First Week in Maine (Bangor, Bar Harbor: closing, live, garden)

[znlwovuhrjw]

Originally Posted by 1986pacecar

I find many of the posts by the OP in this thread to be extremely negative on CA and overly idealistic when it comes to Maine. Having lived in neither state I can't really comment on pros and cons but why does he have to dump on CA to justify his move to Maine? I've been to Maine on vacation dozens of times over the past 25 years and love the state and would consider moving there after I retire but even if I did I wouldn't bash my home state. It seems unseemly to attack a state with 40 million residents as if they were a monolithic entity rather than 40 million individuals.

Negative doesn't even cover it! "Overly Idealistic" yes, there is no university that exists in California nor has there ever been that would financially assist me for a university, so Maine wins by a landslide with a full ride amount of grants. Tell me something better about California that doesn't come back to "weather" because I've heard the suburban and smog filled story in real life for a good couple decades now.

There is nothing to justify, show me an opinionated post I have written that didn't have a set of data resources to go with it. Meanwhile, show me something about Maine that has nearly as an abysmal future as California does with DATA resources. If you are going to point to paper mills and taxes, refer to your spending power potential with your obscene state taxes before you come to this forum to target one user that doesn't want to worship California. Have you ever talked to the general populace about moving to another state, let alone on the east coast?

The smug of the average Californian alone could kill another state, when they tell you California is the only habitable place on a daily basis and you only hear about hear in real life from the youngest to the oldest how Maine is a "swamp forest with nothing to do and nothing worth talking about." it gets really old after awhile.

[1986pacecar]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

Negative doesn't even cover it! "Overly Idealistic" yes, there is no university that exists in California nor has there ever been that would financially assist me for a university, so Maine wins by a landslide with a full ride amount of grants. Tell me something better about California that doesn't come back to "weather" because I've heard the suburban and smog filled story in real life for a good couple decades now.

There is nothing to justify, show me an opinionated post I have written that didn't have a set of data resources to go with it. Meanwhile, show me something about Maine that has nearly as an abysmal future as California does with DATA resources. If you are going to point to paper mills and taxes, refer to your spending power potential with your obscene state taxes before you come to this forum to target one user that doesn't want to worship California. Have you ever talked to the general populace about moving to another state, let alone on the east coast?

The smug of the average Californian alone could kill another state, when they tell you California is the only habitable place on a daily basis and you only hear about hear in real life from the youngest to the oldest how Maine is a "swamp forest with nothing to do and nothing worth talking about." it gets really old after awhile.

No need to get so worked up about it I still say your painting the entire state including the 40 million residents with the same brush and that's unfair. Also, you say that your "opinionated post" (Now that's an understatement!) is backed in facts. How exactly is "smug" a fact? I get it, you are bitter, really bitter, about California but you need to let it go. It's not doing you any good to get so worked up over it.

[znlwovuhrjw]

Originally Posted by 1986pacecar

No need to get so worked up about it I still say your painting the entire state including the 40 million residents with the same brush and that's unfair. Also, you say that your "opinionated post" (Now that's an understatement!) is backed in facts. How exactly is "smug" a fact? I get it, you are bitter, really bitter, about California but you need to let it go. It's not doing you any good to get so worked up over it.

It is the same brush, there is nothing to get worked up about. That's just the way Californians are, now if you haven't already, make your instagram, facebook, twitter, and blog post about your "ordeal" with people who really care about another Californian.

Moving on, our first home buyer group fell through. Although we already have new bidders, the new home escrow should be 30 days maybe even less instead of 45 days. We've been doing some upkeep work and it has been very humid outside for the past 3 days with temps of 90 degrees and 60-80% humidity. Everything is almost done, now it's just the little things that need to be fixed around the house. Some roof patching, septic pumping, and some gutter/dry rot repair.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Rhapsodie2014

I hope she is happy now......and ya know everyone is different.....if you are in the wrong place, it can lead to severe depression...

She says that if she were to try to move back, they would have to live in a ghetto in SF. She could never afford Oakland now, and then of course, everyone there will run out of water in about a year.

[znlwovuhrjw]

The only reason I hope for that "El Nino" rainstorm so that: Californians stay in the containment state and the winter in Maine will hopefully be less severe. On the flipside for those who have read NASA's reports: The water supply in California has been dropping since 2002 because of the lack of rain, hotter mountains = less snowmelt, and the ever increasing population for a Arid Mediterranean and Desert climate. On the note of how the sierra nevada looks right now, almost the entire forest of Stanislaus County is completely burned up and part of Yosemite is as well from rampant forest fires (I drove through Stanislaus County all the way to Merced County and then back to Modesto from Merced). I guess the only thing to stay for in the state now is a dry lake bed and the big cities that are getting ready to meter your monthly allowance of water with an added price increase. California PRIVILEGE!

