What is it like to live in Dallas, Texas? (Arlington: crime, new house)

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Fickling & Associates

I might suggest to you that WHY's attitude might be the root of his difficult time.

The poster "WHY" has not posted in over a year. She was kind of a "hit and run" poster and did not last long. If she is even still living in the state who would know? You are right that attitude is MOST of the problem a lot of the time. We have brought it up before and it seems that those that are the MOST unhappy here if you look at their posts on other topics and not in the Texas forum they were in unhappy relationships before they even moved to Texas. Like I said before, if your contemplating a divorce BEFORE you move to another state it sure ain't gonna help once you do move away from all friends and family and the ONLY person you know is the partner you despise.

[aeh]

There have been many interesting posts on this subject. As far as "there being microworlds right under your nose"..I totally agree, too. Every place we have lived, I go in there excited, mentally dig my heels in and try to "bloom where I'm planted". There have been times when I have pined over the last town we have lived in (we have moved 6 times now) and my resolution when that happens is that every time I get "homesick", I do something to make my life better in the new place. Unpack a box, or if further along, paint a room, call a friend, invite someone to coffee, investigate local organizations (volunteer, PTA, charitable, etc), try to establish a new routine (jogging at a local rec ctr, checking out an area for antiques, etc) and that is how I get settled. There have definitely been places we have lived that weren't my ideal, at least initially, (New Jersey, for example), but I grew to love it, made some excellent friends there (although I thought they were rude at first, I finally realized they were rude to EACH OTHER too and it was just their way and not personally directed at me). What a shame that would have been had I just dismissed them all as rude...their "exterior" persona was just different than I was used to. I was able to really absorb the NY/NJ experience and have a terrific time. I can say the same for each additional move...and in fact, I realize now that each one had gotten even better. When you move somewhere new, do something productive to feel like a part of the community. It has helped me tremendusly and what a wealth of experiences, cultures and peoples we have had in our lives because of it. If you follow this rule about doing something to make your life better, you will become so enmeshed and entrenched in your new life that suddenly you will realize you are very happy and don't miss your old life at all.

Oh, I digressed...sorry. I was also going to say that as far as the microworlds around you...if your neighbors aren't "your type" or whatever, then pursue new acquaintances at your place of work, a club, an organization, a cause that you care for, the coffee shop, the bookstore, jogging at the lake, through your kids school, in political issues, house of worship, whatever. I personally like having many circles of friends so I am always kept busy....at least when I want to be busy. That's why I have loved every place we have lived--regardless of climate, people, differences.

[Grainraiser]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

The poster I believe you are trying to find out where she lives is no longer a member. She moved here from out of state in the PNW region of the country after a nasty divorce to live near a grown son of hers. She was living in an apartment complex in Plano so that probably explains a LOT!

Lakewooder did say that there are certain areas where one will find more natives and less transplants and those areas are pretty accurate. Inside the LBJ loop around Lakewood, MStreets, Lake Highlands, etc and just about anywhere else w/in the city limits of Dallas. As for suburbs which ones have more Texas Natives it would still be Richardson & Garland. Richardson will be mostly the older areas and Garland would be the entire city although there are still plenty of people from other states and countries. I've lived in Garland for 15 years and a lot of the people here know each other. They grrew up here, went off to school, came back, married and settled down here to raise their family. Like I told my mother after they moved to Garland last year from the burb I grew up in here in the metroplex, "DO NOT say ANYTHING bad about ANYONE in Garland as they all know each other". LOL!!! But they treat you just like you did too so I LOVE IT!!!

Funny you would mention this. I have lived in Dallas all my life and very seldom did I meet transplants other than folks from Shreveport LA. Only when I joined corporate America and meet alot of middle mangement types did I meet alot of transplants. I would guess that about 85% of the people who move to Dallas due a job transfer move to the Plano/Frisco/McKinney area. It's a great area to live and I can see why a person would want to live there. I really don't no one single person who lives in the area is from that area. Plano/Frisco/McKinney is like the United Nations of DFW LOL.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

Funny you would mention this. I have lived in Dallas all my life and very seldom did I meet transplants other than folks from Shreveport LA. Only when I joined corporate America and meet alot of middle mangement types did I meet alot of transplants. I would guess that about 85% of the people who move to Dallas due a job transfer move to the Plano/Frisco/McKinney area. It's a great area to live and I can see why a person would want to live there. I really don't no one single person who lives in the area is from that area. Plano/Frisco/McKinney is like the United Nations of DFW LOL.

