[StillwaterTownie]

I think Tulsans are far, far, more interested in getting taxes cut than fix the streets. If you gotta raise taxes to have better streets, it just isn't worth it, especially with gas prices high and other things going up in price.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

Simply do as I have always done to avoid the college crowd by not living in a neighborhood next to OSU.

...which is probably what I would do. Rent near campuses and downtowns will be more expensive than the outskirts, anyway. Considering that Oklahoma cities are not that big anyway (meaning they're not any Detroit, Chicago, or NYC Metro,) then living in a $400/mo. apt. in the 'burbs wouldn't be a problem.

By the way, I've found some Studio/1 BR apts. for $350-500/mo. in areas in OKC and Tulsa that you all have told me are "non-ghettoish" (i.e.: North OKC, South Tulsa). More on that later, perhaps.

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

If Oklahoma is narrow minded, then why does it have at least one gay legislator, plus one of its state wide elective office holders is gay?

Same with Kentucky. We have a rep for being narrow-minded--and a lot of our residents are, especially the overzealous evangelical self-described primitive Christian types in eastern Kentucky--but most of us aren't. We have same-sex couples benefits in four cities, a gay legislator, and Lexington's gay vice mayor.

Anyone who thinks Oklahoma roads are congested and over crowded must have never tried driving through the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro area.

Or...Lexington, KY. Nicholasville Road and Man O' War Boulevard have incredible rush hour congestion considering the entire metro has only 1/2 the population of just Tulsa's metro! I've seen smoother traffic flow in Atlanta and Dallas during rush hour!

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

Stillwater has does have non OSU related things to do. There are so many events and shows at the Expo Center at the Payne County Fairgrounds, I wouldn't be surprised if a hotel gets built near there. A variety of things happen there such as a Celtic festival and womens' roller derby. Several years ago there I went to a cat show for the first time and enjoyed it.

Boomer Lake Park is a very nice place to go to exercise by walking or bicycling on the sidewalk that circles the lake.

One of the best ways to get away from the college crowd is to join grass roots activist organizations. College students generally avoid them like the plague.

Some poorly uninformed people may disagree, but Stillwater is certainly more than a college town and so has a blue collar side to go with it since it has an industrial section of at least a half dozen huge plants.

And Stillwater hopes to become Oklahoma's next metro area if the 2010 census takes it over 50,000.

Thanks for the Stillwater info. I mostly like its proximity to both OKC and Tulsa.

Originally Posted by Synopsis

The streets in Tulsa DO suck, and I hope they get them fixed in the near future.

Who is the best dental insurance company and which has the most comprehensive plan?

[EclecticEars]

Once again, you all have been amazingly helpful! I've posted in other forums. You've been more helpful than the S. Carolina, Ft. Worth, and even my own Kentucky forum (expressed interest in far northern Ky.) combined in terms of relocation info.

This, plus the State of Ok. website, the C/VB and neighborhoods' websites of OKC and Tulsa, and the great post-graduate educational opportunities especially at OU, OSU, and U. of Tulsa are making Oklahoma my first choice as of yet.

I already want to come out for a visit!

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by jcm1986

I already want to come out for a visit!

We'll be waiting for ya!

[115db]

I too loved every bit of what Ive experienced in OK when we went there, Ive already been there a couple of times. Ive seen signs for Stillwater, Checotah and Canadian near Tulsa and have yet to visit those areas. Or, maybe, someday even move to one of them. I have never experienced the friendly hospitality of the town folks. Not like that. And despite how there are people everywhere who too can be polite, maybe in a 'city' kind of way, but theres nothing that beats the down-home southern folks. But thats my opinion, being a small town girl all my life.

[dekes1969]

jcm1986

1 i am an east coast guy who lived in oklahoma for 5 years back in new york for last 2 years and i without a doubt would move there again in a heartbeat.

2 i like the eastern green half of the state better but okc and surrounding area has many many positives. i think it is an area that is going in the right direction and dare i say it becoming more progressive

3 just wanted to give a shout out for how well infromed you already are you got your s!!t together and you will make the right choice because of it

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by Livewire

I have never experienced the friendly hospitality of the town folks. Not like that. And despite how there are people everywhere who too can be polite, maybe in a 'city' kind of way, but theres nothing that beats the down-home southern folks. But thats my opinion, being a small town girl all my life.

Well, that is endearing to know about Oklahoma. I know a lady from here in Ky. who lived in OKC for 15 years. She's been back since the early '90s and still yearns to return to OKC.

Not sure I want to return to a small town to live for a good while, though. Even with the higher gas prices, if my job assignment takes me to, say, Ada, OK (only for example's sake here,) I may still live in OKC or Norman and commute. (I'll have a Honda Civic or Chevy Cavalier soon, so that will help.)

Originally Posted by dekes1969

2 i like the eastern green half of the state better but okc and surrounding area has many many positives. i think it is an area that is going in the right direction and dare i say it becoming more progressive

With OKC at #1 in income growth, $3B in Downtown reinvestment projects, and the ability to woo the Sonics away from a world-class metropolis, OKC certainly does appear to have the edge in economic progression.

Not that Tulsa's doing too shabby, either, at #2 in i.g.

Oh, as for the green, I love hiking. I can do plenty of that here in Ky. I'm sure a good trip in eastern Okla. or northwest Arkansas in the Ouachita Mountains (right-?) wouldn't be that far away.

3 just wanted to give a shout out for how well infromed you already are you got your s!!t together and you will make the right choice because of it

Why, thank you!

[Nameless]

Originally Posted by dekes1969

jcm1986

1 i am an east coast guy who lived in oklahoma for 5 years back in new york for last 2 years and i without a doubt would move there again in a heartbeat.

2 i like the eastern green half of the state better but okc and surrounding area has many many positives. i think it is an area that is going in the right direction and dare i say it becoming more progressive

3 just wanted to give a shout out for how well infromed you already are you got your s!!t together and you will make the right choice because of it

This post proves that all the negative comments about OKC are people trolling. I mean this guy is from the east coast and wants to move back here. We're obviously doing something right. Barren wasteland...yeah right

[dekes1969]

jcm1986;

what is your time frame for making a choice on this move ? if you have no rush i advise a 7 -10 day "tour" of oklahoma to really get her feel

[karibear]

Originally Posted by Nameless

This post proves that all the negative comments about OKC are people trolling. I mean this guy is from the east coast and wants to move back here. We're obviously doing something right. Barren wasteland...yeah right

Not necessarily trolls. People have likes/dislikes based on a lot of different things, and not always things they have any control over. I had a friend years ago who absolutely loved looking at properties in the Ozarks, but she was phobic about thunder - no matter how hard she tried to overcome it, she always ended up in a little huddle of misery on the floor at the first rumble. It's a good thing OK doesn't appeal to everyone, or it would become the latest version of CA.