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Heh, you are very correct in that statement. Every region has its problems but I've learned over time that certain people can tolerate different problems that others can't abide. The type of problems found in the Northeast just aren't for me, which is why I hope to be quite far south of the Mason-Dixon line in the near future.
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One thing I have been wondering about is chemistry. There may-or may not be-chemistry between two individuals. Could there be chemistry between an individual and a place?
I live in Champaign, IL and mostly like it. The Pros: The cost of living is low, and housing affordable. I have a house in the city with a great lot and no home owners association. There is decent bus service in town, which is nice to have even if I don't really use it much anymore. I like that there is an Amtrak station too. The university really adds culture and makes it reasonable to live here-- I can go to the university and there are great events like the lyric theater program and other things going on. The schools are decent-- they have extracurriculars, serve a wide variety of students, and have AP classes at the high school and so forth. There is no traffic-- no traffic jams or gridlock, etc. It is less than three hours to both Indianapolis and Chicago and three hours to St. Louis. It has most things I would want to do available.
The cons: the transport to other cities is awful. The area is also a bit small in some ways, like jobs can be super competitive due to the university. There isn't everything I want to do in the area. It is far from an airport that has more than one airline. I wouldn't mind an area that is a bit bigger.
One thing I have been wondering about is chemistry. There may-or may not be-chemistry between two individuals. Could there be chemistry between an individual and a place?
Yes, there is a chemistry between a person and place. Or, there isn't. Like places you've driven through and just hated, or loved...
Yes, there is a chemistry between a person and place. Or, there isn't. Like places you've driven through and just hated, or loved...
I completely agree with this. After four years of trying everything I can, I don't see myself ever feeling at "home" in Oklahoma City. Me and the culture here just don't resonate. There is a saying that "wherever you go, there you are" which is true to an extent, but some places are better fits for some people than others.
Can weigh in here as a long-time Denverite. I've been considering leaving for a long time. It's not an altogether *bad* place to live, I don't want to knock it and wouldn't dissuade anyone from coming here if it feels right. It's a very pretty area and is somewhat laid back. The outdoors is within reach. It could be an ideal place for a lot of people.
Most of what I am *not* fond of comes from personal preference. For one, this is a large state where everything is very spread out. You basically have to drive everywhere. Mass transit options are very limited. You also have to contend with the occasional brutal snowstorm if you do end up driving. I am not a fan of driving at all and am very interested in living somewhere with a subway or train system within reach. At least until they perfect those self-driving cars!
Another thing I find that has made me consider relocating is that this just does not seem like a very sophisticated place. Overall the people are decent and nice, and I have met some very intelligent ones at that too. But whenever I have visited large cities around the world, I found that I could walk outside my door and there would be no shortage of things to do. In Washington DC for example you have the museums, cultural activities, arts, history, and so on. I would not have to go far to meet interesting people from all kinds of walks of life. In Denver you basically get the mountains, the mountains, and the mountains. People for the most part are into football, where to get tacos, craft beer, outdoor activities, etc.. That's fine, but if your interests fall outside of those things, you have to work a lot harder to find the right outlets. I have found it extremely difficult to pursue some of the hobbies and interests I have had here, but I know it would have been a piece of cake to do so on the coastal cities. The place just does not have the same complexity of places like San Francisco, New York, DC, and so on.
The grass is always greener elsewhere of course, but I have spent a very long time in this area. Maybe part of what I am feeling comes from just needing a change. For those reasons I have been looking at alternatives.
Aside from perception/people knocking them, not sure what complaints are about DET/CLE/STL.
None of them get tornadoes like in OKC, esp CLE at least. It gets snow, but that is what it is.
Cleveland certainly isn't very conservative, politically or culturally.
Cleveland has as many, or more in the way of hills, tall trees/forest, and beaches (albeit) Great Lakes ones, and geologic features/waterfalls, than a majority of the cities on your list do. It has a national park right in the metro, how many other cities can say that? Plus it's 3 hrs. from Niagara Falls, Letchworth Canyon and the Allegheny Mountains.
All 3 of STL, CLE and yes, even DET would feel significantly larger, and offer significantly more urban scape than OKC would, or several other cities on your list for that matter.
All 3 of STL, CLE and yes, even DET would feel significantly larger, and offer significantly more urban scape than OKC would, or several other cities on your list for that matter.
I don't doubt that all of those cities are a notch (or several) above OKC in most or all areas. However, I wouldn't move to them unless I didn't have another option. I have visited them and I just didn't like the vibe. I could probably be convinced on St. Louis and Cleveland, but Birmingham and Detroit are in my "never" list and that isn't changing. Salt Lake City is interesting. I could live there if it wasn't in Utah, but the state is just too conservative, moreso than Oklahoma. As a left-leaning individual, moving there would feel like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
I don't doubt that all of those cities are a notch (or several) above OKC in most or all areas. However, I wouldn't move to them unless I didn't have another option. I have visited them and I just didn't like the vibe. .
In which case, you would likely regret moving there.
Last edited by Tim Randal Walker; 06-10-2016 at 12:18 AM..
Aside from perception/people knocking them, not sure what complaints are about DET/CLE/STL.
None of them get tornadoes like in OKC, esp CLE at least. It gets snow, but that is what it is.
Cleveland certainly isn't very conservative, politically or culturally.
Cleveland has as many, or more in the way of hills, tall trees/forest, and beaches (albeit) Great Lakes ones, and geologic features/waterfalls, than a majority of the cities on your list do. It has a national park right in the metro, how many other cities can say that? Plus it's 3 hrs. from Niagara Falls, Letchworth Canyon and the Allegheny Mountains.
All 3 of STL, CLE and yes, even DET would feel significantly larger, and offer significantly more urban scape than OKC would, or several other cities on your list for that matter.
That's interesting. In my opinion Cleveland doesn't compare to St. Louis on many levels. Everything from climate to culture is different... I've spent a few years in both cities. St. Louis is kind of a dump.
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For those reasons I have been looking at alternatives.
