St. Louis vs. Minneapolis?? (Kansas City, Columbia: mortgage, transfer, school)

[DinsdalePirahna]

Originally Posted by rgb123

But there are things I really hate about Texans

Glad you said that. I would have been reemed if that came from my keyboard.

[rgb123]

Hey, we all have things and places....and people we don't like.

I like Texas for the most part. But have lost my filter lately.

I don't mean to stereotype the entire state. But you come to a point where you realize a place is not right for you. Texas could possibly be right for me under different circumstances...but you get to a point where you feel you have made the best of things and you have opportunites elsewhere....and sometimes the grass is actually greener....given the set of circumstances at the time.

I don't blame you for your negative feelings about St. Louis. It's not the place for you, necessarily. And maybe you tried to like and don't. Maybe you had a series of bad experiences that led to you just not liking it....different circumstances and people may have changed that, just like Texas could have been different for me if I were surrounded by different people.

I'd consider moving back to San Antonio one day under different circumstances and if someone could promise me I'd be working with smarter people and I would encounter fewer ignorant sterotypes about northerners....and there would be fewer gigantic SUV's and fewer extremes (uber liberals and uber conservatives, equally prideful). It's not a horrible place....but I've had my limit of it based on the incenetives to stay here.

I have incentives to be in STL, and its a place and culture I know I can tolerate.

When I lived in Chicago I often had negative things to say about Chicago too....it's not a utopia and to lead people to believe that it is, is wrong....unless its exactly what they are looking for...and to some, it is.

Maybe STL is not for you, but it's right for some.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by rgb123

Hey, we all have things and places....and people we don't like.

I like Texas for the most part. But have lost my filter lately.

I don't mean to stereotype the entire state. But you come to a point where you realize a place is not right for you. Texas could possibly be right for me under different circumstances...but you get to a point where you feel you have made the best of things and you have opportunites elsewhere....and sometimes the grass is actually greener....given the set of circumstances at the time.

I lived just up to road from you in Austin for the past two years. I enjoyed my time there, made a lot of friends, and saw just about everything the area had to offer.

However, I'm in the same boat...Texas just isn't/wasn't for me. I left Austin in May and can't say I miss it at all yet, besides some of the friends I had there of course. I wasn't miserable or even unhappy there, but I would not want to spend the rest of my life in the Lone Star State. Missouri, and St. Louis, are just much more my style than Austin.

I much prefer the laid-back nature of St. Louis (including the sleeveless-shirt wearing rednecks that I have yet to run into), compared to trendy Austin, where appearances and being "hip" were everything. I enjoy being able to talk to my colleagues about traveling around Europe, and still being able to talk to my neighbor about deer hunting. There is a good mix of people here from all walks of life, and it is very refreshing. Everyone seems to be themselves and interact with one another.

Coupled with the visual appeal of the city, coming from the beautiful brick houses, mature trees, and manicured gardens, St. Louis is really a nice place to live.

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by OA 5599

I lived just up to road from you in Austin for the past two years. I enjoyed my time there, made a lot of friends, and saw just about everything the area had to offer.

However, I'm in the same boat...Texas just isn't/wasn't for me. I left Austin in May and can't say I miss it at all yet, besides some of the friends I had there of course. I wasn't miserable or even unhappy there, but I would not want to spend the rest of my life in the Lone Star State. Missouri, and St. Louis, are just much more my style than Austin.

I much prefer the laid-back nature of St. Louis (including the sleeveless-shirt wearing rednecks that I have yet to run into), compared to trendy Austin, where appearances and being "hip" were everything. I enjoy being able to talk to my colleagues about traveling around Europe, and still being able to talk to my neighbor about deer hunting. There is a good mix of people here from all walks of life, and it is very refreshing. Everyone seems to be themselves and interact with one another.

Coupled with the visual appeal of the city, coming from the beautiful brick houses, mature trees, and manicured gardens, St. Louis is really a nice place to live.

I don't know about you....but I almost get a tear in my eye thinking about thunderstorms, mature trees, and just a more modest culture all together!

Austin is a little more educated than the people I am surrounded by, but you have the trade off...the uber trendies. I don't like either extreme for a long period of time. That is what I miss about the midwest, a more quiet sophistication, more modest, fewer extremes.

Congratulations on your move! I am really hoping I get the job in St. Louis. I will find out soon!

ps. You moved in May? Well you missed a long, hot, dry drought of a summer down here....I'm sure I will miss it less!

