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Post by Lamebeaver on Jan 27, 2020 14:37:10 GMT -8
Kansans definitely have a more "live and let live" attitude, overall, then Iowans. I suspect there are places in both states with both attitudes.... Cities are generally more live-and-let-live than small towns in the middle of nowhere.
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Post by cweston on Jan 27, 2020 14:47:26 GMT -8
I suspect there are places in both states with both attitudes.... Cities are generally more live-and-let-live than small towns in the middle of nowhere. Absolutely. It's worth mentioning that we lived in remarkably comparable towns in these two states: Ames, IA and Manhattan, KS. Both are small cities of around 60,000 which are the site off their state's large land-grant university. So, in this particular case, it was a very apples-to-apples comparison. I think the cultural differences we have observed revolve mostly around regional history and identity. Although the two states are not far apart, Kansas was part of the "Wild West" for much of its (white) history. Whereas Iowa was historically more part of "civilized" country, with a heavier influx of immigrants from Northern Europe..
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Hungry Jack
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Post by Hungry Jack on Jan 27, 2020 16:26:55 GMT -8
Will probably be Santa Barbara. You must be a lot more wealthy than I assumed. We'll have to get together when you move out. We (Mrs. Jack and I) are lucky to inherit a considerable sum with the passing of our respective fathers. It helps that we bought a house in Chicago 19 years ago that has appreciated considerably, but I don't think we'd be retiring (somewhat) early in Santa Barbara without the help.
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Post by hikerjer on Jan 27, 2020 19:15:45 GMT -8
I suspect there are places in both states with both attitudes. I've never lived in Kansas or Iowa but will say that on my travels around the country, I've found the citizens of these states to among the friendliest I've encountered. of course, maybe they'd feel differently about me if they didn't know I was just passing through.
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Jan 27, 2020 20:26:30 GMT -8
In the early 80's when my prolonged slacker adolescence was starting to chafe, and I resolved it by marrying for real and settled in Wyoming, I knew I had found my home. I knew in my 20's that I would settle down in WY-MT-UT. Confirmed three time college drop out but I was long in industrial skills from the factory floor and then oilfield, So i wrangled work in the uranium mines, and then for a major oil company for the rest of my career. Last of our kind to have a retirement. With teh advent of the web and company reorganizations I was able to promote-in-place and raise a family in Wyoming while getting benefits a global corporation.
I love this land and now am engaged in defending it from some of the very interests and greed that put food on my families table. I love the basins and ranges here and cannot really imagine living anywhere else. The winters are hard and for me the politics are worse. I learned to actually love winter and hike,ski and even bike in it. I see Prescott AZ come up a lot in this thread, and I went to HS and college there. Again, the politics there are even worse. Here at least there is still a lingering live and let live libertarian tolerance. The thing I miss about late March about Prescott was the winter were short and the summers milder than the Valley or Tucson.
What no one on this thread is considering is how climate change is affecting some of the most popular retirement destinations. The Southwest looks pretty bleak. My survivalist childhood gets a chill about Wyoming as we are very dependent on the transportation network for everything, too unstable for agriculture and no trade.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Jan 28, 2020 1:44:12 GMT -8
What no one on this thread is considering is how climate change is affecting some of the most popular retirement destinations. I may never move far, but I've looked at it for both where I might live and where I might travel, especially as the seasons in various areas will change.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Jan 28, 2020 4:33:42 GMT -8
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Hungry Jack
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Post by Hungry Jack on Jan 28, 2020 7:56:35 GMT -8
In the early 80's when my prolonged slacker adolescence was starting to chafe, and I resolved it by marrying for real and settled in Wyoming, I knew I had found my home. I knew in my 20's that I would settle down in WY-MT-UT. Confirmed three time college drop out but I was long in industrial skills from the factory floor and then oilfield, So i wrangled work in the uranium mines, and then for a major oil company for the rest of my career. Last of our kind to have a retirement. With teh advent of the web and company reorganizations I was able to promote-in-place and raise a family in Wyoming while getting benefits a global corporation. I love this land and now am engaged in defending it from some of the very interests and greed that put food on my families table. I love the basins and ranges here and cannot really imagine living anywhere else. The winters are hard and for me the politics are worse. I learned to actually love winter and hike,ski and even bike in it. I see Prescott AZ come up a lot in this thread, and I went to HS and college there. Again, the politics there are even worse. Here at least there is still a lingering live and let live libertarian tolerance. The thing I miss about late March about Prescott was the winter were short and the summers milder than the Valley or Tucson. What no one on this thread is considering is how climate change is affecting some of the most popular retirement destinations. The Southwest looks pretty bleak. My survivalist childhood gets a chill about Wyoming as we are very dependent on the transportation network for everything, too unstable for agriculture and no trade. Does the local politics really impact you that much in terms of quality of life? I’m more red than blue, at least by traditional measures, though tend to vote independent. I live in a very blue place (Chicago) but still love the people here. I just think the governance is poor and on an unsustainable path. But I feel I could live almost anywhere and get along with the locals without suffering.
