Curious about Phoenix

[cmist]

Moderator cut: orphaned quote
[mod] off topic [mod]
The family life here when you have kids limits you to needing to find ways to entertain your whole family that do NOT cost a fortune and are much more easily accessible than a few hours away. For us the beach fit that bill, and all the humidity it brings. But the kids are too young to want to move away from their friends at the moment so we make sacrifices.

When I get into details explaining that it might be a situation other families may find themselves in, other MEN come in here and argue!! With points like, if you can handle florida, you can handle it here... and it doesnt make sense because you do not need to leave someplace you can handle.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by cmist

I understand your point and will admit my assumption that you were callin the rest of the post dumb may have been a little overly sensitive, but not negative. Im more used to you doing that to me than actually being nice.

So am I to take this that you agree with just about all of it, but found that to be the best part?

I said in the post, that its factual, and not negative. If you would like to point out what is NOT true, please do so we can maybe get on the same page.

Without going through it line by line, what I liked about that post was that you based your opinions on factual observations in an objective manner. People can draw their own conclusions from the facts presented. Of course it might help that I don't have a strong opinion of city architecture. I don't like cities at all. Although people often use term "Phoenix" to describe the entire Phoenix metro area which is quite huge, spread out, and has lots of land abutting desert and country areas. That was really my frame of reference and also how I interpreted the OP's request as well. So no, I really had no qualms with that post at all.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by kdog

Without going through it line by line, what I liked about that post was that you based your opinions on factual observations in an objective manner. People can draw their own conclusions from the facts presented. Of course it might help that I don't have a strong opinion of city architecture. I don't like cities at all. Although people often use term "Phoenix" to describe the entire Phoenix metro area which is quite huge, spread out, and has lots of land abutting desert and country areas. That was really my frame of reference and also how I interpreted the OP's request as well. So no, I really had no qualms with that post at all.

Thank you. I feel better, and I will work on the negativity part. I get that, but I do tend to get more negative when people, (not saying you) take what I say and manipulate it into a completely different statement with a completely different meaning.

If you can understand that the goal of any future posts I might make may address things that are unpleasant but nonetheless true, together we can offer a well rounded perspective... and I will make every effort to voice it in a way that isnt teeming with negativity, but dont call something false because its unpleasant.

I will remove all instances of "nothing to do" here. If you can understand that I find it negative as well to make negative remarks about other places. For instance, bringing up melting polar icecaps will wipe out Miami is not exactly positive.

Its negative towards Miami in order to put Phx on a pedestal and that type of thing doesnt sit well with me. I hope we can find a way to get along because Ill probably be writing more... thanks for the last post. It was nice to be civil to eachother.

[Discovery1]

Originally Posted by cmist

Moderator cut: orphaned quote
The family life here when you have kids limits you to needing to find ways to entertain your whole family that do NOT cost a fortune and are much more easily accessible than a few hours away. For us the beach fit that bill, and all the humidity it brings. But the kids are too young to want to move away from their friends at the moment so we make sacrifices.

When I get into details explaining that it might be a situation other families may find themselves in, other MEN come in here and argue!! With points like, if you can handle florida, you can handle it here... and it doesnt make sense because you do not need to leave someplace you can handle.

I don't know what you think but to me it is easier for us as parents to move while kids are still young. They have no problem adjusting to new environment in matter of a blink.
After reading some of your posts i think you would fit very well in Oregon environment. The only down side in Oregon is you have to pay higher price for a home though. Today Portland's housing in general is 100K higher than Sacramento can you believe it? I think Portland home price will go down a bit more but not too much.
There are couple of cities your kids will be happy in are Beaverton, Hillsboro and Sherwood.
You don't seems like Phoenix why stay there ???

[cmist]

Originally Posted by Discovery1

I don't know what you think but to me it is easier for us as parents to move while kids are still young. They have no problem adjusting to new environment in matter of a blink.
After reading some of your posts i think you would fit very well in Oregon environment. The only down side in Oregon is you have to pay higher price for a home though. Today Portland's housing in general is 100K higher than Sacramento can you believe it? I think Portland home price will go down a bit more but not too much.
There are couple of cities your kids will be happy in are Beaverton, Hillsboro and Sherwood.
You don't seems like Phoenix why stay there ???

Thanks! You have read me well as Oregon has alot of appeal to me for sure.

I have for the most part managed to be happy in AZ. I have lived here over 30 years but only in the last month or so my feelings intensified to the point where I needed a serious outlet to avoid exploding.

My kids are 12, so while this may be a sidetrack, it can also provide some background on what its like for a family with 12 yr olds in Phx.

They are old enough to have independence on their bikes, so they are gone for huge parts of the day at either school during the week, or with their friends on the weekends.

This leaves me and my wife fairly confined to the house as we need to be here to provide dinner etc and well just to be their parents. So primarily we only have access to quick trips in the immediate area unless we declare family day and drive up north or something like that. When they are off school, thats when every other family funnels to pretty much all the same areas making them a bit overcrowded. Finding camping spots in popular nearby areas is a pretty big challenge on holiday weekends. If you think about how many people live here, and how many people have to fit in the limited number of recreation areas, its only logical. But big deal... we go and have fun anyway, it doesnt deter us, its a minor point of irritation.

I dont blame the parenting lifestyle on PHX, but we surely dont have the freedom to take a quick windsurfing expedition at the lakes, and I dont know many kids that want to jog through scottsdale washes or up camelback with their parents. Our interests as a family in coastal areas or even forested environmentalist type cities tend to converge rather than diverge as they do in Phoenix, and because there is more environment to go around there is less of that "funnel" effect.

I have found people in the coastal / environmental areas to be much more laid back and easy to engage in interesting conversation. The biggest topic my neighbors here want to discuss with me is how they can't stand my neighbors RV which is parked in his own backyard behind a gate, and of course the ever popular dry heat. (I have said this before, Im a broken record, I get it)

The unpleasant neighbors are rarely outside and I dont get how his RV affects them. Of course I dont say anything to them, so I find myself gritting my teeth and bearing it and I lash out on all you lovely people.... SORRY!

Its not unusual for people to be this way here, I have experienced this in multiple neighborhoods in various parts of the valley over 30 years. And I smile at all my neighbors!!! I have drank beers with them too!!! I tell them I hate RV's and humidity too!!! Many of them probably think Im their best friend, but I hate not being able to say what I really feel. In order to get along I have to go with the flow. As you can see, I would have to say those things on the forum too in order to make friends in here as well, but I do that enough in real life and Im not going to do it here too.

Constantly going with the flow gets exhausting, so I recommend on here to other people before they become heavily invested, that they contemplate if they have the same value system as the people who advocate it here so strongly, and I see nothing negative or wrong with pointing out this phenomena.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Let's end on a high note! This thread has exposed some bickering and I'm sure the OP gets the point. On to something else.