Is It Me or this City????? (Newport News, Hampton: apartments, home, standard of living)

[annointed09]

I've moved here 2008 and yes I am blessed, but at times I feel like I am lacking motivation. I feel like this city im living in called Newport news can be depressing at times. Like it's missing something joy perhaps. I struggle with the fact that maybe cause it has alot of retirees and their minds aren't on doing things or enjoying life. I like to write, and I looked at my stories and the dates were, last year and when I first came here, it's like I have writers block. Don't get me wrong one thing I love about Newport news is the green, the land and trees but how long is that going to last?everytime I turn around they are knocking down trees and building apartments, it's like cramming a whole bunch of people in a small apartment. Is it me or this city?

[Coconut1]

It's the cities around here. Nobody is set on moving forward. There's a definite lack of motivation and aspiration in this area. Everyone is happy with the status quo. It's sad, really.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by annointed09

I've moved here 2008 and yes I am blessed, but at times I feel like I am lacking motivation. I feel like this city im living in called Newport news can be depressing at times. Like it's missing something joy perhaps. I struggle with the fact that maybe cause it has alot of retirees and their minds aren't on doing things or enjoying life. I like to write, and I looked at my stories and the dates were, last year and when I first came here, it's like I have writers block. Don't get me wrong one thing I love about Newport news is the green, the land and trees but how long is that going to last?everytime I turn around they are knocking down trees and building apartments, it's like cramming a whole bunch of people in a small apartment. Is it me or this city?

I think it's kinda both. Newport News in trying to grow but from my last visit there (june 09) it was actually held in check. The retirees are there but NN also has a working class that likes to work hard and play hard. So I think it's something in you that's kind of likes busyness. Hampton Roads is very laid back, some love it that way, some hate it that way. You may fall in the latter.

If you want trade cities with me, you can have my town (for only 4 more days) Alexandria, VA. We have young folks here out enjoying life (drinking and making kids all the time) but there is NO land or trees here. Everything is all concrete here. This area has a rapid rat race materialistic mentality which I absolutely hate.

Can't really help with the writers block but if you want green space a drive on I-64 west out of HR can help with that.

[emeraldgirl]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

It's the cities around here. Nobody is set on moving forward. There's a definite lack of motivation and aspiration in this area. Everyone is happy with the status quo. It's sad, really.

Sadly, I have to agree. I will always love my "home" since I was born and raised in HR but it just seemed like it was always lacking something. I could never really describe what that "something" was. Maybe it is just me though. Don't get me wrong, there are things I truly miss but glad that I decided to relocate.

[UHgrad]

Newport News is not an area for artsy folks I wouldn't imagine, it just doesn't have that kind of vibe. There is plenty to do, but not a lot of "energy" in the sense of people being showy and making a scene in public. More BBQ with your friends/family on the weekend, go fishing, go to your kids baseball game and hang out with the other parents kind of stuff. I find myself with more to do than I have time for... but I grew up in the area and have family and long-time friends here so take that for what its worth.

Originally Posted by Coconut1

It's the cities around here. Nobody is set on moving forward. There's a definite lack of motivation and aspiration in this area. Everyone is happy with the status quo. It's sad, really.

I guess everyone has their idea about what moving forward should be, and it is convenient to call other peoples contentment with their lives a lack of motivation or aspiration... especially if you have a different idea about progress than they do. I would be apprehensive about calling it sad though, perhaps its just not in line with your world view and that frustrates you. People said the same thing about the locals when I lived in Hawaii but look what "progress" and moving forward has done to Honolulu... it turned a place with tremendous natural beauty into a run-down urban ghetto where only the elite can afford a decent standard of living while most locals live paycheck to paycheck and barely make ends meet.

[Erma]

Originally Posted by EMERALDGIRL

Sadly, I have to agree. I will always love my "home" since I was born and raised in HR but it just seemed like it was always lacking something. I could never really describe what that "something" was. Maybe it is just me though. Don't get me wrong, there are things I truly miss but glad that I decided to relocate.

I think everyone should relocate that isn't happy in their home environment. It's healthy to do this. We were in Nashville, Memphis and Little Rock last week, spoke to locals in all three places, mostly the "Y" generations type. They all said they wanted to get out and experience new things. Well, if you don't go and do it, it isn't going to happen and nobody is going to do it for you. Keep your hometown in your thoughts, get away, try new things. If you don't, then there's no one to blame but yourself.

[emeraldgirl]

Originally Posted by Erma

I think everyone should relocate that isn't happy in their home environment. It's healthy to do this. We were in Nashville, Memphis and Little Rock last week, spoke to locals in all three places, mostly the "Y" generations type. They all said they wanted to get out and experience new things. Well, if you don't go and do it, it isn't going to happen and nobody is going to do it for you. Keep your hometown in your
thoughts, get away, try new things. If you don't, then there's no one to blame but yourself.

Thanks Erma...I feel I made the right decision to leave. I relocated to where I did for the natural beauty and the gorgeous beaches. I am afraid that this time tomorrow though, the oil slick will have reached the Panhandle of FL. This truly saddens me and I am heartbroken. I guess the only thing I can do is help with the clean-up efforts. I am disgusted with the thought about what the oil spill will do to our marine life and beaches. I live right on the sound and see dolphins out there everyday now that it's warmer. It just brings me to tears with the anticipation of the devastating affects it will have on our coastline.

(sorry for the rant and hijacking the thread)

[Erma]

Originally Posted by EMERALDGIRL

Thanks Erma...I feel I made the right decision to leave. I relocated to where I did for the natural beauty and the gorgeous beaches. I am afraid that this time tomorrow though, the oil slick will have reached the Panhandle of FL. This truly saddens me and I am heartbroken. I guess the only thing I can do is help with the clean-up efforts. I am disgusted with the thought about what the oil spill will do to our marine life and beaches. I live right on the sound and see dolphins out there everyday now that it's warmer. It just brings me to tears with the anticipation of the devastating affects it will have on our coastline.

(sorry for the rant and hijacking the thread)

Natural beauty is something most of us appreciate and why some relocate and stay where they are. I think we all need to help out in some way when a "manmade" disaster happens, regardless of who is accountable and lack of precautionary measures. I also believe what I said in the previous post. Which goes with the saying "love it or leave it." I've lived in some pretty areas, love to revisit and I've lived in places where it wasn't all that. Glad I got to experience those places though. I am about to revisit my hometown after a few years. Most of it has forgotten about me, some of it hasn't, but I know my home is here in Va beach and I will probably give a big sigh of relief when I land back in ORF.

[emeraldgirl]

Originally Posted by Erma

Natural beauty is something most of us appreciate and why some relocate and stay where they are. I think we all need to help out in some way when a "manmade" disaster happens, regardless of who is accountable and lack of precautionary measures. I also believe what I said in the previous post. Which goes with the saying "love it or leave it." I've lived in some pretty areas, love to revisit and I've lived in places where it wasn't all that. Glad I got to experience those places though. I am about to revisit my hometown after a few years. Most of it has forgotten about me, some of it hasn't, but I know my home is here in Va beach and I will probably give a big sigh of relief when I land back in ORF.

Glad that you are able to call HR home, Erma.

This disaster could have been prevented. It is not like a hurricane although the anxious feelings are quite similar. It is like the calm before the storm.

[Coconut1]

I hope it all goes well, Emerald.

I saw McDonnell in the paper (the article was right below the one about the massive spill) saying even with this disaster, we still must drill here.

Remember to write, join groups and ensure VA doesn't drill off the coast. It's sad enough the LA spill has a chance to affect us, but just imagine how awful it would be if it was off our coast.