Do you like where you live?

[jaded-mandarin]

Just moved into a house in Liverpool for my 2nd year of Uni.

Love it, love the night life, independence, the city hustle-bustle.

When I graduate I'd love to get work with an agency in NY for a while. Other than that I guess I'll end up in London, Liverpool, Manchester or my lovely hometown of Huddersfield.

 

[mactastic]

I love livin' in wine country...

 

[11800506]

I live in Bethesda, MD, a suburb of Washington, D.C. and I really like it here. There is plenty to do, a lot of different restaurants, etc and I like the quick pace of the DC area. Plus living close to DC is nice because of the various monuments and museums. However just because I like it here doesn't mean I'm not open to change. I would love to try and live in different cities such as maybe Seattle or Boston and want look forward to going to college elsewhere to get away from DC for a little bit. I haven't really liked California when I visited there for whatever reason (the Californian lifestyle just seems weird) so I don't think I would want to go there but I'd be open to travel to many places.

 

[CalBoy]

There's nothing wrong w/ the Bay Area, CA. In fact, I quite like a lot of what this region has to offer. Gorgeous mountains, gorgeous coast. Gorgeous desert. Gorgeous sequoias. A vast ethnic makeup with folks from all sorts of backgrounds and heritages. And with that? An abundance of superb and varied foods. *swoons*

This sums up a lot of what I like about the Bay Area, so I'm going to just quote you instead of writing it out again.

What about this area don't I like? It has a reputation for being liberal, but when it comes down to it, a lot of folks I seem to meet and interact with? Aren't truly liberal at all.

I used to think that too, but after meeting people from different parts of the country, I've realized that the mindset really is more "live and let live" here than elsewhere. Maybe pockets like NYC or Boston are more liberal, but we rank pretty highly too.

I want the bay area bad, but I dont want to lose my small town feel like I have here in good ol Katy, Tx maybe danville or pleasonton but still really freaking expensive for a cop.

If you have a BA you can earn a very healthy salary in the Bay Area as a cop, definitely enough where with even a mediocre second income, you can do perfectly fine. It all depends on the type of city you would work in though, as the ones that pay well are also the ones that tend to be less glamorous.

As for me, I'm very happy with where I live (as in the region, because I would truly prefer to live within SF). There's so much to love here that I can't imagine not living here in the future.

With that said, like devilot, I too want to live elsewhere, if only for a short time. What's the old saying, "absence makes the heart grow fonder?" Well that's what I imagine would happen to me if I tried to leave the Bay Area forever.

 

[godmachine12]

Johnson City, TN

Not a bad place overall. About 36,000 in the city and close to two others of about the same size making for a nicely populated metro area. Plenty of things to do, but unfortunately right in The Bible Crotch of the US. I've always said this place would be great minus the damn rednecks! Winter is best (for me anyway), fall and spring are very comfortable, but the summer is wretched; hot and humid from June through August.

If I could move anywhere continental, I would probably go with somewhere in the Northwest of the Northeast. The more liberal, educated populace fits me much better than most of the people I encounter here. My personal choice would be to go back to Sweden. I spent five weeks there and I was happier than I've ever been.

 

[duncyboy]

I love where I live. Nice quiet little seaside town in northwest England: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleetwood

The first picture on that page is two minutes walk from where I live.

Although it hasn't been too quiet recently: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2709710/Fire-rips-through-Fleetwood-pier.html

 

[Queso]

Not particularly. I've grown out of London these days and the only thing keeping me here is it's the quickest place to get the cash together to move to my ideal, which would be anywhere on the Mediterranean coast between Valencia and Napoli (Barcelona and Montpellier current front runners).

 

[Tom B.]

I love being so close to central London.

But if I could live anywhere, it would be Japan.

 

[Tanglewood]

San Diego, Ca (Clairemont Neighborhood)

I really like where I live. Pretty much have been in San Diego County my whole life (Clairemont area, Poway, and the San Diego State's College Area). I just like that San Diego has a large city feel though not in the sense of our neighbors to the north (LA and Orange Counties). The county as a whole has a lot to offer, everything from good night life in downtown and Pacific Beach areas, about 100 miles of coast line, mile high mountains, and deserts. As for natural disasters we have the occasional fire (understatement) and earthquake but thats about it. Though I could do without the traffic.


I have studied abroad in England and wouldn't mind living there a while or trying out Portland or Seattle.

