Answer to "Why Do You Still Live in Oklahoma?" (Howe: appointed, new home)

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by flintysooner

If you think "meeting someone" is more difficult than living with someone then I think you may be in for a very rude awakening. Be genuine and learn what your tastes are and how to have a happy, rewarding life whether it is alone or with a partner. Your happiness will no more be completed by another person than by the place you live.

In my opinion letting your career define your life is a real mistake. We don't really live in the era of careers any longer. Pick where you want to live and figure out a way to pay your bills and enjoy doing it while you're at it. You get to my age and look back and you realize that you've really had many careers and none of them are nearly as important as they seemed at the time.

Learning what you do like and don't and then doing something about it - for yourself - not for someone else - that's a great place to start. So you know you "hate" Oklahoma so begin there.

Very best wishes whatever you choose (emphasis on you choose).

>>>>>
If you think "meeting someone" is more difficult than living with someone then I think you may be in for a very rude awakening.
<<<<<

Don't tell my wife!

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by Bass&Catfish2008

>>>>>
If you think "meeting someone" is more difficult than living with someone then I think you may be in for a very rude awakening.
<<<<<

Don't tell my wife!

who is she trying to meet?

[flintysooner]

ATLGuy39 dislikes Oklahoma because:
1. He can't find a single woman without child for relationship
2. Weather is disagreeable to him
3. He finds it religious
4. He finds it politically conservative
5. He finds conservatives to be small minded
6. He finds people who live here aren't widely travelled
7. He finds cliques unwilling to let him in

But he says if he did "find someone" then he might enjoy living in Edmond.

[bchris02]

One thing I will say is OKC is a hard city to be an introvert in, and I think that may be part of ATLGuy39's problem. I agree with most of the things he says to an extent as they are part of the overall culture here, but with effort, you can find people to associate with who aren't these things. It just takes a little more effort here than it does most places.

ATLGuy39, what part of the city do you live and go out in? Personally, I find NW OKC and S OKC/Moore to be the most like the stereotype you've laid out. Edmond also has that but it isn't quite as bad there as its the most transient. The inner core is the most diverse, most liberal, and a lot closer to the kind of environment you are probably used to. It's not going to be anything close to Atlanta or even Charlotte, but with effort you should be able to be happier than it appears you are.

I am not the biggest fan of OKC but I have been putting in a lot of effort lately and am coming to find out it isn't quite as bad as I thought it was at first glance.

[flintysooner]

Introverts are people who are energized by being alone and left to their own thoughts and purposes. Conversely they lose energy when around people.

The way it is being used in this discussion is to indicate shyness which is actually a form of anxiety.

[#1soonerfan]

Originally Posted by flintysooner

ATLGuy39 dislikes Oklahoma because:
1. He can't find a single woman without child for relationship
2. Weather is disagreeable to him
3. He finds it religious
4. He finds it politically conservative
5. He finds conservatives to be small minded
6. He finds people who live here aren't widely travelled
7. He finds cliques unwilling to let him in

But he says if he did "find someone" then he might enjoy living in Edmond.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who found that statement to be rather ironic.

[Atlguy39]

Originally Posted by flintysooner

ATLGuy39 dislikes Oklahoma because:
1. He can't find a single woman without child for relationship
2. Weather is disagreeable to him
3. He finds it religious
4. He finds it politically conservative
5. He finds conservatives to be small minded
6. He finds people who live here aren't widely travelled
7. He finds cliques unwilling to let him in

But he says if he did "find someone" then he might enjoy living in Edmond.

Not accurate at all, particularly #3, 4, 5, and 6. You sort of got the rest of it. Wrong on the last comment. I don't mind religion and am conservative myself. I'm not an extreme conservative and don't hate people if they did vote for Obama. I'm also not prejudice and there seems to be a good amount of that here as well. So replace one of the 4 you got wrong with that.

[Atlguy39]

Originally Posted by bchris02

One thing I will say is OKC is a hard city to be an introvert in, and I think that may be part of ATLGuy39's problem. I agree with most of the things he says to an extent as they are part of the overall culture here, but with effort, you can find people to associate with who aren't these things. It just takes a little more effort here than it does most places.

