Does anyone hate where they live more than I do? Take the challenge...

[JoeyBryant]

I can't wait for that Palm Springs weekend: Denver

[Frequentflier]

Denver[/url]

 

That's unfortunate. And "hate" is a pretty strong and vile word which usually means some extreme emotion. Why don't you move? Seem to recall several of your posts wherein you appear unhappy. Is there anything preventing you from moving (school, job, husband)? I've been to Denver before and love both the city and Colorado. I won't list what I like as not everyone is going to feel the same way. Not into extreme cold so wouldn't live there. There's lots of geography I don't like (hint - just about any Red state - and yes I know thats a lot of geography - some areas nice to visit - live there - never). Northwest - too much rain and too many cloudy days. Now Hawaii - nice climate Palm Springs and nice and very elderly populated/friendly - maybe you can move there?

[Guy Fawkes]

Forgive me; I do hate where you live... All it started with John Denver and Rocky Mountain High!

 

Denver[/url]

[Frequentflier]

Forgive me; I do hate where you live... All it started with John Denver and Rocky Mountain High!

 

Who is John Denver?

[Frequentflier]

Some helpful ideas:

 

San Antonio: never been there but heard housing is very affordable

Palm Springs: you seem to like it already. No/little snow. Gay friendly. Won't need to move when you retire.

San Diego: have lived there. Great being able to take walks on the beach. Housing better value proposition than LA. Lots of good looking men People are always spending money so the effects of down cycles in the economy don't hurt as much.

Miami/Ft. Lauderdale: frequently visit. Housing (to buy) currently still affordable and may be a good investment.

Chicago: have lived there. While winters are extreme, lots of handsome men and gay friendly.

Detroit: never lived there. It may pay you to move there - joke.

Santa Barbara/Cape Cod/Marthas Vineyard: get a man to adopt you and have one of your homes here.

New York City: unbelievable culture (art, theater, museums, etc). Lots of men with enormous/endless sums of money. People that still know what fashion is. Closer to Europe for vacations.

[gallahadesquire]

Who is John Denver?

 

Who is John Galt?

[+ Charlie]

I love living in Palm Springs, which is a great home for an old man. I would not have loved living here when I was younger than about 55. Young gay men should live in cities.

[Epigonos]

I’m 72 and, at that age I’m, a rare breed – a native Californian. In the fifties, sixties, and most of the seventies California was a great place to live. It had some of the best infrastructure in the country, much of the aerospace industry was located here, other manufacturing was booming and the education system k through university was one of the best in the nation. However, NOW if I were younger and if all my family and my friends didn’t live here I would most definitely get out.

 

Over the years the infrastructure has deteriorated to the point that the state currently has some of the worst highways, sewer and water systems in the nation. The aerospace industry has gone and nearly all major manufacturing has exited the state. Foster Farms Poultry Farm, a huge operation and major employer, in Fresno California is moving to Louisiana because California voters passed a law that forces poultry farmers to allocate a minimum amount of individual space to each chicken, turkey, duck or goose. Studies now indicate that by 2015, because of the state over reliance on solar and wind to generate electricity, the state will face major rolling blackouts. The education system has been in decline for years and current student test scores are now some of the worst in the nation.

 

California additionally has some of the highest taxes in the nation. Sales tax in the city of Los Angeles is currently 9% and the voters on Monday turned down a ballot issue to increase that to 9.5%. In the last state wide election the voters did approve a major tax increase to cover the budget deficit and fund education. It is now been determined that even this increase will not cover the state government and education increasing costs.

 

California has over the last couple of decades built one of the best social welfare networks in the nation. These social welfare programs have become “almost” impossible to fund and “almost” impossible to trim or eliminate. State, country, and city pension funds are out of control and are absorbing more of more government operating funds. Several cities have gone into bankruptcy. The city of San Bernardino is being sued by the Public Employees Retirement Fund for suspending city contributions to employee’s retirement plans.

 

In other words the State of California is rapidly becoming ungovernable. If I were looking for a place to relocate it just might be Albuquerque, New Mexico or shudder Austin, Texas. Unfortunately I don’t see much of a future for California.

[bigvalboy]

I’m 72 and, at that age I’m, a rare breed – a native Californian. In the fifties, sixties, and most of the seventies California was a great place to live. It had some of the best infrastructure in the country, much of the aerospace industry was located here, other manufacturing was booming and the education system k through university was one of the best in the nation. However, NOW if I were younger and if all my family and my friends didn’t live here I would most definitely get out.

