If things are so bad in NEPA, why do people stay? (Scranton: 2010, foreclosed)

[Baltic_Celt]

Originally Posted by SWB

I'm especially shocked by how condascending and nasty KittensPurr has been to ME in this thread without provocation. I seemed to have stricken some sort of nerve somewhere within her emotions, and I apologize for it. I've reviewed my replies, and I still don't see anything offensive about them. It sounds to me as if someone is venting their own financial frustrations upon me, which I don't appreciate at all.

I have been neither nasty or condescending, but asked you to be responsible for your own words. You're playing up the drama, a regular choice of yours on this forum, in the opinions of many (this point's been bantered about many times, you already know this) possibly because you have no retort. Address me directly, please, should you have qualms with what I've said, as I've done with you. To do otherwise is disrespectful. Don't talk about me, speak to me, please. I've been very clear, directly quoting you & responding. This is the 3rd time I'm saying this - it's gotten tiresome. You're very smart, impressively so & I like you immensely (even called you "a hero" in a rep for all you've done for the board in the way of graciously providing pics/local info in your free time)... you are able to decipher my posts. Should you choose not to see it, I can't help you. Thank you for apologizing, albeit rather backhandedly & indirectly.

Financial frustrations? Ah, my dear, you're way off mark. You know nothing about my finances, so cannot discuss them... which you've done before in another post, albeit long ago. (Yes, DM me if you'd like to discuss it further. No need to tie up the board with that which doesn't relate to the OP or doesn't relay pertinent info.) I choose not to address everything I see that is inaccurate onboard. I don't have the time or inclination. Please don't speak about personal things of others of which you know nothing. I never have & never will discuss my personal finances on a public forum (nor any other personal information, including name or pinpointed location).

You might be quite surprised at what I've achieved through hard work & good fortune. I'm very grateful. The majority of points I've made in my posts are not in direct reference to me, but are valid points that encompass the array of students who are part of many schools. I'm relaying stories of stuggles of those I see or have seen around me. Please read that point - I don't want to reiterate. I'm thankful for whatever advantages I have, have had & will have in the future. I'm also thankful that I can achieve & am capable. Some are not able. I'd also venture to say I'm very lucky... equally believing, as others here have said, that we often make our own luck. Many of us here are extraordinarily fortunate.

Although I own no explanation, I'll tell you I'm not a financially strapped, divorced, single parent with children nor any of those things individually. I am not envious/jealous of those who are financially supported by parents, husbands/wives, grandparents. Do you know if I have been or am in any of those furtunate situations? Do you know if I pay cash, have scholarships, grants or loans for tuition? Do you know if/when I'm going to school & which school? You don't & never will on a public board. I choose to reveal little of myself online. Many folks cannot get school funding. I never said I was/wasn't one of them. I'm mainly relaying information of the struggles of friends/colleagues/classmates, current & past. No one owes anyone an apology for their good fortune, so a live at home student shouldn't apoligize for their situation, but it is of the utmost grace for them to be grateful & to understand that many are not as lucky. Envy? Jealousy? It's not in my nature. You cannot speak about me personally.

I'm far beyond what you perceive me to be. If you have a question, ask. Don't assume. If it's personal, ask me in a DM. We can each individually decide that which we choose to personally reveal off-board. Long ago, when I joined this forum, through a DM, I cautioned you to avoid instigating arguments. You like to debate & stir the pot. You enjoy being a focal point. Fair enough. It is your decision.

Have a great weekend. Enjoy the snow... VV

[Baltic_Celt]

Originally Posted by SWB

As far as KittensPurr is concerned, if you read some of her comments several times, you begin to notice a trend of her nitpicking at me for being who she perceives as someone with an elitist, ageist, and/or spoiled attitude, and I'm quite offended by reading these insinuations from someone whom I used to respect very, very highly.