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Post by tallgrass on Jan 28, 2020 8:16:21 GMT -8
Am only living about 25 miles from where I grew up. First 18 years of my life were in the same house. It's incredible how stable & rooted my family was. I get bit by wanderlust quite a bit, at one point in my younger years I was actively looking to get out of Iowa. But circumstance kept me here (with short stretches in other places). Now with kids, home, grandparents close by I'm pretty content with being here for the foreseeable future.
I do have plans that once the kids are on their own, those roots of ours are going to get pulled. Think I've finally won the wife over with the idea of spending our time on the road as much as possible.
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Hungry Jack
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Post by Hungry Jack on Jan 28, 2020 9:23:14 GMT -8
Am only living about 25 miles from where I grew up. First 18 years of my life were in the same house. It's incredible how stable & rooted my family was. I get bit by wanderlust quite a bit, at one point in my younger years I was actively looking to get out of Iowa. But circumstance kept me here (with short stretches in other places). Now with kids, home, grandparents close by I'm pretty content with being here for the foreseeable future. I do have plans that once the kids are on their own, those roots of ours are going to get pulled. Think I've finally won the wife over with the idea of spending our time on the road as much as possible. Any chance you are the same Tallgrass who posts/posted on 14ers.com? Don't worry--not trying to hound you. I just remember a guy by the same name who lived in the plains but traveled to CO pretty regularly.
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mk
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Post by mk on Jan 28, 2020 13:33:53 GMT -8
I feel the same as trinity about Texas - not native-born, but I've been here since 1991. He forgot to mention the traffic, though! My husband has a year until retirement, and the what-to-do-next discussion is ongoing. We are in Texas (moved from MN) because this is the headquarters for the Class 1 railroad that provides the living. This is a great place for a home base, I think. We are decently located to get to DFW, Amtrak, major interstates. But holy cow is the landscape boring. Worse - I live in suburbia. More worse - developers will not be satisfied until every square inch of open space is covered in concrete. So the area keeps growing, and growing, and growing, adding more cars to the insuffient infrastructure. Driving is terrifying. Our oldest has decided to leave the same railroad to move to Portland OR. Because she wants to be where she has access to beauty, and hiking, and climbing. My youngest is still in grad school in Lubbock -- she may end up in Ft. Worth if her fiance's job opportunity pans out. So many options -- But here's what I think about: 1). cost of living 2). access to healthcare (we aren't getting any younger, ya know!) 3). access to transportation so we can travel 4). SCENERY! 5). reasonable weather. Four seasons is great, but I don't need/want bitterly cold winters anymore. On the other hand, I don't want/need these Texas summers anymore either. When I get fed up with the lack of open space and nature, I get on Zillow and start daydreaming. I'm currently stuck in NM. Suggestions welcome!
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Jan 28, 2020 14:23:20 GMT -8
Does the local politics really impact you that much in terms of quality of life? To answer Hungry Jack's question, I have always paid attention to an area's identity plays how it plays out in its local politics. I went to a solid waste management meeting last month and the management board was looking at options how to deal with certain recyclable products coming in. The elected County Commissioner whose expertise is supposed to be a natural resource specialist for the board grew impatient, saying " you know landfills are conservative, and recycling is a liberal thing." A lot of it is I am just really tired and grumpy about the old boys, and it is only the old boys that are running things right now.
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Post by autumnmist on Jan 28, 2020 14:23:34 GMT -8
Great, helpful, insightful and very interesting thread!
