Is PA depressing? (Philadelphia, Chester, New Hope: low income, universities, income)

[PlainJane]

Pennsylvania is actually one of the most beautiful states in the country. Lush foliage, huge hardwood trees and flanked by two large cities. If you choose to live near Philadelphia, which is probably preferable, you have an hours drive to the beaches of the Atlantic ocean. That same drive time will take you into the Pocono mountains. Suburban Philadelphia is full of rolling hills and pretty neighborhoods. Unfortunately, like most places, there are areas of blight, old towns that have seen better days but even some of those eventually become revitalized. Depressing? There is nothing more uplifting than the small white buds on the trees along the roadside in early spring. Or the lights twinkling in the storefronts of Manyunk on a snowy night. Yearly memories of long days on the beach and evenings on the boardwalk. All of this culminated by fall colors that rival any in the country.

[acf142]

Yes in my mind I have been in this state my hole life and I cant waite to get the Hell.o out of it

[goodgirl49]

I left PA over 30 years ago and didn't think I'd miss it, but I do. I guess that there is no place like home. As I live in CA now, I don't think I'd move back, but it is a possibility for retirement.

Cathy

[MB2]

Wow, I can't believe some of the postings in here...how rude, how hostile ! Great, show your true colors....no wonder some of you don't find jobs, nor friends.... attitute is everything!
Enough said about that.
I agree to a certain extend about the work situation in PA. (But, it is everywhere like this, including other countries, for heaven's sake!)
Yeah, and every state and city has their slum areas. 9Why would you care that they are there? Don't go to them!)
I live here in Florida, and this state is not what it seemed to be. Yes, you find jobs here (willing to flip burgers at mc donalds, fighting with a haitian over that job position?), or would you rather fight with an hispanic over a landscaper postion, which pays about $5/ hour?
Some of the beaches here are NASTY, as nasty can be. Do people know, that down in the beautiful keys they poison their own beaches? Do people know, that down there are huge pipes, draining human waste right into the ocean, where people are swimming and fishing? And, if anybody thinks, I am lying here, just check out some webpages, or go down there yourself....you will find them, and locals WILL tell you about them (because everyone down there is livid about them!)
2 of my co-workers (both in the 30's), had to have skin cancer spots removed (long days at the beach or sun, anyone???)
Snow in PA? No problem...just come down here to FL, pay for the trip....get the cancer for FREE!!!
One other funny thing...(which is so hysterical, and a slap in the face for some on here)....I didn't know anybody in PA (Quote: You have to know people and have connections, to get a job), and got a pretty good job. Why? Because I worked hard, long, and worked my way up (And all of that without my knee pads on!!!) lol
That's why...Some people just don't have the backbone.
Well, if you think, you can find better jobs and better people elsewhere, you should move immediately. Just be miserable some place else, because no place will ever be good or perfect enough for some.
Me? I can't wait to move back to PA....back to basics, back to "real" and down to earth people. Me and my friends had the best times up there, and we still paint the town red....lol. It's just with who you hang, and where you hang out. Hanging out down the coal mines doesn't give you much fun, duh!
And, it's all about ATTITUTE !!!!!

[xanadu]

Originally Posted by turboredcart

It sucks- cos the only alternitive is a cult or hard core religion. Which is just as bad.

That may be the choice in much of PA (which is why it might be more depressing than the average state): mindless consumerism vs. strict religion, but there are options.

For example Turbo you could join my cult. We're not "hard-core" (yet) and at least I know what you're talking about.

Half-joking here... there's no cult of course... but I would like to have a larger group of like-minded friends to discuss such issues and support each other - like Adorno's "small groups of worthy men" - though that's a bit grandiose for me.

[xanadu]

Originally Posted by chinenjim

I'm part of a society that exists outside and independently of the one you just mentioned, however at first glance I would appear to be just another drone to someone like you.

Drat! Rival cults! You must be done away with!

[geezer]

Traveling in Pa and most of my relatives from there, I would move to W.PA if I decided to leave town. Friendly people, beautiful scenery and the same problems that we have in NY. Just like home

[Floridasunshine]

I am from Edinboro Pa, raised there lived in Aliquippa for awhile, I left at 18 and moved to Florida, I love to go back to see relatives, but for life of me I cant figure out why people stay there. I guess they dont know any better.
My family has mostly all moved to Florida now and wondering why they stayed so long in PA. They do have beautiful winter scenery but I got chased away by the lake effect snow in Edinboro.

[wanderingwaldo]

I have lived in Pittsburgh for the last seven years and it is depressing just to write that. I came here for college and have gotten stuck here for a while. I am currently looking to move to California. Most people have lived here their whole lives (often within ten miles of where they grew up). I would describe Pittsburgh as a cloudy, muggy, run-down place, with closed-minded people and a general midwestern mindset. Most who live here aren't particularly happy but stay because their family is here and they couldn't possibly move away from their family. It is all that they have known and most of the time they cannot imagine how different their life might be elsewhere. The local government is run on nepotism and the insistence that Pittsburgh is about to become a bustling economy any day now while they continue to cut back on public transportation while increasing fare. The roads are in a constant state of disrepair (I always say you can hear when you enter PA again because of the stones kicked up on your wheelwells) and replacing your shocks when they are shot is an effort in futility (mine failed after a year and a friend at work got the best possible and they failed in 2). Everything tends to close early here and it has the 2nd oldest population in the country behind florida. In order to like it here you basically have to have lived here your whole life.

[wanderingwaldo]

Oh yeah I forgot about the bi-polar weather, insane hill grades, and road system that must have been planned with a crayon and construction paper. There is no real spring or fall here as much as a fluctuation between summer and winter that eventually stabalizes. It is not uncommon to get completely lost going somewhere 1 mile off your commute.