The I don't like it here, stream of consciousness, where to live thread

[El Chupacabra]

I like how some of you guys are trying to convince bags he shouldn't want to live near his family. But then it's a pretty standard TGR move; change the question so the answer is always Seattle/SLC/wherever you live with your trust funder wife and your yellow Labs Tuckerman and Gasherbrum IV.

That's not the point I'm trying to make --

What I'm saying is that for what's important to me and my immediate family is where we live and what that location provides for us. Being really close to our extended family is outweighed by that.

If bags' #1 priority is to live close to extended family, then he may well have to sacrifice in other areas (e.g., freedom from ticks). It's not a decision anyone else can make for him. I'm just suggesting that he consider his decision by weighing those priorities, and if it all turns out that he should continue to live in Charlottesville and suck it up on everything that he dislikes about that area, then so be it.

[bagtagley]

Fuck, I have a yellow lab and drive a Subaru, though it's a Legacy.

Yeah, no desire to leave the family. We made the decision to move back East, and I'm glad we did. Just not stoked on the place we chose. It was a decent fit at the time, but we're ready to move on.

I get your point though, Chup, and appreciate the perspective. Ticks, while awful, aren't really a deciding factor.

[Steven S. Dallas]

If bags' #1 priority is to live close to extended family, then he may well have to sacrifice in other areas

I think it's apparent that this is a high priority for him, and that he has already made this sacrifice- he just doesn't like Charlottesville all that much and wants a change of scene.

edit: right.
double edit: Charlottesville.

[Hugh Conway]

Is it all the snotty rich NoVa brats at UVA? What is it? Wait, I thought he was in the Charlottsville, not Centerville. If it's centerville - holy shit, hard not to improve from that pit of upwardly mobile middle class government welfare despair.

[Steven S. Dallas]

So I guess Centerville is out.

[concretejungle]

So I guess Centerville is out.

There were two hot twins that ran track for them back when I was in high school. So if I can remember their names and if they're still hot it's got that going for it.

[sb]

Dude, our neighbors across the street just moved after 25 years(great folks, hated to see them go). House is well kept, mother in law appt. Nice dog/cat friendly dead end street. 1 hr to deerbutt and <2 hrs to Canaan when the highway gets done. Rivers and hiking out the front door plus I home brew the best.

Can't help you with the ticks plus we have the hideous Blue Ridge knats.

[skinnyskier]

Where is the family in question and what's yr drive time requirement between you and them? Maybe I missed it earlier in the thread but doesn't this amount to drawing a circle on a map...

I never lived in Whoville but I'm from VA and my brother went to school there so I kinda know the area BTW

[bagtagley]

That's about got it, SSD.

Folks are in WV, rest of the family are down in Raleigh, Charleston, etc. Drawing a circle is basically what we did in the first place, and are doing now. The first time around, our options were further limited to places with NCI hospitals. Since that restriction has recently been lifted, Asheville came into play and reignited the GTFO discussion. Asheville is also more geographically inclusive, family-wise.

I realize there are only so many options, but this thread is as much about me working this shit out for myself. Trust me, with everybody here (in Cville) and everywhere else telling us how great Charlottesville is, the "grass is always greener" internal dialog has been non-stop.

[shirk]

Great riding in Pisgah. If you can't be near good skiing be near great riding.

[skinnyskier]

I liked some neighborhoods in Richmond for the urban vibe, and the James gives some nice paddling options. Further from the mountains though. I also liked Durham and Chapel
Hill for college town vibe but not good for mountains. Don't know Asheville but a friend from residency has been there for a while and likes it. He's big into mountain sports.

[warthog]

Dude, our neighbors across the street just moved after 25 years(great folks, hated to see them go). House is well kept, mother in law appt. Nice dog/cat friendly dead end street. 1 hr to deerbutt and <2 hrs to Canaan when the highway gets done. Rivers and hiking out the front door plus I home brew the best.

Can't help you with the ticks plus we have the hideous Blue Ridge knats.

Don't leave out the ghosts and shit, really try to sell him.

