Former Wisconsinites...where did you move to and how do you like it in comparison to WI? (Milwaukee: credit, homes)

[pirate_lafitte]

How is Summerfest in Milwaukee?

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by jtur88

Stop at a Wisconsin rest area on the interstate and count how many separate recycling receptacles there are. You don't even have to live there for a while to observe that.

When I lived in Michigan, and visited my sister in Wisconsin, she'd make me go out and help shovel her snow, first thing in the morning, when there was an inch or two overnight, right down to the pavement, and right to the edge of the grass, I remarked that the difference between Wi and MI is that in WI everybody shovels their show, while in MI, everyone just drives through it. She acted like I was talking about Bangladesh. I looked up and down the street, and everyone was doing the same thing, as if they are afraid of some secret police or something. Or officious neighbors, which is worse. Then she said you have to carry each shovelful onto your lawn, because you're not allowed to push the snow into the street, even though it's fine for the showplows to shove it all into your driveway. I'd like to hear the supreme court rule on that law, but people in WI just take it. I was remarking to my nephew about these kinds of things, and he said Yes, Wisconsin is the most nazi state in the US. And he grew up in Germany.

When my WI relatives drive to the mall, they think you are "not allowed" to pull through a parkng space so you are pointing out through the facing one. "Not allowed to" is the phrase I hear most frequently when hanging out with my family there. Wisconsin people have a very keen awareness of what you're "not allowed" to do. It's like a sixth sense.

These are not opinions, they are observations. Ive lived in 15 other states, and I see what I see.

...they're still pretty silly.

In this case, "shoveling" is the right thing to do, for EVERYONE'S sake.

...from a guy who has shoveled much snow in NY, VT, WI and MA.

[ranger17]

i agree shoveling needs to be done; though our last memory of it before we moved here was my wife getting a warning for blowing snow out in the road while I was out of town for biz ( after one of the heavier dumpings last winter in 30+ mph winds ). With no wind break and swirling winds, to haev the town officer slowly driving thru the neighborhoods watching at nite was ridiculous. Like I could ticket the city for burying in our drive apron everytime they went past. I can still remember her text to me about it, though I will not repeat it here.....

Oh, on the original topic, we moved to SC after living our entire lives in WI. When we could go boating here in March and the water was already in the 70's; and there was still a foot of ice back on Mendota..... another tally in the plus column for us. Sure it can get warm here, but you don't shovel humidty or heat. Winters just took their toll. Plus from this spot, a little over 2 hrs and we're down in Charleston for either some history, or hitting one of the beaches. Having the ocean for a day trip is pretty nice.

[gold*dust1]

Originally Posted by ranger17

i agree shoveling needs to be done; though our last memory of it before we moved here was my wife getting a warning for blowing snow out in the road while I was out of town for biz ( after one of the heavier dumpings last winter in 30+ mph winds ). With no wind break and swirling winds, to haev the town officer slowly driving thru the neighborhoods watching at nite was ridiculous. Like I could ticket the city for burying in our drive apron everytime they went past. I can still remember her text to me about it, though I will not repeat it here.....

Oh, on the original topic, we moved to SC after living our entire lives in WI. When we could go boating here in March and the water was already in the 70's; and there was still a foot of ice back on Mendota..... another tally in the plus column for us. Sure it can get warm here, but you don't shovel humidty or heat. Winters just took their toll. Plus from this spot, a little over 2 hrs and we're down in Charleston for either some history, or hitting one of the beaches. Having the ocean for a day trip is pretty nice.

Oh quit bragging

[milwaukeeproud]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

How is Summerfest in Milwaukee?