ATLGuy39, what part of the city do you live and go out in? Personally, I find NW OKC and S OKC/Moore to be the most like the stereotype you've laid out. Edmond also has that but it isn't quite as bad there as its the most transient. The inner core is the most diverse, most liberal, and a lot closer to the kind of environment you are probably used to. It's not going to be anything close to Atlanta or even Charlotte, but with effort you should be able to be happier than it appears you are.

I am not the biggest fan of OKC but I have been putting in a lot of effort lately and am coming to find out it isn't quite as bad as I thought it was at first glance.

Thanks for that response. I am introverted and shy as well, which works against me twice as much. But I make one hell of an effort. I'm in meetup groups, go to church, do social things with coworkers, etc. Its just been difficult to adjust to the culture. I'm not extremely conservative either, though its how I vote. This state is extreme right, which is fine, but people are way more opinionated on politics than I am.

I live in NW OKC, which I don't mind. Its convenient for everything, particularly work. Penn Square mall area works well. Bricktown is too much of a party atmosphere and way overpriced. Anyway, I continue to make the effort, regardless of how I feel about the city in general.

[flintysooner]

Originally Posted by Atlguy39

Not accurate at all, particularly #3, 4, 5, and 6. You sort of got the rest of it. Wrong on the last comment. I don't mind religion and am conservative myself. I'm not an extreme conservative and don't hate people if they did vote for Obama. I'm also not prejudice and there seems to be a good amount of that here as well. So replace one of the 4 you got wrong with that.

I didn't think I was terribly far off on understanding your criticism of Oklahomans and the summary I prepared and posted; but, I returned to your post to check myself. I am including below the portions of your post that led to my thinking.

Originally Posted by Atlguy39

Other things which you may not like, but bother me less, is its very religious here.

Hence, my "3. He finds it religious" but perhaps I should have stated it "He finds it very religious."

Originally Posted by Atlguy39

But with that comes extreme conservatism and some small minded thinking.

Hence, my "4. He finds it politically conservative" and my "#5. He finds conservatives to be small minded"; although, I can see that you might prefer "He finds the politics to be extremely conservative" and "he finds extremely conservative people to be small minded."

Originally Posted by Atlguy39

People who live here are mostly all from here. So you get these tight knit groups of people who don't really care to make new friends. They're friendly, but good luck being invited into their little circle. They also don't know anything else and think OK is the best place in the world to live.

Hence, my "6. He finds people who live here aren't widely traveled."

I am heartened that I at least understood you regarding #1, #2, and #7 - more or less anyway.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by Atlguy39

Thanks for that response. I am introverted and shy as well, which works against me twice as much. But I make one hell of an effort. I'm in meetup groups, go to church, do social things with coworkers, etc. Its just been difficult to adjust to the culture. I'm not extremely conservative either, though its how I vote. This state is extreme right, which is fine, but people are way more opinionated on politics than I am.

I live in NW OKC, which I don't mind. Its convenient for everything, particularly work. Penn Square mall area works well. Bricktown is too much of a party atmosphere and way overpriced. Anyway, I continue to make the effort, regardless of how I feel about the city in general.

Yeah NW OKC is nice and very convenient to stuff, it just tends to have the most concentration of the culture we both aren't too fond of especially north of 63rd. I go to church in Edmond now and am liking it much more than when I went in NW OKC. I agree with you about the politics. I actually vote Republican but lean libertarian and don't really get worked up about the social issues some people try to inject into every conversation. I tend to find less of that in the more transient areas of OKC. NW OKC, bottom line, is heavily oriented toward the wife, 2.5 kids, golden retriever, and white picket fence lifestyle. Its also not very transient. As for where you hang out, if you don't like Bricktown try Midtown or the Paseo. Those districts are quite a bit more low key than Bricktown. Bricktown is very oriented to either the 18-25 crowd or country people. Most of the more urban minded people in OKC don't frequent Bricktown as much as the other districts.