(no subject)

[shadesong]

Okay, so yendi and I both took that "where should you live?" survey (at the same time, in different rooms, without sharing responses), and this is what we ended up with:

Me:
Little Rock, Arkansas (huh?)
Baltimore, Maryland
Salem, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Fayetteville, Arkansas (again with the huh?)
Monroe, Louisiana
Portland, Oregon
Shreveport, Louisiana
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Providence, Rhode Island
Champaign/Urbana, Illinois
Washington DC
Eugene, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Sacramento, California
Charleston, West Virginia
Frederick, Maryland
Las Cruces, New Mexico
New Orleans, Louisiana
Chico, California
Oakland, California
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Albuquerque, New Mexico

And yendi's:
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Baltimore, Maryland
Providence, Rhode Island
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hartford, Connecticut
Washington DC
New Haven, Connecticut
Portland, Oregon
Little Rock, Arkansas
Chicago, Illinois
Sacramento, California
Boston, Massachusetts
Oakland, California
Medford, Oregon
Las Vegas, Nevada
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Frederick, Maryland
Reno, Nevada
Charleston, West Virginia
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Salem, Oregon
San Jose, California
Long Beach, California

So. Cities in common: 13. Cities neither of us would ever ever move to in a million years: 10 (anything in Arkansas or Louisiana or West Virginia is a big ummno). Cities we disagree on: Providence, Champaign, DC, Milwaukee (I say hell no, he says yes or maybe).

Our major differences: yendi wants to live in The Big City, and I most emphatically do not. He also put heavy emphasis on public transporation and museums, which weren't as important to me - the spirituality and like-mindedness questions were the ones I emphasized more. We both specified liberal politics. :)

So. Interesting to see how many we ended up having in common; however, I think it's way off base on a number of them (Arkansas? Louisiana? And yendi loves DC, but I haaate it). Of the cities recommended, I think I'd be happiest in one of the smaller Oregon cities, whereas yendi thinks Portland is the *only* viable Oregon city. And neither of us has ever heard of several of these places (Chico? Does The Man live there, too?).

So. This has been another pointless exercise brought to you by the YendiSong collective.

Comments

[yendi]

I simply don't understand how anyone could not like DC. It's my second favorite city, after New York. I believe that any city should have a museum within a stone's throw of wherever you are, and a seafood restaurant nearby to eat at afterwards. :-)

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Filthy smoggy hideous trafficky *city*. Ecch. And it's infested with Republicans.

[chrisv.livejournal.com]

Hey, you're talking about my home, there. I love DC, though I'm quite happy to live out in the suburbs in Northern Virginia. I agree with what Yendi said about the museums. DC's not filthier than any other city and it isn't really smoggy at all. Hideous traffic? Oh yes, much of the time. And the Republicans wax and wane.

It really depends a lot on whether you're talking about the DC Metro area as a whole or just the District itself, I think.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I just really, really don't like Cities.

[chrisv.livejournal.com]

Wow. Now that was a fast response! :-)

I understand about not liking Cities. I wouldn't want to live in one myself. Atlanta is just as much a City as DC is. I assume you live in the 'burbs? That's where I've always been and where I'm most at home. I just love being able to go into the city to do cool things then head back out.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I don't know if I live in the 'burbs, per se - but it doesn't *feel* like a City, to me. There are trees. And people aren't assholes. And it's not coated in filth.

Seriously, I think I'd be happiest in a commune in the woods.

[yendi]

Atlanta is not as much of a city as DC. Cities must have many museums, decent public transportation, and be pedestrian-oriented, imho. Atlanta is 0-for-3.

[ariadnesthread.livejournal.com]

Well, if you ask me, the DC suburbs are much better than the city itself, especially if you live near Metro (or can bus to Metro). I like northern VA....obviously, since I'm now on my third NoVA location. It's not like politics have ANYTHING to do with daily life here, really. And the smog? Nonexistent, really. Seriously! And it's not as hot as the Real south, but it's not too cold, either (last winter, 3" of snow. normal winter, maybe 18-30" total).

Coooommmeee.....coooome to the mid-Atlantic. :-)

[yendi]

The infestations are all the fault of other states exporting their Republicans. In elections, DC is always lopsidedly Demoocratic.

Washington DC

[phantom_wolfboy]

Is it still the murder capital of the US?

Re: Washington DC

[chrisv.livejournal.com]

I don't think so, though I don't recall who has that dubious honor now.

Re: Washington DC

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Don't know... wouldn't surprise me.

[m0usegrrl.livejournal.com]

so like, where's this survey at? =) being the nomad that i am, i'm quite curious about my results... =)

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

www.findyourspot.com

[m0usegrrl.livejournal.com]

cheers!

Hmm.

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

Arkansas has its good points. I don't know what you things you rated highly, but Fayetteville has some of the cleanest air in the country, beautiful scenery, a university, an excellent arts center, and good schools--plus an extremely low cost of living. Little Rock is somewhat similar but has more shopping and arts--it also has a high crime rate and lousy weather (probably not that different than Atlanta's, though).