It depends on what you're looking for in a "music festival". The main bum rap it gets is that it's not Lollapalooza or Coachella or Bonaroo. The music choices tend to run on the "safe" side, or, in other words, shoots for the people in their late 30's-early 50's and their cash. Having said that, the people that complain about the music lineup aren't trying real hard either. I'm in my early 30s and if I could have afforded it, and didn't have kids at home, I would've been there every day for at least one show. There's also stages dedicated to just local bands, so that some of our homegrown talent is finally getting it's full due at Summerfest. It's not really kid friendly after about 7 PM as it tends to get crowded then (strollers in crowds=hell) and with the crowds comes the drunkeness. I have no issues with it personally, it is what it is. So, yeah, all in all, I enjoy it, I usually go one or two times and I'm good for the year, but some people go every day, others not at all. A lot of people seem to be put off by the crowds, although to be honest, I was there a couple times this year during the day and night and never thought the crowds were anywhere near an issue as they have been in the past. I think part of that has to do with the realignment of some of the stages in order to get crowd flow to move smoother.

[quickdraw]

I lived in Milwaukee and now live in Burlington VT. There are millions of people in the US looking for the life Wisconin can offer, they just don't know about Wisconsin. Don't get me wrong, I'm not painting Wisconsin as any kind of Utopia, but Wisconsin offers a lot, especially for someone not rolling in dough.

Wisconsin is one of the few states that still offers that 60's type small town with a Main St that functions for the residents. Most nice small towns in the US with neat Main Streets are now aimed at luring yuppies into town with Bed and Breakfasts and antique stores. Or they are priced for wealthy folks. Towns like Port Washington, Plymouth, Sheboygan Falls- places that are clean, safe, inexpensive with good schools just don't really exist anymore in most parts of the country. I can assure you they do not exist in the Northeast. Small towns, (I'm not talking about suburbs, big difference) in the northeast are either dying and run down, or thriving and very expensive(like where I live). And they're usually fueled by a college in the town with wealthy students( again like where I live).

I've travelled through the US extensively, small town America is not pretty. Drive around Pennsylvania and upstate NY and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Wisconsin and perhaps Minnesota, although not to the same extent as Wisconsin, are really the only places I know that have nice clean small towns, with good schools and safe streets for people living on an average income. The houses may not be anything special, but they're neat and landscaped. I think it's the German, Dutch, Swedish etc... influence.

So many people in this country are living in dicey towns with poor schools because they don't make enough for a nice life in their areas. I love where I live but it is outrageously expensive. One day I'll be back in Wisconsin. If it wasn't for Wisconsin, I wouldn't know where else to go for the lifestyle I can afford and want.

[Central Illinois 1]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

I lived in Milwaukee and now live in Burlington VT. There are millions of people in the US looking for the life Wisconin can offer, they just don't know about Wisconsin. Don't get me wrong, I'm not painting Wisconsin as any kind of Utopia, but Wisconsin offers a lot, especially for someone not rolling in dough.

Wisconsin is one of the few states that still offers that 60's type small town with a Main St that functions for the residents. Most nice small towns in the US with neat Main Streets are now aimed at luring yuppies into town with Bed and Breakfasts and antique stores. Or they are priced for wealthy folks. Towns like Port Washington, Plymouth, Sheboygan Falls- places that are clean, safe, inexpensive with good schools just don't really exist anymore in most parts of the country. I can assure you they do not exist in the Northeast. Small towns, (I'm not talking about suburbs, big difference) in the northeast are either dying and run down, or thriving and very expensive(like where I live). And they're usually fueled by a college in the town with wealthy students( again like where I live).

I've travelled through the US extensively, small town America is not pretty. Drive around Pennsylvania and upstate NY and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Wisconsin and perhaps Minnesota, although not to the same extent as Wisconsin, are really the only places I know that have nice clean small towns, with good schools and safe streets for people living on an average income. The houses may not be anything special, but they're neat and landscaped. I think it's the German, Dutch, Swedish etc... influence.

So many people in this country are living in dicey towns with poor schools because they don't make enough for a nice life in their areas. I love where I live but it is outrageously expensive. One day I'll be back in Wisconsin. If it wasn't for Wisconsin, I wouldn't know where else to go for the lifestyle I can afford and want.