* Note to Paul: I've listed the below, as I only saw one & not the other handful of posts you left prior to responding. I hope this clarifies things. *

Paul, I've never called you elitist/spoiled/etc. (nor do I think such about you or say such things of others... I don't judge) or meant for everything I said to relate directly to you. Furthermore, although you share your life story quite willingly online, you owe no one an explanation of your finances/family situation. No one does. Justifications aren't necessary. I would never attack anyone for having good or bad fortune & have never done so. It is not in my nature. I'd have thought you've known me better than that by our online communications over the last 1-1/2 yrs or so. I've privately (through a few DM's/rep comments) & publically (onboard posts) applauded you from the beginning, many times. You do have a penchant for over-inflating & drama... I've said this to you personally in 1 DM many months ago. I'm disheartened to see this is another example.

Please don't assume, ask. You wrongly assumed/stated I am from a middle-class family, for example. I am not... & further why would you make such assumptions? Let me share something with you. One side are extraordinarily poor Celts who settled in NEPA, beginning with one parent's emmigration to the US. The other side are from EU & extraordinarily wealthy royals. Do you know which country? No, you don't. They came here to save their children (my other parent), in exile, as they were being executed. Did you know that although I am not of Jewish ancestory, virtually my entire family was killed by Nazi's by trying to assist their countrymen/women as doctors, lawyers, politicians & priests? Now you know because I'm telling you. Community leaders aiding & abetting... royals speaking out... giving $$ to the Jews & the poor... off with their heads. No one knows my "real" name online, including you & never will. You know me by a psuedonym, nothing more.

I only know what those online choose to reveal, too - some a lot, others not quite so much. Their points are valid, whether I know their backgrounds or not, but I really do appreciate the wonderful tales of success. I've said so & have given no indication of anything different. If you have a question, please ask, don't assume. Elitist accusations? Calling people snobs & spoiled? Putting others down? Me? No, Paul, you are most incorrect. I don't even think such things about others.

To that end, points I've made in this thread speak to expanding our knowledge base to realize we are not all the same & don't share the same benefits. 99% of what was in my posts was not directed towards you. I don't know you. How can I speak for you or dare criticize/mock your situation? These are behaviors I don't engage in. I like you, don't label your thoughts as childish, call you "kid" & dismiss you because of your age or life experiences. If others do, please don't lump me into the same category. I've requested you not do the same with me. You know my character. The accusations you've made are most unfair, untrue, coarse & directly belie any past communication we've had or that I've had with others in posts.

I won't rehash words. It's ineffectual. There were 2 quotes, directly taken from your words, to which I responded. The rest were other thoughts I had, situations I've seen, etc., directed to no one in particular - I was relaying stories. You've read so much into my posts, taking ALL of it personally.

Perhaps I should have quoted your words & my responses, then separated the bulk of the post beginning with "Everyone" to avoid any misunderstanding, but I had thought it would be clear. My apologies if your feelings were/are hurt. As you said, when you felt I was attacking, you were surprised. Yes, rightly so. You should have asked me some questions, not assumed I'd suddenly made a 180-degree personality change. You misunderstood & unleashed a verbal barrage, rather than asking me to clarify, with respect. A simple "I'm stunned... are you saying...?" would have sufficed. You should know me better than that & know the kind of person I am through my past posts. I do not enact sneak attacks on anyone, personally or online. You've made many assumptions here, even speaking for me, saying I'm offended & lashing out, etc. Offended? By stranger's opinions on a public forum? I would have thought you'd known I'm a smarter, stronger person than that. I don't take on other's stresses, believe everyone's entitled to their opinions & quite contently weather storms with as much grace as I can summons, virtually always being a very content woman. I'm not the stressed-out type & am a strong believer in making my own "luck" & good fortune. I've done alright, mate.

Please stop the name calling, assumptions & accusations in post after post. You've mistaken virtually everything I've said as being directed toward you, missed many points & assumed even more. The tongue-in-cheek remarks I made about middle-agers were meant playfully, the way the majority of my posts have always been. You've completely missed the humor, sorry. I'd have thought you'd have grasped my sense of humor by now. It was not a disguised attempt to be clever, condescending or rude.

