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No matter what state you live in, there are "weird" people, especially if you define "weird" as people who do not live by your values, standards, etc. I have lived in many of the lower 48, and have a friend or relative in most of them. I found quite a few "weird" people during the 3 years I lived in Maryland, but hey, it would be a dull old world if we were all alike, had the same taste, spoke the exact same way, yada-yada-yada! Some people may find me "weird", but others find me "unique", and enjoy my company. Get out and enjoy the diversity of this great country! Get to know how others think, appreciate the difference - you may find out they think you yourself are "weird", but a person worth knowing!
I get that you are referring more specifically to Toledo, not all of Ohio. You've definitely lived there long enough to make an informed decision, and your opinions are based on the actual experiences you had while living there.
I wish I could say I didn't know what you were talking about, and how great Toledo is overall, but I live here too. Granted, it does have some really nice features. I'll miss the weather (a huge improvement over my home town), the Art Museum, the Zoo, the Metroparks, and the downtown library, for example. I have met some really nice people, but the economy in this particular city could only be called great by a relatively small minority of folks (those who aren't currently experiencing life on the "other side of the tracks"). Only a select few will never have to worry about the possibility of their jobs being pulled out from under them (here in Toledo, that is--can't speak about the rest of the state).
Anyway, hang in there, and best wishes on your move!
I get that you are referring more specifically to Toledo, not all of Ohio. You've definitely lived there long enough to make an informed decision, and your opinions are based on the actual experiences you had while living there.
I wish I could say I didn't know what you were talking about, and how great Toledo is overall, but I live here too. Granted, it does have some really nice features. I'll miss the weather (a huge improvement over my home town), the Art Museum, the Zoo, the Metroparks, and the downtown library, for example. I have met some really nice people, but the economy in this particular city could only be called great by a relatively small minority of folks (those who aren't currently experiencing life on the "other side of the tracks"). Only a select few will never have to worry about the possibility of their jobs being pulled out from under them (here in Toledo, that is--can't speak about the rest of the state).
Anyway, hang in there, and best wishes on your move!
I can't really say anything about the rest of Ohio, as Toledo is the only place I've lived. I have visited other parts of the state, nothing to smile about. I guess Toledo has soured my opinion of the rest of the state.
It's definately true about the economy. The number of run-down, empty/for lease buildings here is staggering. Ive been lucky, and I can say that I work for a pretty solid company here, and losing my job is not a concern right now.
There is the museum, and the zoo, etc, those are great, but they get old quick, it's the been there done that feeling. Maybe that is because I enjoy the outdoors, and there is not much of that close by. I always do enjoy the metroparks.
When I do move, the weather I definately WILL NOT miss. In the wintertime here, and this could be said for the whole state, you will learn what it means to drive with one finger. You will also learn how difficult it is to get into your car and drive it in less than 15 minutes when all the glass is caked with ice, and the doors are frozen shut. There are many others I could list. I just can't stand the cold.
Thanks for the props, house is still for sale. I hope I can move soon.
I am new to this forum and have lived in Ohio all my life. I wasn't going to reply to Oneway outs remarks about Ohio, but felt I needed to give my 2 cents.I will make this short because (I HAVE TO GET OUT THE SWEEPER TO CLEAN THE POP OFF MY TRAILER FLOOR BEFORE THE Mosquitoes GET HERE, WOULD'NT WANT MY redneck bar hopping FRIENDS TO TALK BEHIND MY BACK ABOUT MY HOUSE CLEANING.) --- ON A SERIOUS NOTE I LOVE OHIO AND WOULD NEVER THINK OF MOVING ANYWHERE ELSE.
I am new to this forum and have lived in Ohio all my life. I wasn't going to reply to Oneway outs remarks about Ohio, but felt I needed to give my 2 cents.I will make this short because (I HAVE TO GET OUT THE SWEEPER TO CLEAN THE POP OFF MY TRAILER FLOOR BEFORE THE Mosquitoes GET HERE, WOULD'NT WANT MY redneck bar hopping FRIENDS TO TALK BEHIND MY BACK ABOUT MY HOUSE CLEANING.) --- ON A SERIOUS NOTE I LOVE OHIO AND WOULD NEVER THINK OF MOVING ANYWHERE ELSE.
