Boston is the worst place I've ever lived (Brookline, Gloucester: crime, find a job)

[DrDipNStein]

I did go to Cape Cod. One of the most underwhelming experiences of my life. Why even a seagull would bother alighting upon that slab of crusty rotted out clam shells is beyond me. Laguna Niguel slam dunks that dump any day. Everyone keeps telling me that Boston is cheaper than SF. That was not my experience you can still get huge burritos for under 4 bucks in the mission, great Thai, Mediterranean and plain old American food for under 10 bucks all over. In the bay area you feel like you are part of the world as it is today. On the forefront of technology and social change. In Boston you feel like you are yawning yourself to sleep atop Paul Revere's grave. Plus if you feel bored in any of the many and easily accessible locations in the bay area. A totally different landscape and way of life is a day's drive to LA, San Diego or to Humboldt. Oceans, Deserts, Mountains, the old west the new west, the sunsets and the seaside all are there for you in CA. Even with California's many problems most namely the budget it is home to me and that's where I hope to go when the goin's good.

I'd rather not say what I do for work in case any of my coworkers stumbles upon this. After all that job is my only ticket out of here right now. I agree people are total flakes in CA. I do admire some of the cynicism and bitterness I've heard openly expressed by people here. In CA they'd say some idiotic platitude like good things happen to good people so be nice. I guess I've never really needed other people so it doesn't bother me that I don't care for many people in CA. I need to be surrounded by warm weather, sunlight and inspiring scenery.

[KathyMA]

Originally Posted by DrDipNStein

I did go to Cape Cod. One of the most underwhelming experiences of my life. Why even a seagull would bother alighting upon that slab of crusty rotted out clam shells is beyond me. Laguna Niguel slam dunks that dump any day. Everyone keeps telling me that Boston is cheaper than SF. That was not my experience you can still get huge burritos for under 4 bucks in the mission, great Thai, Mediterranean and plain old American food for under 10 bucks all over. In the bay area you feel like you are part of the world as it is today. On the forefront of technology and social change. In Boston you feel like you are yawning yourself to sleep atop Paul Revere's grave. Plus if you feel bored in any of the many and easily accessible locations in the bay area. A totally different landscape and way of life is a day's drive to LA, San Diego or to Humboldt. Oceans, Deserts, Mountains, the old west the new west, the sunsets and the seaside all are there for you in CA. Even with California's many problems most namely the budget it is home to me and that's where I hope to go when the goin's good.

I'd rather not say what I do for work in case any of my coworkers stumbles upon this. After all that job is my only ticket out of here right now. I agree people are total flakes in CA. I do admire some of the cynicism and bitterness I've heard openly expressed by people here. In CA they'd say some idiotic platitude like good things happen to good people so be nice. I guess I've never really needed other people so it doesn't bother me that I don't care for many people in CA. I need to be surrounded by warm weather, sunlight and inspiring scenery.

If CA was on the forefront of social change, wouldn't gay marriage be legal? it seems that New England is quietly leading the social change while CA gives a lot of lip service to it.

You can get cheap food in Allston, Brighton, Chinatown, Davis Square, Cambridge-basically any place where there's students. You obviously haven't even done basic homework to try to make your life more enjoyable here.

Apparently you went to Hyannis and not Wellfleet, Provincetown, Chatham etc. Unless you don't enjoy pristine dunes, art galleries and 17th century architecture. Again, I think the problem you have goes a lot deeper than your current geography. Hopefully you'll find some help or find a way to get back to the Bay Area.

[xS☺B☺s]

Originally Posted by DrDipNStein

Plus if you feel bored in any of the many and easily accessible locations in the bay area. A totally different landscape and way of life is a day's drive to LA, San Diego or to Humboldt.

There's a few nice little day trips from BOS too, Doc. There's a little spot called New York City which if you have $15, you can get to at any hour. If your a little more ambitious you could also check out Montreal, PHL, the White Mountains, the Green Mountains, DC is a quick commuter flight. Sure SF has some edges on BOS but you ought to check out the neighborhood before you leave. You could do a NYC day trip every other weekend if you're ambitious. You'd shortchange yourself if you don't.

Oh, and don't forget you're about 7 hours closer to London in BOS than SFO. Talk about other things to do if you're bored of the local.

Regarding social change, the zeal exhibited in SF is to be admired, but honestly does it accomplish anything? I think nationally the perennial political protest in SF is viewed more as a local carnival sideshow, a local tradition like Mardi Gras in NOLA, a rodeo in Houston or the 4th of July in BOS.