Let me apologize for your hurt feelings & forgive me if I've offended you by not being exact. Ripping further posts to shreds, making assumptions one way or the other & further personal remarks are quite unnecessary. To that end, I won't address your impolite comments in the almost 1/2-dozen posts you've left here. It's not necessary, has nothing to do with the OP & offers nothing to the board as a whole. Should you have any issues with me personally, take responsibility, be respectful & feel free to DM me. I'd have done the same with you, rather than voiced what you somehow took to be criticizing posts in an all-out verbal assault. No, I am not offended. I am disheartened by your lack & follow through & inability to address me personally, however.

Take a deep breath & enjoy your weekend...

[nepanite]

To all, I seldom post due to time constraints but this particular thread and the above post was priceless! I applaud the Kittens Purr and WeLuvPA for their willingness to engage in this verbal duel with SWB and can certainly understand their viewpoint in terms of the broad generalizations and assumptions that are painted on anyone that disagrees with his utopian view of "the city". In some ways, this forum reminds me of the Buffalo, NY forum and the similarities at times are uncanny.

On a different point, several months ago I sent the URL for a "cheerleading" thread to several friends that had left the area and one comment summed it up nicely: "If the area is so great, why does that poster have so much free time to bother with a messageboard. They should be doing or visiting all the wonderful things that they go on about!" Obviously, I am paraphrasing from memory but the gist was similar.

Anyhow, I too was presumed to be an uneducated "malcontent" when the reality is far different. All in all, I would say that is a good thing. Anyhow, life is passing by so I am going back to work!!! Oh and btw, I can and do value the wonderful parts of NEPA and even Scranton for that matter (and yes, I "is" a "Scranun" resident for real) but I don't play up the drama game either.



"Financial frustrations? Ah, my dear, you're way off mark. You know nothing about my finances, so cannot discuss them...

The majority of points I've made in my posts are not in direct reference to me, but are valid points that encompass the array of students who are part of many schools. I'm relaying stories of stuggles of those I see or have seen around me. [i]Please read that point - I don't want to reiterate

Although I own no explanation, I'll tell you I'm not a financially strapped, divorced, single parent with children nor any of those things individually. I am not envious/jealous of those who are financially supported by parents, husbands/wives, grandparents. Do you know if I have been or am in any of those furtunate situations? Do you know if I pay cash, have scholarships, grants or loans for tuition?"

[W-B proud]

" The grass is always greener somewhere else" Wilkes-Barre and Scranton are never going to be big metro areas. They're small cities ( relative to major metro areas like NYC and Philly ect.) They've always been and probabaly always will be. But that is the beauty of living here. You can be in a small urban downtown like Scranton or Wilkes-Barre, but if you drive 15 minutes in any direction you can be in the country, by a stream ect. The schools around here are still safe and decent for the most part. In a big city you have to be very wealthy just to send your child to a decent school. We take that for granted. Plus there is barely any traffic. Rt.81 on it's worst day still isn't as bad as the cross Bronx expressway on it's best day! The same with crime. W-B is painted as the "badlands" of NEPA. I think last year there were 3 murders, the prior year there was 6. That's 1 day worth of murder in Philly! And this "Big City" image that Scranton is always trying to sell isn't working. Nobody's buying! Scranton should be content being what it is. And what it is isn't that bad. That is why so many people from the big cities is moving here. It's cheap, good schools, no traffic (usually) and a ton of outdoor recreation like mountain biking, fishing, camping ect... Right here in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area. While alot of people from here long for the big city experience, the culture, the vibrancy ect. People from the big cites long for the slow pace, tranquility, and cheap cost of living our area offers. Both have there pros and cons. I think most people don't realize how good they have it right where they are.

