Oklahomas Freindliness

peggydavis · 07-12-2007, 04:23 PM

You are right Nita, everything everywhere is faster moving.

If you were here on business, pw, I wonder if you mostly were encountering young people in service industries, as in restaurants and motels near the airport/interstates. I really don't think the younger generation is as friendly to others as the older generation. That's probably true everywhere as well. I certainly want to apologize to you if you were not treated well, and I hope if you ever visit again that you have a better experience.

I do agree with you that OKC 85 and OKC 07 are very different places. Since the mid-eighties, OKC, along with the rest of the state, has been through some tough times. From Boom town to Bust town, and everything in between. I had to think for a while about life was "back in the day." I think we did have a more cheerful attitude back then, but things have been looking up in the past few years, thank God! Also, a lot less cowboy now than during the oil boom.

pw72 · 07-12-2007, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peggydavis

You are right Nita, everything everywhere is faster moving.

If you were here on business, pw, I wonder if you mostly were encountering young people in service industries, as in restaurants and motels near the airport/interstates. I really don't think the younger generation is as friendly to others as the older generation. That's probably true everywhere as well. I certainly want to apologize to you if you were not treated well, and I hope if you ever visit again that you have a better experience.

I do agree with you that OKC 85 and OKC 07 are very different places. Since the mid-eighties, OKC, along with the rest of the state, has been through some tough times. From Boom town to Bust town, and everything in between. I had to think for a while about life was "back in the day." I think we did have a more cheerful attitude back then, but things have been looking up in the past few years, thank God! Also, a lot less cowboy now than during the oil boom.

Thanks for a great response. I certainly understand what you are saying. In '85 there was a genuine optimistic view of the future. And you are exactly right, there have been some tough times...the oil bust, the bombing, and even that horrible Moore tornado. I guess I am not that surprised the city feels different today, just wasn't expecting it. Cities change, and OKC has. (or maybe it was just all the recent rain!...my trip was a couple of weeks ago in the middle of the record precip days in a row!

Manhattan-ite · 07-12-2007, 10:47 PM

Oklahomans are OK nice, I think. I've encountered some young folks working gas stations and fast-food joints who won't even say "hi", but most people are outgoing and friendly. Nothing to write home about, though, I think.

Now, Kansas is friendlier to me. My wife and I flew to Kansas City the other day and we were amazed at how incredibly curteous and nice the people were. Then we went down to Oklahoma to visit the family and we weren't as happy with the treatment we got from some Okies.

I think they're just weary of strangers.

Jammie · 07-13-2007, 11:27 AM

Well, some of the younger crowd is just a bit different from the people in our era. A couple days ago I read a post on another state forum where the person stated he didn't like to live in an area where people felt they had to say, "HI" or give him a smile. He felt people who smiled at him were insecure. I've read that theory recently that if you smile at people, you're insecure and looking for approval. Guess that's a new thing, but there are some younger people who embrace the idea.

peggydavis · 07-13-2007, 12:16 PM

Well, I guess most of us Okies are pretty insecure then, LOL! To me, if someone is afraid to look and smile at others, that would be insecure.

Oklahoma City has gone through some hard times, and was pretty much down and out in the early 90's, but the people decided to do something about it. Some really good leadership and a willingness to try something new led to some exciting new developments in the city. It sounded far fetched at first (like a canal downtown) but it has really paid off.
Oklahoma City has been picked to host the annual mayor's conference in 2009, I think, an event that usually takes place in much larger places like Chicago or L.A. I think the changes have been for the better.

_redbird_ · 07-13-2007, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OKC Chanel

Steer clear from OKC? Gang banging? full of nonsense.

Eewkay. Lots of nonsense!

If you stay in Nichols Hills, it IS nonsense.

Southside Locos and NE OKC are a far cry from Nichols Hills. It is a sad fact. Of course, I only lived on the perimeter of Nichols Hills, NE 50th and Lincoln Blvd. And my job requires regular visits to OK County Jail. So, I have many more gang banger contacts than I do with Nichols Hills. We obviously travel different paths in OKC. It is NOT nonsense, Chanel. I didn't tell anyone to stear clear of OKC, I said I stear clear of it.

On the other hand, any rural area is night and day from city life. I lived in Manhattan, KS and KC is way different from rural KS.

Mattie Jo · 07-14-2007, 04:30 AM

Well, I don't know about the larger cities, but in my neck of the woods it is more friendly than any State I have ever lived in and visited. Arkansas has that same friendliness. But I have ranted on and on about the friendliness here in other threads, so I don't really want to keep repeating myself.

Maybe those that don't say hi on the streets have moved here from other States. LOL.

Put a smile on your face when you are shopping and see how many more hellos and smiles you get back.

nmnita · 07-14-2007, 08:46 AM

We see the difference here in just 6 years. NM can be friendly but I wouldn't put it into the same catagory as the south for certain. Still, when we moved to our neighborhood 6 years ago anytime we were out walking the dogs everyone waved, whether in their yard (then we actually would usually talk and exchange niceties) or driving by. 6 years, many people have moved to the city for better medical care, some have passed away and others have decided to re-locate to be closer to family. The new set don't seem to have time to stop and visit awhile or are on their cell phones so can't see us wave. Even then, if we wave and are seen everyone waves back.

Nita

Jammie · 07-14-2007, 10:42 AM

Well....give me a happy, friendly, smiling person any day over some snob.

Guess I didn't realize that Ark. people were friendly, too. That's good to know cause it's so close to OK and would be a nice day trip.

Mattie Jo · 07-14-2007, 01:19 PM

Jammie, The first time I went to Arkansas I went into two antique stores and the clerk was not friendly. I was about to chalk up Arkansas as being unfriendly, but after going back I changed my mind.

Then something else changed my mind. I went looking for an Emerson ceiling fan. The are the best and not made in China, or so I am told. I called to a company in Oklahoma and got the run-a-round. They wanted me to buy their cheap fan. I refused. I called Tulsa, and I got more of the same. Finally I called a company in Ft. Smith, and he said that he would call me right back. He called within 15 minutes, another within a half hour, but I had already chosen the first. He had it shipped to his shop in 3 days. In Oklahoma I got "we can it it but it will take 3 to 6 weeks," to "I called Emerson in Texas but they didn't call back. We have some nice fans here. Come and look." And when we walked into the store in Ft. Smith, the man said, "Oh, you must be the ones that ordered..." Yes, we were.

So you can go back and forth on which State is the friendliest. Sometimes it just depends on who you are dealing with.