10 Questions For Those Who Moved To Tennessee (Jackson, Cookeville: coops, mortgages)

[Deborah53]

[quote=LauraC;1836698]For those who moved to Tennessee:

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Tennessee than where you moved from?

Better but my life was not bad where I lived before. It would have been if I stayed because there was nothing to do there in retirement. I really like where I live now because it's good for me (plenty of things to do that I like) in retirement so it's better.

Laura, you are a treasure...
Your answer here is one I have struggled with. I am happy here, but want more from/for retirement. I started to think if everyone is leaving where ever to find that better place, maybe I was all wet with my ideas. Seems I am not, can't wait to get to those lakes to truly get wet...

[hiknapster]

I really think is the most valuable thread on the entire Tennessee forum.

It really breaks down where people came from, why they moved here, and their experiences.

Great idea, LauraC.

[Kim918]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I really think is the most valuable thread on the entire Tennessee forum.

It really breaks down where people came from, why they moved here, and their experiences.

Great idea, LauraC.

Not to mention it's fun and interesting to read! Kudos to LauraC!

[LauraC]

[quote=Deborah53;1839734]

Originally Posted by LauraC

For those who moved to Tennessee:

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Tennessee than where you moved from?

Better but my life was not bad where I lived before. It would have been if I stayed because there was nothing to do there in retirement. I really like where I live now because it's good for me (plenty of things to do that I like) in retirement so it's better.

Laura, you are a treasure...
Your answer here is one I have struggled with. I am happy here, but want more from/for retirement. I started to think if everyone is leaving where ever to find that better place, maybe I was all wet with my ideas. Seems I am not, can't wait to get to those lakes to truly get wet...

Deborah, I don't know everything you like to do but in my town of about 27,500, retirees have it good as far as activities go.

We have a truly wonderful program - ORICL - that offers classes and trips. These aren't your grandma's type of senior classes either. This semester, for example, I'm enjoying a series of lectures/presentations on Homeland Security Research (State of the World and the Rise of AFRICOM, Nuclear Nonproliferation Program, Radiation Detection Materials, Defending Against Genetically Modified Organisms, etc.) by different presenters affiliated with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a series of lectures on the Civil War by a Civil War historian and author, a hands-on photography class and a nonfiction discussion book group (that goes out to lunch after each monthly session. With the school, I went on a trip to a culinary arts college and went on a guided tour of the historic backroads of towns like Sevierville and Dandridge in October. Others, this semester, are going to Nashville to the Hermitage and Parthenon. Classes/Lectures are held on the Community College campus and they are held on week days (morning, afternoon, early evening).

I have found that the town is very musical. Now I don't know about where you live now but in Oak Ridge, we have a community band that performs once a month (indoor and outdoor concerts), a symphony orchestra (ticketed concerts, recently performed a joint concert with a bluegrass band) and a community orchestra (performs afternoon concerts at the college on occasion), a chorus (who will be performing Handel/Mozart with the symphony orchestra in November) and a ballet (will be performing The Nutcracker in November). This weekend, I believe there is an outdoor concert by two local musical groups.

There is a playhouse (Roger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella will be performed during November and December) and an art center (where you can also take classes) in town.

There are gardening clubs (I've seen one of them at work in front of the library).

We have the American Museum of Science and Energy which also features guest lecturers (we have a special event coming up on Veterans Day).

We have annual events, too like the two-day Secret City Festival, a film festival, the Christmas Parade, tree lighting and sing-a-long, the Street Painting Fair, the Dogwood cardboard boat races, wildflower and bird walks, etc. There is a riding club that even if you don't ride, puts on an event. There is a sportsman's club that puts on competitions and events. There's a camera club. There's a Lavender festival (vendors and presentations focused on healthy lifestyles, cooking and gardening). There are 2 golf courses and tennis courts. One of the retired women in one of my classes tells me she belongs to a swimming group that meets once a week at the indoor pool. And none of the above includes all of the things done by the churches in town (and they do a lot) or any of the nearby outdoor adventures you can have and a lot of the above things are free.

All of the above without having to go into Knoxville (where there is more if you are so inclined to go to a big city).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that except for a garden club, my former town of approximately the same population size offered NONE of those things for me in retirement and yet, was a perfectly okay place when I was working 40 hours a week and just wanted to chill or shop on the weekend.

Now, I think you may be able to find other towns (that have populations under 35,000) that offer a lot of things to do in retirement but I think I found one that's right for me. It just takes some research and for retirees to realize that something besides cheap living, pretty scenery and close to a mall has to replace your 35 - 40 hour work week or you're going to hate retirement/your new town.

