For those rejected or banned

imhereforthegiggles · Senior Member

Where are you from?

Sleepy Baby Owl · Senior Member

I talk about it all the time, so I'm sure most people know, but I live in Los Angeles, CA. I'm a 3rd generation Angeleno (we are a rare breed.) I'm in the NELA area (Northeast LA) which is kind of like the East Village/Brooklyn part of NYC (trendy/hipsterish/grittier but rapidly gentrifying.)

wannaWHAH · Guru

Sleepy Baby Owl wrote:
I talk about it all the time, so I'm sure most people know, but I live in Los Angeles, CA. I'm a 3rd generation Angeleno (we are a rare breed.) I'm in the NELA area (Northeast LA) which is kind of like the East Village/Brooklyn part of NYC (trendy/hipsterish/grittier but rapidly gentrifying.)

I swear I do not know LA at all except Santa Monica/Venice/Marina Del Ray, and that area I know really really well.

We all know I live in SF

itsmellamma · Senior Member

I'm landlocked in Oklahoma.

wannaWHAH · Guru

itsmellamma wrote:
I'm landlocked in Oklahoma.

I've been told by my 65 year old gay drag queen that i HAVE to go to OK city

recreational froyo · Senior Member

wannaWHAH wrote:
itsmellamma wrote:
I'm landlocked in Oklahoma.
I've been told by my 65 year old gay drag queen that i HAVE to go to OK city

...but why? I've spent (too much) time in OKC and... this confuses me.

I'm in Indianapolis!

cocojet · Veteran Member

I'm originally from Los Angeles (Franklin/Vermont-ish) but just last month moved to Montana.

Lizard Person · Senior Member

cocojet wrote:
I'm originally from Los Angeles (Franklin/Vermont-ish) but just last month moved to Montana.

That's a hell of a switch! New job?

I'm in metro Detroit, Michigan.

Real Housewife from Detroit · Newbie

I mostly lurked on GOMI (and learned a lot from SNOLD), but had to come out of lurking here since I'm also from metro Detroit - hence the username!

cocojet · Veteran Member

Lizard Person wrote:

That's a hell of a switch! New job?

Kind of! My husband accepted a great position out here.

Lizard Person · Senior Member

cocojet wrote:
Lizard Person wrote:
That's a hell of a switch! New job?

Kind of! My husband accepted a great position out here.

Well, congrats then!

Preciously Enlightened · Senior Member

I might be the only active Canadian on the boards! I live in Calgary, Alberta but am originally from Toronto!

Lizard Person · Senior Member

Preciously Enlightened wrote:
I might be the only active Canadian on the boards! I live in Calgary, Alberta but am originally from Toronto!

I have always wanted to visit western Canada. I've been all over Ontario, though! Love it to pieces, especially The Pinery, Blue Mountain, and London.

Preciously Enlightened · Senior Member

Fun! I learned to ski at blue mountain and did my undergrad in London. Both great areas. You need to check out western Canada, the mountains, my gosh they are beautiful! If I knew how to post a pic from my phone I would post one I took not that long ago, stunning scenery 😊

Preciously Enlightened · Senior Member

I also used to go to Detroit a lot when living in London... a lot of lions games!

wannaWHAH · Guru

Him for those in Detroit can I just tell you I am a diehard Tigers fan

itsmellamma · Senior Member

wannaWHAH wrote:
itsmellamma wrote:
I'm landlocked in Oklahoma.
I've been told by my 65 year old gay drag queen that i HAVE to go to OK city

To get a good but inexpensive steak? It used to be the largest city by square miles. I remember when there was like 4 suburbs.

mebjul8 · Veteran Member

I'm a San Francisco native, 3rd generation and live halfway between SF and San Jose.

wannaWHAH · Guru

mebjul8 wrote:
I'm a San Francisco native, 3rd generation and live halfway between SF and San Jose.

High Five to a fellow Native!!!!!

mebjul8 · Veteran Member

wannaWHAH wrote:
mebjul8 wrote:
I'm a San Francisco native, 3rd generation and live halfway between SF and San Jose.
High Five to a fellow Native!!!!!

We are a rare breed!! I've lived my entire life between SF and now-mid Peninsula (grew up and raised my kids in the North Peninsula) with a brief detour to the East Bay. That lasted about 18 months - the length of my second marriage.

wannaWHAH · Guru

We are rare, though I swear there are a bunch of us in the city!
I lived in Israel twice (8 and 16)
went to Norcal for college
Moved to Boston for 6 years and I've been back in SF for 10 years!!!!!

