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A lot of people think NoVA is the best thing since sliced bread, but after living here a year-and-a-half I still don't see it as being anything other than tasteless suburbia.
I have a friend who literally does like NoVa that much. He's lived in Arlington most of his adult life (except for a brief period outside of Philadelphia). I went to visit him out there once, and I figured out what it was: he can't stand not to live near a shopping mall. He was about 15 minutes by car from King of Prussia. It's nice to go shopping with him--he's really good at picking out clothes--but yeah, malls, those are his thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
With two interviews (potentially three) in Pittsburgh I'm going to prove those who told me I'd "never find a job in Pittsburgh" incorrect.
Because you asked, I will give my opinion. I would appreciate it if other posters wouldn't respond to it because I am sick of the hate.
a huge small town with down-to-earth people, I have found Pittsburgh to be very cliquish. Those with extended families are the worst. I have witnessed those that have been married "in" for years are even treated as outsiders.
housing prices that are attainable to the middle-class, Housing prices are cheap but the economy is very weak.
less materialism and "fakes" than are present in NoVA outside the Beltway, Very materialistic, superficial, and fame driven. Who you know, what you own, what you wear, what you earn, etc.
less of an emphasis upon education/career status, College is a must. The more education the better.
walkable neighborhoods vs. sprawling wastelands,
Pittsburgh is loaded with walkable neighborhoods, sprawling wastelands, and cookie cutter sprawl. The major problem is that public transit is so poor and the city is so spread out that a car is a must. Walkable neighborhoods only go so far. I desperately miss the public transportation of East Coast cities!
The other downside is that the revitalization to the neighborhoods is taking away the character. It isn't like other cities where the charm is there and small businesses rule. The companies opening up are chain stores.
As I've said before, materialistic people, superficial people, etc. are everywhere. Some people seem to think that only Northern VA has them, or has more of them then anywhere else, which is absolutely not true. Same with the complaints about suburbs/lack of walkable neighborhoods, need of a car, etc. etc. And, in most places, to succeed, yes, you need a college education. Sure, some people succeed without one, but your chances are far better with one than without.
As I've said before, materialistic people, superficial people, etc. are everywhere. Some people seem to think that only Northern VA has them, or has more of them then anywhere else, which is absolutely not true. Same with the complaints about suburbs/lack of walkable neighborhoods, need of a car, etc. etc. And, in most places, to succeed, yes, you need a college education. Sure, some people succeed without one, but your chances are far better with one than without.
Yes, ngadude, you WILL find a variety of people no matter where you go in life. I'm sure there are even snobby people living in Pikeville, KY or Weiser, ID; however, there seems to be a much tighter concentration of the "keeping up with the Jones's" types and related consumerism/materialism in Fairfax County, VA than in many other areas that I've extensively visited or lived in, and I want to get away from being constantly exposed to it. It's NOT true that "only NoVA has them", and it's also NOT true that "NoVA has more than anywhere else", but it IS true that NoVA has more than many other places, and I'm hoping Pittsburgh will be a place that will indeed have less. Other places where "more is better" in most people's eyes include Long Island, Southern California, parts of Texas, South Florida, and even suburban Atlanta. I would never want to live in an area where people buy a Hummer or BMW to shore up personal insecurities instead of just legitimately loving the car itself (and before you attack me for "assuming" I DO personally know people here who have bought luxury vehicles here in NoVA merely to "impress" others, which I find to be reprehensible).
Educating oneself is indeed a worthwhile endeavor, but I've come across too many academic types here in NoVA who attain higher and higher educational levels for reasons of prestige/status vs. a love of learning. I've been made to feel ostracized here because at age 24 I don't yet have an MBA or CPA, and that does bother me. I don't want to "live to work". I want to "work to live." Right now I spend so much of my money just on basic expenditures that I can't afford to enjoy life in NoVA, even after struggling here a year-and-a-half.
