I need the nitty gritty guys, come on now

[helesha]

First may I point out that I have two children and a husband. There is NO need for the warnings and great sex ed info., matter of fact when that was one of the replies, I started to laugh because, that could theoretically happen anywhere. DC is great for single bisexual men, and the Down Low phrase started there, so should we all stay away from DC.?

Next, the perception is right, I am emotionally attached to a place I have never been but it still remains clear to me that this epiphany or enlightenment is going to come when I get there and see how it feels.

You guys stop arguing about the obvious. Traffic sucks in LA, in Boston (the Big Dig), in DC, everywhere folks need to get to work. Travel time is a quality of life issue and folks really need to find employment close to home or be creative and come up with ways to destress the commute! It can take a toll on a well being.
Also, now maybe African American and Hip Hop are not synonymous but come on dude. Stereotypes are such because they USUALLY are what is going on. Just laugh at it and try a personal best by not being one - a stereotype that is.

You guys are fabulous, I thank you so much for your input! I have come away with more than I came in with so that makes this a great thing.

Love Peace & Happiness

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by helesha

Well my son who is 3.9 will not need kindergarten until 2010/2011 year am I late for that space?

So, he will be 4 in July? That opens another whole can of worms (LOL) about private schools and boys and summer birthdays. Let me know if you want me to open the can for you. It may effect what you want to do for preschool.

[Galounger]

Originally Posted by helesha

I am originally from Boston, Ma, moved to DC, then to Bay Area, CA. Mostly city life.

Coming from Boston, and D.C./ Bay Area I really don't think you will be too intimidated by the traffic in Atlanta. A few people from those type cities complain about it but most say they are used to it and instead complain about whatever they have in their perspective town that Atlanta is missing.

The two things I myself complain the most about in Atlanta is the lack of a central district that offers every and anything you may want urbanwise. Downtown is making improvements and nearby Midtown is pretty good but it's nothing like some downtowns I've seen.

The other big complaint of mine is the lack of cheap inexpensive things to do for fun in Atlanta compared to other large cities. Hopefully the completion of the Beltline park system and some other projects in the works will help remedy this. It shouldn't always be about high priced aquariums, night clubs and overpriced zoos, amusement parks, etc. Other places have things the public can spend all day doing for free or very little and be entertained. (ex. NYC times square, Central Park or the Flats in Cleveland, Harbor in Baltimore, Boston Commons/Marketplace, San Antonio River Walk, Denver 16 str. Mall and LoDo, etc.)

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by shalc

I always felt like there was more traffic in the 'burbs than in town. Suburbanities like to tell me I'm crazy, but I rarely sit in traffic on the weekend down here. I'm new to Decatur, as I moved here from Midtown, but I love it so far. It's a small town feel but so close to the city.

You're not crazy...I think because of the willy-nilly street planning and profusion of "one street in, one street out" subdivisions in the suburbs, traffic is much better intown. It's funny, but driving down from I-85 on Clairmont Rd at rush hour I notice that traffic seems to magically evaporate when you cross Scott Blvd into Decatur proper.

[Galounger]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

You're not crazy...I think because of the willy-nilly street planning and profusion of "one street in, one street out" subdivisions in the suburbs, traffic is much better intown. It's funny, but driving down from I-85 on Clairmont Rd at rush hour I notice that traffic seems to magically evaporate when you cross Scott Blvd into Decatur proper.

Yeah forgot about that. The suburbs are full of Cul-de-Sacs, Subdivisions with dead end streets and no grid system. Your major boulevards out there are often fed traffic from deadend subdivisions and mall streets, etc. but don't have many connecting streets that will take you all the way to other major streets. This all makes traffic much worse than intown where the streets are on more of a traditional grid system.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Galounger

Yeah forgot about that. The suburbs are full of Cul-de-Sacs, Subdivisions with dead end streets and no grid system. Your major boulevards out there are often fed traffic from deadend subdivisions and mall streets, etc. but don't have many connecting streets that will take you all the way to other major streets. This all makes traffic much worse than intown where the streets are on more of a traditional grid system.

Case in point is Holcomb Bridge Rd in Roswell. Good Lord, intown has nothing to compare with that...and the problem there is exactly what you describe.

[helesha]

Originally Posted by TrynaLearn

[SIZE=2]Hey people. I'm new to this but I was contacted by a old friend who informed me about ATL. My job has a branch down there and he advised me to visit and possibly move. I have tons of family I never met in athens (hope I said that right) and it seems like a good move for me. My friend told me that there are very good women in ATL, compared to NYC. I'm through with angry sistah's who love the thugs that bring them down and take it out on tax paying individuals like myself. I would basically like any advice or information regarding atl and moving there. I am brownskin and 6ft. 213lbs husky guy. I have dreads but they're neat and I'm felon free. If moving to ATL or even visiting ATL means dealing with hoards of angry half-attractive sistahs, please let me know and I'll just ride the 4/5/6 trains from here on out in NYC. I'm Just looking for a place to socially exhale and start new and perhaps see happy sistahs for a change, instead of having to see them happy only on CN8, BET and UPN. Thank you and God Bless.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][/SIZE]

You know what I have found in this life? No matter where you are, the people you attract is from within yourself.

You live in NYC, is there any better place to meet a diverse population of women? You gotta go inside brother and figure out what is in need of adjustment and then watch the attraction from there.

I am moving to ATL myself, and I have heard a myriad of things about the folks there, and I have surmised that I can not go there based on someone else's observation, I gotta go for me!

Keep riding that train until you decide on a better seat! Then you are ready to fly anywhere you choose.

[tr4head]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Not to belabor the point, but African American culture and hip-hop culture ARE NOT synonymous.

You are correct - they are not synonymous, but very closely connected. Hip Hop was developed by inner city Blacks, now has become a culture into itself which includes a lot of other ethnic groups, including young Whites. Still, it is a very large part of the inner city, starting in the Bronx. Initially, there was little reference to the degrading talk about people, glorification of crime that came on in the 80s and 90s, which unfortunately is still with us.

Old school hip hop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[tr4head]

Originally Posted by Galounger

Yeah forgot about that. The suburbs are full of Cul-de-Sacs, Subdivisions with dead end streets and no grid system. Your major boulevards out there are often fed traffic from deadend subdivisions and mall streets, etc. but don't have many connecting streets that will take you all the way to other major streets. This all makes traffic much worse than intown where the streets are on more of a traditional grid system.

I agree to a point - inside perimeter roads are more "gridlike" than the 'burbs, but please, this is hardly a grid system! You know you are in a proper grid when a good portion of the roads are numbered as in most other large cities - like 1400 SW 112th St. If you were in St Louis, Chicago, NY or LA, you could get there without a map. Now try to find 2497 Johnson Ferry Road!

You don't see grids in Atlanta because the roads are all over the place, even inside the perimeter, but it is better than the 'burbs by far.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by helesha

Lots of gay or bisexual men pretending to be straight, which leaves you open to HIV/AIDS!!

Other people are not the ones who can leave YOU open to HIV/AIDS. You leave yourself open to HIV/AIDS by having unsafe sex.