[Arty50]

I like how some of you guys are trying to convince bags he shouldn't want to live near his family. But then it's a pretty standard TGR move; change the question so the answer is always Seattle/SLC/wherever you live with your trust funder wife and your yellow Labs Tuckerman and Gasherbrum IV.

I'd like to change the question. What does it mean if I had a black lab named Daisy?

[Hugh Conway]

What does it mean if I had a black lab named Daisy?

you'd have a Benz that would fail to start on a cold Kirkwood day and just sing to you "Daisy, Daisy"

[sb]

Don't leave out the ghosts and shit, really try to sell him.

Sounds like its in the opposite direction he is looking. There are ghosts no matter where you go, although this area has a ton of history if you are into that kind of thing.

[Steven S. Dallas]

What does it mean if I had a black lab named Daisy?

That depends on what color bandanna you put around her neck.

Red = no difference; you're still a douche.
Green = AT through hiker, anywhere on the east coast is fine.
Confederate flag = what's wrong with Charlottesville?
Blue = Rollin' 80s West Coast Crip set, he should move to Long Beach.

Etc.

[Sirshredalot]

Have you considered Harrisonburg? I've passed through there on my way to bike or hike in the mountains back there. Seems like a nice compromise if you want some of the good points of C'Ville but probably less of the douche factor. A bit cheaper and closer in to the mountains.

[DaveTV]

Where the fuck is Charlottesville? Too lazy to GOOGLE it, but I seriously don't even know where it is.. Maybe the identity crisis is the prob?

[jfost]

if what you are really looking for is a place with a Space Needle and good seafood and where the Seahawks play, then the answer is Seattle!

If you prefer a more Wasatchy vibe than maybe SLC?

[Tech Tonics]

maybe I missed this, but why not more places in New England? Keeps you East to be with the family and there are some great places in ME, VT and NH. Easy access to mountains, rivers, coasts and cities...with nearby small towns with community feel. safe, good schools, blah blah blah.

If i were considering Pittsburgh I'd sure as hell consider Manchester, Montpelier, or Portland. Even Boston?

Maybe this has been addressed and I missed it.


Edit to add, for the sake of Hugh Conway:
DURANGOWHEREONLYTHECOOLESTFAGSINBRAHOLORADOLIVE!!! !

[PaSucks]

For whatever reason, I keep wanting to say Davis, WV. Been there a few times, seemed laid back, had some fun bars and restaurants, but not much else. The best skiing in the Mid-Atlantic, WV whitewater, I'm sure tons of biking options, climbing options, White Grass touring center, the Dolly Sods, Portia Crayon (or however you spell it). Not sure about the job opportunities though.

[mobygrape]

this thead seems to be devolving, but what would expect asking the internet where you should live?

Durham/chapel hill sounded like a cool place to be. never been there, though. Raleigh was decent for the week I spend there in college. No idea what is it like now.

If you're not really, really rooted, can you take a few weeks and tour around the area w/ the family? hard to find what is the best fit in a few days, but you can rule out some places.

and new england is not the worst place to live if you can do some longer commutes to family, and rad skiing is not priority number one, as it sounds like it may not be.

[Tippster]

Yep, take a weekend with the wife (get the in-laws to watch the progeny) and go check out Asheville. See if it's to your liking. My cousin-in-law was the Dean of Students at UNC-A and they loved it enough to live there for 25+ years, had/raised their kids, then when he retired they moved to Dubai (he was hired by the American University as a faculty recruiter there.)

I called him a whore. Then we drank all my whiskey.

[bagtagley]

moby, devolving discussion is fine. Just looking for different perspectives.

We're definitely not moving anywhere without checking it out first, though can't tour around, unfortunately. Planning an Asheville visit next weekend.

PA, actually taking the kids to Timberline this weekend. I love it up there, and having a place to stay, we try to go as often as possible. I don't think I could live there full time, though. At least not at this point in life.

[Sirshredalot]

PA, actually taking the kids to Timberline this weekend. I love it up there, and having a place to stay, we try to go as often as possible. I don't think I could live there full time, though. At least not at this point in life.

I'll be there, too. Brown Cloudveil jacket and PEs. Ask for change!