 

[Lau]

Despite being a lovely place with it's splendid pubs, magnificent museums and Premier League football team, some people still feel the need to slag the place off at every opportunity. We're continuously being described as the worst place to live in the country (indeed, a survey released only today by DIY chain B&Q declared us to be the dullest place to live in the UK) by folks who more than likely have never been here, but we don't care – such a reputation stops southerners from moving up here and ruining the place.

Funnily enough, due to the circumstances™, I've ended up in somewhere with a similar reputation, it's just more full of southern jessies like myself than Hull. Against all odds though, I rather like it here. It's partly the company (entirely splendid!) and the fact we have to be here, so I've never had that "What if somewhere's better?" dilemma.

But even taking that into account, it's full of gritty urban-ness and quirky houses that I love to draw, it's dead easy to get into London and Oop North (as well as various other places), it's cheap enough to live in a reasonable-sized house, everywhere's walkable and cyclable, and the local pub serves splendid beer and Thai curry. What's not to like? I'm really happy here.

Edit: I've always fancied living in somewhere like Berlin or Portland or something, but I think so much of it is attitude and what you make of it, rather than the place itself (assuming it's roughly the sort of place you want to be).

Having said that, though, if you fancy a change and you can make it happen, go for it. A huge change like that can be a most refreshing and inspiring thing.

 

[Melrose]

I've lived in Seattle for 17 years and I'm tired of it. I graduate in June and I'm moving to California in July or August.

I love the northwest, but I'm tired of the rain and I need a change of scenery. Who knows, maybe I'll be back in 10 years.

edit:
The second bit of your question is an interesting one - I'd love to try living any number of places. I've spent so little time on the east coast that I definitely want to explore it soon (I've only been to NY and joysey, not counting airports ).

We are opposites. I live in NY and it ain't that great. I'd love to have a place in Seattle, rain or shine.

The scenery's nice, especially in the fall - but the extremes in temperature are kind of hard to take. I've lived here all my life and still have a hard time adjusting to the seasons. I'd rather live on the west coast, Oregon or Washington. Alas!

 

[LeahM]

I like where I live, mainly because my family is here and we're pretty tight.

Plus I enjoy the changing weathers, all four seasons. I think I'd go mad if it were always hot/cold

 

[ErikCLDR]

I live in Connecticut within the Farmington Valley.

Pros:
Scenic
Nice Area
Equidistant to New York and Boston
Little Crime
Quiet
Quaint
Good Education & Infrastructure

Cons:
Not a whole lot to do, you have to travel if you want to go somewhere
High Taxes
Some towns are overly snobby
Unpredictable weather

In terms of my neighborhood I like it. Really nice people- we have neighborhood BBQ's, Xmas Parties, ETC. Beautiful houses & landscaping. Cons include far from everything and private road so the town neglects plowing it in the winter although we pay them to.

 

[Abstract]

It has great beaches, great people....

Really?

If i were to move:
Melbourne, Australia.

I can see that. Awesome place.

I love the Gold Coast- It's my favourite holiday destination! If I were to move anywhere, I would move there.

Everyone wants to move to a nice place they visited on vacation. Being there as a non-tourist would be entirely different.



Anyway, for personal reasons, I want to move to Japan, and I just might do it. I know a few people who have moved that way recently. It's great. Hellz, I'm in Japan right now, and still keeping a pretty decent post rate at MR.

I already know what the cons are going to be, namely (EXTREMELY!!) poor Work-Life balance, long work hours, and people are really afraid of talking to people they don't know, which means strangers on the street are strictly strangers. Don't even think about talking to them.

On the other hand, I've lived in England, and it was similar regarding talking to strangers, particularly in London. It was still OK.

 

[Legolamb]

I've been living in Montreal for the past 20 years. This after growing up in NY. Part of me is bored to death. But I could have never done to research I do in NY; I'd be too busy consuming culture. The interesting thing is that I feel like an outsider here, very much like a New Yorker. But when I go to the States, I feel very Canadian.
Actually, we visit the West Coast a lot, and I sometimes fantasize about living in San Fran. The east coast is soooo 20th century

 

[CarlisleUnited]

Colchester, UK and i hate it lol. Only reason im here is to complete my university degree and then im off back to holland (was raised there)

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

Yeah, Boston is awesome.

 

[echeck]

Just because you're happy now, doesn't mean you find yourself being happier. Some people never go anywhere and insist that the place they live is perfect.

But why move if you're happy? Just for the sake of moving? To experience something new? There's definitely nothing wrong with that.

But I have a family, and a son that will be starting school soon. I don't want to be traveling all over the country and uprooting my family.