You make some good points about small town America. The story is the same here in Illinois. With the exception of a few wealthy smaller towns outside of Chicago, most small towns in Ill. have next to nothing left in them (except maybe a Wally World and Hardees on the edge of town or an occassional run down nasty little bar). Most of the towns suffer from "brain drain" as the younger more educated kids leave forever as well as an exodus of the wealthier people who tend to move to suburban areas. What remains are alot of vacant buildings, poor schools, and depleted tax bases. From what I can see, small town WI has fared better than most towns in Ill. I am not sure why this is the case though, but it is obviously a good thing.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by Central Illinois 1

You make some good points about small town America. The story is the same here in Illinois. With the exception of a few wealthy smaller towns outside of Chicago, most small towns in Ill. have next to nothing left in them (except maybe a Wally World and Hardees on the edge of town or an occassional run down nasty little bar). Most of the towns suffer from "brain drain" as the younger more educated kids leave forever as well as an exodus of the wealthier people who tend to move to suburban areas. What remains are alot of vacant buildings, poor schools, and depleted tax bases. From what I can see, small town WI has fared better than most towns in Ill. I am not sure why this is the case though, but it is obviously a good thing.

Yeah, I'm afraid Illinois is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. I lived in Geneva IL, which is a nice place, but a suburb and not a small town. And a very expensive one at that. Not to offend the good people of IL, but the small town experience there can't touch Wisconsin.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by milwaukeeproud

It depends on what you're looking for in a "music festival". The main bum rap it gets is that it's not Lollapalooza or Coachella or Bonaroo. The music choices tend to run on the "safe" side, or, in other words, shoots for the people in their late 30's-early 50's and their cash. Having said that, the people that complain about the music lineup aren't trying real hard either. I'm in my early 30s and if I could have afforded it, and didn't have kids at home, I would've been there every day for at least one show. There's also stages dedicated to just local bands, so that some of our homegrown talent is finally getting it's full due at Summerfest. It's not really kid friendly after about 7 PM as it tends to get crowded then (strollers in crowds=hell) and with the crowds comes the drunkeness. I have no issues with it personally, it is what it is. So, yeah, all in all, I enjoy it, I usually go one or two times and I'm good for the year, but some people go every day, others not at all. A lot of people seem to be put off by the crowds, although to be honest, I was there a couple times this year during the day and night and never thought the crowds were anywhere near an issue as they have been in the past. I think part of that has to do with the realignment of some of the stages in order to get crowd flow to move smoother.

I have never heard anything bad about Summerfest. My father seemed to like it. Lots of different foods and other things like that.

[notmuch69]

I lived in Milwaukee and now live in Burlington VT. There are millions of people in the US looking for the life Wisconin can offer, they just don't know about Wisconsin. Don't get me wrong, I'm not painting Wisconsin as any kind of Utopia, but Wisconsin offers a lot, especially for someone not rolling in dough.

Wisconsin is one of the few states that still offers that 60's type small town with a Main St that functions for the residents. Most nice small towns in the US with neat Main Streets are now aimed at luring yuppies into town with Bed and Breakfasts and antique stores. Or they are priced for wealthy folks. Towns like Port Washington, Plymouth, Sheboygan Falls- places that are clean, safe, inexpensive with good schools just don't really exist anymore in most parts of the country. I can assure you they do not exist in the Northeast. Small towns, (I'm not talking about suburbs, big difference) in the northeast are either dying and run down, or thriving and very expensive(like where I live). And they're usually fueled by a college in the town with wealthy students( again like where I live).

I've travelled through the US extensively, small town America is not pretty. Drive around Pennsylvania and upstate NY and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Wisconsin and perhaps Minnesota, although not to the same extent as Wisconsin, are really the only places I know that have nice clean small towns, with good schools and safe streets for people living on an average income. The houses may not be anything special, but they're neat and landscaped. I think it's the German, Dutch, Swedish etc... influence.

So many people in this country are living in dicey towns with poor schools because they don't make enough for a nice life in their areas. I love where I live but it is outrageously expensive. One day I'll be back in Wisconsin. If it wasn't for Wisconsin, I wouldn't know where else to go for the lifestyle I can afford and want.

Agree! I think that's Wisconsin's best quality. If you're not all about money and style, small town life in Wisconsin can take a lot of stress out of life. A house in the country on some acres actually feels like a home, something you become attached to and pass on to generations. Unlike living right next to someone in the city. I wouldn't trade our life in the country for any amount of money.