How would you describe Wisconsin? (Milwaukee, Madison: crime, unemployment rate, buying)

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by yo vanilla

I've lived in WI my whole life (all of 30 years, last 7 or so in Appleton) and there's alot of good to say (and has been said above). Generally good schools, most of the cities are clear of riff-raff (was it 6 of the top 10 Morgan Quinton safest cities last year were in WI?), and there's plenty to do if you look for it.

I absolutely, straight, LOATHE the winters here.

Wisconsin has some of the most blatanly inattentive drivers I've ever seen.

... can't a guy go to a half-way nice restaraunt and not be surrounded by people in Walmart jeans and their friggin gym trainers?!?!? You're hard pressed to go anywhere and find someone in shoes you can actually polish.

There is a serious adversion to the slightest bit of vanity or class, and slightly related there's a terrible amount of fast food and other chain restaraunts so there's alot of fat people too.

Unless Utopia pops up, I'm staying here by default.

I cut the best parts out of your post, which was as close to perfect as I could imagine. You're right on all counts. Including the Utopia one. It doesn't exist.

But the weather sure is nicer other places. I love spending time in Milwaukee in the summers, but the winters are too long and dark for my liking. I'm a summer kind of guy, I love the sun, love boating, golfing (I suck at it but...), love biking, I just take satisfaction out of opening the sunroof on a nice day.

So anyway, is it time to come north yet? I'm figuring I'll come up in a few more weeks then bounce back and forth for the rest of the summer. But come the cold weather, I'm out of there.

[susancruzs]

Yo vanilla your post makes sense and one thing about a rant, when it is constructive and your personal viewpoint (which you are entitled to) I don't see a reason to be negative about it.

I like your comment about the clothes. I belong to several cruise websites and believe me clothes is a major discussion, I won't shout major but I do mean major. I recently wrote a comment and called it the casualization of America and got rather beat up for it. I just kind of look past it here in Wisc. but trust me, it goes on in Illinois, too.

My cousin lives in a very fancy condo, works downtown in Chicago for a radio station and always dresses to the nines. I don't try to compete with her but I do look nice if we go out. However, go in an Italian restaurant, expensive, waiters, table cloths and everyone will be there in very casual clothes and we'll look overdressed. We went to a nice restaurant on Easter Sunday and everyone was very casual.

[yo vanilla]

Yeah, you know if people don't want to dress up all the time, that's just fine. But for instance, my grandfather has owned a restaraunt since the early 70's, then a supper club, now transformed into a pretty casual place by his sons. One day after that transformation he was talking to me about old times. He said, "When people came here (back then) they wore a tie". There should be a time to get polished. Just wish more people cared.

[Dubuquer1]

I've lived in a number of states - Wisconsin was the best --- because it is beautiful with lots of outdoor recreation possibilities. People are upper midwest friendly, the kind of culture that I grew up with and am accustomed to. The western side of the state differs from the eastern culturally, but that was just my experience. Milwaukee has a lot of crime, including violent. Depends on what kind of community you're looking for - small town, city, rural. Wisconsin has it all.

[yo vanilla]

Originally Posted by 43north87west

So anyway, is it time to come north yet? I'm figuring I'll come up in a few more weeks then bounce back and forth for the rest of the summer. But come the cold weather, I'm out of there.

Well... we had some nice high 60's/low 70's weather for a few days, then it was back in the 30's, and now we're creeping back to the 40's and 50's. So it's getting close.

[ekg56]

Yo Vanilla, I agree about the casual dress. I like getting dressed up and go out somewhere nice every so often.
I know winter isn't for everyone. But I could never live somewhere warm all the time. Although someday when we are in retired I could see hanging out in North Carolina for a month or so in January.

[manwichami]

Originally Posted by valene1992

How would you describe Wisconsin?
the economy, the weather, the community, the schools.

Wisconsin is the only place on earth, that when you talk to God, it's a local call.

[country pride]

It depends on what parts of WI. Just like any other state, there will be good and not-so-good. Personally, Ive been there (southern WI) a couple of times and loved the green, the open pastures, the countryside, all of which was unique. And I (personally) havent experienced as many rude people there as back in Az, many were very polite, outgoing, down-home.
Anyway, its gorgeous there.

[yo vanilla]

Well I saw Spamalot at the Performing Arts Center. Terrific show, but as I feared, I definitely had the nicest suit I saw (which isn't THAT nice). Very little "evening wear".

[Milwaukee Ronnie]

Originally Posted by berries

people drink to much and bum around to much. The schools are not nearly as good as is talked about and is used as a cruch to make people feel things are ok with the young ones. Property taxes are high, the weather is bad, and the economy is in a recession. other than that its ok

Yeah! The whole state sucks, the people suck, everything sucks about it, top to bottom, everything in Wisconsin is sucky, just sucks, sucks, sucks. Everything sucks here. The schools suck, the economy sucks, my life sucks, the culture sucks and the taxes suck, maybe I should go to a place that doesn't suck then my life wouldn't suck so much. It sucks!