Live City Data Discussion (St. Louis, Chesterfield: transplants, house, neighborhoods)

[Keethler]

Please let me know if anyone out there would be interested in the following:

A monthly meeting where issues similar to those posted on City-Data.com would be discussed in a live setting. Some, not all, of the threads on this site discuss important civic issues that I think could be better addressed in an person. Potential places to gather: library conference rooms, churches, pubs (my preference), or even new establishments in the city (which could include pubs). Who knows, grass roots "efforts" like this sometimes evolve into bigger and better organizations than initially imagined. Just a thought....curious if anyone would be intrigued by this. Thanks.

[arch_genesis]

absolutely I'd be up for this

[Keethler]

Originally Posted by arch_genesis

absolutely I'd be up for this

Well, two is a start. If some more interest is shown, I will try to arrange something.

[AJohnston_STL]

I couldn't imagine, honestly.

Keethler: Hello all, and welcome to the live city data discussion!
Dinsdale: Gosh, you guys are so un-sophisticated. Matter of fact, this isn't even California. It feels so good to be smarter and more in tune with the world with you. Oh and we're...[interrupted]
AJohnston_STL: Yeah so any way back to things people actually care about, the city population growth over the past few years is...
sixtwobaldguy: HEY R WE N THE CITY OR NOT CUZ IF SO THERE AINT MUCH TO DO HERE BECAUSE I LIVE IN FESTUS MISSOURAH AND I KNOW ALL BOUT THE AREA. OH YEAH AND I PRETEND THAT IM WELL TRAVELED TOO.
BrickMama: Ok...uh. So any way....what are each of your favorite city neighborhoods?
Eyeam: City neighborhoods in any other city are better than the best St Louis has to offer.
AJohnston_STL: Why are you here?
Eyeam: Because I'm so smart.
DinsdalePiranha: You're right Eyeam everything is better than here ain't it? I mean isn't it? Plus it's not even California here.
Keethler: [puts hands over face] So how is everyone enjoying the pizza?
Dinsdale: Provel doesn't belong on pizza and everything here sucks, plus it's not even in California.
AJohnston_STL: This is clearly not provel cheese.
Dinsdale: [says under breath] still not California, you redneck.
Eyeam: Too bad we're eating in Soulard. This neighborhood sucks because other cities have nice neighborhoods. That's the reason this neighborhood sucks so bad.

AJohnston_STL, BrickMama, Keethler leave the conversation with headaches.

Eyeam and Dinsdale are staying after over some imported beer to talk about what a terrible place to live this is.

sixtwobaldguy is still trying to figure out the salt and pepper shakers..."How do they get the salt and pepper in those tiny holes?" he says under his breath.

[Keethler]

Well, our first meeting did not go as planned, but I am hopeful next week will be more productive. Thanks for the mock-meeting...it seems that you come on here from time to time? Anyway, I think a meeting would be productive given the fact that it would "weed out" those trolls who really have nothing relevant to add...because we all know they live west of Skinker anyhow.

[Marksman84]

Originally Posted by Keethler

Anyway, I think a meeting would be productive given the fact that it would "weed out" those trolls who really have nothing relevant to add...because we all know they live west of Skinker anyhow.

Easy there, sport. My wife and I live west of 270 and we don't like being labeled by some faux-elitist perception.

[AJohnston_STL]

Originally Posted by Marksman84

Easy there, sport. My wife and I live west of 270 and we don't like being labeled by some faux-elitist perception.

Not everyone lives up to their stereotypes, obviously, but a HUGE percentage of people, especially west of 270 fit the bill perfectly.

And it seems I've read some pretty anti-St Louis posts from you.

[Eyeam]

That's quite the imagination you have there, AJohnston_STL. What a nice cozy little world you've created for yourself - you know, the one where you think you are better than everyone else. You get butt-hurt so easily, it's actually pretty funny. I haven't posted on here in a little while - I'm flattered that you were still thinking about me and included me in your little daydream. Hopefully I had all my clothes on...

Eyeam and Dinsdale are staying after over some imported beer to talk about what a terrible place to live this is.

Sounds like a real hoot! Hit me up Dinsdale!

And it seems I've read some pretty anti-St Louis posts from you.

Seriously - cry more. Every time I read one of your posts, this is the impression I get of you behind the computer screen: "Did you see what they said about our city Sprinkles?!?!" (Sprinkles is your pet hamster) "Nobody talks about the greatest city in the universe like that! We hosted the World's Fair only 105 years ago! How could they have forgotten?!?! We'll show them!"

Looks like I can use my imagination, too. Also:

AJohnston_STL: Yeah so any way back to things people actually care about...

You've contributed quite a few posts (perhaps more than any other member) to the discussions that myself, Dinsdale, and any other person that's had something to say about St. Louis that doesn't paint some rosy picture of the city, have participated in. Please don't pretend like you don't care about those things - it's obvious that you do.