In NoVA the typical middle-class single person can't afford a home in a walkable and sustainable neighborhood. In Pittsburgh they can. That's the difference. How would I ever be able to comfortably afford a home in the City of Falls Church, Vienna, North Arlington, etc. on a single middle-class salary? Most of what is "affordable" here and is also in a walkable neighborhood is blighted (and isn't detached). Most decent "affordable" homes are on cul-de-sacs in the exurbs where people need to drive to everything. In Pittsburgh I COULD afford a home in Mt. Washington, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, or a plethora of other neighborhoods by my 25th birthday. In NoVA the only way to achieve that would be to buy a "starter condo" in Seven Corners, sell that to buy something else, sell that to buy something else, etc. until I could FINALLY buy my "dream home" at age 40. I'd rather buy my dream home at 25 vs. 40, and NoVA can't deliver that due to the housing bubble here.
As I've said before, materialistic people, superficial people, etc. are everywhere. Some people seem to think that only Northern VA has them, or has more of them then anywhere else, which is absolutely not true. Same with the complaints about suburbs/lack of walkable neighborhoods, need of a car, etc. etc. And, in most places, to succeed, yes, you need a college education. Sure, some people succeed without one, but your chances are far better with one than without.
Just to be a PITA, I have two millionaires on my speed dial that barely got out of high school. One got into pizza, the other into Real Estate. To be sure, the exception.
Yes, ngadude, you WILL find a variety of people no matter where you go in life. I'm sure there are even snobby people living in Pikeville, KY or Weiser, ID; however, there seems to be a much tighter concentration of the "keeping up with the Jones's" types and related consumerism/materialism in Fairfax County, VA than in many other areas that I've extensively visited or lived in, and I want to get away from being constantly exposed to it. It's NOT true that "only NoVA has them", and it's also NOT true that "NoVA has more than anywhere else", but it IS true that NoVA has more than many other places, and I'm hoping Pittsburgh will be a place that will indeed have less. Other places where "more is better" in most people's eyes include Long Island, Southern California, parts of Texas, South Florida, and even suburban Atlanta. I would never want to live in an area where people buy a Hummer or BMW to shore up personal insecurities instead of just legitimately loving the car itself (and before you attack me for "assuming" I DO personally know people here who have bought luxury vehicles here in NoVA merely to "impress" others, which I find to be reprehensible).
Educating oneself is indeed a worthwhile endeavor, but I've come across too many academic types here in NoVA who attain higher and higher educational levels for reasons of prestige/status vs. a love of learning. I've been made to feel ostracized here because at age 24 I don't yet have an MBA or CPA, and that does bother me. I don't want to "live to work". I want to "work to live." Right now I spend so much of my money just on basic expenditures that I can't afford to enjoy life in NoVA, even after struggling here a year-and-a-half.
In NoVA the typical middle-class single person can't afford a home in a walkable and sustainable neighborhood. In Pittsburgh they can. That's the difference. How would I ever be able to comfortably afford a home in the City of Falls Church, Vienna, North Arlington, etc. on a single middle-class salary? Most of what is "affordable" here and is also in a walkable neighborhood is blighted (and isn't detached). Most decent "affordable" homes are on cul-de-sacs in the exurbs where people need to drive to everything. In Pittsburgh I COULD afford a home in Mt. Washington, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, or a plethora of other neighborhoods by my 25th birthday. In NoVA the only way to achieve that would be to buy a "starter condo" in Seven Corners, sell that to buy something else, sell that to buy something else, etc. until I could FINALLY buy my "dream home" at age 40. I'd rather buy my dream home at 25 vs. 40, and NoVA can't deliver that due to the housing bubble here.
I don't buy the fact that people obtain higher eductation for the "prestige factor". So they are going to spend lots of money just for the prestige? That just doesn't make sense.
I live here and I don't "live to work". I didn't get a college education for the prestige, I got it so I could earn a decent living. There's no prestige here in having a college education - everyone has one! So anyone who walks around boasting they have a BS or MS degree (or something similar) is fooling themselves! That's just preposterous to think people get it for the prestige when BS and MS degrees are a dime a dozen. Sure, I suppose people get PHD's possibly for the prestige - but not knowing any PHD's personally I can't vouch for that one way or the other.
