Big City vs. Small Town

[HotShot 34]

I live in a fairly small town with about 25,000 people. The things that I enjoy about it are: Low crime, no traffic, everybody knows everybody, low cost of living. Some of the things that I dislike are: everybody knows everybody, not a whole lot to do socially without traveling and that's pretty much it.

My bro-in-law and his family want to move to a fairly big city because they say that there is no opportunity around here. To a degree, I see their point, but what's really important to a person may not be to another. It's the last thing in the world I want to do is deal with big city traffic. I would shoot myself or somebody else. It's not important to me to go to a "show" ( like an opera or something). Half the time I don't even lock my doors in my truck, where he's going you wouldn't think about running into the post office real quick to get your mail and leave your car running......it's just different.

I guess I'm just wondering if I'm letting my daughter miss out on stuff that's more important than what my little town has to offer. I don't consider stuff like poetry night at the starbucks too high on my priority list. Am I wrong?

[HotShot 34]

Celeste....I agree with you. Barstow is growing like crazy right now. I've decided that if it gets above 50,000 people-I'm moving. :)

[StainlessDeal 16]

I was born in a small town: Bismarck, North Dakota.

If you look it up, you'll see that it is actually a small city, but it was smaller when I was a kid. It is also the state capitol. I was keenly aware of this, because my elementary school, Will-Moore Elementary, is only a couple of blocks from the capitol building and state museum. After school, in first and second grades, I was so well known on the capitol grounds that the governor and lieutenant governor both knew my name. Even more remarkably, they never threw me out of these buildings or even out of sessions of the Legislature. (Which only meets every other year)

It may not have been as small a town as you meant, but in that small state, and as remote as Bismarck is, I'd say the experience was nearly unique. Looking back, it seems like we did what most kids did in the 20's, 30's, and 40's. There was a lot of freedom to be had. I'd go back, because I love outdoor activities, but there is little work to be had.

And I like the things my little city, Omaha, offers. We have good hockey, baseball, college football, ballet, plays, and symphony. We also have some of the very best steakhouses and Italian and Bohemian restaurants in the country. Our schools and colleges are well-above-average, and crime is well below. People commonly say it is a good place to raise kids, and I agree.

Jobs are plentiful, and generally pay well, and we get the worst weather on Earth. That is good for my chosen profession: We have lichens everywhere, because only lichen can truly appreciate our climate, and only I seem to be able to safely remove them from everthing under the sun.;)

Generally, I'd say that people have to experience what they didn't grow up in, to find out what they prefer. There is great variety in city experiences, and that can be stimulating like a good discussion, or stimulating like a headlong run in terror. Nobody can know how it will be until they have seen it through a few seasons, I'd imagine.

We used to have an expression in Omaha, when I was a young turk and someone would ask where a missing pal was: "Oh," we'd say, "He got bored and moved to California...He'll be back." Most often they were back inside two years.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

I would prefer a small town, but am not in a position to drop everything and go there. I drive enough, I do not need a long commute just to get back in the area so i can drive some more.

[Scott Stone 604]

In Feb, I went to a Lakers game and it took 1 hour 15 mins to go 88 miles...then it took another hour to go another 20....

TO Barstows credit, it is convenient, but, I prefer living somewhere cool if I am going to be in a small town. The only reason I am where I am is because my family and my wifes family are no more than 30 minutes away. If you knew how large our families were you would be amazed. We just all happened to settle here.

What is interesting is that we all lived at least a couple of years somewhere else, except for my littlest sister, and we all came back home.

[Rick Arrese 14]

Hey Lance, since when is OP a small town?, maybe when Cecil Field was still open. Last time I was in Jax the whole place was built nearly county to county heck you couldnt even tell where Green Cove Springs started and OP ended. I lived in Jax 83 thru 87 and OP was THE place to live If you couldn't afford golf course homesites out there near Ponte Vedra. I still like the place, Jax Beach, the Riverwalk the dog tracks. I live now in a "small town" outside Atlanta and I'm ready to move away... The family voted for Florida, near the water ( 3 of 5 are open water divers to boot). I think both large and small cities have pros and cons.

[PressurePros 249]

I like suburban life. I am one hour from mountains, one hour from the beach, I have a Wawa/Qwikie Mart within 3 miles, four major malls within another 5 miles, and a 30 minute ride to culture, excellent restaraunts and waterfront night life. I love my city... and the quiet retreat of the suburbs

[squirtgun 122]

Hey Lance, since when is OP a small town?, maybe when Cecil Field was still open. Last time I was in Jax the whole place was built nearly county to county heck you couldnt even tell where Green Cove Springs started and OP ended. I lived in Jax 83 thru 87 and OP was THE place to live If you couldn't afford golf course homesites out there near Ponte Vedra. I still like the place, Jax Beach, the Riverwalk the dog tracks. I live now in a "small town" outside Atlanta and I'm ready to move away... The family voted for Florida, near the water ( 3 of 5 are open water divers to boot). I think both large and small cities have pros and cons.

Growing up OP folks were fine as long as they didn't cross the river....lol.Op was starting to boom when I moved to Ga.Places that were trees and fields growing up are now strip mall,schools and houses.The growth in unreal to say the least.

I grew up in Jax....my dad and sisters still live in the Ft. Caroline area.I moved to smallville Ga. in 1991 and have no intentions of moving back to the big city.Yes,it's 18 miles to the malls and nicer restaurants(east or west),but rush hour is only as long as it takes to pass a peanut or cotton picker on the highway.

