I hate it here.......is there any thing that might help?? (Columbia: renting, mortgage)

[Scotty Dosent Know]

Originally Posted by angelach

Your subject caught my eye, but then when I read the body of your post, it was just strange... in that I am from Seattle (grew up there until leaving 1.5 years ago), met my now-husband in Seattle, and we now live in Myrtle Beach (near the Market Common) and have struggled with living here to the point that we were convinced we would move back to Seattle in March when our lease is up. We also moved here for a business opportunity for my husband, which has very recently started to take a sharp upward turn, so at least that is a positive. Anyway, it just sounds like we are in very similar boats. We also have two dogs - about 1.5 year old Lab/Aust. Shep. mix. The only thing that has started to help is to find other interesting people to get to know and hang out with. This is a tall order considering it is the south and nearly everyone/thing is backwards here, but we have found a few and are always on the lookout for more. If you and your wife are interested in new friends, even for a short while, we're here and would love to complain about the area and reminisce about Seattle with people who actually understand. Also, we are atheists, I'm 28, my husband is 30, no kids, haaaaate the weather here and don't really go out to restaurants much because most just serve fried, salty grease bombs.

That is pretty odd actually, you guys sound alot like us even religious preference. May have to shoot you a message on here, I know my wife has been bored and wanting to go out to lunch/dinner with someone other than me for a while now. I can be by myself and be just fine I think she gets a little stir crazy being around just me for this long lol

Originally Posted by goin2carolina

Cultural differences are what make our country interesting, IMO. You may not find a fit for your personal needs everywhere, but it can be an fun adventure if you are willing to keep an open mind.
The trick seems to be learning to "fit in" as opposed trying to change generations of thought to suit YOU better.
One of the most difficult changes we have encountered is the east coast/west coast one; the whole ideology of living is so different! But it doesn't mean that it can't work out...I should know, I've done it 4 times.
It probably is a lot more difficult to be a west cost native and move to the southeastern part of the country; the climate is soooo different and the summers are brutal in comparison, not to mention the slower paces of life and more conservative point of view.
But in any event, adopting a "trash the locals" point of view will only ensure your misery and make it harder for you to make friends.

I understand where you are coming from but I really would not want to fit in even if I could. Im not going to start saying "yall" and "I'll tell you what" just to blend in. I am who I am and im not going to change that, nor do I expect any one here to change for me. I started this thread to look for activity's to keep me busy not expand my social life.....which I think people lump into the same category here. Im not trying to be rude to anyone, people have their way of life here and I have mine and that's fine with me.

On a happier note I got a Christmas tree last night and we decorated it........im going to dance around it later and do a snow chant lol

[vrexy]

Hmmmmmm. Self-proclaimed atheist. Christmas tree. What are you celebrating?

[CarolinaWoman]

Originally Posted by Scotty Dosent Know

We are going to visit some of my wife's step family for Thanksgiving which we have never met up in NC lol So that should be fun/interesting and something to do since we are not flying home for the holidays. We are also going to a neighborhood BBQ in about a week so hopefully we will have fun there.

I am curious Scotty ... how did Thanksgiving go with the step family in NC ... and the neighborhood BBQ ... more misery?

[goin2carolina]

Hey Scotty.
I get where you are coming from- my post was really directed to another posters commentary, not yours.
I did wonder if you ever got to Kill Devil Hills to try the hang gliding. Also wondered if you ever got into the group of guys who like cars- particularly in SC I would think that you'd have multiple options for car enthusiasts.
In our recent visits I've come across a local publication called "surge"....are you familiar with it? I find it at the grocery store in the freebies rack and there have been some interesting articles and event ads that may interest you. I don't see it as directed at the tourist crowd per se; it reminds me of a smaller version of the "Willamette Week" from out in Portland, where we came from- Seattle probably has a similar weekly publication. YOu might gie it a try and see if something catches your eye there.

[Scotty Dosent Know]

Originally Posted by vrexy

Hmmmmmm. Self-proclaimed atheist. Christmas tree. What are you celebrating?

Not to turn this into a religious discussion but I probably lean more toward agnostic.....or agnostic atheist?

My Christmas tree is camping themed! I am celebrating consumerisim in America as witnessed by the many unneeded items wrapped with care under the tree! lol

Originally Posted by CarolinaWoman

I am curious Scotty ... how did Thanksgiving go with the step family in NC ... and the neighborhood BBQ ... more misery?

Didnt make it to the neighborhood BBQ, I have been inundated with fire claims so I pretty much worked all weekend.

Did make it to Thanksgiving though, step in laws seem nice enough....I think they want us to come for Christmas which will be weird if we go.

We did go to a Christmas light boat parade thing which was neat. Step in laws are part of a yacht club and let us know about that which was nice.

