How Come So Few Questions About Jobs? (Oakton: real estate, high school)

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

So we're all agreed then this is a hellhole we stay in just because of the jobs?

LOL of course not. If we all agreed, then this thread wouldn't have 6 pages.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

So we're all agreed then this is a hellhole we stay in just because of the jobs? I must live a separate reality down here in Mount Vernon. I actually enjoy walking through the woods down to the river (even with the bugs and humidity) or driving up the parkway to Old Town. Guess it's cause I'm just a bumpkin who doesn't get out of the area much and don't know any better.

Maybe I'm just happy living in a place where it doesn't hurt to breathe.

Well, I'm pretty happy living here, too, but experience shows that any post on this sub-forum with the subtext of "count your blessings" is just asking for it. This area is not for everyone, and folks who are unhappy will not gladly surrender one of the safe outlets for their frustration. And I will confess that NoVa is the type of place that makes one second-guess a decision to take a summer vacation, because you can't help but wish you could be home taking advantage of the less crowded roads during the summer.

I will also say that major-league griping from someone who aspires to teach in FCPS or another local jurisdiction, as reflected in one response to your post, gives me the willies. I want enthusiastic teachers for my kids who are looking to make a meaningful contribution to a school community, not folks who act like they've been conscripted to serve in the Russian Army and will bolt at the first opportunity. I hope they are extremely good at compartmentalizing, or leave before school starts in September and let someone else take their place.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

I think the division into dreamers vs the practical is a false one.

That's not what I was saying. The division would be choosing a city because a job is there vs. choosing a city because a lifestyle is there. Both choices are practical in their own way--it just depends on what your priorities are. And both choices attract dreamers--it just depends on what your dreams focus on.

[Jeanie Beanie]

Does anyone remember the Mary Tyler Moore Show? I'm reminded of an episode where Mary's boss at their Minneapolis newspaper announced:
"We have an assignment for a week in the greatest city in the world, and you're coming with me!"
Mary's response: "Paris!"
Boss: "Uh, no."
Mary: "New York!!"
Boss: "No, no... Washington!"
Mary: "Ohhh..."

Diff'rent strokes.

[jillabean]

I wanted to live in DC since I was a kid (I am from the area--Delaware anyway--and used to come to DC for the day for museums and federal buildings and such all the time). While I am not in DC, I am close enough now

I like it here. I've lived in different areas of the country (grew up in Delaware, went to school in the MidWest, lived in the Carolinas for a couple of years, California for a few years, and even Guam. There were great things and bad things about all the places I lived. But overall, this is still my favorite spot.

Take California for example (since it was brought up here). The weather was nice most of the year... but I missed the seasons (especially fall and snow in the winter). The beaches and diving was great... but the water is 50-60 degrees. The people were nice... but there is even more "keeping up with the Jones" than here. So there was good and bad. For me, there compared to here the bad outweighed the good. I don't think California is a bad place, I just don't like it as much as here.

Unless I am wrong, in this thread most of the people who don't like the area are from different areas of the country. Like I said, I am from the Mid-Atlantic (or Mid-East as I like to call it sometimes, lol). So maybe we all just have our personal preferences based on where we grew up (assuming we liked where we grew up).

[Stephen 81]

I think there may be a major disconnect between DC/inner NoVA and outer NoVA. I know a ton of people who moved to DC, Arlington and Alexandria because they wanted to live somewhere with extremely educated and motivated people and liked the area's urban and walkable but not physically imposing built environment. Maybe your typical 45 year old with two kids doesn't move here from Colorado (side note: why are so many posts in this thread treating Colorado like the holy grail of desirability?) because of some burning desire to buy a 500k house in Ashburn, but young singles are drawn to this area for more reasons than just "oh this is where the jobs were."

[Yankeesfan]

I don't have time to read through the whole thread (plan to do so later) so maybe this has been said but one thing forcing many people to stay put is an inability to sell their houses where they currently are because of the poor real estate markets.

[Fern435]

Originally Posted by Rabbitluvr

My dislike of this area has to do with the arrogant elitist 'better than flyover country' attitude that seems to be in vogue here. It has nothing to do with culture as I like museums, restaurants, etc. I just don't have to be around them 24-7-365 to appreciate them. That is why some folks will say DC is a great area to VISIT.

Plenty of places in the Midwest have 'culture' too but the bonus is that it comes without the snotnosed arrogant folks who seem to only care about career, money, and status.

Bravo, Rabbitluvr! In complete agreement with this post. Yes, there are some non-arrogant people in NoVA/DC, but there are not enough good people to make it a pleasant place to live.

[Fern435]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

6. kids - this is real personal. I would suggest you might consider that you are addressing folks who have raised kids here, and can see how they turned out. Im not sure I would choose any other path than we took, seeing how wonderful my DD is. I dont know how much of that is NoVa, but I cant say I regret it.

Please don't think that your one child's experience automatically makes your perspective the ultimate right answer for parenting in NoVA. It's fine that you like it here, but that doesn't make it the right place for ALL people who plan to have children. My child graduated from the same high school as your "DD" (which you bring up ALL THE TIME, by the way), but that does not mean we think NOVA is the best place for families. As a mom and military spouse, my experience here in NoVA was TERRIBLE.

What about the VA Tech shooter, or the several would-be terrorists who are products of NoVA living (one a white Oakton HS grad)?

[jillabean]

Originally Posted by Fern435

Bravo, Rabbitluvr! In complete agreement with this post. Yes, there are some non-arrogant people in NoVA/DC, but there are not enough good people to make it a pleasant place to live.

I can't think of many arrogant people I know or have met here... there are some, yes, but I've met arrogant people EVERYWHERE I've lived. Most people I know aren't. Maybe it's the industry I work in, the street I live on, or something...

Or worse! Maybe I am the most arrogant person so I don't see it! (you know, kind of like that joke where if you walk into a room of people and don't see any ugly people it's because you are the ugly one... or something like that, lol).

Seriously though, I really think the "arrogant DC person" is a stereotype kind of like other areas of the country and other cities have stereotypes associated with them. And because we expect to see that stereotype and look for it, it confirms what we believe.