 

Over the years the infrastructure has deteriorated to the point that the state currently has some of the worst highways, sewer and water systems in the nation. The aerospace industry has gone and nearly all major manufacturing has exited the state. Foster Farms Poultry Farm, a huge operation and major employer, in Fresno California is moving to Louisiana because California voters passed a law that forces poultry farmers to allocate a minimum amount of individual space to each chicken, turkey, duck or goose. Studies now indicate that by 2015, because of the state over reliance on solar and wind to generate electricity, the state will face major rolling blackouts. The education system has been in decline for years and current student test scores are now some of the worst in the nation.

 

California additionally has some of the highest taxes in the nation. Sales tax in the city of Los Angeles is currently 9% and the voters on Monday turned down a ballot issue to increase that to 9.5%. In the last state wide election the voters did approve a major tax increase to cover the budget deficit and fund education. It is now been determined that even this increase will not cover the state government and education increasing costs.

 

California has over the last couple of decades built one of the best social welfare networks in the nation. These social welfare programs have become “almost” impossible to fund and “almost” impossible to trim or eliminate. State, country, and city pension funds are out of control and are absorbing more of more government operating funds. Several cities have gone into bankruptcy. The city of San Bernardino is being sued by the Public Employees Retirement Fund for suspending city contributions to employee’s retirement plans.

 

In other words the State of California is rapidly becoming ungovernable. If I were looking for a place to relocate it just might be Albuquerque, New Mexico or shudder Austin, Texas. Unfortunately I don’t see much of a future for California.

 

Well much of what you say is absolutely true, however the flip side to that is almost too numerous to mention. I did real estate in Cali for years. It is and soon will be one of the most lucrative real estate markets in the country. "So goes California, so goes the nation." The market there very often dictates what the rest of the nation will do. During the the boom years, prices routinely out paced almost every market in the country, except for perhaps NYC. Fortunes were made there and still are, OK some lost money as well, but the stories of success are many. Despite reports to the contrary the entertainment industry, silicon valley, agriculture, tourism, television, movie industry, business and real estate development draw billions of dollars from foreign investors who are not afraid to take a chance on, what once was and will soon will be again, one of the strongest economies in the world. The port of Los Angeles is entry to much of what comes through Asia and the Pacific Rim. Those products must be distributed before being sent else where. I have friends in the entertainment industry, in movie production, many in real estate development, and some in business and in the tech industry as well...they have made fortunes here like nowhere else in the world.

 

I have been in South Florida for about a month now. I have not talked to one single person under the age of 30 that does not long for a life in SoCal. The lure of jobs and the excitement which California offers are often far to great to resist. The mountains, deserts, coastline, inland valleys, are legendary in their beauty. Have we forgotten about San Diego, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Carmel, Big Sur, San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, her beaches and coastline, and the stunningly beautiful Mohave Desert. There are not too many places in the country were you can ski in the Sierras in the morning and surf the waves of Huntington Beach at night, or where t-shirts and flip flops in the dead of winter. Summers with virtually no humidity and mild days most of the year.

 

Everything that you say is 100% true, but is the glass half full or half empty....it depends entirely on who you talk to. So why did I leave? lol Well that my friend is a very good question....partly because much of what Epigonos says is true, and the flip side became less and less important.

[gallahadesquire]

Today: Another 14" of snow. (Central Mass). The Weather Channel has actually been broadcasting from Worcester!

no more New England winters. I've had it. It is pretty in the summer and, especially, in the fall.

[Decatur Guy]

Joey -- I say the following not out of cattiness or meanness or anything like that:

 

If I were you, I wouldn't move from Denver until I came to find some things to enjoy about Denver first. You are a glass half-empty kind of guy. I think if you moved, you'd just come to dwell on the faults of your new city. So there you'd be having gone to the trouble and expense of moving (moving is no damn fun), and most likely no better off.

 

I've never been to Denver, and I don't know the particulars of your hatred (again, a strong word). But you're the first person I've heard who has come down that hard on the place. The displaced Denverites and Coloradans I know talk about the area like it's heaven.

 

I have to tell you I'm not a big fan of living in Atlanta. I liked my previous three cities better (and I liked all three a lot). But I decided about six months ago to start trying harder to enjoy the positive aspects of the city more and quit dwelling on the aspects of Atlanta I don't like. And it's working. I like it better and I'm enjoying myself more now. That doesn't mean the negatives just vanished -- they'll always be here and there's no use pretending otherwise. But while I'm here, I might as wring out all the good stuff that I can.

 

And on that note, I'm going to go enjoy a great afternoon at very nice park in Atlanta. (Of which it has quite a few).