I think St. Louis is a great little city - seriously, I do. I just don't pretend like it doesn't have a disproportionate number of problems compared to it's positive qualities. I do think there are many nice areas of the city that are great to raise a family in. Just because I'd prefer to live near mountains or an ocean, or that I'd rather be in a bigger city (for a number of reasons), does not in any way make me some sort of an elitist. It's just a preference. If you take offense to the fact that some people just don't enjoy being in St. Louis, well then that's your problem - not theirs. That's your own little insecurity that you have to deal with. You should really consider just ignoring posts that you feel are negative rather than responding to them.

On a final note:

Not everyone lives up to their stereotypes, obviously, but a HUGE percentage of people, especially west of 270 fit the bill perfectly.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you one of those people that's quick to jump on someone for making huge, sweeping generalizations? So, what's this all about? Interesting...

Don't worry AJohnston - I won't be participating in the live discussion if you all end up doing it. But kudos to Keether for taking the time to organize it! I'm sure everyone that ends up participating will appreciate the effort.

[BoomBoxing]

It's just easier to be critical of something than it is to try and defend something. So it gets tiring to read the same posts from the same people with nothing positive to say. I am not talking about you necessarily, Eyeam, but you should realize the amount of effort some of us put into making this community a better place gets undermined when someone who lives 50 miles outside the city comes in here and posts 50 times a day making presumptious declarations about a place he hasn't even experienced.

No not everyone will love St. Louis, the way not everyone will love any city. But I think St. Louis is one of the most under-appreciated cities in the country. And I believe there is a lot to like here no matter who you are. I post here to try and show out of towners, disconnected locals, and possible transplants what St. Louis is REALLY like both the good and the bad. I love this town so of course I think the good outweighs the bad. And if you spend enough time here, get involved in the community, see some of the real special places here, meet some random locals - anyone would definitely feel the same way.

Anyway that's my diatribe about the anti-St. Louis posts here, the live discussion sounds like a great idea!

[AJohnston_STL]

Meet Eyeam, your typical suburban defeatist. Don't come in with your 10 anti-St Louis posts and then say "it's a great little city." I just think people like you who are so terribly miserable are humorous. I was miserable where I am from, so guess what I did....*drumroll* I moved. I didn't sit around on the Illinois forum and comment to everyone from southern Illinois what a terrible place it was. Why? It's funny you are acting like I am the cry baby - yet, I am happy as can be where I am in my life and where I live, while you sit around sulking and drowning in your own self-pity. "Oh, if only I could leave this miserable city. Woe is me! I think I'll sit on City-Data to talk about how great other cities are to St Louisans, and try to discourage people from moving here. Yes, yes, that will make me feel better than I am stuck in a rut and still don't have a career at 30." Awww Eyeam, it's so tragic

It's funny, you will never, ever see or hear me say that St Louis is the greatest city in the world, the United States, or the midwest, as I've said before; but you keep on saying that I paint a rosy picture of St Louis? No, not hardly. If somebody comes in here and says "Should I live in Chesterfield or Dutchtown in South City?" I'm going to say Chesterfield. If people say they like mountain climbing and swimming in the ocean, I'm going to tell them to move on. If somebody says they are going to be making $300k a year and want to live in either downtown STL or downtown Chicago and money is no object, I'm going to send them up north. But you are just downright negative in every situation. "The city isn't much, it's very underdeveloped." Please. Give me a break, friend. Show me your Master's thesis in Urban Planning and then maybe somebody will not get mad when you pretend to know what you are talking about. Underdeveloped. You're funny, guy.

Originally Posted by BoomBoxing

It's just easier to be critical of something than it is to try and defend something. So it gets tiring to read the same posts from the same people with nothing positive to say. I am not talking about you necessarily, Eyeam, but you should realize the amount of effort some of us put into making this community a better place gets undermined when someone who lives 50 miles outside the city comes in here and posts 50 times a day making presumptious declarations about a place he hasn't even experienced.

Hit the nail on the head with this post. You spend hours trying to build up the city and show people it's full potential, try to inform the misinformed, curtail negative stereotypes with MY personal experiences, and you suddenly get an influx of users (Eyeam, DinsdalePiranha, sixtwobaldguy) who would love nothing more than to see the city collapse from an earthquake so they could say "told you!"


sixtwobaldguy thinks Chesterfield = Central West End (seriously)
Eyeam absolutely hates the city and can't stand that other people are here and they aren't miserable
DinsdalePiranha thinks anyone who doesn't live in California is a hillbilly and are definitely not as smart as him

Originally Posted by Eyeam

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you one of those people that's quick to jump on someone for making huge, sweeping generalizations? So, what's this all about? Interesting...

Facts are facts, friend. Unlike you (back to the underdeveloped statement, hah!), I know several people who live outside the 270 loop - I work in West County. Many of them sit in their house in Chesterfield all weekend then ***** and moan that there's "nothing to do in St Louis." HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?? Once again, facts from first hand experience.