Yesterday, July 20th marks 11 months until I can sell my house, and I can't wait to move, this town has been nothing but problems, both with family and my former church, if you aren't familiar with all this, check out my updated My Story page, I have spoken about it at length, the problems with family, and the church/cult.
It's time to start over somewhere else, and I'm not sure if I should stay in the St. Louis area, or start all over somewhere else completely (which is what I'm leaning toward).
If leaving the St. Louis area entirely, I need a city that is not too expensive, not crowded/traffic congested endlessly (like say Atlanta, Chicago, New York City), and a place where industrial work, especially warehousing is plentiful.
One consideration is that I was thinking of is that if I could find somewhere within 3 hours of my sister in northwestern Indiana, that would be even better. Indianapolis and Fort Wayne both fit, because I don't want to be in the immediate Chicago area, too crowded, chaotic and expensive for me. I do know someone who is in Indianapolis, but I wonder how life is going to work out with my sister once I come out to her.
I'm open to suggestions as to cities, I might give other areas of the country consideration if it fits what I need. Once the house is sold, the world is open to me practically.
I'm not looking for to buy another house, the costs and hassle of trying to keep up a house is proving to be a problem, as I am finding out with my current house. I have neither the time, energy or ability to keep a house up. I found out the hard way that I freeze up when on a roof for example, let someone else do that.
If you have a city in mind, let me know what the cost of living is like, and what you like about that area, does it have what I'm looking for? What is the political/religious climate of the area? Any problems with traffic or extreme weather?
I look forward to your nominations.
(A good local beer brewing scene would be a plus, I have started to get into craft beer lately).
If leaving the St. Louis area entirely, I need a city that is not too expensive, not crowded/traffic congested endlessly (like say Atlanta, Chicago, New York City), and a place where industrial work, especially warehousing is plentiful.
One consideration is that I was thinking of is that if I could find somewhere within 3 hours of my sister in northwestern Indiana, that would be even better. Indianapolis and Fort Wayne both fit, because I don't want to be in the immediate Chicago area, too crowded, chaotic and expensive for me. I do know someone who is in Indianapolis, but I wonder how life is going to work out with my sister once I come out to her.
I'm open to suggestions as to cities, I might give other areas of the country consideration if it fits what I need. Once the house is sold, the world is open to me practically.
If you have a city in mind, let me know what the cost of living is like, and what you like about that area, does it have what I'm looking for? What is the political/religious climate of the area? Any problems with traffic or extreme weather?
I look forward to your nominations.
(A good local beer brewing scene would be a plus, I have started to get into craft beer lately).
I have heard that Amazon is little better than slave labor....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.salon.com/2014/02/23/worse_than_wal_mart_amazons_sick_brutality_and_secret_history_of_ruthlessly_intimidating_workers/
DC is not the place for me, and doesn't Pennsylvania have very ludicrous alcohol regulations and taxes?
What about Maryland?
Yikes! I wasn't aware that Amazon had that reputation.
ReplyDeleteWith Maryland, it depends on what part of the state you're talking about. Western Maryland has very few jobs. Baltimore and the surrounding towns have better job opportunities, but higher crime. (Also, I used to work and visit relatives outside of Baltimore, and I found the region extremely unfriendly.) The northern part of Maryland near the Mason-Dixon line might be a better balance when it comes to cost of living, safety, and job opportunities.
Pennsylvania's regulations are strange, but I wouldn't say ludicrous. Blue laws mean that liquor stores are closed on Sundays; wine & liquor are sold in different stores than beer, and most supermarkets do not carry alcohol. However, the regulations are loosening -- Wegmans and a few Giant supermarkets now sell craft beer, and at least one Sheets (a gas station chain) has started as well.
That said, it's still easy to indulge one's love of beer in Pennsylvania. Plenty of restaurants serve craft beer, and it's easy to find places that sell both six-packs and cases. To boot, the region is crawling with breweries: Weyerbacher, Troegs, Miscreation Brewing, Appalachian Brewing Company, Lancaster Brewing Company, Jack's Hard Cider, and so forth.
So restaurants can sell six packs/cases but most grocery stores can't?
ReplyDeleteI'm used to places where even Aldi can sell alcohol (seriously), and a local grocery chain Schnucks probably has better selection than some liquor stores. Alcohol can be sold after 11 am on Sunday (Illinois) or after noon (Missouri).
Pennsylvania is very rural outside a few cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia isn't it?
I have gotten to liking a few national craft companies, like Blue Moon and Sam Adams as well as the A-B InBev produced Shock Top.
Must be nice. Florida (where I lived for three years) was like that too, where you could buy beer and wine in supermarkets and drug stores.
ReplyDeleteThe western and northern parts of Pennsylvania are extremely rural, but the south-central and south-eastern parts of the state are fairly suburban. And, as you mentioned, there are a few major urban centers.
What brought you up there then?
ReplyDeleteWell, if you are looking to find a girlfriend, you might move where you find one. Just a thought. How about Phoenix? I also thought southern oregon might be nice.
ReplyDeleteI have heard a lot of recommendations for Oregon, it sounds good.
DeleteI grew up in the Susquehanna Valley region, and I have family here too. After I finished my graduate studies in Florida, I returned to the Susquehanna Valley to find work and be near family.
ReplyDeleteOregon can be expensive, at least by midwestern standards. Portland is beautiful, of course.
ReplyDeleteFort Wayne is my hometown. It's "OK" but pretty dull, in many respects. More prosperous than many industrial cities (it's no Peoria) but still the typical hollowed out downtown, racial divide, class consciousness. Hate the eastern climate (especially humidity). But...there are jobs there.
It's expensive as hell, but inland Northern California might be a consideration? Sacramento? I love Sacramento
California would be rather expensive, though I think I would like the northern mountains.
ReplyDeleteI had been thinking of Indianapolis, and I have heard that Fort Wayne is good for industrial work.
Well...Fort Wayne is not "prosperous" per se, but it still has a real economy. It's not devastated. And some nice parks and neighborhoods for CHEAP (I prefer pre-war housing architecture)
ReplyDeleteI should also note that Fort Wayne, while in God's Country (Indiana) is a larger city and RELATIVELY liberal. There is even a Unitarian church, minorities, and even a gay bar (lol). So...not Deep South...they even elect Democrats to the mayor's office!
ReplyDelete