Haha. I have friends that love Ohio. To each his own I spose. There is so much more out there than what is here. Bye for now, I am out to get a SODA and take my VACUUM to the repair shop. Then I have to get some MOSQUITO spray so the chance of me getting killed and eaten when I get home is slightly reduced. Then its off to the bar with all the rednecks, just to the left past the trailer park. Do it all over again tomorrow.
You know oneway i hate to be a snob, but there you go again. You are basing all of Ohio on the Toledo metro. You say that there is nothing to smile about in the rest of Ohio.?.?.? Doesnt make sense to me. Columbus, Dayton, Akron, Cincinnati, and Cleveland are all great cities and great metro areas. Even parts of the Toledo metro are great areas. I was just looking at pictures of the city of Toledo on here and the amazing downtown it has.
Also, i would like to mention my trips to Maryland. Baltimore was a horrible city. Crime was horrible and urban decay filled most neighborhoods. Also, Cumberland, Maryland and Fredricksburg were both two smaller cities i would like to never visit again. You want to talk about hicks? Around the Maryland areas around West Virginia and PA there were some big hicks. Esp in Cumberland. Unemployment was bad as well in some areas. I know this because some friends from Pittsburgh live there. And just to show how appealing Maryland must be to some Marylanders is that some are moving across the border to PA. Harrisburg!!! I found that very interesting. But i dont base Maryland on Baltimore. I just dont think you should base Ohio on Toledo.
Okay. I wasn't going to reply either, but I have to. I have never really been to Toledo. I was there once to visit my crazy brother in the insane asylum (no kidding don't know if it's still there). Anyway, that's my only memory of Toledo. I was around 10 years old.
Anyway, I grew up in Northwest Ohio. I don't think there ARE too many places I'd live there. I HATED the town I grew up in. Still hate it.
I moved from Ohio as soon as I could when I turned 18. Came back to go to college. Moved away again to Virginia and got married. Moved back in '93 to be close to my elderly parents. My DH ended up getting a job in NE Ohio. We LOVE it here. BEAUTIFUL. Doesn't even compare to NW Ohio.
What I'm saying is is that you can't base everything in Ohio on Toledo. It's in the part of the state you couldn't pay me to live in. Maybe all those bad childhood memories. Who knows, but it isn't even that pretty there. FLAT, FLAT, FLAT.
If you would visit other parts of the state, I think you would appreciate the scenery AND the people even more.
Well im not saying that all of Ohio is bad. I just said that I have been to other parts, and they were nothing to smile about. Cleveland and Columbus--> pffeh. Cinncinnatti is ok. Dayton--naah. Don't get me wrong here, I like parts of OH. I stayed in Akron once, it was nice. Hocking hills, I thought it was very nice. Athens and Chillicothe (sp?) too. There are a few more I could list. I've driven thru Ohio on many occasions, specifically I-80, and I-90, and I have to say the turnpike has got to be the most boring road to drive anywhere. I-90 heading towards Erie, PA, and Buffalo NY is nice, with the hills, the lake, etc. NW Ohio is most certainly IMO an armpit, and FLAT, FLAT, FLAT is an understatement. Want to buy some corn or soybeans?
Paintballer, yes Baltimore is a dump, just like Toledo is. DC is a crime hole too. I do enjoy downtown Baltimore, and Baltimore harbor. You can look at sweet pictures of Baltimore on the internet just as you can Toledo. They will never post the real pics. I think Frederick and Cumberland, MD are very nice. There is beautiful mountain scenery. They do have their areas though. I lived in Annapolis, and it was such a nice clean place. The bay, and the proximity to Ocean City, the downtown scene, very nice place.
Everyone has their reasons for moving in and out of a state no matter where you go.
Got some good news today, have another offer on the house. This might be the one way out. Plane tickets to Phoenix are bought, and hotel is reserved in Atlanta. Very excited.
Bye again for now, I have to go to the hospital due to extensive blood loss from all the mosquito bites, plus the 12 pack of Budweiser I had for dinner last night isn't helping matters.
Last edited by OneWayOut; 09-22-2006 at 08:37 AM..
I can see where your coming from One way. Ive been monitoring this thread and thought I would chime in because your considering Arizona, and I am from Toledo.
