How many of you wish you lived somewhere else.

[Jackdog]

I was talking with a family friend about this the other day. They live in Georgia and hate it. They want to move to Florida. I live in Florida and I want nothing more than to be in the mountains of NC. I would say 50% of my friends are happy living in Florida the other 50% want to be somewhere else. So how do all of you feel? Are you living in the state you want or is there somewhere else you'd rather be?

[DeadManCrawling]

I believe there is no perfect place. Yet I continue to search for one.

I do not like living in Florida in the least, and am stunned that people would consider this place a destination of choice. The area I live in is overrun by a type of redneck I never imagined existed. These folks are unrepentant about their ignorance, they revel in it, throw it in your face, and would kill you and your family for a dollar if their welfare check didn't arrive.

The people that fill this area are the worst of the worst, and if the end of the world arrived tomorrow, I think would be the lowest common denominator, the thieving and lying hordes that lurk in the backs of most minds. The cruel and selfish dogs of the world, if you will.

I think back on the places I have lived and visited, and I do not know if there exists a place I would call home forever with satisfaction.

I have lately been considering this, as I would like to move again to get away from all of these people. Oddly, it isn't just me. Nearly everyone I know, except the ignorant saps themselves, feels the same. I am surrounded by fools and by those smart enough to want to escape the fools. We are considering moving to England. They have a very friendly immigration policy. I have been there, but plan to spend more time there this year to consider it.

I have lived in the Midwest. I have visited states all across our nation. The area I grew up in, on the Plains, is not any better, for the most part.

I have not set a high bar, but the lowest of my acceptable bars is still unmet.

Thank you for starting this conversation. I hope others will give thoughtful, objective views of their current areas. If there is a perfect place, I would like to know of it.

I have ruled out the Plains states, Florida, most of the Southeast, and so on. I suppose this is such a subjective conversation that little can come of it, but I am interested to hear others thoughts.

[Jackdog]

I've lived in Scotland. I really enjoyed it but it's just not for me. It is beautiful there but I couldn't imagine not being an American anymore. It's not a issue I would take with anyone that wanted different but I love being an American even with all the issues this country has.

Florida the area I'm in it's not rednecks. The majority of the people in my town aren't from Florida originally. I lived in NC for a few summers and one full year. Tiny little town what most would probably consider a lot of hillbillies but they were the nicest people. When I'd drive to town they'd wave when you pass them. Our SUV got a flat one summer and we had to pull over so ex could put on the spare. Three people stopped to ask if we needed help. Flash forward to where I live in Florida. My friends truck broke down with her and her daughters in it. She got out to push it off road. No one stopped to help. Even worse than no one helping was the people that yelled out of their car windows as they drove past for her to get her pos of car off the road. She called me when she got home in crying because she couldn't believe that not only was she out there in the dark with her daughters in the car but that people were actually cussing at her for her car breaking down in the road.

I don't get the whole Florida thing either. My Mom loved it here she could never understand why I wanted out. My brother wants to move back here. My Dad hates this state and refuses to set foot in it.
My boyfriend has lived here since he was 2 years old (1971) same town we are in now. He has never lived anywhere else. I took him to NC one summer you'd think he found heaven. Weekly I hear why are we still in Florida?!?!?!

I guess it's just to each his own. I could never understand what the appeal was to my Mom with wanting to live in Florida and she could never understand why I wanted to basically move back to an area that looks just like where both sides of my family are originally from.

[JEM]

I'm from Colorado and would love to move back there. Dh is from TX (which is where we live now), and while I don't hate it here--I find myself missing Colorado all.the.time.

I miss the seasons. I miss the snow. (yes, yes I do. LOL) I mostly miss my family.

There are things I like about TX, but I can't say it's ever TRULY felt like home.

[LadyInTheRed]

I'm happy in California. I love the diversity of people and the diversity in microclimate. You can take a jog on the beach in the morning and then drive to the mountains and hit the slopes for an half day of skiing. You can spend the day in the golden dessert or in a vineyard-lined valley tasting wine.

But, there are other places in the state where I'd like to live instead of where I am. There are many things I like about where I am, but there are also small towns in beautiful areas that would be a nice change of pace - the Mendocino Coast, the Sierra Foothills, the Humboldt County Redwoods, the Tahoe Basin, and so many other possiblities. The problem is I wouldn't be able to find a job in those areas making what I make now. Hmmmmm... I just realized another advantage of filing BK: once I don't have all this debt, I may be able to live with a lower paying job!

[jdcat]

I'm with LadyInTheRed. I grew up in California, the bay area, and miss it alot. California has everything. The ocean, the mountains, the desert, big city life, small town life, it's all there. And no humidity!! I didn't know what discomfort was until I moved here (northern Indiana) and experienced this humidity. It's terrible. I could do without the harsh winters also. Winter is ok but not when you can't escape from it, lol!

