[Jammie]

Tookey, you don't sound like a travel brochure. You just sound happy with the area you live in. I noticed that you keep referring to~"I moved back home to OK" and that surprised me since you spent your childhood in other areas of the country. I'm sort of the same way. I like my area EXCEPT for winter. Yours is much nicer.

OSU, that's ok. There's a lot of people who think my state is nothing but buffalo and nothingness.

I was kind of surprised to see this thread come back up from the archives the other day. Check out the date. It was actually one month before we went down to Ok. But the question is such an open one and I appreciate hearing from many of you who weren't on CD at that time.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by tookey

Well now you know I just have to commentI was born in Kansas, raised for the first 12yrs in Nebr. moved to Ok went to school here. Moved to New Mexico (4corners area) lived there for 14yrs, traveled all over in Colo. and Az. moved to the Ozarks (Branson area, I also spent every summer there as a kid) then back home to Ok. Been to the West coast then back to Ok. Now after that bit of amazing info.I can truthfully say that Ok is the best specifically Tulsa. Yes, we do have our problems but who doesn't? In my opinion the history here is fascinating. The downtown area is a combination of up and coming urban and old town charm. Some of the large homes/mansions here that were built by the oil barrons are a sight to see, as well as some of the downtown office buildings, if that is your thing. I think we do have world class museums and art gallaries. As well as a world class ballet troup and used to have a great philharmonic I am not sure though that the philharmonic is still with us. We have beautiful lakes and lake towns all around us that are really pretty and quaint. Some of the small towns have retained the old victorian charm. So here in Ok we have pretty much anything to offer. The people here are wonderful, especially the people that were born and raised here. I know that there have been comments regarding the "clannish" attitude of people here but I have found that to be true only with the transplants. The landscape here is really pretty, there are areas in Ok with rolling hills. Specifically in Tulsa we have some pretty amazing landscape. We tend to plant trees wherever there is a free space. Now I know that there are some run down areas, I am not blind to that fact but I do think Tulsa is working on cleaning them up. The crime here goes up and down one yr it is down one yr up. This just happens to be an up year. I am aware that the driver situation could use some work, as well as some of the roads and streets. However I don't think it is any worse than some of the other places I have been. The weather can be a bugger but for the most part we don't do to bad. To answer your question about why Okies stay here for life all I can say is it is comfortable. Lest I not forget our Native American culture let me say that in itself is a colorful and interesting history. And last of all WE LOVE OUR FOOTBALLI hope I have answered your question from my perspective, without sounding too much like a travel brochure. Personally I am proud to be an Okie.

Excellent post!

[tookey]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Tookey, you don't sound like a travel brochure. You just sound happy with the area you live in. I noticed that you keep referring to~"I moved back home to OK" and that surprised me since you spent your childhood in other areas of the country. I'm sort of the same way. I like my area EXCEPT for winter. Yours is much nicer.

OSU, that's ok. There's a lot of people who think my state is nothing but buffalo and nothingness.

I was kind of surprised to see this thread come back up from the archives the other day. Check out the date. It was actually one month before we went down to Ok. But the question is such an open one and I appreciate hearing from many of you who weren't on CD at that time.

Hi Jammie, I did say back to Okla. I guess because when we frst moved here I was 10 and now I am way past petrified I consider Okla my home state. I adopted Okla many yrs ago. My sister though is a bonafide Okie as she was born here. So when people ask me where I am from I say Okla.

[tookey]

Clarification: I notice in my original post I stated that we moved to Okla when I was 12. I want to clarify that I was 10. I don't know where 12 came from at 12 I was going to school at Hawthorne Elem here in Tulsa. Time for me to go to the old folks home I'll go quietly.

[Griffis]

Wow. I was reading back over some of my posts early on in this thread from three years back.

I sound so hostile and full of bile. It surprised me because I think of myself as pretty mellow and easy going.

I said a lot of terrible things about Oklahoma and I think I really blew some things out of proportion.

Since last leaving Oklahoma, I've lived in SW Virginia and now upstate NY.

Though I've spent more time in Oklahoma (several parts of the state) than anywhere else (I think), I have also lived in Texas (born there), Minnesota for several years when I was younger, Arizona, Louisiana, Wyoming, a couple of years in Chicago...and I've spent significant time in several other states.

I think I've concluded something I knew in my heart all along. There is no perfect place. People are generally the same wherever you go. Different cities have different histories...different small towns and rural areas have different climate and scenery...local customs and "flavor" can vary to a degree (for instance, you ever try to get a chicken fried steak in upstate New York??)

...but really, unless you are in a real mess of a depressed and crime-ridden place, (and I've spent a good bit of time in Detroit ) wherever you call "home" is, to a large degree, what you make it.