I didn't address luxury vehicles - and while I don't own one I'm sure people some people buy them partially for the prestige or for drawing attention to them on the roads. I can't argue with that. Twisting around what I said to make it apply to luxury vehicles is misusing my words. That same argument does not apply to college degrees, which again as a majority of the people here have them, they are nothing to boast about.
As usual you assume I'm going to attack you - so don't go accusing me of assuming things...
As I just got DM from someone who apparently is following this thread but hasn't posted on it, telling me I'm taking it off topic, I'm going to refrain from posting here again. Whatever, some people just need to get a life...
Also, I think in any large metro area with lots of big corporations/government driven businesses you are going to find similar people. Northern Virginia would have no more of those career driven people or "materialistic" people or whatever than any other of those similar kinds of areas. People don't get to the very upper ranks in a corporation without being career driven, and with the huge amount of large companies in this area, or even middle size companies, that's going to have a lot of career driven people. Whether they are "materialistic" or not is probably in the eye of the beholder.
That's just preposterous to think people get it for the prestige when BS and MS degrees are a dime a dozen. Sure, I suppose people get PHD's possibly for the prestige - but not knowing any PHD's personally I can't vouch for that one way or the other.
As I just got DM from someone who apparently is following this thread but hasn't posted on it, telling me I'm taking it off topic, I'm going to refrain from posting here again. Whatever, some people just need to get a life...
I subbed a few classes for a PHD a few months ago. He couldn't make it d/t having an old beater and was having ongoing car troubles!
I always imagined if I had a PHD that I would be driving a newer car.... just goes to show ya never know!
Oops, I better close now b/c I know I am on the DM target list,too!
Again, it confounds me which part of the city you're referring to. All of the chain stores opening in Lawrenceville and Bloomfield? Brookline? Even the South Side isn't overrun with them.
Are you kidding? When my brother took me to the South Side works, I said I felt like I was at FlatIron Crossing Mall in Broomfield, Colorado. Same stores.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
Yes, ngadude, you WILL find a variety of people no matter where you go in life. I'm sure there are even snobby people living in Pikeville, KY or Weiser, ID; however, there seems to be a much tighter concentration of the "keeping up with the Jones's" types and related consumerism/materialism in Fairfax County, VA than in many other areas that I've extensively visited or lived in, and I want to get away from being constantly exposed to it. It's NOT true that "only NoVA has them", and it's also NOT true that "NoVA has more than anywhere else", but it IS true that NoVA has more than many other places, and I'm hoping Pittsburgh will be a place that will indeed have less. Other places where "more is better" in most people's eyes include Long Island, Southern California, parts of Texas, South Florida, and even suburban Atlanta. I would never want to live in an area where people buy a Hummer or BMW to shore up personal insecurities instead of just legitimately loving the car itself (and before you attack me for "assuming" I DO personally know people here who have bought luxury vehicles here in NoVA merely to "impress" others, which I find to be reprehensible).
Back in the 60s when I was a kid, my dad went to Ellwood City, PA to buy a new car. He chose what he wanted and the sales guy told him the car he was buying wouldn't impress anyone. My father replied that he wasn't interested in impressing anyone with his car, that if he wanted to impress someone he'd show them his master's degree in mechanical engineering from Pitt. Moral of the story? It's everywhere, and it's been everywhere for a long time.
Quote:
Educating oneself is indeed a worthwhile endeavor, but I've come across too many academic types here in NoVA who attain higher and higher educational levels for reasons of prestige/status vs. a love of learning. I've been made to feel ostracized here because at age 24 I don't yet have an MBA or CPA, and that does bother me. I don't want to "live to work". I want to "work to live." Right now I spend so much of my money just on basic expenditures that I can't afford to enjoy life in NoVA, even after struggling here a year-and-a-half.