I love it here, so I have no reason to move.

 

[Martin C]

Yup. I can't really think of something I don't like about New York City. Maybe the ridiculously crowded subway trains on some days...

 

[PlaceofDis]

i love it here in chicago.
beautiful city. wonderful seasons. great people.

only pace i'd venture to or think about living would be the Pacific NW.

 

[LumbermanSVO]

I grew up in Seattle, spent 6 months in Shelbyville, IL, a year in Bradenton, FL, and now live in Colorado Springs.

I've been to 41 states, most of them I've been able to look around a little and some I've spent several days in.

I really like western Montana, northern Idaho, central Washington and central Oregon. Lately I've really been liking Salt Lake City, seems like a peaceful place for it's size.

I just spent a little over a day in Plattsburg, NY and was very impressed. The scenery was nice, the people were nice and the weather was perfect. I'll have to go back and take some more time there when I get the chance.

I spent last night in Jersey City and couldn't wait to leave, WAY too many people.

 

[JNB]

Born in San Diego, grew up in East LA ("Hey, you're pretty funny for a white guy"), spent my adulthood back in San Diego until it was ruined by latecomers trying to turn it into something it never was, spending my middle years in Phoenix (my family's been in AZ since Territorial days), only to have it ruined by the locusts from CA trying to make a real estate killing.

(I might be moving to Montana soon...)

Other than that, where I'm at (Glendale) is an absolutely wonderful city, my neighborhood couldn't be nicer, and I really don't have a honest complaint. Museums, shopping, nature near & far, a short drive or an hour's flight to almost anything I could want, an airport that I can always get back in to no matter where I am coming from (no 4-hour snow delays!).

Oh, and the occasional 118-degree day (and the ever-entertaining Sheriff Joe) keeps the riff-raff out.

 

[ravenvii]

I've lived in three places.

Was born and raised on Long Island. Definitely do not like living there. Suburban sprawl (not as bad as the Los Angeles/Riverside/San Bernardino area - that's the worst suburban sprawl I've ever seen, depressing), but still crappy public transportation and car-dependent. The age of the town meant that it did retain some of it's old charm, which I do like. I live close to a LIRR station, so New York City is just a train's ride away, and everything that it has to offer.

I then lived in Washington, DC for a short while. Cool city, if you know where to look. The tourist center of the Smithsonian and the Mall gets boring after a while, but after being there for a while, you start to find the good places in Georgetown, the GWU area, DuPont Circle, and stuff. The state the southwest and northwest are in is depressing - although the northwest area is seeing major improvements recently (I lived in the NW). Public transportation is pretty decent, could be better, though.

I now live in San Francisco. Awesome city, great public transportation, lots to do and see and do, and many places to eat. I loved (and am loving) my time here, but can't see myself living here for longer than 5 years or so. The rapidly worsening homelessness problem, and the worsening attitudes of people is dragging the city down. I have to see it everyday, living in the Tenderloin. And the skyrocketing cost of living isn't cool, either.

I'd love to live in New York City proper one day. Awesome public transportation, has everything you could want in a city. The only negatives about NYC is the weather (I do not like ice, and I do not like humidity. NYC has a lot of both in their respective seasons. Yuck.) and the i-n-s-a-n-e crowding certain times of the year (try boarding a subway train in midtown during a event, like the July 4 fireworks. A few times I even had to go back out and walk, or find another station, because people are so retarded that they packed the subway cars so tightly that it just won't move until some people leave. Jeez.)

I wish I could be a nomad, living in different cities all over the world. I've visited London and Paris, and loved it. I wish I could live there for a year or so, to really get a feel for the city. You know, that knowledge and feel of the city that you just can't get from just visiting there. Money, and other stuff prevent me from easily doing that, though.

 

[LeahM]

Oh and I have to add that since I live practically on the NYS/ON/QC border, I feel in the middle of many things, If I wanted to go to a large city, Mtl is 45 minutes away and NYC is 6 hrs away, which is just a day trip. I love driving and will travel to Albany on a whim, so thats nice to have. I'm not a city person either so its nice to have Ottawa at arms reach, or just stay here in my home town. Plus I don't need to pay taxes so thats a plus.

 

[jodelli]

I like where I live. Relatively clean middle size city, low cost of living, fresh water on three sides, miles of nice riverfront parks, major league baseball and NHL games just a city bus ride away, and four Apple Stores less than an hour's drive away.
And both Toronto and Chicago are a morning's drive or train ride away.
The economy's taking a hit, but that's not unique to here.