Fayetteville often shows up in 'best places' lists for the US. No museums and 4-5 hours to a "big city" (i.e., Dallas or Kansas City) make it a place I don't want to live in permanently. I lived there for 12 years, though, and met Clint there...I might even get married there. Theoretically. When I'm, like, 40 or something (at this rate, anyway).

I'm going to go take the test now. ^_^

Re: Hmm.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I forgot you were from there! It just doesn't seem like a part of the country that I'd be interested in...



‚

Re: Hmm.

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

Atlanta doesn't seem like a part you'd be interested in either, to be honest *G* I've heard a lot about its, Dallas', and Austin's good points, but they all have too much heat, and South, for me.

Re: Hmm.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

It's not, really - but yendi is here, and there are lots of very big, very old trees, and it's not very cityish. Remember, I come from Florida, the heat here is nothing!

Bethy and Chris's results

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

Number Bethy’s Choices Chris’s Choices
1 Hartford CT Frederick, MD
2 Providence RI Charleston, WV
3 New Haven CT Gaithersburg, MD
4 Baltimore MD Danbury, CT
5 Boston, MA Hartford, CT
6 Charleston WV Fayetteville, AK
7 Danbury CT Baltimore, ,MD
8 Worcester, MA Meddford, OR
9 Frederick, MD Worcester, MA
10 Portland, OR Providence, RI
11 Albequerque, NM Little Rock, AK
12 Little Rock, AK Annapolis, MD
13 Gaithersberg,MD Portland, OR
14 Milwaukee, WI Salem, OR
15 Washington DC Sacremento, CA
16 Eugene, OR New Haven, CT
17 Sacremento, CA Albequergue, NM
18 Corvallis, OR Sheboygan, WI
19 Stamford/Norwalk, CT Bend, OR
20 Annapolis, MD Corvallis, OR
21 Cambridge, MA Carson City, NV
22 New Orleans, LA Champaign/Urbana, IL
23 Sheboygan, WI Las Cruces, NM
24 Salem, OR Santa Fe, NM


At least Providence appears on both our lists, which is a Good Thing. I don't understand where Sheboygan WI or Albequerque NM showed up though!

I want to stay in New England or the Mid-Atlantic states. I rated museums and public transport high--not sure what Chris picked. As a Damned Yankee, there is no way I'm moving south of the Mason-Dixon line. I'd get lynched if I wasn't spending tourist dollars!!!
(just kidding)

Oregon Cities

[two-star.livejournal.com]

I love Portland. There's really no reason not to live here. For me at least. I do see the lure of smaller towns, but I'd have to to quit my job and be a math teacher or something; tech jobs in smaller towns are hard to come by.

Salem is close enough to Portland that you can come into town for a concert or shopping with very little effort. But that begs the question: why not just live in Portland then? Salem has little enough to recommend it in itself.

Corvallis and Eugene are the two big university towns. I could see myself living in either, but Corvallis/Albany is conveniently positioned such that you can day trip to Portland or Eugene. (Also, I know you wanted liberal politics, but Eugene is practically Maoist.)

As for Medford, something you have to remember about the west coast is that it's way more sparsely populated than the east coast. From Baltimore, you're a quick hop from DC and Philidelphia isn't a huge stretch. In Medford, you're a three hour drive from any city larger than Medford, and then you're still only in Eugene. I suppose Reno's not much father, but, well, it's Reno.

Re: Oregon Cities

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Yeah - Adam needs to be in a bigger town, he's a computer boy. I'm a secretary/admin assistant/chicks who runs the office, I can get work anywhere. I prefer being in small, out-of-the-way places. Although if Eugene and Corvallis are university towns, they'd be good for yendi...



∞

[tikimama.livejournal.com]

Chico is north of me, about 4 hours' drive. It's in the middle of nowhere, a gorgeous, picturesque Victorian town with a university (with a party school rep) and lots of pot. Adam would loathe it; it's so far from everything.

Obviously (as usual) the Bay Area is the solution. You can live in a nice, normal smaller town (like mine), and be a stone's throw from the City. And 'liberal' doesn't begin to describe this area. Adam might want to give up the ghost and learn to drive, but if not, there is good transport.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Middle of nowhere sounds good! :) And Adam is going to learn to drive this summer - my friend Mike is teaching him. Because I absolutely loathe driving, and I have to do *all* the driving for this family, and it's been aggravating me for a year now!

[myrrhdusa.livejournal.com]

I live outside of Nashville, TN. I never thought in a million years I would live someplace like this. Our house is on nine acres, but about five minutes from a small town. I'm 30 minutes from Nashville.

I hate country music. But I don't miss the city at all. I really enjoy going outside in my undies.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

See, that sounds ideal - out of the way, but close enough to a city that yendi won't go insane.