. if Southerners look down on others because of the South).
There is reason to be proud of where one's from, as long as they can also appreciate why others are proud of where they're from. Contribution does not require imposing; folks can contribute their unique experience without imposing them. I think falling on the wrong side of this line is where conflict comes from. I think this thread is a great example of that, lol...
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