WHY I HATE PHOENIX! Or is it Feeniks? (Scottsdale, Tempe: debt, travel)

[smallvillefan]

No offense, but even my husband admits it - living here is GREAT for a MAN, but really, really hard and very expensive for a woman. The pressure to keep up is enormous and that is evident throughout ALL of Phoenix, not just the ritzy areas. I can't think of one man who dislikes it here, but I can think of a TON of women who would like to leave.............

Can you explain this comment? I'm not being a smart aleck I seriously am just not understanding. I don't live in Phoenix yet and have only been once so I am a little in the dark as to what you mean.

If you mean that women take care of themselves and like to look nice when going out I am all for that. I live here in TN where I WISH people would take some pride in how they look. A lot of people here think sweatpants are a good look. And going out with dirty hair is just A-OK! LOL

[Ria Rhodes]

I find a line from Macbeth appearing to my thoughts while glimpsing some of the posts here on the City Data Forum:

"..tales told by idiots full of sound and fury signifying nothing"

..and how sad that I too play the role of the idiot sometimes (~:

[nicole evans]

Originally Posted by COUNTRY_ANGEL_HORSE

Those people and I AM one of them have already had the fun part of their life and that IS fun to them. Now they are concentrating on being good parents and being active!! What do you like to do?? Whats wrong with spending time with your kids and saying hello!! And if there is a mother of 12 pencil thin then go girl!!! I guesss youd rather see a obese mother of twelve??? Glad your not here anymore

So if everyone is so happy then why does Gilbert have one of the highest rate of anti-depressant use in the country (Second to SLC)...

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by smallvillefan

Can you explain this comment? I'm not being a smart aleck I seriously am just not understanding. I don't live in Phoenix yet and have only been once so I am a little in the dark as to what you mean.

If you mean that women take care of themselves and like to look nice when going out I am all for that. I live here in TN where I WISH people would take some pride in how they look. A lot of people here think sweatpants are a good look. And going out with dirty hair is just A-OK! LOL

Sure, I'd be happy to! It used to be a "Scottsdale" thing, where women always dressed to the nines, had their hair and make up done perfectly, had manicures and pedicures done weekly and wore high heeled shoes to the grocery store. Now beautiful women can be found throughout all of Phoenix. *smile*

Well, I'm guilty of that too I'm afraid. But let me tell you, when you start approaching your 40's, Arizona is not as much fun to live in anymore as a woman! It takes a LOT of hard work to always look good and it gets expensive to look good too. Besides hair, make-up and nails, you have to tan properly, exercise, dress appropriately, and then visit your facial "spa" for "touch-ups." That's code for Botox!

I'm one of the lucky ones, I was blessed with a long and lean body and younger than average looks, and yet, even I find myself thinking about how much work it's going to be to keep it all going! Just the other day at my daughter's high school graduate party meeting, myself and 3 other mothers were discussing what procedures we have/would like to have/are going to have done. Nearly all the women I know have already had more than one procedure done already! So, yeah, it can be stressful and expensive trying to keep up appearances.

Now, on the other hand, I am an eensy-weensy bit thankful for the pressure because I look da*n good for my age! This life style has forced me to keep in shape and watch what I eat. So for the most part, I suppose it has forced me to accept a healthier lifestyle. However, I was always in shape since I was a competing gymnast most of my life but living here has made me keep it up.

So yeah, to be blunt, it can be a daunting task to continue looking like your daughter's sister instead of her mother! I think she said I'm what you call a MILF. Whatever that means.....(I know, I'm just being curt)

[oscottscotto]

Originally Posted by KateSeraSera

I was born in Arizona and after living in the Bay Area had to move back here to take care of elderly parents. For people over 50, it is truly a cultural wasteland. I agree that if you are younger then you can hang out at lots of bars, restaurants (if that is your kind of thing) and participate in the various venues for that age group. It's much more difficult for us boomers. In the Bay Area, you could hang out at local cafe's for hours along with people of all ages. As an artist, there are few places to hang out for boomers that are culturally diverse, well-traveled, earthy but sophisticated people. The caveat is that certainly there are always interesting people (diamonds in the hay) everywhere, it's just that you have to work much harder to find them here.