In NoVA the typical middle-class single person can't afford a home in a walkable and sustainable neighborhood. In Pittsburgh they can. That's the difference. How would I ever be able to comfortably afford a home in the City of Falls Church, Vienna, North Arlington, etc. on a single middle-class salary? Most of what is "affordable" here and is also in a walkable neighborhood is blighted (and isn't detached). Most decent "affordable" homes are on cul-de-sacs in the exurbs where people need to drive to everything. In Pittsburgh I COULD afford a home in Mt. Washington, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, or a plethora of other neighborhoods by my 25th birthday. In NoVA the only way to achieve that would be to buy a "starter condo" in Seven Corners, sell that to buy something else, sell that to buy something else, etc. until I could FINALLY buy my "dream home" at age 40. I'd rather buy my dream home at 25 vs. 40, and NoVA can't deliver that due to the housing bubble here.
You may find that to advance in your field, you will need that MBA or CPA in Pittsburgh as well. My nephew worked in some sort of finance job in Pgh, and he has a master's in business.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ngadude
I don't buy the fact that people obtain higher eductation for the "prestige factor". So they are going to spend lots of money just for the prestige? That just doesn't make sense.
I live here and I don't "live to work". I didn't get a college education for the prestige, I got it so I could earn a decent living. There's no prestige here in having a college education - everyone has one! So anyone who walks around boasting they have a BS or MS degree (or something similar) is fooling themselves! That's just preposterous to think people get it for the prestige when BS and MS degrees are a dime a dozen. Sure, I suppose people get PHD's possibly for the prestige - but not knowing any PHD's personally I can't vouch for that one way or the other.
I didn't address luxury vehicles - and while I don't own one I'm sure people some people buy them partially for the prestige or for drawing attention to them on the roads. I can't argue with that. Twisting around what I said to make it apply to luxury vehicles is misusing my words. That same argument does not apply to college degrees, which again as a majority of the people here have them, they are nothing to boast about.
As usual you assume I'm going to attack you - so don't go accusing me of assuming things...
As I just got DM from someone who apparently is following this thread but hasn't posted on it, telling me I'm taking it off topic, I'm going to refrain from posting here again. Whatever, some people just need to get a life...
I do know someone with a PhD: my husband. The reasons for pursuing it were many, but I don't think prestige entered the picture, b/c it wasn't so prestigious in Champaign, IL to have one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhondee
I subbed a few classes for a PHD a few months ago. He couldn't make it d/t having an old beater and was having ongoing car troubles!
I always imagined if I had a PHD that I would be driving a newer car.... just goes to show ya never know!
Oops, I better close now b/c I know I am on the DM target list,too!
DH has always kept his cars a long time; right now he's driving a 2004 Toyota Corrolla (sp?). Five years from now, he'll probably be driving the same car.
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This thread is wierd. There are posts about people buying cars to impress people, and posts about PhDs driving beaters instead of late model cars. There's no correlation, really.
Are you kidding? When my brother took me to the South Side works, I said I felt like I was at FlatIron Crossing Mall in Broomfield, Colorado. Same stores.
The South Side is much larger than just the South Side Works. The SSW is basically an outdoor mall. Yes, there are chains at the SSW, the South Side proper has a very few. There are about 22 other blocks of Carson Street full of non-chain establishments. The quote you responded to was "even the South Side isn't overrun with them." i.e., not overrun in the whole of the South Side.
now with two interviews (potentially three) in Pittsburgh I'm going to prove those who told me I'd "never find a job in Pittsburgh" incorrect.
people told you you'd never find a job in pittsburgh? pshaw. the job market is down here like it is everywhere else, but it's actually not as bad as it is a lot of places. i lost my job this june and i was offered another one in july, started work in august. i took a week or so to hang out and do whatever i wanted, then sent in a million resumes and got 5 interviews and 2 offers. i don't even have a college degree, just a decent amount of varied experience, the writing and speaking ability to make it sound super impressive, and good references.
employers are swamped with applications, it's true, but most of them are atrociously written, pay no attention to the description or qualifications required for the job, etc.
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