[arch_genesis]

this probably isn't the right thread but DinsdalePirahna brought up the potential of st. louis to be an inland hollywood. Well a lot of people are buzzing over the movie "Streetballers" filmed here. I'm going to check it out tomorrow. It beat out slumdog and juno at a festival. First the Clooney movie and now this. Maybe St. Louis could pick up some steam.

St. Louis Beacon - 'Streetballers' scores with St. Louis drama; now, will it win fans?

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by rgb123

I don't know about you....but I almost get a tear in my eye thinking about thunderstorms, mature trees, and just a more modest culture all together!

Austin is a little more educated than the people I am surrounded by, but you have the trade off...the uber trendies. I don't like either extreme for a long period of time. That is what I miss about the midwest, a more quiet sophistication, more modest, fewer extremes.

Congratulations on your move! I am really hoping I get the job in St. Louis. I will find out soon!

ps. You moved in May? Well you missed a long, hot, dry drought of a summer down here....I'm sure I will miss it less!

We had a nice thunderstorm here last night...it woke me up! I know how you feel though...I grew up in southern Missouri, and driving back into the Ozarks after being away for the better part of a year at a time always nearly brought tears to my eyes. There is just something about it I love.

I never really spent much time in San Antonio, besides heading down there for a concert. The feel seemed totally different than Austin, however. Austin isn't a bad town, but St. Louis is just much more for me. I did really enjoy Lost Maples State Natural Area, maybe 1-1.5 hours west of you in the Hill Country...a very beautiful place!

I left Austin in May, spent a month in rural Missouri, another month abroad, and started work here a few weeks ago. I can't say I miss those Texas summers, although it can get pretty miserable here as well.

Good luck with the job hunt in St. Louis!

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by arch_genesis

this probably isn't the right thread but DinsdalePirahna brought up the potential of st. louis to be an inland hollywood. Well a lot of people are buzzing over the movie "Streetballers" filmed here. I'm going to check it out tomorrow. It beat out slumdog and juno at a festival. First the Clooney movie and now this. Maybe St. Louis could pick up some steam.

St. Louis Beacon - 'Streetballers' scores with St. Louis drama; now, will it win fans?

thanks for the link, interesting read. This thread has turned out to be rather itneresting for me!

[CoffeeAndBeer]

Minneapolis is more attractive to many, and "leafy breezy," while St. Louis is more historic, and has a more solid east coast like feel.. The architecture is a little more imposing, and some might consider brooding though powerful at times, than many midwesterners are comfortable with. St. Louis might be compared to an older, more heavy duty version of St. Paul (or rather, St. Paul is a slightly newer, scaled down version of St. Louis as many old St. Paul families came from or through an already established St. Louis).

The people in St. Louis are somewhat straightforward, salt of the earth, and are more likely to tell you how it is, air everything out, and not jerk you around so much. Some people in the midwest see this as being unfriendly...I sure don't. St. Louis is also the most authentic place i've ever lived or visited, however you want to interpret that.

I like Minneapolis a lot though...don't know you can go wrong with either. Both are accessible to outdoor environments that many other midwestern cities can't touch. If you like warm, extended autumns with real indian summers and a chance of swimming in a ozark stream in early October, you can have that here. If you are into winter sports, the snow and ice here is a joke. Fishing is better in Minnesota, but not shabby here with our spring fed rivers and overall better weather to fish in. The "bonus" warm weather here means a lot to me...theres never really a strong, depressed end of the summer mood...the autumn is much more gentle here.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Originally Posted by CoffeeAndBeer

... St. Louis is more historic, and has a more solid east coast like feel...

No it doesn't. It has a solid Midwestern Feel. Nothing east coast about it. I'll give you Historic.

Originally Posted by CoffeeAndBeer

The people in St. Louis are somewhat straightforward, salt of the earth, and are more likely to tell you how it is, air everything out, and not jerk you around so much.

Yeah right. II have seen more passive-aggressive behavior from Businesses, HR people and interviewers than anywhere I have ever lived. You can't get straight answers. You are always told during the interview process that "you are exactly what they are looking for, we'll get right back to you..." and no one has the common sense or courtesy to return emails and phone messages.

I've seen this trait with mortgage brokers, insurance representatives, car dealers and other so called professionals.

The lack of proactivity in this area is horrible.

I've been trying to be more positive and I am getting use to living in the midwest. But I see a post like that and I have to respond. Sorry for being negative.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by CoffeeAndBeer

The people in St. Louis are somewhat straightforward, salt of the earth, and are more likely to tell you how it is, air everything out, and not jerk you around so much. Some people in the midwest see this as being unfriendly...I sure don't. St. Louis is also the most authentic place i've ever lived or visited, however you want to interpret that.

I have always said and thought that about Missourians, you always know where you stand with them........