My mom (divorced parents) lived in the East Bay for a hot min, but I always have had a home in SF

mebjul8 · Veteran Member

I kind of wish I had lived somewhere else at least for a little while but really, there's nowhere else I would rather live. I'm lucky enough that my parents are still living (92 and 86) in the same place I grew up and my kids and grandkids have stayed close. I love to travel and visit other places, but there is no place like home!!

Cactus · Senior Member

I've been south of Seattle for a little over three years, but now I'm moving back to my hometown, Roswell NM, for a year. I'm super excited. I'm a desert rat, redneck, heat-loving, small town person and the PNW has been HELL for me.

Horcajadura · Veteran Member

That's funny! I went to college in New Mexico and loved it but I've been in Seattle for 15 years and I literally can't imagine leaving. I love the PNW!

Cactus · Senior Member

Horcajadura wrote:
That's funny! I went to college in New Mexico and loved it but I've been in Seattle for 15 years and I literally can't imagine leaving. I love the PNW!

I meet a lot of people from the southwest who moved up here and love it. I even met a woman from my hometown that lived on my same block... we had a nice chat and then she never acknowledged me again. The novelty wore off for me a few months in. The cold makes my joints and muscles hurt more and I feel like I'm sick more often (also, worse allergies ever even with taking allergy meds daily). I hated doing the usual things I love because it was too different or more complicated here. I haven't made close friends, and realized that while I'm quite liberal, I'm not "PNW liberal." And it feels like people really don't want to make friends. I've tried Facebook groups, Meetups, hobby groups, apps, even going out to bars, and nothing (not having any interest in "mom friends" doesn't help either... I have one teenager, and I don't want to see/hear/talk about little kids). I have some people I would call "close acquaintances" and I usually refer to them as "friends" in conversation as it's just easier and sounds less weird, but fact is, we don't hang out outside of whatever hobby we share. People have been flaky and aloof and I'm just really over it. I want to go back to somewhere that I know people and everyone is friendly and genuinely excited to spend time with me. My husband feels so bad about insisting we move here because he sees how depressed I've been the last three years, how hard I've tried to make it work for me, and how it's just been mostly bad for me. I really think I'm just not the kind of person who thrives in the PNW.

-- Edited by Cactus on Monday 6th of August 2018 07:59:13 AM

Horcajadura · Veteran Member

Yeah Seattle can be tough that way. The reserved Scandinavian culture is alive and well here. I actually moved here from Texas when I got out of the Air Force and I've lived all over the world, but it took time to get used to the PNW. After my divorce in 2015 I had to actively cultivate friendships because nine years of abusive isolation had left me with very little in terms of support or social networks. I loved New Mexico too though and definitely don't blame you for wanting to go back.... Beautiful environment and amazing food! I would miss the cool weather here and the outdoor stuff. I spend every weekend in the mountains or at the coast it seems like.

Cactus · Senior Member

If I were more into hiking and such, I'd likely enjoy it a lot more. But I don't have the physical stamina for it, at least not on any regular basis. I feel like it's just not a good place for someone with chronic pain. I like to be active, but the hills and such make it harder for me, so I end up staying home. I do much better on flat land and in dryer/warmer climates.

I will miss how pretty it is though.

recreational froyo · Senior Member

It's interesting to hear y'all talk about NM... I left (literally) the day I turned 18 and picked a college 1300+ miles away very purposefully. I miss the weather for sure (minus the wind in the spring, I do not miss being sandblasted every time I step outside) and the sky, but otherwise... I like everywhere else I've lived more (maybe minus Raleigh-Durham, NC but that had contributing circumstances). NM was just so boring to me, so secluded to get other places (oh yeah, let's drive 8 hours to Phoenix..) and it just has this lack of... achievement? It's hard to explain, but there's a reason we called it the Land of Entrapment - where people never leave and just don't seem to experience life outside or have the same drive for success I've seen other places. I like going home, but it's in large part because I love my parents' house. I'll (more than likely - never say never) never move back. Just no opportunity, investment, capital, etc.

