Thinking of moving, but WHERE???

[chickerdoodle]

Xtina said much of what I was thinking--and better than what I could have conveyed.

It was also a fairly good description of what the Portland, Oregon and surrounding areas are like but I disagree about it being so anti-religion. I have found most are quite respectful of another's religion. I do work in one of the largest hospitals here which is a melting pot of cultures and religions so perhaps that is why I see such tolerance. Most don't care for those who are over zealous in preaching to them when they do not wish to be preached to. Perhaps I agree with this because I like to keep my religious beliefs private unless asked.

We do have a good sized "hippie" culture but it is also one that got Oregon "green" so much earlier than most (if not all) states in this country. We also have an over abundance of computer geeks (Intel, Tektronix) and athletes (Nike's home base only a mile from my house). This is a state of outdoor lovers and sustainable, eco-friendly thinkers. Oregon has it all--wilderness, rain-forest, mountains, deserts, GORGEOUS coast line (with many types of whales, dolphins, seals, endangered birds), breathtaking waterfalls, one of the deepest lakes in the world (Crater Lake) that has the deepest blue water you have ever seen, and Portland was even voted "Dog City USA" a few years ago

. We have all the veterinary specialists (yes--an avian specialist who treats chickens!) that are usually only found in universities or places like NYC. We are so fortunate here as veterinarians are typically nature loving outdoor folks and Oregon is great for attracting such enthusiasts. Land is not very cheap and few jobs right now but the this is a place to nurture your soul with its natural grandeur. Oh yeah--it rains a lot in winter but we have a loongg growing season for gardeners. Did I say I love Oregon?

Perhaps I should mention I have been doing research for a place to retire and it keeps leading back to Oregon. I don't like humidity or temperatures too cold for long. I want a good medical community nearby for my husband, myself and our pets. Not an easy to find such a place.

 

[Xtina]

MiniBeesKnees-
You're right, hippie is another word I need to banish from my vocabulary. It's not ok and it's just as bigoted as the other things I'm trying to get rid of.

I do equate high taxes with good schools, although it's not an absolute rule since many other factors affect it. But it is a starting point, and a very important one that cannot be discounted. The statistics are clear on this. There is a strong correlation between the two, since in many places, schools are funded by property taxes in large part. But there's a lot more to it. Obviously, you can give the worst teachers and administrators all the money in the world, and they wouldn't make the school a better place. But for the most part, and for a generalization, it's an important correlation that you can't ignore.

Since Florida has an obesity rate of 24.4% at last count, I'd say that not being obese doesn't make you an oddity. Florida has the lowest rate of obesity in the entire southeast.

And finally, I don't think there's any reason why a person from Connecticut should feel uncomfortable living in Florida, unless they were predisposed to a negative attitude about it and were unwilling to be open-minded and accepting of their new neighbors and lifestyle. I think that people of all backgrounds can be comfortable in all sorts of places, depending mostly on attitude.

mrbstephens-
Anytime. I know what you mean, and so many people go through this kind of struggle. In the end, I think it's important to live near family, but I don't live near mine because mine have all chosen places to live that are unacceptable for various reasons, like high property values, lack of water resources, and poor city planning. So where to live? I don't know. But for now, it's Portland, and I feel very lucky to have the community I have.

 

[Xtina]

Quote:
Yeah, I meant to mention how the *ahem* hippies (last time I'll use it) bring with them a good sense of sustainability. We also get voted the best city for bicycles in the nation pretty much every year, but I didn't think that would speak to the OP. Chickerdoodle, I think working in a hospital might be the reason you don't see as much bigotry as I get, but let me tell you it's nearly constant, and it's scathing. I keep my beliefs to myself too and try not to proselytize, which might be why people think it's ok to drop horribly offensive sentiment around me. I've honestly missed the South so much since moving here, in large part because people don't seem to have the same background in conversational etiquette as I was used to down there. It's been a struggle, but one I'm willing to continue working through, because of all the great things you mentioned about the place.

But, I do have to disagree about the growing season here! Long? Oh man, I've never lived in a place with such a very short growing season. I think it's shorter than they get in the Midwest. It stays so cold here in the spring that I (and the plants) can't call it spring. I remember last Memorial Day I was down in Alabama and there were tomatoes the size of two of my fists, ripe and ready for the making. I hadn't even taken my starts out of the greenhouse yet, because the temps were still too low. I've learned not to plant anything that requires any amount of summertime warmth: no corn, no tomatoes, no bell peppers, because you will just be disappointed. It's best to grow cool weather greens here, because they do well late into what would normally be summer in most other places. It's true that if you use a cold frame, you can have fresh spinach and lettuce all year round. Just don't expect to move here and make tomato sauce.

 

[MiniBeesKnees]

I don't live in Florida, I live in Tennessee.
I moved from Florida where I lived for ten years almost a year ago.
Didn't like it.
Didn't like the weather...didn't like the demographics...didn't like the crime.
Didn't like the traffic...didn't like the culture...didn't like the population density...didn't like a lot of things.

Has a good airport...

 

[Xtina]

Oh sorry, that was my best guess, since it didn't say in that last post. Still, thankfully it's not an oddity to not be obese anywhere in this nation...yet. I love this slideshow:

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html

I found that through work, and I watch it every year. It's fascinating. Sorry to get off topic, I just love sharing it.

I don't like Florida either, probably for the same reasons you listed and maybe a few more. The state has a lot of problems, but I bet there are some good places to live there. I just don't know of any. And the hurricane risk is just too high there for me.

 

[MiniBeesKnees]

I was being facetious.

Used to be married to this Ph.D. dude. He had a saying:
Lies use words, statistics use numbers.

 

[MiniBeesKnees]

I was a child of the sixties.
We questioned everything.

I doubt all statistics...no one ever weighed or measured me.
In either state.
So that can't be correct.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Oops.. I forgot about being the biking capital! Xtina is correct about the growing season but since we usually don't get a frost till late fall ( I'm still picking rasberries and flowers in early November) and if you start in cold frame its very long season. A florist in NYC said Oregon is known to have a long growing season for all kinds of plants and flowers and they buy many of them from here when other sources are done for the season. Oregon has been compared to England with its rainy season and long flowering season. The south and east do get hotter and more humid so you do get all those veggies earlier. I am just such a wimp in that heat and humidity (how did I live in NYC for so many years?!?) I couldn't garden as much. So I guess if speed of getting the veggies is important than this would not be the place. Oh well, no one's perfect.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
Less education does not equal less intelligance. Some of the most educated people I know are the dumbest when it comes to everyday things and could never make it living a rural lifestyle.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
Less education does not equal less intelligance. Some of the most educated people I know are the dumbest when it comes to everyday things and could never make it living a rural lifestyle.

I would guess our friends and neighbors here would or could be considered hicks - but they are the best people, so kind and helpful to us stupid city folk who decided to move out here...

they gave us hay when we didn't know where the heck to get it, they always invite us out to their place or the pub when there's something going on.

I strive to be a country bumpkin! or hick or heck a redneck.

I don't even understand the terms fully, (didn't grow up in the USA) I normally try decipher the persons tone when saying the words, but you can't do that here.