Enjoying "the Good Life" in Ohio! Anyone else? (Columbus: amusement parks, college)

[Townes Van Zandt]

Originally Posted by Pilotprincess

I got to enjoy it for 10 days last summer and hopefully 10 more this summer. My boyfriend hails from Martins Ferry and being a native Californian, Los Angeles to be exact, I have never seen such a quaint natural beauty. Green country side is like snow to me. It's a rarity.

Oh boy, you're dating a river rat. $20 says he doesn't sound like a Clevelander. Maybe that's another nice thing about Ohio--diversity.

And it's interesting you mention greenery. I have friends in California who used to tell me how much they loved how "green" Ohio was. It never occurred to me that grass and trees were so scarce in some parts of the country. I guess there are certain things you take for granted when you grow up somewhere.

[Ohioan58]

I believe that some areas of Ohio are great and others are crap.

We took a trip to Geneva on the Lake a few years ago. We were impressed by the serenity and the cleanliness of the lakefront and the "northern vacation spot" feel to the area. The same kind of spot around Dayton or Cincinnati would have needles and old tires on the beach. Geneva on the lake itself is a bit of a dump as a town but we didn't run into anything outright bad, just a real biker feel to the town.

We live between Cincinnati and Dayton. SW Ohio is, to put it in a few words - jaded, negative, and dumpy. People in Dayton are hostile, bitter, and downright toxic. Cincinnatians are up your a$$ about the clique you belong to and even grown 45+ year olds want to know what high school you attended.

But as Dayton Sux indicated, the people make the area. I think the Appalachian influence in Southern Ohio makes it socially a generally bad part of the state. Maybe that's classist but I find very little that Appalachians have done to make Ohio liveable and pleasant. Hatfields and Mccoys type suspicion of strangers and the "out of the ordinary." Briars. The near Appalachian parts of Ohio are noted for being poor, having corrupt local governments, and having poor levels of education.

I sincerely believe Warren Zee's opinion is heartfelt and honest. I have never seen anyone write about the southern areas of the state, esp. Dayton-Cincinnati, in anything remotely resembling the same way.

I also like and agree with this comment:

Ohio indeed is a place where one could live a "tolerably good life on a moderate income", and I respect that. But I miss the intensity of life where, shall we say, the expected incomes are higher, prices are higher and the cadence of life assumes the higher numbers... like NYC or similar-caliber cities in Europe.

It's quite accurate and sums up the issues well. You simply do NOT find the following types of people openly living in Ohio: outspoken, activist, brilliant, inventive, highly creative. You don't find inventors and artists here.

Well, they're *here* but they usually choose to not be identified as such. They're closeted.

Most people here in Ohio are the walking dead, sleepwalking through life, and they don't know what to do about someone who chooses differently.

Mainly the "living" person gets ostracized here.

[Ohio Hello]

Originally Posted by Ohioan58

I sincerely believe Warren Zee's opinion is heartfelt and honest. I have never seen anyone write about the southern areas of the state, esp. Dayton-Cincinnati, in anything remotely resembling the same way.

I live outside of Dayton and like it here. Dayton has its problems, but if you only focus on the negative that's all you'll see.

Maybe that's classist but I find very little that Appalachians have done to make Ohio liveable and pleasant. Hatfields and Mccoys type suspicion of strangers and the "out of the ordinary." Briars.

Right or wrong, every city has a group of people that are looked down on. In Dayton, people fuss over briars but the same goes for other cities and cholos, ghetto people, rednecks, etc. Maybe it doesn't bother me as much since my family came to Ohio from West Virginia.

[Pilotprincess]

Originally Posted by ksu sucks

Oh boy, you're dating a river rat. $20 says he doesn't sound like a Clevelander. Maybe that's another nice thing about Ohio--diversity.

And it's interesting you mention greenery. I have friends in California who used to tell me how much they loved how "green" Ohio was. It never occurred to me that grass and trees were so scarce in some parts of the country. I guess there are certain things you take for granted when you grow up somewhere.

