Georgia is a beautiful state! (Atlanta, Savannah: hotel, houses, neighborhoods)

[CavalierSV650S]

Dear Georgia,

I drove across your state during the last week of April 2008 on a Suzuki SV650S from Savannah via South Carolina, and then spent the night in Statesboro (to see if I could find the meaning of "Statesboro Blues" but alas I was too tired to venture outside the hotel!) From there I rode up North through a pouring rainstorm, got soaking wet and cold. Hung out on the outskirts of Atlanta and contemplated what a big place it was, and whether or not to get lost in the city. I was rained on yet again on the bypass 'round Atlanta and then headed on into Tennessee on my way back home to Kentucky.

Along the way I saw some truly beautiful country and talked to some nice people (folks are nice to strangers when they're on a motorcycle.) I was even able to re-visit the town of Acworth, where some 17 years ago our senior trip bus broke down and left us stranded at a truck stop.

Thank you Georgia for the hospitality, it's a long trip but I hope to see it again in even better detail. If you know anybody looking for a somewhat reliable and questionably stable X-ray technologist let me know!

Peace,

Joe Eversole
Jenkins, KY

For some great music, listen to WMMT 88.7 FM online @ www.wmmtfm.org. Listener supported public radio from Whitesburg...I have a rather insane rock and roll show on Tuesday nights at 11pm "Evershow." Check it out & listen via live365.

[ME-Evergreen]

I certainly agree with you. Georgia is a beautiful state an has some of the nicest people around!

[deja-zebbie]

Joe,

If you think you'd like to move to Georgia, I suggest you check to see if there are any positions at the at (1) Spaulding Regional, (2) the little hospital in Forsyth (this is the town of Forsyth, NOT Forsyth county) and Forsyth is growing; (3) Upson Regional in Thomaston and (4) Coloseum (sp) NORTH or NORTHSIDE hospital. I like the Coloseum NORTH the best (haven't been to the hospital in Forsyth, though) in terms of ambiance, but I've only used that hospital as an outpatient. I only mention this hospital last as it's in Macon.

If I were in the medical field I CERTAINLY would choose Spaulding over Upson (got **9** x-rays instead of **1** by STUDENTS there a few years ago and -- and have NEVER gone back. The X-ray "guy" at the time (who came in after this screw-up had a "so what" kind of attitude). So, while they might not have an opening, they sure did NEED a responsible Xray tech at that time. I don't know anything about working conditions are like there. It might be a good place to work.

Emory (the one near the University) -- in addition to being a wonderful hosptal -- appears to me to be a GREAT place for staff as the staff always appear to have TIME and seem friendly and yes, actually sort of happy. Thing is, Emory is in Atlanta and Atlanta is a big, sprawling and from what I understand, expensive place to live.

The other hospitals I've mentioned are all in or NEAR smaller towns and rural areas.
If given a choice, I wouldn't pick Griffin (where Spaulding is) to live, but rather live in the more rural areas near Griffin.

Griffin has a nice residental section near the old downtown, but I've heard on this list that there are gangs in Griffin. Also, part of Griffin is sprawly but without the amenities that would warrant such sprawl.
The small town of Zebulon is near Griffin as is Milner (not really a town, more of just a rural area). If you like rural, the hospital in Forsyth and the Northside Coloseum (sp) one in Macon would be near Bollingbroke and Smar, tiny rural areas. Also on the other side of Forsyth, the area between Forsyth and Barnesville is quite nice and country like. In fact I find that area very appealing. The Johnstonville area of Barnesville is rural and has a nice community and country feel. You'll see houses with horses, cattle and sometimes buffalos in those two areas.

We thought about moving to Thomaston at one time (that's where Upson Regional is) but I felt that town had a lot of tension, and I didn't care much for what **I** felt was a lot of disparity between haves and have nots. Here, I am speaking of intown living. There are country parts of Thomaston that are nice with trout farms, etc. Also the area between Thomaston and The Rock is nice and rural, with farms.


I find that smaller more rural towns and area CAN provide more of an economic/social/cultural/age "mix" in neighborhoods, particularly intown. The country/county parts of these area generally have QUITE a mix. Personally I LIKE a town when a street has a real mix and all the neighbors actually know each other. I think that makes a nice social mix as well and in our neck of the woods I see this mix in social life and marriages (i.e., the pilots socializing with professors, the emergency responders with the administrators, etc.). In our "former life" since the area we lived in became quite developed, housing was mainly new developments and it was basically economic segregation, so there might not always be as many opportunities of meeting such a variety of people. I certainly see the value of housing developments (as I've lived in developments twice in my life) but just saying that they are generally made up of people who have recently moved either into an area or from another area (in the same town or city) and are often inhabited by folks of similar economic status. This can be a real advantage, but I guess my interests lie more with farmers, carpenters, people who raise cattle, folks who raise and hogs and make their own bacon..that kind of thing.

If you like the countryside and small rural areas you could see if any positions are open in the hospitals listed above.

I think you'd be surprised how you can find people in medical fields living in small towns and rural areas near but not in the town where they work. Some of the smaller towns have relatively stable populations and personally I think that's a plus.
A word of caution though, the small towns and rural areas are GREAT places to live, but ONLY if you are not looking for a lot of amenities. Thing is, while this seems like a contradiction...an inexpensive and very rich lifestyle is easily achieveable in these areas. Again, though, this is if you find things like living on acerage with your own pond (like a private lake), and nice neighbors an agreeable lifestyle. Or if you like in-town living where people actually greet you on the street. These areas are not for everyone and I would never suggest them for folks who like city life.

My husband and I relocated to Georgia and have been very happy.

All the best, Zebbie

PS If I have confused any of the hospital or town names, I hope anyone on this list will feel free to chime in.