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Last winter was BAD, BAD, BAD but even the longtimers admitted it...
Finally: A retort I can use when it's pointed out I'm not a native: I'm a "longtimer".
However - weather strikes people differently: I enjoyed this past Winter enormously. And on days like this, I think back about it fondly.
I know how to dress for Winter weather - No matter if I'm splitting wood or if I'm wearing a tie.
This weather, however, I haven't figured out how to dress for.
I can't wait for it to stop.
David
I will second that, I loved winters like last year. (even though i was gone most of the season.) If it's cold and cloudy then at least bring on the snow! The more the merrier!!! I would rather get snow everyday for 6mnths then just be cold and rainy or icy. I moved out of Vermont because I needed experience ino ther parts of the country. I could have found a job and made a living, I know numerous 25-26yrs who are buying homes and living quite well. They aren't in high paying jobs either. For me I needed to know what else is out there and gained a greater appreciation for the New England States, they are truly magical. I will be moving back to VT in the next couple years, excited to raise my children there. As a current homeowner in Florida, one thing that really strikes me about FL vs. VT, people are all trying to live above their means. In VT there is more than expensive cars or the largest home on the block. It is about the atmosphere, the beautiful scenery and the laid back people. If you want a glorious lifestyle then VT will not work for you. I like to think they tax the hell out of us to ensure no one gets carried away and ruins the natural beauty of our state. Come down here to FL and see what money and lower taxes can do to people. There are 7 foreclosures on my street alone and a school system in shambles. People aren't nice and they don't care about anyone but themselves. But hey they make more than VTers and pay less taxes, I'd rather pay more for less. VT is a very special place and you can't expect it to be easy to live in such an amazing place!!!! If it was cheaper and had a better economy then too many people would live there.
I can completely agree what the previous poster claims from his observations in Fla regarding a culture of over indulgence and the keeping up with the Jones' mentality. It exists in many states and for some folks it is a lifestyle of choice. But, by claiming the willingness to blindly "pay" more in taxes makes Vermonters better off, well that is plain ridiculous. Everybody I work with and know here for the most part ( and not just menial labor workers, but college grads) is struggling to just make ends meet to be able to provide for the basic needs of a safe home, food on the table, medical care when needed, and fuel to heat with and allow for transportation to get to work and school. I realize that some folks visualize Vermont as some sort of preserve, but the fact remains that people do have to live and work here and to maintain a quality of life have to be able to afford it. If we get to the point where people who provide the essential services of running communities simply cannot afford to live here and the solution is to keep taxing to generate money, then yes this state will remain sparsley populated, but the burden of paying for all the services will fall disprortionately on an ever decreasing population base. There comes a point where no matter how much you might love living in a location your ability to sucessfully do so becomes untenable. I hope people who really wish for certain things seriously consider the consequences.
'I like to think they tax the hell out of us to ensure no one gets carried away and ruins the natural beauty of our state.'
Add 'we can afford it so we like it' to the above quote and I've heard the same sentiments from a bunch of people here, some of them quite close to the golden dome. Will it bite them in the ass? Sure eventually but there will be a lot of pain for a lot of Vters before it gets to the breaking point.
'I like to think they tax the hell out of us to ensure no one gets carried away and ruins the natural beauty of our state.'
Add 'we can afford it so we like it' to the above quote and I've heard the same sentiments from a bunch of people here, some of them quite close to the golden dome. Will it bite them in the ass? Sure eventually but there will be a lot of pain for a lot of Vters before it gets to the breaking point.
It's also like this with those who actually are pleased to see the price of energy rising in the belief it will force a change in lifestyles. Heck, maybe under revisionist history doctrine we can show how evil Eisenhower was. Afterall, he signed the legislation launching the Interstate Highway System in 1956, but it is amusing that Al Gore's father was also a key player in creating the interstate. Of course this euphoric pleasure comes without regard for the damage it does to countless millions of individuals and families, of which I might add a sizeable amount do not drive excessive SUVs, RVs, boats, own pools, etc, etc. Then again, if in fact the economy continues to slide, home equity values continue to plummet, and retirement savings accounts shed double digit percentage values, then there will be less resources to keep feeding the tax trough to fund all the fabulous A-Z programs.
Am a traveling worker temporarily lodging/working in Rutland 'til August '08. Have read with interest what natives and newbies have written. Just decided to add my two cents. Have lived principally in the southeast and southwest of the US for many years (and in southern Maine briefly as a temp). Vermont is beautiful albeit colder than I would care to live in long-term. The natives seem okay, yet half the folks I've worked with here are transplanted New Yorkers. Noticed right off that New Englanders are more stoic and keep more to themselves. I'm not too put off by this, but the lack of Christianity is uh, striking to the point that I sense a lack of spiritual involvement from people. Liberal/socialist tendencies are rather strong here and that isn't my style either. I was especially dismayed on discovering that Vermont wants to dismantle their only nuclear power plant when it is decommissioned in the coming years. Not terribly intelligent. Rutland is more blue-collar than surrounding communities (Middlebury, Burlington etc.) and suffers from a serious drug crime problem. My first observation of Rutland: economically in trouble due to the fact that about 1/5 of their biz is dead. Other thing that struck me was that in most towns, there are more people under the ground than above it (very creepy). I'm impressed with the homes and acreage outside of town but there's an odd, lonely feeling and I don't sense community like I have seen in the south, midwest and southwest. Of course I'm just temporary and won't return but I wouldn't live here permanently based on my experiences. To each his own and this is just my perspective.
