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"In Eric Weiner’s book, The Geography of Bliss, Asheville is named as America’s happiest city. As a happy resident of the Asheville area, I know what makes this area so special to my family and me. The beauty of the mountains, the vibrant art and music scene and a strong sense of community are just a few of the reasons Asheville receives so much national attention as one of the best places to live. Check out some other accolades that Asheville has received:"
Moderator cut: no real estate blogs
"Aah, sweet bliss. National Public Radio correspondent Eric Weiner has traveled the globe, visiting some of the world’s most contented places to compile his book, The Geography of Bliss. It was published in 2007, and the only U.S. city that he highlighted was Asheville, N.C.
“You’ve got mountains, beautiful mountains all around,” Weiner says about Asheville in his novel. “You have a tremendous, thriving, artistic community. You have cafés everywhere – every other shop is a coffee shop or a bookstore.
“You have a really strong sense of community here. And if I’ve learned anything from researching this book, it’s that other people matter. There’s no such thing as personal happiness –
(http://imagesasheville.com/index.php/site/articles/real_estate/asheville_makes_eric_weiners_bliss_list - broken link)
Last edited by SunnyKayak; 09-25-2009 at 09:10 AM..
"In Eric Weiner’s book, The Geography of Bliss, Asheville is named as America’s happiest city. As a happy resident of the Asheville area, I know what makes this area so special to my family and me. The beauty of the mountains, the vibrant art and music scene and a strong sense of community are just a few of the reasons Asheville receives so much national attention as one of the best places to live. Check out some other accolades that Asheville has received:"
"Aah, sweet bliss. National Public Radio correspondent Eric Weiner has traveled the globe, visiting some of the world’s most contented places to compile his book, The Geography of Bliss. It was published in 2007, and the only U.S. city that he highlighted was Asheville, N.C.
“You’ve got mountains, beautiful mountains all around,” Weiner says about Asheville in his novel. “You have a tremendous, thriving, artistic community. You have cafés everywhere – every other shop is a coffee shop or a bookstore.
“You have a really strong sense of community here. And if I’ve learned anything from researching this book, it’s that other people matter. There’s no such thing as personal happiness – your happiness is part and parcel of those around you,” he writes."
Asheville | Real Estate| Asheville Makes Eric Weiner’s Bliss List (http://imagesasheville.com/index.php/site/articles/real_estate/asheville_makes_eric_weiners_bliss_list - broken link)
Try being happy when you cannot sustain a decent wage in a town you love the scenery in. It gets depressing. Vibrant community full of artists with a strong sense of community.
I know alot of people who are very accomplished artist, yet, couldnt' get a job at all in the art field in this town! It's a very exclusive, cliqueish place, in fact. If you know the right person, and are friends with them, maybe!
But many many of my friends have not been able to sell any of their artwork here, nor would the shop keeper even LOOK at it, though it was published and sold elsewhere, cuz they were NOT part of the "asheville" clique.
wow, I'm astonished the things that are claimed about this town! ROTFLOL..... I can tell you, there are alot of people who USED to be happy living here, but it's become so congested and expensive to live, all that is gone.
This used to be a great place to live, BEFORE it was discovered.... Now, the natives are moving out in DROVES cuz they cannot even afford the taxes on their land, and the wages don't keep up with the standard of living.
I hope if you come here, you are really rich, otherwise, you are going to be struggling like mad to survive in Asheville! Especially in this bad economy. GOOD LUCK!!
I hope if you come here, you are really rich, otherwise, you are going to be struggling like mad to survive in Asheville! Especially in this bad economy. GOOD LUCK!!
We have been here two years (almost). We are not rich. We both have excellent jobs. My husband earns a good living (not 6 figures) but a good living. He works for a company that is actually expanding in this economy. I earn decent money as well. We bought a nice home. Our kids are in good schools. Our neighbors and co-workers have made us feel more welcome here than any other place we have ever lived. We love it here.
Asheville has a lot to offer. What do you have to give back?
“You have a really strong sense of community here. And if I’ve learned anything from researching this book, it’s that other people matter. There’s no such thing as personal happiness – your happiness is part and parcel of those around you,” he writes."
I'd have to take exception to this. Happiness comes from within. While being in a group of generally happy people may influence an individual in that group to be happier, their happiness is not dependent on the group. People that are content with their place in life, (either where they stand or the path they are on), in a place that offers the activities they enjoy (hiking, shopping, playing pinball, whatever), find a way to keep themselves occupied, enjoy the company of those around them (whether it be a single relationship or many friends) and reach a balance in their life are going to be happy.
If your happiness is dependent on others, as the author implies, you are generally going to be on the unhappier side of the line. Nobody can make you happier on unhappier than the person staring at you in the mirror.
I'm not one of those folks with perpetual smiles trying to sprinkle magic happy dust on people. In fact, I'm pretty much of a cynic. I'd agree with those who blame the city and country governments for allowing the area to grow without some tangible economic basis. Then again, behind nearly every problem is the government, either instigating it or making it worse by "helping."
Some of the concerns offered up here fall into the realm of "that's life." For example, artists have been struggling to get by as long as there have been artists. There is nothing in the water here that changes that. I'm sure that group is cliquish here, but it is also cliquish in every other "artist colony" I've ever seen. Try being an artist and breaking into the community in Santa Fe or Taos. You might as well be from Jupiter.
This is the fifth different place I've lived in my adult life and I'd guess locals were the minority in three of the previous four. People are more transient, either in search of something or because their job requires that. It is awkward, but a modern-day truth. I'd guess there is a lot higher percentage of locals in Detroit or Cleveland for those willing, and certainly in smaller places that are self-contained. I don't enjoy people coming here and focusing on the way they did it in Timbuktu (Florida or New Jersey), either. I freely point out if Timbuktu was such a paradise on earth and fountain of happiness, by all means, do yourself a favor and go back.
Asheville is far from perfect, is not some sort of Garden of Eden, will not cure whatever ails people and is certainly not for everybody. But I can be having a bad day, walk out my door, stop, take a deep breath and stare at the mountains. I can do the same from the parking lot of some strip center here. That counts for something. Amazing, but I can find mountains that developers have not torn up.
As far as other people's happiness, I hope they find it. If not here, somewhere. But like I've said, the largest source of unhappiness is self-inflicted wounds. Bad choices, unrealistic expectations, reaching beyond their grasp, trying to impress somebody, not understanding quality of life and trying to return to "the good old days" all add to the unhappiness. Asheville is not unique in having that. But again, to whatever extent my happiness is dependent on others or by coercing others to live by my own personal guidelines, I am going to be unhappy.
"...As far as other people's happiness, I hope they find it. If not here, somewhere. But like I've said, the largest source of unhappiness is self-inflicted wounds. Bad choices, unrealistic expectations, reaching beyond their grasp, trying to impress somebody, not understanding quality of life and trying to return to "the good old days" all add to the unhappiness. Asheville is not unique in having that. But again, to whatever extent my happiness is dependent on others or by coercing others to live by my own personal guidelines, I am going to be unhappy..."
[LEFT]Mule:
Wise words.
[/LEFT]
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