I moved out of Ohio about 5 years ago, and am now in Scottsdale, AZ. I love it here. Let me know your thoughts after your visit. If you stop by Scottsdale (which I highly recommend you do, very nice here), maybe I could show you around. I hope you like the desert, and the beautiful mountains here. The desert has its own beauty, but it takes some getting used to after living back east.
Heres my Ohio thoughts: I was born and raised Toledo area. I will never return as a resident. It is most definately an armpit as you describe. The job opportunities there are almost non-existent, (I still have family there and keep tabs). In fact, I left because the company I was a part of had to close. A new start in a place as far away as possible was absolutely in order.
Its amazing how living in a new place can make you wonder how you ever survived where you were before, or make you miss your old home dearly.
Most of Toledo is poor and run down. There are many vacant buildings and long since closed heavy industrial sites.
The crime rate is not much lower than in Phoenix, (Phoenix itself is like #4 worst in the nation for crime BTW) which has 4 times as many people. I myself was a victim of crime in a small town suburb of Toledo where my company was located. It was considered one of the most "low crime" areas. I personally lost $15K in a burglary at my company. Also, the license plates were stolen right off of my car at the same location, in broad daylight. The police later caught someone driving around with them on their car. Furthermore, one of the biggest meth labs ever seen in Ohio was busted in the area. I have never been a victim of crime here in AZ.
In Toledo, There is not much to do unless you are big into OSU or the sports bar scene. All the bars and restaurants for the most part are sportsbars. Outdoor activities are nearly non-existent. If you like getting wasted daily with a small cliquey group of people, then it is totally for you.
The weather I dont miss at all. The summers were short, June-August, and a few warm days in September. It is usually so humid that you feel like you are walking thru peanut butter. The winters are long and bitter cold. Grey skies everyday, and ice storms. I like snow now and then, but for the 4 years before I moved, the winters maybe had one good snowstorm, 5" or more, other than that, just cold, grey and miserable. They use salt on the roads there too, so count on that car you pay for every month rusting out in 3 years.
Some food for thought on Phoenix weather, the winter weather is spectacular. Going swimming outside in the middle of January is a heck of an experience for a mid-westerner. Be prepared for HEAT. Summertime temps average 105 +. I can always take that for a few months rather than the cold.
I had to laugh reading your "Ohio language" posts. Here we have soda and vacuums. We also worsh things. You wont find those giant mosquitoes here though, instead scorpions and rattlesnakes.
I guess Ohio was ok at the time, I made due with where I was. There are NICE parts of Ohio. I enjoyed many parts of it. Just stay out of northwest ohio.
Im glad to here things are starting to work for you Oneway. Hopefully you can accept that offer on your house and move. It sounds to me like you need to get somewhere where you can enjoy life. Best of luck wherever you end up!
AZrider, me and you have had this discussion before and like you said you dont hate Ohio and you even say Toledo is coming back. Honestly i have been to Toledo and it has a very nice downtown and the NW suburbs are very nice. Every single metro with over half a million people is going to have its problems. I hate the problem with Toledo, being that it is so close to Michigan feeling the affects of that state. Like AZrider moving from Ohio to Arizona, but moving to Ohio was a better choice for me because there was more oppurtunity here than in PA.
Also Oneway, Maryland is not as great as you make it out to be. That is your opinion. Fredricksburg (spelling) and Hangerstown were very bad smaller cities. And there were hicks in Maryland believe it or not. I have to agree with you on Baltimore's inner harbour. That is an amazing piece to any city. You have to give Baltimore credit on that. Just like Toledo and its waterfront. The problem is with both cities though is that i think the skylines hide the cities problems behind them. I have said it before and i will say it again. Every single state has its problems. Its bad cities or towns, its hicks, its words, its people, culture, what ever it may be, no place is perfect.
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Hoping your next move is a happier one.
Haha. I have friends that love Ohio. To each his own I spose. There is so much more out there than what is here. Bye for now, I am out to get a SODA and take my VACUUM to the repair shop. Then I have to get some MOSQUITO spray so the chance of me getting killed and eaten when I get home is slightly reduced. Then its off to the bar with all the rednecks, just to the left past the trailer park. Do it all over again tomorrow.