I agree. I'm a Native Dallasite (St Paul ) and growing up there were only a handful of kids that I went to school w/ that were from other states or countries. Every person that moves here wants those burbs mentioned and yet everytime I drive thru them I'm GLAD to get out of them. We have said that if we were moving here from out of state and called a realtor and told them how much we wanted to spend on a house they would take us there and nowhere else. They would put down where we live yet this is where WE are the happiest. I'd be miserable living in all of that congestion and constant turn over of neighbors and kids mine went to school with.

[Lakewooder]

Mom I agree. When you drive up there, you keep thinking, what?>> When did they build all this stuff? How far out does it go? Then you start feeling like you need to turn around and go home. Then you can't get there because of all the congestion (former farm roads) and traffic and idiots on their cell phones in SUVs. Then you start having a panic attack!

I once had a cousin back in the old days of Dallas who said she always wanted to be where she could see the Flying Red Horse atop the Magnolia building. It was the security of knowing where she was and knowing she could use Pegasus as a reference point to get anywhere in town.

[hamiltonpl]

I find it ironic that the people who know Dallas best are the ones who stay in the City of Dallas. The transplants who haven't lived here for a minute think the only place to live is Collin County.

The people who know best the area best don't live in CoCo.

[GirlsRUs]

Originally Posted by aeh

There have been many interesting posts on this subject. As far as "there being microworlds right under your nose"..I totally agree, too. Every place we have lived, I go in there excited, mentally dig my heels in and try to "bloom where I'm planted". There have been times when I have pined over the last town we have lived in (we have moved 6 times now) and my resolution when that happens is that every time I get "homesick", I do something to make my life better in the new place. Unpack a box, or if further along, paint a room, call a friend, invite someone to coffee, investigate local organizations (volunteer, PTA, charitable, etc), try to establish a new routine (jogging at a local rec ctr, checking out an area for antiques, etc) and that is how I get settled. There have definitely been places we have lived that weren't my ideal, at least initially, (New Jersey, for example), but I grew to love it, made some excellent friends there (although I thought they were rude at first, I finally realized they were rude to EACH OTHER too and it was just their way and not personally directed at me). What a shame that would have been had I just dismissed them all as rude...their "exterior" persona was just different than I was used to. I was able to really absorb the NY/NJ experience and have a terrific time. I can say the same for each additional move...and in fact, I realize now that each one had gotten even better. When you move somewhere new, do something productive to feel like a part of the community. It has helped me tremendusly and what a wealth of experiences, cultures and peoples we have had in our lives because of it. If you follow this rule about doing something to make your life better, you will become so enmeshed and entrenched in your new life that suddenly you will realize you are very happy and don't miss your old life at all.

Oh, I digressed...sorry. I was also going to say that as far as the microworlds around you...if your neighbors aren't "your type" or whatever, then pursue new acquaintances at your place of work, a club, an organization, a cause that you care for, the coffee shop, the bookstore, jogging at the lake, through your kids school, in political issues, house of worship, whatever. I personally like having many circles of friends so I am always kept busy....at least when I want to be busy. That's why I have loved every place we have lived--regardless of climate, people, differences.

Such a great post - it really had a great universal quality. (Something everyone can appreciate.) Thanks for sharing!

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Panam

Houstonians dont think highly of Dallasites and for good reason. I drove down to Houston 10 day ago and its a real city! Like the big cities i'm used to.

I think you're saying DFW mostly composed of suburbanites and lacking in urbanites--the 6 million in DFW are mostly suburbanites.

As for jobs, I've seen 15 headhunters in this "tons of jobs" city and have had zero offers.

Don't forget this is also a "tons of headquarters" city (second to Chicagoland). You really had a hard time job hunting? Wow!

[UNT_Eagle]

Originally Posted by hamiltonpl

I find it ironic that the people who know Dallas best are the ones who stay in the City of Dallas. The transplants who haven't lived here for a minute think the only place to live is Collin County.

The people who know best the area best don't live in CoCo.

True. I was born at Methodist hospital, although I grew up in Carrollton, I've spent alot of time in the Dallas area growing up and it is amazing how much SPRAWL is occurring in the big "D".

[houstoner]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Mom I agree. When you drive up there, you keep thinking, what?>> When did they build all this stuff? How far out does it go? Then you start feeling like you need to turn around and go home. Then you can't get there because of all the congestion (former farm roads) and traffic and idiots on their cell phones in SUVs. Then you start having a panic attack!

You too? I thought it was just me! I guess the only difference is in Dallas the sprawl goes north... here we are beset on all sides!