Your perspective in interesting. I am in a town with 4 churches within walking distance and several others within a few minutes drive! Sunday morning there are cars all about as people attend mass/service/prayers....then again, my town isn't anywhere near the size of Rutland.
Granted, there are numerous cemeteries here, but the people below were once above like the rest of us, and in death, they help connect the town with it's past.
Am a traveling worker temporarily lodging/working in Rutland 'til August '08. Have read with interest what natives and newbies have written. Just decided to add my two cents. Have lived principally in the southeast and southwest of the US for many years (and in southern Maine briefly as a temp). Vermont is beautiful albeit colder than I would care to live in long-term. The natives seem okay, yet half the folks I've worked with here are transplanted New Yorkers. Noticed right off that New Englanders are more stoic and keep more to themselves. I'm not too put off by this, but the lack of Christianity is uh, striking to the point that I sense a lack of spiritual involvement from people. Liberal/socialist tendencies are rather strong here and that isn't my style either. I was especially dismayed on discovering that Vermont wants to dismantle their only nuclear power plant when it is decommissioned in the coming years. Not terribly intelligent. Rutland is more blue-collar than surrounding communities (Middlebury, Burlington etc.) and suffers from a serious drug crime problem. My first observation of Rutland: economically in trouble due to the fact that about 1/5 of their biz is dead. Other thing that struck me was that in most towns, there are more people under the ground than above it (very creepy). I'm impressed with the homes and acreage outside of town but there's an odd, lonely feeling and I don't sense community like I have seen in the south, midwest and southwest. Of course I'm just temporary and won't return but I wouldn't live here permanently based on my experiences. To each his own and this is just my perspective.
It's funny you said that, I feel the exact opposite about the southeast! It has to do with very different upbringings, I am not a religious person to the extent that most people are down here in the south. SO I wouldn't be involved in the community aspect of church, which pretty much leaves me out of almost everything! However I can see the strong sense of community within those church goers. You have to remember too that up north a good portion of our time is spent in-doors and COLD!! There isn't a lot to do during the winters, which is why you could see us as rather distant. During the summer months I would expect you would see the exact opposite. The smaller towns are also very tight community wise and it's not rare for you to know everyone in town. The larger cities will have less than that, but just like anywhere you must immerse yourself in something and find people! I don't really know anything about Rutland, I came from the Burlington area. In my particular town, people were very involved and open to new people (I was a California transplant a little over 10years ago). People do go to Church a lot but it's not as traditional like the south. I can't remember ever talking about religion in VT (besides for debating reasons) but here it's all the hear! Vt is a great place but it's not for everyone, like the south is not for everyone! The same ideals and sense of community are there, you just have to look in different places. Also people in VT love their land and space, which makes homes very far apart and difficult socially. I know I can't stand the fact that I can see my neighbors windows, hear them pee and need curtains for every window in my house! It's just a different lifestyle!
We lived fulltime in southeastern Vermont from early fall 2002 to late spring 2003 and the weather had little to do with why we left. We left for many reason, including, but not limited to:
1. The employment opportunity that brought us there did not work out.
2. At no point did we ever feel welcome, which was an entirely new experience for us. We had no family or friends, i.e. long-standing relationships, in the area and despite our many attempts to socialize, no one extended a welcoming hand.
3. By no means are we wealthy, but we both have good careers, and can afford to pay for things like daycare, speech therapy, and medical expenses for our children ourselves, without public assistance, which seemed to be a new concept to the people we encountered in such settings.
4. The public schools of the area were awful.
5. We were used to skiing in areas with beginner skin runs that are longer, higher, steeper, and have much better snow than most of the expert runs we skied in Vermont and for much less cost.
I don't know about you, but I would sooner live amongst a group of stoic New Englanders than Mormons. However it could be worse. You could be living around an opinionated LIer -- like me! LOL
Regarding the cemetaries in Vermont, you have to remember that most of these towns go way back and in many cases their populations (the towns, not the cemetaries) was actually higher than today. Many of these cemetaries, especially the ones off the beaten pash are interesting to check out for historical perspective. As far as religion goes, sure people here attend church, but compared to other places I have lived and people in general I have known, Vt to me at least does appear to have a more aethiest bent or for those that believe a lower church and church function attendance. Then again, for those that appreciate seclusion and quiet no matter what you are into or believe, then Vt seems to be a spot. People may not seem to be outwardly friendly, but you are also unlikely to find a level of unacceptance which would result in actions of an overt nature.
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I moved out of Vermont because I needed experience ino ther parts of the country. I could have found a job and made a living, I know numerous 25-26yrs who are buying homes and living quite well. They aren't in high paying jobs either. For me I needed to know what else is out there and gained a greater appreciation for the New England States, they are truly magical. I will be moving back to VT in the next couple years, excited to raise my children there. As a current homeowner in Florida, one thing that really strikes me about FL vs. VT, people are all trying to live above their means. In VT there is more than expensive cars or the largest home on the block. It is about the atmosphere, the beautiful scenery and the laid back people. If you want a glorious lifestyle then VT will not work for you. I like to think they tax the hell out of us to ensure no one gets carried away and ruins the natural beauty of our state. Come down here to FL and see what money and lower taxes can do to people. There are 7 foreclosures on my street alone and a school system in shambles. People aren't nice and they don't care about anyone but themselves. But hey they make more than VTers and pay less taxes, I'd rather pay more for less. VT is a very special place and you can't expect it to be easy to live in such an amazing place!!!! If it was cheaper and had a better economy then too many people would live there. 
new to Vermont
It's just a different lifestyle!
