S. California to New York State?

[Tioga]

Hmmm....What to do?.....I know. Let's get some input from areas of the U.S. that have been the new(for the moment) home for the ex-Cali's. We could start with...say...Oregon, Idaho, Montana.

[Tioga]

Oh...and those subliminal racist(sure) attitudes...please...but then again..maybe you can explain what role most hispanics fill in those gated communities and well-to-do white enclaves in California.

[I'minformed2]

Upstate ny has more racial issues than Southern California? Rodney King riots must have been one huge hollywood set for a movie then.

[Sgoldie]

It's unfortunate, Ham Sandwich, that you are having such a hard time acclimating to a different part of the country. However, it's clear that your experience has tainted your assessment of upstate NY. I'd suggest that the community you find yourself in has a lot to do with it. You can't necessarily expect a place with the accoutrements you describe having to be easily accessible to what you seem to be missing in the way of amenities.

I will have to differ with you on the ceiling of any sort for professional women here. Things like this are often what you make of them and your experience may have more to do with your attitude, or your newness to the area than any perceived reality.

As for diet, it's apparent we just don't have the same growing season as in California. That shouldn't be hard to understand. And, the lack of exercise does have much to do with the weather and the inability, or undesirability, of outdoor exercise at certain times of the year. Not really a big shocker there either. And the weather, well that goes without saying...

California isn't necessarily a panacea either. I have lived both in S. Calif and in the Bay area where LaRaza maintained a frightening presence. The traffic was horrid, and the same home there was easily 10xs what it is here making it impossible for families. Crime was rampant all over and the general landscape was very brown, though sunny, except in the very north. I do miss the higher quality of restaurants though. We need to attract a culinary college like the one in Hyde Park.

I think if you look you'll find a decent variety of fresh vegetables, try Wegmans. I will have to agree with you about the radio, one of my biggest pet peaves. The NPR news station, the classical station (which incidentally is far superior to the NYC one), and the SU jazz are the only ones I can stand. I have been after the multitude with rock formats to change for years. I believe it's the manager of them who is stuck in time. When he bought up addl stations that were quite good he invariably switched them to the same old.

I can't say Bella that I agree with either of you about the lack of good looking women here. In short, Ham Sandwich, you need to be a bit more patient. There are different things to appreciate here. For instance, it isn't unusual to see dozens of community dinners to help out neighbors financially. It isn't unusual to have your neighbor shovel your sidewalk if you're away or for a lost wallet to be returned intact with all its money. Things may seem old fashioned and in many good ways, they are.

[Genghis]

The solution to your problem is quite simple. You should follow ScrantonWilkesBarre's lead and start dating unattractive people, trying to see their inner beauty. This would be an especially effective strategy in upstate New York. Especially if you focus your attention on overweight, uneducated women. Another aspect of the outmigration going on is that young men tend to leave more than young women, and gays more than straights. While this may cause difficulties for ScrantonWilkesBarre, for you this can be viewed as an opportunity. There are so many large young women I see at the malls. Some of them are divorced and already have one or more children, which would give you an automatic family as soon as you start dating. And if you focus solely on the inner beauty, you don't have to worry about your hot girlfriend being snatched away. People are so shallow, you can be sure your 250 pound disheveled girlfriend with her two small children will never be snatched away from you.