Chico as a retirement destination? (Sacramento, Davis: crime, houses, find a job)

[moved]

I tried to get every type of job imaginable while I was in Chico. I worked for the federal government as a secretary, and even with clerical skills, I couldn't get a job. I tried retail, fast food, house cleaning, you name it. College students work for quite a bit less, so experienced people have no chance. Even if I was retired, I wouldn't live in Chico. It's very quiet and peaceful where I live in San Diego, and I'm in the city. I'm a city person and always have been. There are lakes and rivers within driving distance of me in San Diego, if I choose to go to one. And I do on occasion.

I'll be 61 this year, and have no plans to ever move out of San Diego.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by moved

I tried to get every type of job imaginable while I was in Chico. I worked for the federal government as a secretary, and even with clerical skills, I couldn't get a job. I tried retail, fast food, house cleaning, you name it. College students work for quite a bit less, so experienced people have no chance. Even if I was retired, I wouldn't live in Chico. It's very quiet and peaceful where I live in San Diego, and I'm in the city. I'm a city person and always have been. There are lakes and rivers within driving distance of me in San Diego, if I choose to go to one. And I do on occasion.

I'll be 61 this year, and have no plans to ever move out of San Diego.

and for some this is life, there are those who need to be in the city with the busy life, look at all those who thrive in NYC or L.A? for many, as we get older we prefer the quiet life. I am very invlolved in the community, would go nuts if I didn't have something to do but love watching about 50 kinds of birds each day, seeing deer in my back yard (not to often) and we watch the chipmonks and squirrels. Occassionally we have a red or grey fox cross right in front of our car (boy are they fast).

Obviously the wonders of a small town and the living with nature isn't your thing, San Diego is a good place for you.

We each have to decide what is best for us, for you it is the city. I guess my problem is your almost blasting Chico. I have posted how Humbolt County isn't for us, we found very little about living there that was our life, at the time, but I do realize it is a perfect place for many to live.

Nita

[moved]

I live in the city, and have a resident skunk, opossum and raccoon that eat cat food from my doorstep. I've seen lots of deer, and they're easy to find if I want to see some. I have the activity of San Diego, but there are areas close by with lots of nature to see. And I do sometimes, when I'm not involved in doing other things.

[jmlowman]

I suppose that I really should have put in some qualifiers. Certainly I can agree with "Moved" because I spent the last two years in college at a place that I absolutely hated. It wasn't homesickness, the area and people and the size of the town sucked. I had to go to St. Louis occasionally just to feel like I hadn't moved to an alien planet. Certainly, going somewhere without being 100% behind the move, and then not being able to find a job, would make anyone bitter. I'm glad that you found your niche. My father-in-law lives in north county and we once thought that area would be nice for retirement, but it's the same problem with too many people living there that we're trying to get away from here.

Anyway, we would be enjoying a lot of traveling in northern California if we lived in Chico. We like the idea of being in a community with a university. My wife retired this year as a college professor. We don't mind students, but we wouldn't be downtown partying with them, either. Having a good-sized university would offer the possibility of part-time teaching for my wife and the opportunity to take the occasional class as well. What we might miss is some nice, non-chain restaurants. Not expecting 5-star, but something other than the usual Chili's/Outback and the like for an occasional special night out would be great. My wife is an excellent cook, so we could live with having to go to Sacramento for a few days if we really wanted the big-city restaurant scene.

For some reason the issue of shopping comes into play in recommendations for a place to live. We both hate to shop and order virtually everything online, so if the local mall has 1 store or 100 it wouldn't matter to us. We also don't go into big-box stores except maybe for Lowe's or Home Depot.

Mainly, we're seeking a place with low crime and a quiet neighborhood, since we also have a lot of indoor/around-the-house interests.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by jmlowman

For some reason the issue of shopping comes into play in recommendations for a place to live. We both hate to shop and order virtually everything online, so if the local mall has 1 store or 100 it wouldn't matter to us. We also don't go into big-box stores except maybe for Lowe's or Home Depot.

Mainly, we're seeking a place with low crime and a quiet neighborhood, since we also have a lot of indoor/around-the-house interests.

