My unbiased thoughts on San Francisco after 4 years here (Sacramento: apartments, insurance)

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by pch1013

I used to listen to KFOG until I decided one day that if I ever had to listen to one more Tom Shane commercial, I'd go stabby.

That's so funny. When I was younger there was a tv/stereo place called Matthew's that was advertised on the radio (all stations, all day long) and it drove everyone crazy.

Their motto was "Matthew's...top of the hill, Daly City!" Once my friend and I drove around tirelessly trying to find the top of the hill so he could buy a car stereo...so we drove to this gas station on some random hill in Daly City and asked the girl behind the counter there where it was. All at once about 5 patrons and 3 employees all chimed at exactly the same time "Matthew's, top of the hill Daly City"!! Very memorable and likewise, Tom Shane with his slow and grating voice.

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by Shooting Stars

This article may explain it.

The Sidewalks of San Francisco by Heather Mac Donald, City Journal Autumn 2010

I agree with its general tone, but not with its snarky characterization of Larkin Street Youth Services as 'a local organization that serves “homeless” youth.' They could lose the scare quotes -- LSYS does great work for, and on behalf of, LGBT youth who have been kicked out of their homes and end up in San Francisco with no place to stay. (My SO volunteered with them for a while last year.)

But yeah, nothing will change until homeless advocates acknowledge that some people are homeless by choice.

And Chris Daly -- thank the FSM -- is gone now, but his do-nothing replacement, Jane Kim, is hardly any better.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by Hard8

I saw this ^ after my last post.

"Yeah, can you believe those 20-somethings? Moving to a place where the pay is high? And the nerve of them to have a bit of FUN while doing it!! Look at them enjoying themselves - they clearly must not give a damn about anything!!"

Don't be offended. If you personally fit don't the stereotype and general consensus (that so many folks have all noticed as well over the many years in which I've been a poster here) then you shouldn't be bothered by it.

I was a twenty something too and had loads of fun working as a part time waiter making 5 bucks an hour. Trust me...the demographics have changed and it's hasn't necessarily been for the better whether you choose to agree or not.

Gee, even San Francisco magazine had an entire article about the changing City from the thriving tech industry and the high salaries that go along with that and the changing demographics and cultural changes.

[HappyinCali]

Originally Posted by clongirl

That's so funny. When I was younger there was a tv/stereo place called Matthew's that was advertised on the radio (all stations, all day long) and it drove everyone crazy.

Their motto was "Matthew's...top of the hill, Daly City!" Once my friend and I drove around tirelessly trying to find the top of the hill so he could buy a car stereo...so we drove to this gas station on some random hill in Daly City and asked the girl behind the counter there where it was. All at once about 5 patrons and 3 employees all chimed at exactly the same time "Matthew's, top of the hill Daly City"!! Very memorable and likewise, Tom Shane with his slow and grating voice.

How did we ever get around without Garmin???

[jeffredo]

Good post O.P. and I agree with much of it. I'm a native and it can be hard to make friends here (and I'm not just speaking of workplace aquaintances that you have a happy hour with every couple of months). I've lost most of the friends I grew up with to suburban and out-of-state moves and replacing them isn't particularly easy. Very transient city and many people here now just don't share the same history I do and are often considerably younger than me (such as you and your wife).

Politics are exasperating. The "advocacy" behemoth drives much of where city funds go and have rendered streets in some areas practically unusable by the general public (too many homeless and street crazies). I was in college in the early 80s and that's when I started to notice the shift. We've always had a number of street people, but it grew exponentially through the 80s/90s and 2000s. I don't know what the answer is but I've gotten very callous - never give them money and have been known to say "Why don't you go back where you came from?" when they get too aggressive.

I love my hometown, but I'll be retired in another 15 years and don't really see myself staying here after that. I've already been scouting the little "Gold Rush" towns of the Sierra for a quieter, cleaner, safer place to be an old fart.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by HappyinCali

How did we ever get around without Garmin???

Life was such an adventure back when you didn't know where you were going! I only paid 1$ gallon for leaded regular gas so it was super cheap to drive around aimlessly when there was nothing else going on!

[bmw335xi]

Garmin is ancient history, most of us use our smart phones now lol

[Hard8]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Don't be offended. If you personally fit don't the stereotype and general consensus (that so many folks have all noticed as well over the many years in which I've been a poster here) then you shouldn't be bothered by it.

I was a twenty something too and had loads of fun working as a part time waiter making 5 bucks an hour. Trust me...the demographics have changed and it's hasn't necessarily been for the better whether you choose to agree or not.

Gee, even San Francisco magazine had an entire article about the changing City from the thriving tech industry and the high salaries that go along with that and the changing demographics and cultural changes.

I won't argue that the demographics have changed. In fact, the city is getting older, not younger - which somehow gets lost among all the chatter about the "yuppies" blowing into town in droves. Median resident age has increased from 36.5 to 38.5, source: Bay Area Census -- San Francisco City and County

And yeah, I read that article in San Francisco magazine. His theories that young techies don't contribute to the community are really based only on a few anecdotes, a "feel" he gets and not much else. It was a lazy analysis on the part of the author and more ranting than actual journalism.

Fact is, "young adults" and Millenials in San Francisco volunteer at one of the highest rates in the country: Rankings - Volunteering and Civic Life in America

And go figure, if you compare to the data provided over the last 4 years, its steadily risen (from 24.3% volunteer rate among young adults in 2008 to 28.7% in 2011).

This is the same demographic that is being accused of blowing into town, partying it up, then leaving the town no better than when they came. But hey, don't let reality ruin a good ranting, right?

So what I get offended by is ignorance and awful stereotypes and overly broad generalizations - something that seems to be prevalent around here.

[HappyinCali]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Garmin is ancient history, most of us use our smart phones now lol

Not until recently, since the Google app for iphone didn't talk.

[HappyinCali]

Originally Posted by Hard8

I won't argue that the demographics have changed. In fact, the city is getting older, not younger - which somehow gets lost among all the chatter about the "yuppies" blowing into town in droves. Median resident age has increased from 36.5 to 38.5, source: Bay Area Census -- San Francisco City and County

And yeah, I read that article in San Francisco magazine. His theories that young techies don't contribute to the community are really based only on a few anecdotes, a "feel" he gets and not much else. It was a lazy analysis on the part of the author and more ranting than actual journalism.

Fact is, "young adults" and Millenials in San Francisco volunteer at one of the highest rates in the country: Rankings - Volunteering and Civic Life in America

And go figure, if you compare to the data provided over the last 4 years, its steadily risen (from 24.3% volunteer rate among young adults in 2008 to 28.7% in 2011).

This is the same demographic that is being accused of blowing into town, partying it up, then leaving the town no better than when they came. But hey, don't let reality ruin a good ranting, right?

So what I get offended by is ignorance and awful stereotypes and overly broad generalizations - something that seems to be prevalent around here.

From your own link
San Francisco Profile - Volunteering and Civic Life in America

88.2% eat dinner with their family a few times a week or more.

I rest my case on transplants vs. local/Oakland volunteers