Reading local newspapers is a good start to finding out what's going on in some of these suburban/rural towns.

[Deborah53]

Thanks Laura, you mentioned so many things that would interest both hubby and me. I know through research and visits we will find our niche. A big move like this is life changing and I want to be sure, or as sure as I can be.
You do all of those things and keep us well informed and learning on the forum too. Wow!

[tennesseedreamin]

Originally Posted by Kim918

tennesseedreamin I feel bad for you. You loved it here. How did you end up back in CA?
You got transferred?

Aw, thank you Kim. No, I didn't get transferred. I was a contract cleaner with The Nestle Inn in G-burg. I cleaned three story townhomes. It was HARD work, I'd just recovered from surgery a few months prior and they wouldn't let me use their golf cart to transfer all the stuff (sheets/vac/etc) to the townhomes so I had to lug them on my back, took three trips or more sometimes. I only say this to emphasize how hard it was on me. I worked my caboose off too.

One night they took me to dinner and wanted me to tell them about my situation so I told them. It really was a story that a movie could have been written about. They told me how courageous I was and promised they would make me wealthy so I could turn things around and help my family and treat myself for my cancer.

My father died a few months into my employment and my employers assured me my job would be there when I returned (they were such good Christians after all) so I went for the funeral and came back a week later. A week after that I was fired because "my work was no longer as it used to be." I didn't argue. I was still crushed and grieving over my father so i just hung my head and walked away. I did however ask the housekeeping inspector about my work, not telling her I was fired, she said my work was no worse than anyone elses. A friend who worked in the office said another woman in the office (who I thought like me) did nothing but talk crap on me to the owners, things that were NOT true.

The owners (my employers) knew how important getting established there was to me and my family, it was literally life and death, my life was in their hands. They gave me so much hope and I worked so hard for them. They however were such good Christians that they didn't allow me a couple horrid mistakes like leaving a string under a bed or (gasp!) turning a soap the wrong direction, likely made because I was grieving. So I lost everything and had to return to Ca where I was laughed at and ridiculed by family, I was homeless for a year and became very ill almost continually for that year and finally my cancer got me good.

I thought I was over it but I guess, looking at what I just wrote, I'm not. Sorry to unload but thank you for your concern.

[shadowwalker]

Kim918, Thanks.
The shadoww, I PM'd you. I am still trying to sell house and property, ha,ha.
I am not lying in it or trying to pull the wool over someones eyes. I will answer any question truthfully. And the price is low. The business is still there. And it's in a good location.
I feel we have been trying to push a wall of water uphill here, for three and a half years.I/we just want to go back home. We're tired.
Some of you will think that these are lame answers. That's o.k. maybe they are.It just didn't work out. That is life, right?
I would guess to say that 80% of the reason I am leaving. Next to my wife, hunting and fishing with the ability to do other outdoor activities at my will. Legally in public places. Is why I just want to be alive. Until you have these abilities in another state. And move to TN without them. It is hard to imagine the loss. Too many people here and restrictions on the public land. I figured getting on up in years I could adjust here. No I couldn't.
I know this is maybe coming to the west, but I really hope I am dead by then.
Still just a ol' cowboy I guess, don't fence me in, for sure.

[Kim918]

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Originally Posted by hiknapster

Well, I don't consider myself an ex-Floridian. I moved there because I had to, basically.

In 2005 we realized it was time to get out. We knew the other shoe was going to drop. How so many others couldn't see it, then, I will never know.

I guess it was a lot like the roaring 20s. People were so high on themselves that they couldn't see the train wreck coming.

I moved to Florida for the same reason. I was young and went with my parents there. I never wanted to go. You grow,you adjust and that's it, until you wake up. I saw the other shoe about to drop and just made it before it hit the floor. Others saw it too, but either didn't believe it or were too slow to react and now it is going to be hard for them to try and leave.

[leonard]

Originally Posted by Deborah53

Thanks Laura, you mentioned so many things that would interest both hubby and me. I know through research and visits we will find our niche. A big move like this is life changing and I want to be sure, or as sure as I can be.
You do all of those things and keep us well informed and learning on the forum too. Wow!

HI,

One of the things that is motivating my wife and I to look in Tennessee, is the people. I go to several of the forums here and Tenn has the friendliest and most helpful group I have seen. Others are nice and honest, though some are depressing, but if this forum reflects Tenn in any way, it will be a nice home in the future. People mean fare more than things.

[lotsmore]

KIM918-We moved to Manchester in May from Loxahatchee. DIDO on your answers.They all want to move here now