[dazzleman]

Originally Posted by DrDipNStein

I didn't mean worst place to live, just worst place I've lived. I am from San Francisco. I desperately did not want to leave but after losing my job there I was left without a choice. I just found it to be much more interesting and less over priced. I feel bored to death in Boston. Everything seems to close early and about half the year it's too cold to go anywhere anyway. I have family living here and they love it. I've tried hard to make the best of it but I can't. This place just isn't for me. I guess my #1 complaint is the weather with monoculture being #2. It seems everyone and multiple generations of their families are from here and stay here which makes their lives a little uninteresting. It's surprising since there are world class Universities all over the place. But I guess I'm too old to enjoy bantering with University students these days so that doesn't help.

I'm not even sure what the point of this thread is. Like I said I respect some people like it here but to me California seems to be way better. I particularly can't understand why someone would retire here. By the way I am married and have a few friends here but that's not enough to make me dig bean town.

I'm guessing that because you were forced to move against your will, you probably wouldn't like any place that you moved to.

I hope you're happy in the next place you go.

[TheseGoTo11]

Boston and Chicago are two of my favorite cities and they have the worst urban weather in the country.

You have to deal with the winters to get the great summers - nearby beaches, streets filled with pedestrians, bikinis on the Esplanade, quaint old baseball park. Chicago's the exact same way with Wrigley Field and the north side beaches, but is nasty five months of the year.

NY is not the same, far more crowded and no neighborhood ballparks, just two off-ramp stadiums with as much charm as a shopping mall. And you don't want to see the women in SF in bikinis, not that they'd ever wear such "oppressive" clothing.

DC's a good balance for me because I don't ski. But to get a better, though not great, winter, have to sacrifice having the water nearby during the summer.

[acrylic]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

Boston and Chicago are two of my favorite cities and they have the worst urban weather in the country.

Eh, I'd say the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro is worse weatherwise, but each to their own

[miu]

I love the weather in New England. And I love being near the ocean. My family has moved to CA. First the Sacramento area, and now they all live in Berkeley. I find their weather very boring. And I had grandparents who lived in Pebble Beach, and I found the weather around there also boring with its perpetual mildness. Lots of fog in the summertime.

As I've mentioned before in other threads, at least we aren't prone to tornadoes or big hurricanes.

Places like Atlanta and down in Florida are just too hot and humid in the summertime. Rush hour traffic is horrid in every urban area, but one of the pluses of Boston is that it's one of the smaller cities. NYC and SF is too big for me area-wise. The beltways around cities like Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Indianapolis are annoying to me.

I actually enjoy driving when the snow is falling, but just not in rush hour conditions.

[blehman]

Originally Posted by acrylic

Eh, I'd say the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro is worse weatherwise, but each to their own

Having lived in both MA. and MN. winter is neither better or worse in either location. I am utterly perplexed as to why or when people got so utterly soft about winter.

As for the original poster; the fact that you took the time to post about how Boston is the worst place in the world to live tells me you weren't going to be happy there no matter what. The more I read your responses tells me you wouldn't be happy anywhere, but perhaps I am strange and find merit to almost anyplace I go(some exceptions; Youngstown, OH. for example).

As for Boston, I can only say you missed the point wholesale, between the history, culture, natural sights it's tough to really not like. I will concede that you do contend against a certain cost of living, challenging logistics, and somewhat standoffish people.

Truly though; Boston is one of this country's great cities.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

You have to deal with the winters to get the great summers ...

To be fair, that's not true in California.

[DrDipNStein]

I suppose it comes down to personal preference. The things some posters don't like about California I like and vice versa. I'm not really charmed by the entire east coast. I find NYC too hectic and also geographically snooze worthy. It's just block after block of concrete and steel. I don't like SOHO, Brooklyn, Tribeca or any of the so called neighborhoods either. I have lived in major cities of Asia as well and they put NYC to shame as the city that never sleeps. I simply don't like the beaches on the east coast. They make me want to switch on a thousand SAD lamps to get what I would consider a truly sunny setting. California has a spirit of pioneers and entrepreneurs.

I agree the social change aspect may be a thing of the past when I consider that gay marriage is not permitted there. The state has become more conservative over the year. It's true, it's not perfect, just perfect for me. Everyday I spend as much free time as I have looking for jobs there and hoping one comes up. Speaking of gay marriage it feels to me much like someone who is gay must feel. It is their nature to be gay and nothing can change that. I think it is in my nature to hate Boston and nothing will ever change it. However I don't mind debating the finer points of it vs. elsewhere.