Those who have been in AZ for a while...

[twiggy]

The sun is in the background--always shining, the car is racing forward, the colors are brilliant, the people are smiling, laughing, on their way somewhere... yet it's all staged. The camera jumps in and says "Cut." "That's a cut."
I'm looking for another place to live, but not sure Arizona is the place anymore. Time will tell. On the up-side, there are worse places to live.

This is exactly how I feel!!! I wonder if it's all the sun? Or just that no one here knows what to do anymore.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by PhxBarb

People don't generally know this, and I wish I didn't have to tell you, but after a few years here in the heat of the sun, your brain begins to deteriorate and your personality changes drastically. You lose your friendly demeanor, your out going personality and you begin to think just like the natives here. You tend to dumb down alot. No one cares about anyone else or anything else. Your neighbors are dumbing down just like you are, staying in their houses, wondering why they are so unhappy. You are willing to accept anything anyone tells you without question. You just don't give a darn about anything. There is only one thing that can save you: MOVE !!!!

Funny; much of what you described I can also attribute to people who live along the I 95 corridor between Wash DC and Boston, Ma.------and, I am a DC native who fled from there 30 years ago

Just substitute the sun with nasty sloppy winters and muggy summers.

As for the Phx area; it is now too big admittedly for my peace of mind......typically I stay within the older (pre 1980) enclaves for pleasure.

[country pride]

Originally Posted by twiggy

Me too! The bad housing market is the only thing holding me back. I need a change. I need to see a lot of trees. lol I've been here a llloooonnnnggg time. I really need to see what the rest of the world is like.

Lol Ive moved around a lot but am still not done seeing the rest of the world. I doubt I'll move too many more times in this life but still would like to explore a few other areas. Must admit though, Az just wasnt like 'home' to me for many years, but I was kinda 'stuck' there.

[Nanny Goat]

Originally Posted by PhxBarb

People don't generally know this, and I wish I didn't have to tell you, but after a few years here in the heat of the sun, your brain begins to deteriorate and your personality changes drastically. You lose your friendly demeanor, your out going personality and you begin to think just like the natives here. You tend to dumb down alot. No one cares about anyone else or anything else. Your neighbors are dumbing down just like you are, staying in their houses, wondering why they are so unhappy. You are willing to accept anything anyone tells you without question. You just don't give a darn about anything. There is only one thing that can save you: MOVE !!!!

You're funny, and yes it does seem this way!

[robbynmisi]

AMEN to you and your insight, I feel EXACTLY the same, I have your back if a riot ensues!!! Well said, very very well said!!

[locoenlacabeza]

Awe i am so sad to see how many people truly dislike or even hate my great state
Of course by living here we are making sacrifices, we can't all have our cake and eat it too.
I'm willing to bet that those who are from the midwest who just can not wait to get back there, will soon remember why they left to begin with after being back there a short time.
But then again, there is always something to be said for going home again.....But thats not so much about the weather or the schools or even benefits or wages. That's more about nostalgia and the feeling that you can't quite describe when you just know "I'm home"....

One thing I'd like to point out in closing- The grass isn't always greener on the other side, sometimes you get there and it's just as brown as where you were......

[_Charles_]

I have said it before, Phoenix is OZ to me but even I will acknowledge that wages and salaries here are lower than those for comparable positions in Mid West cities.
It is called the sunshine tax. Many folks move here for the weather and scenery then look for work. They then accept lower wages/salaries so they can stay.

[Nanny Goat]

Originally Posted by locoenlacabeza

I'm willing to bet that those who are from the midwest who just can not wait to get back there, will soon remember why they left to begin with after being back there a short time.
But then again, there is always something to be said for going home again.....But thats not so much about the weather or the schools or even benefits or wages. That's more about nostalgia and the feeling that you can't quite describe when you just know "I'm home"....

One thing I'd like to point out in closing- The grass isn't always greener on the other side, sometimes you get there and it's just as brown as where you were......

I think this is very true. We all have short memories and try to keep the pleasant alive, while dismissing all of the things we didn't like.
Yes, true that home is home, even with all of its' own brand of problems. Somehow, we might me more than willing to overlook the problems because it is home and that's where we feel we "belong."