I find a large amount of the people here really culturally and socially backward. The style (Faux Tuscan large, heavy dark furniture - it's horrible) is often 10 years behind the larger more sophisticated cities (like SF, LA, NY, etc.). Hair styles are still 70's for most of the population. Here there is a strong cultural aversion to older people (partly because of the reputation of the snow birds) and partly because, well, it's so far behind other large cities. Now, if you have a lot of money you may be able to float above the rest of us, go to the best restaurants in town, live in the toney areas (Paradise Valley), and fly out of here on a regular basis to more culturally diverse and interesting places.

It's getting more unusual but so much about Arizona is the SAME. If you have an artists view and are stimulated by new ideas, architecture, unusual stores, etc., this is NOT your place. If you are a gun-toting, truck driving, neanderthal OR a plastic surgeons dream, OR you are a beautiful girl looking to get ahead (it's very old school here - you can move up the ladder with no stops but using your sexuality if you choose) OR you move here with a lot of money to live where you want. Stay away from Scottsdale and instead move to downtown Phoenix where there are more eclectic restaurants (Palette is an interesting new restaurant, City Bakery, Fate, etc.)

So, in conclusion to live here you have to love very hot weather, miles and miles of driving, asphalt, ugly strip malls, mediocre (at best) architecture, desert plants, have a lot of money to get out of here during the hot months and to live in a toney area, love shopping (lots and lots of malls - how BORING), have had plastic surgery, enjoy mediocre cultural events, museum, and art galleries, own and drive a big, black truck with a "Fear This" sticker on the back, gun loving, accept much lower salaries than any of the larger urban areas (including Seattle), expect to pay the same as you do in many of these areas for houses, food, gas, want to get ahead and can do that by using your sexuality (yes, this is done everywhere, but here it's so obvious I'm surprised there haven't been more lawsuits). If you are a hiker, horse person, rancher, construction person, this also might suit. There are truly some beautiful places to hike here and when the wildflowers are out in the desert it's magnificent. Nothing equals the skies, clouds, sunsets here - they are amazing.

... That has to be the most arrogant, out-of-touch post I have ever read. It is also very unintelligent sounding to generalize so much and/or brag about one's own intelligence and "eclecticness".

[Garson]

Yes I am a guy and YES I do ALL of the housecleaning!! I really do not have much of a dust issue and I am VERY particular about housekeeping. (I may even have an ever so slight reputation for being a little over the top in that regard) I do buy the expensive air filters and change them often. It is very much worth the extra money.

[smallvillefan]

Thank you for the explanation londonbarcelona! Sounds like Phoenix will be a good place for me. I have been wanting to be around other moms that actually want to take care of themselves! Here in TN it's almost as if you're a mom you shouldn't look too good if you know what I mean. It's frustrating. While I believe in dressing appropriately (nothing worse than seeing a 50 year old in a super mini) I think you can still look nice. Here sometimes I think it's a badge of honor to have that "strung out barely holding it together' mom look! I have trouble fitting in to the soccer mom crowd. I actually like to paint my nails and toes and wear makeup and I guess being a little too vain refuse to wear shorts or skirts until I have enough color on my legs..lol.

As far as the botox goes...count me out. I will just take super good care of my skin and thank goodness have been blessed with good genes cause I can't fathom putting foreign matter into my skin. I'm really into natural/alternative health, but don't fault anyone that wants to get it.

Thanks again for explaining

[smallvillefan]

Oh wanted to comment real quick about all of this 'Phoenix has no culture' business. As I have stated before I have only been once, but will be there permantely in a month, BUT I have to say some of the most interesting people I have ever met have been from the southwestern states. In my opinion the southwest produces/attracts some real independent thinkers. Freedom loving, intelligent people. Sure does it have it's not so desirable groups..OF COURSE, but every place does. And what exactly is 'culture' to everyone that complains about it? I do not go to the southwest looking for cultures from around the world..I go in search of native, southwestern culture. It's a bit like going to Montana and complaining there is a lack of fine Indian cuisine! Every part of the nation is unique in it's own way. If you want a different culture on each street stay in the major major cities. Geesh...some people want every place to be every thing to them. If every town was exactly the same there would be no reason to travel!

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by smallvillefan

It's a bit like going to Montana and complaining there is a lack of fine Indian cuisine!

There is such thing as "fine Indian cuisine"? Every time I had Indian food, I ended up on the bathroom floor, laying there sideways shaped like a seahorse, shaking and moaning like a pregnant moose.

[smallvillefan]

Hahaha!!! That was funny TurcoLoco! I'm not a fan of Indian myself, but most people I know love it for whatever reason. That was just the first thing that popped into my head..LOL