Cactus · Senior Member

recreational froyo wrote:
It's interesting to hear y'all talk about NM... I left (literally) the day I turned 18 and picked a college 1300+ miles away very purposefully. I miss the weather for sure (minus the wind in the spring, I do not miss being sandblasted every time I step outside) and the sky, but otherwise... I like everywhere else I've lived more (maybe minus Raleigh-Durham, NC but that had contributing circumstances). NM was just so boring to me, so secluded to get other places (oh yeah, let's drive 8 hours to Phoenix..) and it just has this lack of... achievement? It's hard to explain, but there's a reason we called it the Land of Entrapment - where people never leave and just don't seem to experience life outside or have the same drive for success I've seen other places. I like going home, but it's in large part because I love my parents' house. I'll (more than likely - never say never) never move back. Just no opportunity, investment, capital, etc.

Land of Entrapment is totally appropriate lol. We would joke that there was metal in the drinking water, and a giant magnet under 2nd and Main, and so you would eventually get sucked back if you tried to leave. So many people left and then moved back. Especially if they couldn't find work that paid enough to live somewhere with a higher cost of living (as an example, my rent is over double what my mortgage was, for less space).

I think you have to actually enjoy being secluded to like living there. I've learned that I really very much dislike living in or near a big city. I don't mind driving three hours to Albuquerque or Lubbock if I want a taste of city life, but otherwise, I'm happy in a small town. Give me a Target, a decent grocery store, and good food, and that's all I need.

recreational froyo · Senior Member

Cactus wrote:
recreational froyo wrote:
It's interesting to hear y'all talk about NM... I left (literally) the day I turned 18 and picked a college 1300+ miles away very purposefully. I miss the weather for sure (minus the wind in the spring, I do not miss being sandblasted every time I step outside) and the sky, but otherwise... I like everywhere else I've lived more (maybe minus Raleigh-Durham, NC but that had contributing circumstances). NM was just so boring to me, so secluded to get other places (oh yeah, let's drive 8 hours to Phoenix..) and it just has this lack of... achievement? It's hard to explain, but there's a reason we called it the Land of Entrapment - where people never leave and just don't seem to experience life outside or have the same drive for success I've seen other places. I like going home, but it's in large part because I love my parents' house. I'll (more than likely - never say never) never move back. Just no opportunity, investment, capital, etc.
Land of Entrapment is totally appropriate lol. We would joke that there was metal in the drinking water, and a giant magnet under 2nd and Main, and so you would eventually get sucked back if you tried to leave. So many people left and then moved back. Especially if they couldn't find work that paid enough to live somewhere with a higher cost of living (as an example, my rent is over double what my mortgage was, for less space).
I think you have to actually enjoy being secluded to like living there. I've learned that I really very much dislike living in or near a big city. I don't mind driving three hours to Albuquerque or Lubbock if I want a taste of city life, but otherwise, I'm happy in a small town. Give me a Target, a decent grocery store, and good food, and that's all I need.

Yeah, I lived in ABQ so I wasn't even in small town NM.

I think it's part of why I love Indy - it's bigger than ABQ - actual sports teams, better shopping and food, closer to actual big cities if I need them for some reason, but it's still almost the same COL as Albuquerque.

Horcajadura · Veteran Member

Cactus wrote:
If I were more into hiking and such, I'd likely enjoy it a lot more. But I don't have the physical stamina for it, at least not on any regular basis. I feel like it's just not a good place for someone with chronic pain. I like to be active, but the hills and such make it harder for me, so I end up staying home. I do much better on flat land and in dryer/warmer climates.

I will miss how pretty it is though.

I hear you. I have MS but.... Figure I'll have it wherever I go. Heat does aggravate my symptoms though so that definitely plays into my decision to stay here.

snarkingmesoftly · Veteran Member

I live in Roanke, VA right now. It's a lovely little bastion of normalcy surrounded by Appalachia, Republicans, and meth. I lived just south of Albany NY until I was 12 and then lived in Raleigh, NC until I was 28 (39 now). I'm a die hard NC State fan and will fight a bitch over ACC football (jk). After very nearly almost 40 years on the eastern seaboard Mancat and I are packin up our game and headed out west, to Phoenix AZ. I love the VA mountains but I can't handle the humidity and days and weeks of rain. Plus snow is just bull****. I have 12 months left before I can apply for a transfer with my company, which gives us plenty of time to finish about 1/2 of the home improvement projects we have started so that we can sell our house to someone who won't try to make it "open concept".

blogkitten · Senior Member

snarkygirl wrote:
I’m from greater MN!