[Frequentflier]

If I were looking for a place to relocate it just might be Albuquerque, New Mexico or shudder Austin, Texas. Unfortunately I don’t see much of a future for California.

 

I haven't lived in Austin so can't speak to that. I do know Albuquerque fairly well and please don't do that to yourself. People in NM (I think) are friendly and housing reasonable but there is nearly nothing to do there. LOBOS (college) sports and a balloon festival but then you're reading books or watching movies.

[Frequentflier]

Who is John Galt?

 

Haha...John Galt is (I think) a certain congressman's uncle I did enjoy the book and the movies almost equally as much (regardless of any similarity or not).

[Frequentflier]

I'm stuck in an airport so I did some research on Denver for you Joey (no charge - haha).

1. Denver museums are free to residents the first Saturday of every month.

2. Hiking clubs are one of the best ways to meet people, and of course get some fresh air and exercise

3. The city has a bunch of parks. One (which I actually visited years ago) Wash (Washington) Park is packed on nice days. Barbecues, volleyball games, etc.

4. If you're into start up/garage bands and the like, Larimer Lounge is the place to go.

5. Fly fishing in Colorado is reportedly great. I fly fish but haven't (yet anyway) in Colorado.

6. Ski clubs!

7. White water rafting (clubs for that too apparently).

8. A friend who lives in Denver says the library system (all free) is so good one never needs to buy a book or DVD. There are book study groups if your into that.

9. Boulder (rock climbing the Flatirons) including its fair share of college aged men waiting to meet you. Read that Boulder ranks in the top 10 for residents with advanced degrees because students (probably some of them gay men) graduate and love the area so much they stay for advanced degrees and ideally good jobs afterwards.

10. Denver has several colleges as well and suspect their are gay men at one or more of them

11. With all the colleges and people of every age going back for degrees, if one is interested, that might be another good option.

 

What I've probably also learned from this is that if I looked into Tulsa (haha) I'd probably find some good things about it.

[+ Charlie]

I haven't lived in Austin so can't speak to that. I do know Albuquerque fairly well and please don't do that to yourself. People in NM (I think) are friendly and housing reasonable but there is nearly nothing to do there. LOBOS (college) sports and a balloon festival but then you're reading books or watching movies.

 

When I retired, Albuquerque was on my short list of places that I liked and seriously considered relocating to. Then I visited a distant relation who lived there, a young woman who worked as a reporter for the local newspaper. By the time she filled me in on all the problems with the area behind the scenes, and I watched a dust storm obliterate the view from our hotel window, I decided that a relatively liberal atmosphere with a reasonable cost of living was not enough to make me happy there.

 

Everyone says great things about Austin, including my partner's nephew, who wouldn't live anywhere else. I have been there a few times and guess it's OK, but it is surrounded by Texas.

[jimboivyo]

Joey -- I say the following not out of cattiness or meanness or anything like that:

 

If I were you, I wouldn't move from Denver until I came to find some things to enjoy about Denver first. You are a glass half-empty kind of guy. I think if you moved, you'd just come to dwell on the faults of your new city. So there you'd be having gone to the trouble and expense of moving (moving is no damn fun), and most likely no better off.

 

I've never been to Denver, and I don't know the particulars of your hatred (again, a strong word). But you're the first person I've heard who has come down that hard on the place. The displaced Denverites and Coloradans I know talk about the area like it's heaven.

 

I have to tell you I'm not a big fan of living in Atlanta. I liked my previous three cities better (and I liked all three a lot). But I decided about six months ago to start trying harder to enjoy the positive aspects of the city more and quit dwelling on the aspects of Atlanta I don't like. And it's working. I like it better and I'm enjoying myself more now. That doesn't mean the negatives just vanished -- they'll always be here and there's no use pretending otherwise. But while I'm here, I might as wring out all the good stuff that I can.

 

And on that note, I'm going to go enjoy a great afternoon at very nice park in Atlanta. (Of which it has quite a few).

 

 

good advice

 

joey doesn't seem to like anywhere hes lived, always blaming anything other than his own piss poor attitude

[down_to_business]

...

 

Everyone says great things about Austin, including my partner's nephew, who wouldn't live anywhere else. I have been there a few times and guess it's OK, but it is surrounded by Texas.

 

I find it interesting that so many people do love Austin. Personally, I can't wait to get the heck out of Texas-- unfortunately I can't quite swing that yet. If I did have to live in Texas (and I do) Austin is probably the best of the options but give me a place with 4 seasons and not just hot and humid and hotter and humid. The politics of Texas sickens me as well unless you really like Republican agenda domination with things like forcing schoolchildren to learn the theory of evolution and "the theory" of creation equally make you happy.