Another update! We found a nice family that wants our old home, so after the inspection period ends June 20th, the house is officially sold on July 15th, then we can get the hell out of here before we have to let the entire landscape die from no watering days!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

The only reason I hope for that "El Nino" rainstorm so that: Californians stay in the containment state and the winter in Maine will hopefully be less severe. On the flipside for those who have read NASA's reports: The water supply in California has been dropping since 2002 because of the lack of rain, hotter mountains = less snowmelt, and the ever increasing population for a Arid Mediterranean and Desert climate. On the note of how the sierra nevada looks right now, almost the entire forest of Stanislaus County is completely burned up and part of Yosemite is as well from rampant forest fires (I drove through Stanislaus County all the way to Merced County and then back to Modesto from Merced). I guess the only thing to stay for in the state now is a dry lake bed and the big cities that are getting ready to meter your monthly allowance of water with an added price increase. California PRIVILEGE!

Another update! We found a nice family that wants our old home, so after the inspection period ends June 20th, the house is officially sold on July 15th, then we can get the hell out of here before we have to let the entire landscape die from no watering days!

Congratulations on selling your house.

So sad to hear about Yosemite.

[mooksmom]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

Just wanted to drop by and say some great things about Maine vs. California.

Everything is cheaper in Maine, not just in terms of sales tax, but food is cheaper. Alcohol, movie tickets, gas, permits, houses, driving time distance and several other things are just plain cheaper.

City/public water is significantly superior in taste.

Dunkin Donuts coffee > Starbucks coffee

Snow quality is very nice, that BS people said about the texture being overly hard is ridiculous.

The University of Maine presentation, staff, students, and overall organization of buildings and college events are very friendly and just plain fun. Stanford and UCLA are not nearly as exciting or adventurous, and are ridiculously expensive. The cafeteria food swept the floor on California food quality and exceeded my expectations.

I have never met anyone in Maine that wasn't friendly so far, people who said otherwise must be some sort of amazing oddity. Even the oldtimers were friendly!

There is no "Culture Shock" that people from California talk about, Mainers are REAL and I don't feel like I'm talking to some plastic mask with a middle finger hidden behind a text messaging app.

Shop variety; there is ALWAYS another new shop. There are chain stores sure, but I LOVE the uniqueness of many different shops.

Hannafords > Safeway, Savemart, Raleys, etc. Just my opinion, there is SOMETHING NEW IN EACH ONE.

Bangor > San Francisco. A bit of a stretch for some of you perhaps, but I love the Penobscot River view and Seadog's Brewery. There's many other things to say such as.. PARKING yes. A lovely feeling of suburban blend with cool shops.

State access: Vermont and New Hampshire then of course Canada! Okay sure in California you can reach Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona if you drive for 6-12 hours, but the New England atmosphere can't possibly be beat by desert. If I really miss the desert, I'll just visit the desert in Maine

Jobs, jobs, JOBS. Everywhere I look there is someone hiring. Look, the pay might be slightly less, but a job is a job. In California you fight to death for the privilege to MAYBE sweep a floor or clean windshields, here you at least have room to put your foot in the door.

The search for houses here, we have been through many. The first house was a disappointment, but as we continue to look we just keep finding better houses, and honestly I have never seen such unique design between houses, back home all the houses look the same, but these are always another adventure.

All in all, not only was mom impressed she was floored by how amazing Maine is and what it has to offer. The worst part about this trip is going back to California.

Now you've blown Maine's 'best kept secrets' of WHY it is the wonderful place it is!
Peeps on C/D will be RUNNING to Maine by the droves (not sure the # of peeps IN a drove, but per C/S's Charlotte threads, it's more than MANY) in short order, and changing it all. As one who has lived from coast to coast, I've found places similar to Maine but keep them to myself or close friends so that THAT doesn't happen. It worked in Charlotte, NC for almost 25 yrs....

[znlwovuhrjw]

Originally Posted by mooksmom

Now you've blown Maine's 'best kept secrets' of WHY it is the wonderful place it is!
Peeps on C/D will be RUNNING to Maine by the droves (not sure the # of peeps IN a drove, but per C/S's Charlotte threads, it's more than MANY) in short order, and changing it all. As one who has lived from coast to coast, I've found places similar to Maine but keep them to myself or close friends so that THAT doesn't happen. It worked in Charlotte, NC for almost 25 yrs....

I'm not really too worried about it, most people don't believe anyone anyways :P.

Another update: Roof repaired! Now we just have to wait for the house inspector and the roof inspector.

[znlwovuhrjw]

Another update: The home buyer's last request was that we fix some chipped/cracked peeling paint so that the children couldn't get near it. We went above and beyond that request and used wood putty, primer, and paint to repair those entire sections.

As soon as the realtor returns this Monday to take photos of the repair, a closing date will be coming within a week and we'll be on our way to our property in Maine!

[Electric Wizard]

Great Post and thread Kingdomkz!