I was born in Michigan, lived my baby years in Texas where my father was stationed, then grew up in a medium sized city in Michigan until my parents had the money to buy lake property (not on the lake, but w/i walking distance). The area wasn't heavily developed, there were plenty of hiking and bike riding ventures when we weren't swimming or ice skating, plus state parks.
The county is literally filled with lakes. And that lake defined our existence until I was an adult. At one point I didn't think I could ever tolerate living in an area that didn't have lake access.
Decades ago I planned to build a cabin and live closer to the Michigan wilderness areas, but as I've aged, and especially after seeing the challenges my parents and sister endured at the ends of their lives, good medical care has become an important issue. Much as I'd love to live miles from civilization, if I needed medical help in a blizzard I probably wouldn't get it.
So my dream plans were modified.
Earlier, as an adult, I moved to where I am now b/c (a) it was an integrated community way back in the late 1970s, and I was very political at that time), and (2) the large yard and the possibility for extensive gardening captivated me. That still is a major lure, but the community changed during the last recession. The residents before then were very cordial, helpful and got along well.
One neighbor was an organic gardener; another worked in a garden store and gave me extra plants. Another married a Sabra; I met some of the relatives when they visited from Israel. Others on that street were Jewish as well, incuding one woman who arrived after WWII. We had some interesting conversations, and it was a good community. We also helped each other out; it was a nice place to live. There was a sense of camaraderie.
That changed during the real estate recession; the good folks moved away. Now there's only a core of people who even speak to each other; the others seem to seclude themselves away in their houses. Regardless of age, I've realized how cold and unwelcoming a community of antisocial people can be, and I don't particularly care for that.
It's not that I miss their companionship; it's more of a supporting the neighbor concept. There are a core group who help when others are in need; other neighbors lock themselves away behind closed doors and only come in and out to go to work or whatever.
That's now a consideration for wherever I go, besides the issue of safety as climate change progresses. Atlantic coast living was once appealing; it no longer is b/c of the intense storms and rising oceans. And that applies to other coastal areas as well. Maine is still a captivating area but no longer a desired destination. Dreaming of living on the rocky coast is a dream that's not feasible any more.
Medical care as I age has become a concern, although I don't plan to rely on outside support unless I'm desperate.
I had planned to move about the age I am now, but I can't decide where to go. And w/o getting into any political issues, I've even been considering escaping to Canada if certain events occur.
So I've decided to just remain where I am, travel after I get the houses resolved and settled, and decide then what changes I might want to make.
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Post by autumnmist on Jan 28, 2020 14:40:20 GMT -8
hikerjer mentioned problems of large urban centers; that's a MAJOR incentive to move as development is still occurring, and not too far away. This new development at the crossroads of a trunkline highway and a major interstate exchange is going to increase and snarl traffic for the surrounding communities. It's another reason that's a major factor in moving, eventually. rangewalker's point on local politics is important, and perhaps the first or second reason why I eventually don't want to stay where I am. Manicured lawns are more important than clean air. The sound of multiple big commercial mowers in the early morning is annoying, and stinks up the air. I think some of the smaller ring cities feel they need to compete for status with the more affluent suburban regions, and enforce strict code rules to do so.
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Hungry Jack
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Post by Hungry Jack on Jan 28, 2020 15:03:08 GMT -8
Does the local politics really impact you that much in terms of quality of life? To answer Hungry Jack's question, I have always paid attention to an area's identity plays how it plays out in its local politics. I went to a solid waste management meeting last month and the management board was looking at options how to deal with certain recyclable products coming in. The elected County Commissioner whose expertise is supposed to be a natural resource specialist for the board grew impatient, saying " you know landfills are conservative, and recycling is a liberal thing." A lot of it is I am just really tired and grumpy about the old boys, and it is only the old boys that are running things right now. LOL. Hearing that would want to make me gouge my eyes with a plastic spork. I think you are spot on about local politics. A LOT (not all) of what affects our quality of life in our community is much more locally driven: schools, public safety, economic development, housing (look at the Bay Area and CA in general to see how codes/regulation has helped make housing so expensive), recreation and public space (I helped build a park in our community; it has had a huge impact), etc. My take is that individuals can have a significant impact at the local level if the conditions are right. Often, the aren't. It often comes down to money.
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