The shopping issue never ceases to amaze me. Like you and your wife, my wife and I hate shopping and if we've set foot in a mall more than half a dozen times in the past 12 years I'd be surprised. We, too, are online shoppers.

low crime and quiet is also where we're heading in a couple of months to settle into our own retirements.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

The shopping issue never ceases to amaze me. Like you and your wife, my wife and I hate shopping and if we've set foot in a mall more than half a dozen times in the past 12 years I'd be surprised. We, too, are online shoppers.

low crime and quiet is also where we're heading in a couple of months to settle into our own retirements.

I agree completely, In fact if you notice malls are becoming a thing of the past. I predict in 20 years the large enclosed ones will be long gone. People do the inter-net thing, small strip shopping malls and the like. Even my kids, in their 40s do not do the mall thing anymore, nor do my grandkids as a matter of fact. As time moves on, old habits disappear and new ones are formed.

jm, it sounds like Chico would work well for you.

Nita

[jmlowman]

It's probably more a factor of the local economy here, but the Central City/Carousel Mall in downtown San Bernardino closed, for all intents and purposes, a few years ago. The two department stores that were the anchors, Harris' and Montgomery Ward, closed and the rest of the stores soon followed suit. If it weren't for the school district that I work for and the County leasing office space, the mall would be entirely vacant. It's been a while since I've been to our other mall, Inland Center, but Gottschalk's is going out of business, so that will impact that mall negatively. That will also pretty much do in the nearby Redlands Mall, as well.

Another factor is a new mega-mall, Victoria Gardens, that opened a few years ago about 25 miles from here. That mall attracts the higher-end business. Of course, we've had our local outlet mall, Ontario Mills, for some years.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by jmlowman

It's probably more a factor of the local economy here, but the Central City/Carousel Mall in downtown San Bernardino closed, for all intents and purposes, a few years ago. The two department stores that were the anchors, Harris' and Montgomery Ward, closed and the rest of the stores soon followed suit. If it weren't for the school district that I work for and the County leasing office space, the mall would be entirely vacant. It's been a while since I've been to our other mall, Inland Center, but Gottschalk's is going out of business, so that will impact that mall negatively. That will also pretty much do in the nearby Redlands Mall, as well.

Another factor is a new mega-mall, Victoria Gardens, that opened a few years ago about 25 miles from here. That mall attracts the higher-end business. Of course, we've had our local outlet mall, Ontario Mills, for some years.

Outlet malls are another draw I have noticed. I don't think the economy has a lot to do with it. I have seen a few old So Calif malls and some nice dept stores go belly up before the bubble burst...I still believe it is our way of life, or certainly to some degree it is. I used to do the mall thing regularly. I think the last time I did a mall was in Abq about 3 or 4 years ago. Outside mini malls and strip malls, that is different. We do hit them occassionally.

Nita

[ukiyo-e]

Originally Posted by nmnita

My parents retired in Paradise back in the 70s and never regreted it for a minute. It is close to Oraville and Chico, but cooler and more serene.. The landscape is much more pleasant and they do have lots of actities for seniors. I like Chico as well, but if we were moving back to California, I think
Paradise would be our first choice.

Nita

My aunt retired to Paradise about 10 years ago and loves it. She's 83 and even found a new boyfriend there! I visited them two months ago to check him out, and he passed my test.

Paradise is a cute town. I was surprised at the increase in traffic on my last visit, compared to a few years ago when I visited her!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by angelbug

My aunt retired to Paradise about 10 years ago and loves it. She's 83 and even found a new boyfriend there! I visited them two months ago to check him out, and he passed my test.

Paradise is a cute town. I was surprised at the increase in traffic on my last visit, compared to a few years ago when I visited her!

hey, like so many places, word travels and suddenly the little towns become big towns, taffic becomes an issue as well as crime etc. Still you are right, Paradise is a great place. It is a mixture of conservatives and liberals as many people who are connected with the university do live there, but many who are not are conservatives. If I were moving to California that would be the first place I would investagate.

Nita

ps: good for your aunt, that's the way to enjoy those seasoned years.