I'm in MN too! Twin Cities area, though.

justaregulargirl · Senior Member

Hello from overseas, from central Europe! :)

Preciously Enlightened · Senior Member

Hello regular girl - where in central europe!?!

Gunilla Garson Goldberg · Member

Just west of Indianapolis now. Nice, sweet town, still easy access to Indy proper for events and culture...but away from the worst of the traffic and hecticness for my regular life. :)

justaregulargirl · Senior Member

Preciously Enlightened wrote:
Hello regular girl - where in central europe!?!

Slovenia (some might argue that it's in Southeast Europe, but who cares biggrin )! A chicken shaped (I'm not even kidding, look it up :D) small country next to Italy and Austria.

recreational froyo · Senior Member

justaregulargirl wrote:
Preciously Enlightened wrote:
Hello regular girl - where in central europe!?!
Slovenia (some might argue that it's in Southeast Europe, but who cares )! A chicken shaped (I'm not even kidding, look it up :D) small country next to Italy and Austria.

Forgive me for being so uneducated apparently, but I went on a Google spree and OMG this just landed on my must go places. Like, what. This looks like a fairytale. And Lipizzaners! I might be obsessed.

-- Edited by recreational froyo on Wednesday 15th of August 2018 07:09:56 AM

justaregulargirl · Senior Member

recreational froyo wrote:
justaregulargirl wrote:
Preciously Enlightened wrote:
Hello regular girl - where in central europe!?!
Slovenia (some might argue that it's in Southeast Europe, but who cares )! A chicken shaped (I'm not even kidding, look it up :D) small country next to Italy and Austria.
Forgive me for being so uneducated apparently, but I went on a Google spree and OMG this just landed on my must go places. Like, what. This looks like a fairytale. And Lipizzaners! I might be obsessed.

-- Edited by recreational froyo on Wednesday 15th of August 2018 07:09:56 AM

No worries! Even a lot of people in Europe don't know where the hell Slovenia is :D

It's a really tiny country with just 2 million people. But it's REALLY beautiful. Of course I might be biased here ;) We have a lot of things - mountains, lakes (Lake Bled is one of the most if not the most touristy place in all the country), castles (google Predjama castle!), caves, vineyards, we have a little bit of the sea. And by car you can get from one corner of the country to another in around three hours.

/advertisment over :D

Preciously Enlightened · Senior Member

Damn it where were you a few weeks ago when I was booking my Europe trip! I kind of want to skip Berlin and go there instead, Slovenia looks BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

justaregulargirl · Senior Member

Preciously Enlightened wrote:
Damn it where were you a few weeks ago when I was booking my Europe trip! I kind of want to skip Berlin and go there instead, Slovenia looks BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Still on GOMI wondering where everyone went. biggrin biggrin I can't believe it never crossed my mind to use Google. Silly me.

grumpy_mountain_woman · Member

I mostly lurked on GOMI, but loved reading the SNOLD thread, so I'm happy to have found this place!

I'm from Louisiana originally, but moved to Colorado about 7 years ago when I was 20. Best decision of my life! I live in a tiny town (5k people) in the high rockies, which has been interesting/amazing/hard all at once. About once every couple of months I do crave moving to Arizona or New Mexico, I've spent a lot of time in those places and love the desert, and the food is amazing. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to give up on skiing in the winter, and lush green high country hiking in the summer though.

Fly-fishing and Pigs · Senior Member

I've been in Texas for the last five years (DFW area). The heat is awful, esp with MS but, other than that (and the politics), I like it OK.

NopeNopeNopeNopeNope · Newbie

I'm in Central WA...miss the Seattle area like crazy, but I do tend to love the desert Summers!

Snark Crackle Pop · Member

Chicago ham, reporting for duty.

blogkitten · Senior Member

Snark Crackle Pop wrote:
Chicago ham, reporting for duty.

So you too are in month 39 of winter.

recreational froyo · Senior Member

I am in Indiana, we had the spring of deception the last few days, so third winter should be here anytime soon.

Lizard Person · Senior Member

We are neighbors, Froyo!

Snark Crackle Pop · Member

Ugh, this winter has been awful. The last two were pretty mild, so I suppose we were due for a rough one.

Lizard Person · Senior Member

Agreed. Although nothing will compare to winter of 2013/2014. We got 96 inches of snow here, which is totally absurd for my state. One storm took out my car.