After years of saying I'd never live in Oklahoma or that part of the country again, I realize some of the benefits and charm of it. In fact I've been putting in for jobs in Texas and would in Oklahoma as well, should some open up in my line of work.

I do like where I am now...I've liked something about every place I've actually lived.

But I know I could live in Oklahoma again and be content.

Except for the cursed heat. That is really the only thing that causes me concern. Heck, I feel uncomfortable at anything over 75 degrees.

But I think I could learn to live with it; just spend as little time outdoors as possible for five months outta the year!

Oklahoma, in a lot of ways I miss you.

[Jammie]

Griffis, what a nice post!!! It sounds like the only thing you really do hate about OK are the summers. I can identify with that. There's really nothing wrong with where I live either EXCEPT our winters. That was one of the main things that made us decide we'd like to live somewhere warmer in the future. You and I are opposites~I just hate cold weather.

We'd actually started looking around when DH hit about 59 cause our intentions were to move when he turned 62. We figured we'd visit somewhere a couple times, maybe spend 2 or 3 weeks "pretending" we live there, etc.

WELL, about the time he did hit 62, the economy was taking a downturn and unemployment was rising and we figured we'd be better to just stay with our old jobs for the moment until things start looking up. Every month we spend at our jobs just gives us a few more dollars of living money for the future.

We're not totally comfy in a huge city, but I also like to avoid very small towns. They can often be cliquish and clannish and I'm not just talking about small towns in OK. We tend to have the same problem in a few of our smaller towns here, too.

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Griffis, what a nice post!!! It sounds like the only thing you really do hate about OK are the summers. I can identify with that. There's really nothing wrong with where I live either EXCEPT our winters. That was one of the main things that made us decide we'd like to live somewhere warmer in the future. You and I are opposites~I just hate cold weather.

We'd actually started looking around when DH hit about 59 cause our intentions were to move when he turned 62. We figured we'd visit somewhere a couple times, maybe spend 2 or 3 weeks "pretending" we live there, etc.

WELL, about the time he did hit 62, the economy was taking a downturn and unemployment was rising and we figured we'd be better to just stay with our old jobs for the moment until things start looking up. Every month we spend at our jobs just gives us a few more dollars of living money for the future.

We're not totally comfy in a huge city, but I also like to avoid very small towns. They can often be cliquish and clannish and I'm not just talking about small towns in OK. We tend to have the same problem in a few of our smaller towns here, too.

hmm? "clannish"? verrry interrresting(touge roll on the r's)
I've only met a few lynch mobs around Stephen County.

[1stANGLICO]

Everyone goes through many stages of their lives. Youth, in-between (college), young adult, parents, empty nest, grandparents, maybe partly retired, and then there may be health issues. Your choice of location may change as your life changes.

When I was young, I remember the advice, "son, you can't eat the scenery", in reference to the Rockies.

Your degree(s) or your skills, depending on how specialized they may be, may dictate the industries that will value you. Many industries are preferentially located in certain states. Family issues often create responsibilities that impact location, as has been mentioned.

We've grown up in Oklahoma, then lived all over New Mexico, and parts of Texas, before returning to Tulsa. This is where our children grew up. They were able to obtain a very good education here, and they were highly competetive, honors students at TU and NYU.

One has returned from the Boston area, believing that this is a better place to raise children. The other has moved away due to the near-fanatical tone that has developed among some religious and conservative groups in recent decades.

And yes, we are from a very conservative background, Goldwater Republicans who were once considered near-fascists, but who are now considered screaming liberals. I'm hoping that the spirit of Will Rogers will rise again, and teach us to laugh at our differences instead of Balkanizing this once-great land. Then maybe my son will feel he can return to his homeland.

United We Stand - Divided We Fall

[tator89]

personally im moving out and cant wait. no offense for ppl who likes it here. there is nothing here for me. im moving to new mexico, where my family is. the only thing that is keeping me here is my job i do love my job and the ppl that i work with. i can honestly say that we all are like a family. but im moving to be closer to family.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by tator89

personally im moving out and cant wait. no offense for ppl who likes it here. there is nothing here for me. im moving to new mexico, where my family is. the only thing that is keeping me here is my job i do love my job and the ppl that i work with. i can honestly say that we all are like a family. but im moving to be closer to family.

There's no better reason then that for wanting to live in a certain place. Years ago, I'd have never dreamed of leaving here cause we were surrounded by family and relatives. Unfortunately, that has all changed throughout the years so moving wouldn't be difficult in those respects.

I hope things work out well for you and you can eventually move back to the area your family lives in.