OFF TOPIC OT: Moving the family out of state - destination: Nashville, TN area

[PASabreFan]

Yes, I got that. I just stumbled over how you put it together, and it read to me like an umbrella accusation. Sorry. I should know to read posts thrice if they get me riled up the first time.

 

In my defense, the replies you got prior to mine confirmed what I thought I had read.

Words are fun. And dangerous. Bailed is a loaded word, I guess. Hence my quotes around it and the followup "for lack of a better term." FTR it doesn't sound like your move is superficial in any sense of the word. You and your wife are probably more thoughtful than most though. I'm sorry you took it the wrong way. I wish you and your family all the best.

 

The sore spot that underlies some of my opinion is a lifetime of seeing towns and families in this region get torn apart. Pick any population center in WNY and WPA, big or small, and it's half the size it was in 1950. It's almost a universal stat. I had three older brothers who all "bailed" and I was left to take care of my parents in their "golden" years of ill health, amputations, cancer bouts...

Obviously.  ;)

I'm a very odd bird. I enjoy all weather. I'm almost never happier than those -5 for a high days in January when you go for a walk and the snow is crunchy. The only thing that gets me a bit down is when May and October disappoint. I have this idealistic idea of what the weather should be like in these months, and it almost never plays out like it should in my mind. (They're calling for a bit of snow on Sunday. )

Edited May 13, 2016 by PASabreFan

[...]

The sore spot that underlies some of my opinion is a lifetime of seeing towns and families in this region get torn apart. Pick any population center in WNY and WPA, big or small, and it's half the size it was in 1950. It's almost a universal stat. I had three older brothers who all "bailed" and I was left to take care of my parents in their "golden" years of ill health, amputations, cancer bouts...

I won't deny you the sore spot you have. However, those population drains aren't happening willy-nilly. Over my life-time, I've heard countless anecdotes about how people may not want to leave, but they have to.

 

So, in my view the problem isn't with the people leaving, for whatever reasons they have, the problem is that the area they're leaving didn't do enough to keep them there. That's on the people and, by extension, on the government the people elected.

[PASabreFan]

I won't deny you the sore spot you have. However, those population drains aren't happening willy-nilly. Over my life-time, I've heard countless anecdotes about how people may not want to leave, but they have to.

 

So, in my view the problem isn't with the people leaving, for whatever reasons they have, the problem is that the area they're leaving didn't do enough to keep them there. That's on the people and, by extension, on the government the people elected.

That passes the smell test. But what kicked it all off? Population declines started in earnest after World War II. How much of it was the economy and government failings and how much of it was the Greatest Generation having wanderlust, the development of the interstate highway system, the advent of television and so on? A lot of people at first didn't move out of necessity, and the original population decline then begat a lot of other problems that led to more decline, it seems to me.

[JJFIVEOH]

 

I'm a very odd bird. I enjoy all weather. I'm almost never happier than those -5 for a high days in January when you go for a walk and the snow is crunchy. The only thing that gets me a bit down is when May and October disappoint. I have this idealistic idea of what the weather should be like in these months, and it almost never plays out like it should in my mind. (They're calling for a bit of snow on Sunday. )

 

I hear ya. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss those days occasionally. 

[dudacek]

I love seeing the world but I've never been to a place I like better than home.

Don't know if that makes me conservative, risk-averse, grounded, content or just me.

Never seen another place that offers me what I have here.

 

Health and economics have allowed me to make that choice. I consider neither of those things superficial.

Edited May 14, 2016 by dudacek

[nfreeman]

sizzle, the post wasn't about you. Hence the word "offshoot." I haven't really followed the thread, so, no, it wasn't inspired by discussion of your move.

To be closer to family? For an educational or economic opportunity that isn't possible where you are? Weather, "it looks nice," girls! sun! (for some younger guys I knew back in the day), so and so went there and likes it, even saving some money on taxes... sorry, those are superficial reasons to me.

 

But what if you really like the mountains?  Or the ocean, the woods, the desert, etc.?  Is that superficial?  If not, is there much of a difference between caring about the topography and caring about the weather? 

 

To me, 'superficial' means moving into an area, or to a new neighborhood simply because it's expensive and you want to impress your peers. Superficial, to me, means doing something only because you're concerned with how it makes you look to others. Moving to a new location because of the weather, or because of sun and girls makes that person happier. Isn't that what our goal in life is about, being happy? I have a job and I have place to live so I'm not about to hunt down the perfect job despite the location and move there because of the career potential. I'm going to look for a job in the locations I prefer because that's what makes me happy. I love the mountains, I love hiking, I love waterfalls and I love a big city....... even if it means moving away from family. Life's too short to wait until retirement to move to someplace you enjoy. If that makes me sound superficial, so be it. 

 

I don't think those reasons are superficial. 

[dudacek]

Too be fair I don't thin PA was saying any reason in and of itself is superficial.

He was saying that people sometimes seem to make these choices without deep reflection as to why they should.

[MattPie]

That passes the smell test. But what kicked it all off? Population declines started in earnest after World War II. How much of it was the economy and government failings and how much of it was the Greatest Generation having wanderlust, the development of the interstate highway system, the advent of television and so on? A lot of people at first didn't move out of necessity, and the original population decline then begat a lot of other problems that led to more decline, it seems to me.

 

A/C. Take away Air Conditioning, and everywhere south of Virginia becomes far less desirable for a lot of people.

[Lanny]

Did this move ever happen?

[PASabreFan]

I dunno. But sizzlemeister's handle now appears to be a punctuation mark.