His brother moved from MF to Shaker Heights so he is a river rat transplant. River Rat, hahaha! I have a new name for my boyfriend. Thank you for the name. I can add that one to Hoopie .

Seriously, Ohio is so pretty and it is true how we see other places as nicer than our own. To a Californian, seeing green land is a treat, like snow. Every Christmas show shows snow falling accompanied with jingle bells jingling. How I would love to experience that. Christmas here has been 80 degrees with hot Santa Ana winds screaming out of the north. Have a great night.

[Spudcommando]

I was actually pretty surprised to see how green Columbus was, it was a refreshing change of scenery to say the least. I look forward to exploring the rest of the state when I get some free time this fall.

[Townes Van Zandt]

Originally Posted by Spudcommando

look forward to exploring the rest of the state when I get some free time this fall.

You're going to enjoy OSU. The rest of the state is different enough that it provides something unique as well. Cleveland is an old industrial town in the mold of Buffalo, Detroit, etc. That means it has all the charm(and problems) that come with that distinction. Cincinnati is an old river town similar to Pittsburgh(but much more handsome than Pitt if you ask me). Either way it's nothing like what you're used to in California.

Oh, and BTW I'm sure you have heard this already but prepare yourself for the weather. The snow isn't quite as bad in Columbus as it is up north but the lack of sunlight may bother you. I lived there for 22 years and it still bothers me.

[no1brownsfan]

Originally Posted by Natural510

It's what you make of it; if you're the type whose entertainment consists of dinner and a movie or drinks, are a homebody, or enjoy rural life, Ohio is a great place to set up shop. If you seek more, you may be left wanting. I think Ohio is a better place to live middle age or retire than live young, including its cities.

It is what you make of it. I've lived here all of my life, and have always found something to do here.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by Natural510

It's what you make of it; if you're the type whose entertainment consists of dinner and a movie or drinks, are a homebody, or enjoy rural life, Ohio is a great place to set up shop.

If you think that's all there is to do in Ohio, you need to get out more.

Originally Posted by ksu sucks

And it's interesting you mention greenery. I have friends in California who used to tell me how much they loved how "green" Ohio was.

I met a guy from Colorado once who said all the trees "back east" made him claustrophobic.

[L0ve]

I really love a lot about Ohio and am currently living the good life here, however, we are moving south. Ohio is fabulous with many beautiful areas outside of the flat NW section, but the winters are killing us.

I don't know how many months we went this year with black skies and no sun in sight - everything brown and dead and barren. The weather man recently said that we went 8 months this year starting in Sep, without 5 days in a row hitting 70 degrees. This winter seemed to last forever and was one of the darkest in memory. We just dont want to continue wasting half of every year living in cold, dreary, darkness. We have acreage, orchards, beautiful landscaping and organic gardens that we can only enjoy a few months per year.

The downside is that our current property would cost millions in many other states and regions. A sacrifice is being made moving to a higher cost of living, for better weather. Ohio has some of the most beautiful properties in the country at very affordable prices - for those looking to live the good life - especially if you enjoy beautiful outdoor activities in the summer.

[Dayton Sux]

River Rat, hahaha! I have a new name for my boyfriend. Thank you for the name. I can add that one to Hoopie .

River Rat is used down in Kentucky, too...

I relocated here from northern California (the Bay Area...Napa/North Bay.... and Dowtnown Sacramento), and have to say the Ohio River is the undiscovered gem....the towns along it are just to die for. Not just the ones on the Ohio side, but places like Maysville KY...which, if it were in California, would be like Nevada City, Grass Valley, or Mendocino....a big tourist/arts destination. Ohio has these kinds of places, too (Ripley is a good example for my part of the state).

And yes, the "green" ...and the seasonality of the weather...would be a bit of shock to a native of Califas who is used to day in and day out of more or less the same pleasant weather. And the dry/wet season division of the year (and the dry brown hills and live-oak groves, which we dont have in Ohio).