I do enjoy going home to visit,but a week is all I can take anymore.

[Degraffreed 21]

Well, I am going to put my .02 in on this topic. For all of you that I have met here in Atlanta, Cujo, pete, tracey, jeff,pdlittle, Russ, Chad (My partner in crime), it been a blast. I am currently packing my Penske truck on Thursday heading back to Indiana. My mother and mother in-law, are having some health issues and it time to be around the family after a 7 year stay here in the ATL. I made a nice salary with this pressure washing career since 2004. This board has really been a Blessing to my Business. Thanks Beth and Rod.

This year started to be my best But I made a decision to move from the hectic, No sidewalk having,crazy, roadrage killing,crime infested, lowest State test taking, Indy 500 State of GA back to the small city of 80,000. When you want the best for your family and to see your children grow up in a safe enviroment, sometime simplicity is the key to a successfull life. It not all about MONEY, or the stuff that money can buy BUT it is about the FAMILY and their happiness. So to all of the fellow and future pressure washers.... Good Spraying and may god Bless all of you.

" DeGraffreed OUT" ha Ha.

[Jon 533]

Big cities are great till you are ready to slow down in life.

If you want to see the stars at night you won't in a big city since the smog and junk block the view.

If you want to smell the roses (I hate any stick bush, roses included) then move to a small town.

If you want to be a grandparent when your kid turns 15 stay in a small town where there is nothing for teenagers to do but that.

I would suggest sending your daughter to live with relatives in a big city so she can experience real life, if not for a year or two then during the summer vacation time.

Think of it as a vacation for you and your wife!

I remember Brastow when it was just a rail town, when Kmart was there, when Stater Bros. opened, when So CA Edison opened the solar plant, when the Marine Logistic Base was full of vehicles and not when they came in, got repaired and sent back to a war zone.

I remember it before all the freeway stuff was there too.

And I know at least one other Pressure Washer who has accounts there.

I am no longer in a big city like Los Angeles or subs of it and love it here in Albuquerque, NM. If we decide to sell this house for a nice profit would probably seek out a smaller town yet.

Don't miss CA, just miss family but we call and go back to visit, then get out as fast as I can.

[HotShot 34]

It not all about MONEY, or the stuff that money can buy BUT it is about the FAMILY and their happiness.

" DeGraffreed OUT" ha Ha.

couldn't have said it better myself, exactly the point I was trying to make

My Bro-in-law is moving away from family....for stuff! That's nuts to me.

[Jeff 232]

It all depends on what you want. I almost always lived in suburbs and I like it. I grew up in Randolph Ma about 40K but was only 15 minutes south of Boston, we had woods we could play & hike in, ride dirt bikes etc, but we also could go to Boston and do so many other things as kids & adults. Restaurants, aquarium, special events like the Tall Ships, 4th of July we had parade & fireworks in our home town or we could go to Boston with a million people & have a blast. Suburbs near a city have a lot to offer, close to everything but usually without as much crime & traffic

Now living in a rural area I never really have, for me I wouldnt like it because its not enough for me to do, I would like the wide open spaces but I think I would get bored and may not see whats going on as much if I had to travel 2,3, 4 hours to get to events

Big city living Ive done a couple times, I lived in Boston for about a year and Philly for a year & a half. It was cool for those short periods of time but I wouldnt want to live there long term, to congested and I was mugged once

One of the Best places I lived was in Goleta CA at Santa Barbara it was in 1980 - 81 I was 18 and me and freinds moved there to have fun & we did, its a great area the ocean and everything it had to offer, GIRLS. The Mountains and beautiful weather. I also lived in San Deigo fun town, but crime also

Ive lived short term many places and liked most

The perfect place for me to live would be suburbia, but with a 5-10 acre of land , but that you cant afford unless it was in the family.

Myrtle Beach is alright I'll probably live here the rest of my life its my home now and I wouldnt want to go back to cold weather

I worry about any area nowadays. I worry for my children, I can and have handled all kinds of things in my life , but these days things are so different crime is everywhere, wether you see it or not, Kids arent like they used to be. A fist fight used to be with fist , not kicking or stabbing or shooting. Road rage never heard of it when I was a kid. There just seems like theres a lot more screwed up people everywhere. When I was a kid there was 1 , 2 3 families that were bad or screwy, now it seems like half the population is bad or screwy

HotShot if your comfortable and happy where you are stay there, but make sure you show the good & bad sides of other areas to your kids take them on family trips to the city and enjoy, you cant hide or shelter them from this stuff, they might get over whelmed if they go there when they grow up. Educate them on all parts of a real world and show them it.

Lots of the reason I lived or traveled many places in my life since I was 16 was because my Dad told me to go see this great country he did when he was young hitch hiked across the country and I travel by car, van, bus & plane and Ive seen a lot of good bad and GREAT stuff. We live in such a great country just make sure you see some of it

JL

[Mike Williamson 198]

Lance....yeah, see I agree with you. I would much rather be on the outskirts of the chaos, not right in the middle of it.

The problem is that as things grow, the chaos envelops you!

Your kids aren't missing out on anything at all. You can give them culture without them living in the city. You sound like you're happy there. That's should be the end of it! I'd much rather raise my son in a small town than in the city.