Help!!! Convince me I want to live in Manassas area (rent, crime)

[smokemaster]

17 per hour in Manassas is 11 per hour in Richmond. Living in a motel sucks a lot worse than living in Manassas. So does dying of old age on I-66.

[FairfaxGuy73]

Maybe OP should get one of the long-term hotel rooms for a month and check it out. It's a lot cheaper than making the wrong decision.

[bmwguydc]

I'd say that you'd be better off looking for a roommate/housemate situation where you basically live there Monday to Friday morning, and then head back to Richmond. I would do that for a few months, since you'd save money on a hotel, yet you would not have to move all of your things, especially if you're not sold on the area.

I'd also look more to the Fairfax area in addition to the better parts of Manassas, especially if you could find part of a townhouse or house to rent. The commute to/from Manassas is not bad from Fair Oaks, since you're headed aginst traffic on 66.

[Claire2900]

You don't mention what you like to do besides fish, and I where I don't think Manassas would excite too many people, it sounds like you really wouldn't be happy anywhere but back home. You need to either embrace the change and move towards making this your home, constantly feel miserable, or simply move back to Richmond.

[FairfaxGuy73]

At least two local DJ's routinely mock Manassas. Just local perspectives of the place to keep in mind.

[Dazed&Confused]

Really? Which 2 DJ's and what stations?

[South Jersey Styx]

Originally Posted by Johnfish

I got a job in Manassas at the begining of january. I have been living in motels and traveling to richmond every weekend (my present home). I am sooo home sick. The job is ok but I am so not wanting to move. Of course with the economy being what it is I have little choice in the matter. Having spent the last 4 months trying to get to know the area I am not impressed. I have found no descent fishing. (my only way of staying sane) I have found little that excites me in the way of rental properties and I just cant get excited about the area. Can anyone give me a good reason (other than the job) that I would want to move here.

OP, I've been in your situation and ended up leaving the place I hated so much. I tried and tried to like the place and get used to it and it simply wasn't for me. I knew I hated it in the beginning but hung in there hoping things would change but they didn't. In the end, I left and celebrated my departure from that place.

From your post, your gut instinct is already telling you how you feel about Manassas. Obviously you know what you like/dislike, and with passion at that. If you already know that "little excites you about the area" then it won't get better (personally, I do not favor Manassas either). However, you did mention that your job is OK. Perhaps you could find a room to rent for 4 nights during the week (M, T,W,Th) and maybe cut down the costs while looking for a new job in Richmond. Or maybe find a room to rent (for the 4 nights) somewhere near work outside of Manassas (S or SE of Manassas) so that on Fridays, it's easier to head home to Richmond. I'm sure there are some likeable towns or communities outside of Manassas. Part of the tension in all this is the instability of it all -- the coming and going, back and forth, over and over and over; not having a real home to rest in at the end of the day, even a temporary home.

BTW, there are plenty of folks on the "Genereal Moving Issues" Forum who have a similar story as yours -- some folks who made cross-country moves and ended up hating it. You may want to post there also and share your story. Good luck to you! Life's too short to be miserable!

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by Dazed&Confused

Really? Which 2 DJ's and what stations?

Eliot in the Morning, but the one who really makes/made fun of it was Roach of Roach Clips. Every show when I'd listen, he'd rip the place. And if anyone called in and mentioned it, he'd go, "Manassas! I LOVE Manassas!"

One time, caller didn't get the humor, and said "Why?" Even people who didn't catch the joke knew that it wasn't a desirable place.

[smokemaster]

The Greaseman use to go after Waldorf, MD pretty hard.

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by smokemaster

The Greaseman use to go after Waldorf, MD pretty hard.

Ah the Greaseman. I remember him going after somewhere but couldn't remember which. Too bad he went over the top. He was funny. Rush Limbaugh used to go after Rio Linda, CA years and years after he'd left his station in Sacramento. Ripping towns is just good clean fun. Too bad so many folks get so sore about it. I used to work in a place that had people from all over the country by necessity, and poking fun was just part of the camaraderie.