[Retired Law 08]

Originally Posted by W-B proud

" The grass is always greener somewhere else" Wilkes-Barre and Scranton are never going to be big metro areas. They're small cities ( relative to major metro areas like NYC and Philly ect.) They've always been and probabaly always will be. But that is the beauty of living here. You can be in a small urban downtown like Scranton or Wilkes-Barre, but if you drive 15 minutes in any direction you can be in the country, by a stream ect. The schools around here are still safe and decent for the most part. In a big city you have to be very wealthy just to send your child to a decent school. We take that for granted. Plus there is barely any traffic. Rt.81 on it's worst day still isn't as bad as the cross Bronx expressway on it's best day! The same with crime. W-B is painted as the "badlands" of NEPA. I think last year there were 3 murders, the prior year there was 6. That's 1 day worth of murder in Philly! And this "Big City" image that Scranton is always trying to sell isn't working. Nobody's buying! Scranton should be content being what it is. And what it is isn't that bad. That is why so many people from the big cities is moving here. It's cheap, good schools, no traffic (usually) and a ton of outdoor recreation like mountain biking, fishing, camping ect... Right here in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area. While alot of people from here long for the big city experience, the culture, the vibrancy ect. People from the big cites long for the slow pace, tranquility, and cheap cost of living our area offers. Both have there pros and cons. I think most people don't realize how good they have it right where they are.

Very good post,you are right on the money.That is why me and alot of people from NY,NJ, and Philly moved here, no comparison to those places as far as cost or traffic, It is a better quality of life by far compared to New yorks 5 boroughs, most people do not realize how good they have it until they have lived some where else.

[weluvpa]

I have lived in many different places and countries and I am the first to say that this city and this area need help. Sure you might think that its better then where you came from but that doesn't mean squat to the people that live here. Your only seeing what you chooe to in the limited amount of time that you have been here. Clarks Summit is a completely different planet compared to Scranton. Its like comparing the ballet to wrestling. Coartist your posts and pics are great but please try to refrain from selling our area to us, just because you just moved here and like it.

[sues1]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sues1
I must be looking somewhere else because when i read the paper or turn on the news and see that there has been a drug bust, it's usually people from the NY/Philly area. I hardly call that "good variety"

Here we go again with generalizing people from NY,NJ and philly. I am from NY
recently retired law enforcement for 20 years and have a home in clarks summit since 2006. My family and I have moved out here for a better quality of life, lower cost of living, my daughter will be attending Kings college in the fall,Also when I came out here about 10 of my fellow officers moved to NEPA
even as far as Montrose,all being productive,paying taxes,donating money to firehouses and animal shelters,opening stores, on the board of community, etc. You make it sound like crime didn't exist until the city folk came, the locals are doing a good enough job with crimes, these drug dealers would not even have come up this way if there wasn't a supply and demand from local folk..and that's a fact. All the people I know that moved out to PA from NY and NJ are good people,and there are alot of them, they are buying homes and putting money into the community, so I get really annoyed when these general statements are made, You are putting people down for doing better
alot of people even commute into NY to work VIA martz bus lines, whats wrong with that? I really resent those remarks about NY,NJ,PHILLY people
on the news and doing crimes all the time, thats like saying all the locals are .....I don't even want to get started because I would be generalizing



I am from NJ, if you go back and read what i wrote in the beginning of this thread i was only responding to what someone else wrote. I moved out here because the housing was cheaper and Jersey was getting to crowded, but i always have been a Jersey girl, always will be.

[sues1]

can somebody tell me how to use quotes, i think i'm doing it wrong. Thankyou

[Retired Law 08]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

I have lived in many different places and countries and I am the first to say that this city and this area need help. Sure you might think that its better then where you came from but that doesn't mean squat to the people that live here. Your only seeing what you chooe to in the limited amount of time that you have been here. Clarks Summit is a completely different planet compared to Scranton. Its like comparing the ballet to wrestling. Coartist your posts and pics are great but please try to refrain from selling our area to us, just because you just moved here and like it.

Refrain from selling the area? to whom? where did you live before? I will refrain from nothing! I will post what ever I please! If you don't like the area than why are you staying here? You seem to have a negative attitude towards the area, But I must give you credit you do know alot of whats going on, But you also like generalizing transplants which you do not even know, and you can't read minds so how do you know what I know about the area just because I have this home since 2006. I really don't have to sell the area there are people coming out from NY,NJ, and Philly anyway.So again if you think it is so bad why do you stay and not move?

[mathjak107]

we are city folk from queens, the life style in nepa is everything we want . we are happy with our decision to buy here. i just can't afford to live and work here yet so we can be here full time . hoping to pull the plug at 57