moving to asheville, don't move here? (Raleigh, Wilmington: condos, chapel, safe area)

[spunky1]

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

Have you ever considered that you reap what you sow? Without realizing it are you putting on "airs" of being superior and looking down your nose at us locals. Trust me many of those not from here do that, and probably without realizing it.

Then you state you do downtown a lot and can't find friends, well duh!

As for making friends with "us dumb rude locals" as I'm sure we are viewed, it probably is a very remote possibility, as we have nothing in common, and yes that is our culture. I am as out of place as I can be up north, but here have a lot of good friends, who grew up in the south, simply because our cultures are similar and we can relate.

Goodness, if this is an example of "southern hospitality" no wonder she found it less than welcoming.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by spunky1

Goodness, if this is an example of "southern hospitality" no wonder she found it less than welcoming.

No, it is just a dose of honesty, a commodity that is often is hidden in the fear of not being politically correct. I do not subscribe to political correctness, which is more accurately political cowardice, but to honesty.

Yes, there are people that are treated based on the way they treat people, and with the difference in cultures, their attitude may just send such a signal. I really question how anyone that says they can't find friends actually treat other people. I suspect they do in a way that sends unfriendly signals, and they very likely don't even realize it.

If I had exhibited the attitude you accuse me of, then I would have simply told them to go back to where ever it is they came from, but instead I offered some suggestions. You need to be careful about throwing rocks, there are some glass walls in your house also.

[SaveMtns]

Glad to see this thread is still alive and well! Some ideas to consider --wherever you choose to live:

1) Try to be more PROACTIVE and assist with solutions, and CRITICIZE less about the problems you perceive

2) Always leave a place better than you found it...this can apply to a trail, a neighborhood, or the planet

3) LIVE what you believe: if you think developers are irresponsibly ruining the landscape, don't buy a new house from one!!! If you think southern hospitality is for real - display it for all to enjoy. If you think NC (or anywhere else) is charming/unique/different, ENJOY the differences--
and if you feel the need to complain, see 1), above

And...always keep in mind the NC natives were here first...reason enough, I believe, to not be critical of them.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by SaveMtns

Glad to see this thread is still alive and well! Some ideas to consider --wherever you choose to live:

1) Try to be more PROACTIVE and assist with solutions, and CRITICIZE less about the problems you perceive

2) Always leave a place better than you found it...this can apply to a trail, a neighborhood, or the planet

3) LIVE what you believe: if you think developers are irresponsibly ruining the landscape, don't buy a new house from one!!! If you think southern hospitality is for real - display it for all to enjoy. If you think NC (or anywhere else) is charming/unique/different, ENJOY the differences--
and if you feel the need to complain, see 1), above

And...always keep in mind the NC natives were here first...reason enough, I believe, to not be critical of them.

Amen, enough said

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by SaveMtns

Glad to see this thread is still alive and well! Some ideas to consider --wherever you choose to live:

1) Try to be more PROACTIVE and assist with solutions, and CRITICIZE less about the problems you perceive

2) Always leave a place better than you found it...this can apply to a trail, a neighborhood, or the planet

3) LIVE what you believe: if you think developers are irresponsibly ruining the landscape, don't buy a new house from one!!! If you think southern hospitality is for real - display it for all to enjoy. If you think NC (or anywhere else) is charming/unique/different, ENJOY the differences--
and if you feel the need to complain, see 1), above

And...always keep in mind the NC natives were here first...reason enough, I believe, to not be critical of them.

It this confuses you, read rule #1 yet again. The moment you criticize, you have worn our your welcome, and now you are the problem, and certainly not part of the solution.

[andybuildz]

s'cuse me...sorry to interupt...was just passin' through on my way from Lawng Island...can anyone direct me to Mayberry please....is Sheriff Taylor still the Sheriff there?
If not I'm goin' back to Lawng Island
And this is comin' from a left wing NY lib...lol

[BuzzBear]

I'm happy to see some honest "reap what you sew" reactions to jhick's VERY long list of complaints. When there's such a long list of "everybody here is rude...except me" comments by a poster, it makes it easier to dismiss that person's complaints.

As a parallel: My wife and I own a home in Galena, a very pretty area 100 miles west of Chicago, known for natural hilly beauty and wildlife. Last year, some "suburban guy" moved into a home in our nice woodsy setting, and surrounded his property with an "invisible fence" for his dogs, who roam his "yard" and bark and scare off the wildlife all day. He attempted to duplicate his suburban lifestyle out here, rather than adapt, and he doesn't understand why people shun him. Doesn't make him a bad guy, but he simply shouldn't have moved here, of all places.

And as for me, while it's not our religion, my wife and I joke that we'll be putting up a Christmas tree when we move to WNC. Can't wait.

[larycham]

Gypsychic, I agree with you totally that all places change and we can only wish that changes in Asheville don't destroy the very things that attract some of us to the area. The Wal-Mart shopping center just north of Weaverville is trending in that negative direction. My wife and I are attracted to Asheville because it is a small city with a big city vitality and diversity. We are almost reminded of our times in Baltimore and DC. (not as much of a stretch as it may seem). Yet these big-city qualities, understandably, are just what many natives do not want.

Some of your have said you have been priced out of Asheville. Would you believe that we are on the verge of being priced out even before we move to Asheville. Let me explain. Our home in Pensacola, FL is now worth about three-quarters of what it was three or four years ago (though that was probably excessive valuation). And now houses here are not selling at all. Should we wait until the housing market recovers (late 2009 by recent estimates) or sell now at a low price? We will wait a while, at least.

I have a suggestion for some of you natives who have been priced out of Asheville and don't like the changes there. Move to Pensacola or some other Panhandle town, where housing costs are, generally, less than in Asheville. You will find here many of the things you like about Asheville--except the mountains. (And you will also find some of the things you don't like--panhandlers, for example.) But bayous and beaches may make up for the absence of mountains. (Full disclosure: I am not a member of the local chamber of commerce but I do have a house on the water that will be on the market in a few months.)

[stoneyhill]

Its interesting that the panhandling and drug problems aren't acknowledged. Its not New Orleans but Asheville had 4 murders last week. Drive by's are a big problem. Check out the local newspaper its online Asheville Citizens Times.

[moonbaby301]

"I'm from Texas and have lived in a few different locations here one being Denton (huge liberal slanting college, hippie population, very musical, slightly dirty, panhandlers/guitarist/incense peddlers sitting in front of bars, and plenty of diversity otherwise)"

I know this thread is kind of old but I just came across it and I had to comment on this person's post. I'm not sure whether he is talking about Texas or North Carolina in this comment but, the way it's written is such that he's referring to Denton, North Carolina. The reason for my reply is because I live here in Denton and the words used to describe it are definitely not about this town! There's no college, no hippies, no bars, no diversity. This is a dry county! It mainly consists of God fearing, gun-toting, white Conservatives. It's country living at it's finest! I love it here. Anyway, this person must be referring to another Denton. Just wanted to chime in on that note.