I think I'd prefer California somewhere just south of San Fransisco, but not as far south as LA or San Diego. Northern California is beautiful but a 'lil colder in the winter.

I miss being able to take a spur of the moment drive over to the ocean or up into the redwood forests. It's so flat here in Indiana also. Not to long ago I was showing my daughter some pics of California and she said "Ooooh, I wanna go see a mountain!" LOL!

[blessed]

I live in the north and want to move south for the weather. Most of my family lives in the south too.

[helpmeout]

Considering that I moved 2,000 miles when I was 21 to live in NJ and have been here 23 years, I can't say that I hate living here. It's close to everything. The high cost of living stinks, but one can't have everything.

Whereas; I hated living in Utah. Hence the reason I live 2,000 (or there abouts) miles away from there.

[BobMango]

I've lived in a variety of areas and they all have their pros and cons. I loved living in the San Francisco Bay Area, (but would rather have the politics, population and cost of living it had 70 years ago!)

I loved the Northwest, but could have used less rain and more sunshine when I lived there.

Didn't care much for life in the Northeast and my visits to the Southeast did not make me want to live there.

Living in the Southwest is ok but I do miss the beaches on the West Coast.

Less than where, I think more about the kind of place I want to live. Places like River City, IA or Mayberry, NC. I know those places don't "really" exist and are certainly idealized, but I really like the simpler life, slower pace, sense of community, etc that they evoke.

Imagine a time when you took a train ride or steamship to get somewhere, and while you were traveling, no one could call you or email you. The news would wait until you arrived and nobody expected to hear from you for weeks.

[momofthree]

I love CA. There are better areas that I'd prefer to live in, but just can't afford to. But, I'm a couple hours from the beach and an hour from the mountains.

[Universal]

I'm with LadyInTheRed. I grew up in California, the bay area, and miss it alot. California has everything. The ocean, the mountains, the desert, big city life, small town life, it's all there. And no humidity!! I didn't know what discomfort was until I moved here (northern Indiana) and experienced this humidity. It's terrible. I could do without the harsh winters also. Winter is ok but not when you can't escape from it, lol!

I think I'd prefer California somewhere just south of San Fransisco, but not as far south as LA or San Diego. Northern California is beautiful but a 'lil colder in the winter.

I miss being able to take a spur of the moment drive over to the ocean or up into the redwood forests. It's so flat here in Indiana also. Not to long ago I was showing my daughter some pics of California and she said "Ooooh, I wanna go see a mountain!" LOL!

The humidity is So. Ind. is almost unbearable. I do love when the trees are leafed out. I visited my daughter when she was stationed in San Diego and thought I had gone to heaven. Sitting outside under a lemon tree with shorts on in Feb. It isn't just the cold and snow in the winter, but how ugly everything is in winter.
Oh well, I am where I am.

[jdcat]

The humidity is So. Ind. is almost unbearable. I do love when the trees are leafed out. I visited my daughter when she was stationed in San Diego and thought I had gone to heaven. Sitting outside under a lemon tree with shorts on in Feb. It isn't just the cold and snow in the winter, but how ugly everything is in winter.
Oh well, I am where I am.

I think winter is ugly also. All the dirty snow along the roads and then when it melts everything turns to mud. Every now and then we'll get an ice storm and those are absolutely beautiful. That's something I never got to see in California. Everything looks like it's encased in glass. But then of course it's so dangerous and walking out to the mailbox can be really risky.

I miss dry heat. Not having my hair frizz after being outside for just minutes when it's humid would be great, and being able to breath comfortably. The air gets so heavy with the humidity. Hubby and I plan on moving west when the kids are grown, good bye humidity!

[nc73]

nope. moving is what got me into this mess.

[junker]

i was raised in northwest Indiana, worked in the steel mills there for 10 years, right on about the humidity...moved to California, lived in three areas, Southern Calif.Orange county, Middle of State San luis obisbo, and Northern California Mountains,, took a break and moved to Florida..BIG BIG mistake....hot, humid, rednecks...seemed like 2 churches for every block...they have the highest concentration of registered sex offenders per capita..that i have EVER seen...seriously....we lived in relatively nice area ..and had 8 within ONE mile....with all the holy rollers.i guess they think they can SAVE them..and no.jail time....took me a year to sell and leave that state....now living back in what many call Gods country....little town in Northern Calif..mountains..about 5000 ft.altitude..back door is about 100 ft from start of national park...The one thing i noticed while in Florida...when i mentioned to anyone i just moved here from California..they would all ask....WHY...WHY would you do that?????

[imoverit]

Native Floridian here...Every time I move out of here I get sucked back in... I would love love love to move away from FL, and I will someday. When the kids graduate and move on then we will too. I just want to experience a different place.