My little snapshot view of Tampa (Lutz, Seminole: theatre, restaurants, move)

[craigm1841]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Great post, Keeper, and couldn't agree more. My husband grew up in Belgium and there were also people there who hated it and couldn't wait to back to "X", then wanted to return.

Thanks to you and Mike Peterson for trying to keep the balance here. It's beating a dead horse, I'm afraid, some people just prefer to live in a delusional world.

I gave up a while ago. I am done responding to algia. All I am going to do in the future is if someone new requests info about Tampa and she goes in with her outrageous opinions on how bad tampa is, I am going to follow her post with a rebuttal and cite sources and reference factual data to discredit her, as I have done in the past.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by craigm1841

I gave up a while ago. I am done responding to algia. All I am going to do in the future is if someone new requests info about Tampa and she goes in with her outrageous opinions on how bad tampa is, I am going to follow her post with a rebuttal and cite sources and reference factual data to discredit her, as I have done in the past.

I forgot to give thanks to you too, Craig. I really like the fact you use Google to post links, and recommend it to everyone.

[Keeper]

It is amazing isn't it.. I would rather focus on the beautiful sunsets over the gulf than complain about something that is not going to make me happy. I would rather sail on a Hobbie cat and watch the dolphin playing in the water. Walk the beach early in the AM and listen to the lapping waves.

I guess it just goes to show that happiness isn't the house you live in but a place you make for yourself in your heart.

I do wish you all that kind of happiness, it is a wonderful place to be.

I don't think anyone here ever paints 'everything is wonderful' picture about Tampa, but we do try to give our opinions on what makes us happy about living in Tampa.

[gypsychic]

I think that what happens sometimes is that when someone is not happy with their lives, whether it's a job problem, health problem or relationship problem, or other things, it makes them focus on the negative things outside themselves and it's easier to blame some of their ills on that than focus on what is really bothering them.

I agree, Keeper, I have always been a person that focused on the positives - I can see that things aren't perfect, but perfect doesn't exist, anyway. There is so much beauty and wonderful things here in Florida and in the Tampa Bay Area, I literally wake up every day and give thanks that I live here.

[Jenniegurl]

Way to go Keeper and Gypsychic! It is great to hear the positives.

[TB Fla]

Originally Posted by algia

I think you live on a square mile, and never travel around this area because I posted photos yesterday (Tampa, Florida - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57274263@N03/sets/72157625638061716/ - broken link)) of an area that is PART of the CITY OF TAMPA that has been left in disrepair and dilapidation and WHICH IS within walking distance of downtown!

BTW, something else you are missing entirely is that back in 2004 when Hurricane Charlie decided to take a turn and hit Punta Gorda etc, everyone in Tampa/St Pete was evacuated through I-4 towards Orlando (where everyone that did that got caught in Charlie anyway) WHEN You had 7 roads that could have evacuated you NORTH and AWAY from Charlie:
If Both Florida and Nebraska would be cleaned up, and enlarged, they two could offer evacuation routes so ppl don't pack up I-4 like this! we got lucky in 2004, but this is Florida, an Andrew can hit anytime! and this city relies on I-4 to evacuate all the people? really? Everyone living on David Islands, Channelside etc could use both those roads to evacuate, rather than get stuck bumper to bumper on I-4. We were living in Orlando then and were watching on TV how everyone was bumper to bumper for miles on I-4, and were wondering "how come" they only evacuate THIS way!?

Try thinking outside your bubble for a change.

1. US-19
2. Veterans
3. Dale Mabry
4. Florida Ave
5. Nebraska Ave!
6. 275
7. 75

This is a photo if I-4 when everyone in Tampa was evacuating towards Orlando! (where Hurricane Charlie ended up anyway and did a LOT of damage)



Now the NYC building I was talking about yesterday: ON I-9 Going NORTH


Right before on the right side before that fence:


ALSO IN NYC


What you don't seem to understand is that IN TAMPA, there are MILES AND MILES of dilapidated and horrendous run down buildings & shacks...miles and miles of them! in NYC and Chicago, DC they have some too, but not spread out for miles WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS LIKE TAMPA HAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT IS WRONG WITH PUTTING FLOWER BEDS BY THE WINDOW????? Are you really THAT against IMPROVEMENT of any sort? WOW!

There you go again. Telling people they should stop comparing Tampa to cities like NYC and Chicago, only to do so yourself in order to make Tampa look bad.

[TB Fla]

Originally Posted by algia

Also, that's great, if ppl don't want to live by a highway then build theaters, businesses with REAL buildings not shack materials.....Here's from a friend showing what it used to be like, in the days we cared about pollution! and were happily using electricity for PT:

Poughkeepsie 1900 -> 2010 - See the Light: photography by Christian Kuiphoff

WHAT? You think people cared about pollution back then? You really are dellusional. The green movements didn't start until the 1970's

[user8]

i've been following this thread with great interest, mainly because i always enjoy seeing unsubstantiated claims get shot to hell. thanks mike peterson!

let me just throw a tiny stone into this lake of fire.

Originally Posted by algia

My 30 minute drive better be worth it...and generally IS in a Northern city such as NYC, DC, Chicago etc.

dc would laugh you right out of town if you said that down here, since they generally scoff at anything outside of the city's borders. regardless, a 30 minute drive downtown or the immediate surrounding areas will net you maybe 5 miles distance on an average day. if you derive value out of that then i pity you.

[ironsmurf]

I too have been watching this thread with great interest.. As some of you know Im fully committed to moving to tampa as soon as my visa comes through..People like me come on to hear about the good stuff, things to look forward to, and to make us feel that little bit less apprehensive.. Thanks for all the positivity.. If I were to listen to the minority Id be absolutely beside myself with worry about this huge change of life.
Thanks again.

[xbillyx]

Originally Posted by user8

dc would laugh you right out of town if you said that down here, since they generally scoff at anything outside of the city's borders. regardless, a 30 minute drive downtown or the immediate surrounding areas will net you maybe 5 miles distance on an average day. if you derive value out of that then i pity you.

With the exception of Arlington, I might add. Washingtonians and Arlingtonians seem to be on the same page as far as walkability, urbanity, and contempt for the rest of NOVA.