[Becket]

As someone who lives in Texas I must say that your comments do not reflect.......O hell, you're right!

[leigh.bess.toad]

I may be the odd duck here, but i like being off the beaten track just a bit. A couple of hours outside of DC. Away from the frantic traffic but close enough to get in when wanted. Far enough south that our version of blizzards are usually 3-5" of snow. Yeah summers are warm and muggy as hell, but that's why god invented air conditioning. No I don't hate where I live. I love it. And I know it isn't for everyone. It isn't for most. But it's right for me. And that is all that matters I guess.

[Xander]

Joey -- I say the following not out of cattiness or meanness or anything like that:

 

If I were you, I wouldn't move from Denver until I came to find some things to enjoy about Denver first. You are a glass half-empty kind of guy. I think if you moved, you'd just come to dwell on the faults of your new city. So there you'd be having gone to the trouble and expense of moving (moving is no damn fun), and most likely no better off.

 

I've never been to Denver, and I don't know the particulars of your hatred (again, a strong word). But you're the first person I've heard who has come down that hard on the place. The displaced Denverites and Coloradans I know talk about the area like it's heaven.

 

I have to tell you I'm not a big fan of living in Atlanta. I liked my previous three cities better (and I liked all three a lot). But I decided about six months ago to start trying harder to enjoy the positive aspects of the city more and quit dwelling on the aspects of Atlanta I don't like. And it's working. I like it better and I'm enjoying myself more now. That doesn't mean the negatives just vanished -- they'll always be here and there's no use pretending otherwise. But while I'm here, I might as wring out all the good stuff that I can.

 

And on that note, I'm going to go enjoy a great afternoon at very nice park in Atlanta. (Of which it has quite a few).

 

Love how we can get a billion dollars for a fucking new stadium for the football team ("old" one is what, 7 years old?) yet we can't hire some industrial engineers to figure out our traffic problem.

 

I can't wait to get back out west..

[+ Axiom2001]

Who is John Denver?

 

Of course, you're being facetious. If not, please do a google check!

 

{I just watched a rerun of one of his special shows on PBS which he performed in Japan some

years back. I liked his music but never purchased any of his cds. When I heard him sing the

other evening, I became slightly saddened in my knowing how he died!!

[bigvalboy]

Love how we can get a billion dollars for a fucking new stadium for the football team ("old" one is what, 7 years old?) yet we can't hire some industrial engineers to figure out our traffic problem.

 

I can't wait to get back out west..

 

uuuhhh...have you seen traffic out west? lol Even where rapid transit sort of exists, traffic is horrendous, unless of course you go rural....

[Jaker27]

Foster Farms Poultry Farm, a huge operation and major employer, in Fresno California is moving to Louisiana because California voters passed a law that forces poultry farmers to allocate a minimum amount of individual space to each chicken, turkey, duck or goose.

Oh noes. Wasn't there whole advertising campaign centered around the ..don't buy from those other guys who import chicken from far away when you can get it from us all fresh. You know the commercial where the chickens are driving around in the old beat up car. Oh well. Fuck em. Penalize their ass or send Peta after them. Chickens deserve a livable condition.

[Xander]

uuuhhh...have you seen traffic out west? lol Even where rapid transit sort of exists, traffic is horrendous, unless of course you go rural....

 

I found Phoenix quite manageable compared to ATL

[Guest]

Foster Farms Poultry Farm, a huge operation and major employer, in Fresno California is moving to Louisiana because California voters passed a law that forces poultry farmers to allocate a minimum amount of individual space to each chicken, turkey, duck or goose. Studies now indicate that by 2015, because of the state over reliance on solar and wind to generate electricity, the state will face major rolling blackouts.

 

Well, my multimillionaire brother grumbles about the high taxes in California, too, but he and his wife are retired and could live anywhere they want, and they're quite happy here in California. I don't think they'd choose to live anywhere else. If my memory serves me right, humane conditions for poultry aren't just required for poultry growers, but I believe all poultry sold in California must be grown humanely. So moving to Louisiana isn't going to solve their "problem" if they want to sell poultry in California. It is really not necessary to make chickens live in small cages with their wings clipped and beaks cut off, standing in their shit all day. I very much support forbidding the sale of poultry grown under cruel and disgusting conditions. I haven't heard of the "studies" predicting rolling blackouts in 2 years. Perhaps you'd care to share a reference to one of them. And, no, an article from the Wall Street Journal doesn't count as a study.

http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/wp-content/uploads/chickens-11.jpg