Whats in Montana? (Billings, Missoula: apartment, jobs, diversity)

[jicle]

I know about Billings, but haven't ever been there, it just seems so un-exciting...tell me....what is there besides Billings and what is it like....pics anyone?

[GoBeavs]

Um, to be honest, there's really nothing in Montana at all. Seriously. If you want nature you're better off living in California, or even Oregon. In these states you have REAL cities, rural areas, nature (yosemite, ocean, skiing, beach), and so on. Honest, you can live in a real city, with a ton of things to do, and still get out on the weekends into nature. Hell, in Portland you can go into the middle of the city to one of the largest urban parks. I made the mistake of living in Missoula for nearly two years and it was the most boring time of my life. I felt bad for the kids who'd been raised there. On the weekends they had nothing better to do than drive up/down the same street over and over again. If you have kids, realize that living in Montana they will have nothing to do but go to (lame) parties, or do drugs. People in Montana are also very backwards. Everyone hunts, drives pickups, and generally looks down on outsiders. I heard Missoula described as liberal once, which is nothing short of laughable. It is about as conservative as it gets.

[rickers]

Here area few links to some pictures that I just took in Montana.

Picasa Web Albums - Rick - pictures

Picasa Web Albums - Rick - 2003 pics (broken link)


Picasa Web Albums - Rick - My neighborhood. (broken link)

[mthawki]

When somebody describes Missoula as "about as conservative as it gets," that pretty much shows how out of touch GoBeavs really is.
But maybe we can use GoBeavs cluelessness to our advantage as part of a misinformation campaign. If people think there is nothing to do here, then they'll stop coming in droves. Beav should have mentioned how unbearable and horrible the weather is too. You'll freeze to death in the winter and if that doesn't get you, the forest fires in the summer will. So everyone that's thinking about moving to MT should just go to Oregon instead since it's perfect there!! Right Beav?! LMAO

[GoBeavs]

Alright, fine, I concede! If you're a nature lover there is a LOT in Montana to do. There are a lot of great outdoor activities, such as skiing, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, and so on. However, if you're a city person (like me), you will not find what you're looking for in Montana. By this I mean culture, such as live theatre, (good/consistent) live music, great art scene, diversity of people / food, and so on. Still, Montanans, I am keeping the people that YOU don't want away from the state. The people like me who try to come to your state and make it like the CITY where they came from. So why you get offended, I have no idea. Oh yeah, it is way toooo cold in Montana too, and that's no joke.

However, I would love for someone to tell me what there is for kids to do up in that area. When I lived in Missoula I felt horrible for the kids who were being raised there simply for the fact that they were bored, restless, had nothing to do. This leads to drug and alcohol problems, and both those things (especially alcohol) are an epidemic in Missoula. I'm just stating the facts here. Montana is a good place to retire, not so good to raise kids in.

[truckingbronco]

You are right on about the drinking/drugs thing, however; I doubt too many are going to want to admit it.

[A Neighbor]

GoBeavs, I guess that I was lucky that I had parents who cared about me when I was growing up because I never, repeat never, was bored, attended parties, did drugs or was in any other way irresponsible. I had a cow herd of my own to take care of as well as being involved in sports, honor society and FFA. I helped my parents run our very successful tourism related business in the summer and worked several outside jobs where I gained a lot of diverse experience. I got to help fight fires, brand cows, give a guided horseback tour of the Battle of the Little Big Horn to troubled inner-city kids, learn how to drive a stick shift and operate a skidsteer loader when I was around 10, bale, stack and feed several hundred acres of hay every year. My point is, you make what you want of it. It can either be a bad experience because you refuse to open your mind or you can take each moment good or bad and enjoy it and be glad that it happened because it made you the person you are today. I loved the way I grew up and I know of many other ranch kids that loved the way they grew up as well.

[dan k]

The reason why some love Montana is because the people that live there are real and dont treat the earth as their own personal garbage can and they truly respect wht mother nature has provided for them.They dont destroy the forests and wetlands to put up shopping malls and more roads.
The people that live there can find things to do like, ski, fish, hunt, hike,swim,camp or just relax in their yard without the constant sound of sirens or gunshots at the apartment buildings next door.
People that live there truly undrstand the meaning of life.

[A Neighbor]

Dan K, beautifully said. This is a scary and interesting fact from the Governor's Tourism Advisory Committee, MT is losing 40 acres a day to development. Kind of bittersweet, with that will come the nice conveniences that we all like but we lose MT in the process. Billings just annexed 400 acres into the city limits.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by dan k

or just relax in their yard without the constant sound of sirens or gunshots at the apartment buildings next door.
People that live there truly undrstand the meaning of life.

Unless hunting season is about to open, then it sounds like a war zone with all the rifle sighting being done....