Originally Posted by goin2carolina

Hey Scotty.
I get where you are coming from- my post was really directed to another posters commentary, not yours.
I did wonder if you ever got to Kill Devil Hills to try the hang gliding. Also wondered if you ever got into the group of guys who like cars- particularly in SC I would think that you'd have multiple options for car enthusiasts.
In our recent visits I've come across a local publication called "surge"....are you familiar with it? I find it at the grocery store in the freebies rack and there have been some interesting articles and event ads that may interest you. I don't see it as directed at the tourist crowd per se; it reminds me of a smaller version of the "Willamette Week" from out in Portland, where we came from- Seattle probably has a similar weekly publication. YOu might gie it a try and see if something catches your eye there.

Honestly I still would like to get out there and give the hang gliding a try, my parents used to do it when they were younger and loved it so I have always wanted to give it a shot. I have just been working to much lately to do much of anything. Usually 10-14hrs a day 7 days a week. I took the day off for Thanksgiving and thats been about it in the last 2 months or so. Needless to say its getting old lol

I will have to check out "surge" might have some holiday things my wife might like to do. We have a few local publications in Seattle for things to do. I usually pick up "the stranger" which has local shows etc....but I dont think there is anything like that here LOL The Stranger - Seattle's Only Newspaper

I have been talking online to a few people out here that are on car websites im a member of but have not been able to meet up with anyone (or even drive my second "fun" car) since I have been here. Just too much work. There is a car meet in Charleston that is in the early morning that I was going to try to make it to this coming Saturday but I noticed that tabs on my other car expired and I will have to get a family member mail me current ones (still have WA plates)

P.S. thanks for the suggestions they are appreciated

[goin2carolina]

Well, hang in there. With all that work its hard to find fun time. My DH has been to a Charlotte swap meet and loves it; usully occurs in the spring, I think, and is held at the speedway. It would be a bit of a haul, but its really something you need to do at least once...according to MY car guy.

[stuck-in-mn]

I hope this guy leaves before I come back to Carolina. I have lived all over the country and seem to find something nice about everywhere ( you have to look for it). I hate where I live right now( that is why I'm moving) but I dont set and whine about it and bash their culture. It sounds like you would be miserable anywhere you go. I got offered a job in the middle east that paid twice what I make in the states, doesnt mean I would take it. You cant put a price on your happiness. In the future dont follow the money, follow your heart. Just a little note, just because you start talking southern, it doesnt mean you are a southerner.

[Falconman]

Learn to play golf

[CarolinaWoman]

Do you scuba dive ... you can go to Cape Hatteras or Elizabeth City ... even Wilmington and take a boat out to the Graveyard of the Atlantic and swim with the sand tiger sharks. More than 2000 ships sunk and the sand tiger sharks prowl the area all year. They are not aggressive you just leave them alone and they leave you alone.

[BigDaddyMoosh]

I started vacationing here in the late 80's. Like most people, I picked up a case of "vacation intoxication". How can you not love the Grand Strand when you vacation here? I'm from Cleveland and we have loooong winters and lots of grey skies. So getting on the beach and basking in the sun and then going out and stuffing your face at one of the 1,900 restaurants is what it's all about. Here's the problem. Vacationing is different than living somewhere. When I vacationed here all I needed was sun, sand and food and Myrtle Beach delivered. However, when you live here it's totally different. You have different needs. When I moved here full time in 2007 my needs went from sun, sand and food, to school systems, libraries, culture, a good credible newspaper, professional sports teams, and like-minded people. We have NONE of that here. We FINALLY are getting a library built in Carolina Forest and people are making a big deal of it. Shouldn't it have been here long ago? To make matters worse, it's supposed to be completed in spring but there is no funding to buy books or pay staff so it may sit empty for months. After all, we have to use our tax dollars for paying off the good ole boys who run the city and county. And lets make sure we put that multi-million dollar overpass in friggen Aynor before we widen 501 and make it, gasp, a REAL freeway. People in the north are generally more open-minded and more educated. Sorry folks but it's true. This is a right-wing, close-minded bible-belt area. Where is the culture? Burroughs and Chapin Museum? Puhleeze. I'm a single dad and trying to meet fit, attractive women here is damn near impossible. Most women here are fat in the fried food, funnel cake capital of the world. Bottom line...if you want to vacation at an oceanfront place with lots of sun, food, and cheesy neon entertainment, Myrtle Beach is a great place to come. If you want to move to an oceanfront location with culture, fit, open-minded people, go to Sarasota or somewhere like that. And yes, attitude is a big part of liking where you're at and my gratitude list is a long one. That doesn't change the facts listed above. I blame myself for my predicament. I didn't do my due diligence before moving here. Like I said at the beginning, I was suffering from vacation intoxication and never realized living somewhere is different from vacationing there. This is just my opinion. I respect that other people may find the area perfect for them. If you want to golf and go out to eat every day it may be the perfect place for you. I would give serious thought to leaving except for two factors. 1. My daughter is in first grade and I don't want to be disrupting her life and 2. I paid a fortune for my house during the real estate peak and would take a financial beating selling it. I know this post is a little crass and I apologize for that. I'm just in one of those moods.