Good piece on the Atlantic Cities webpage in response to a Richard Floridia piece on mobility.

 

So the question is are you stuck in Ohio, or are you content. I fall into the content category myself. My wife would probably say she is stuck here with me.

 

Stuck, or Content?

• Julie Irwin Zimmerman
  
• Dec 21, 2011
  
• 23 Comments
  

  http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img/upload/2011/12/20/Downtown_cincinnati_2010_kdh/largest.jpg[/img] Wikimedia Commons Before I moved to Ohio, I might have agreed with Richard Florida’s recent posts on the part of America that's "stuck." He wrote that:

<blockquote>  America can be divided into two distinct classes, the stuck and the mobile. The mobile possess the resources and the inclination to seek out and move to locations where they pursue economic opportunity. Too many Americans are stuck in places with limited resources and opportunities. This geography of the stuck and mobile is a key axis of cleavage in the United States.

</blockquote>  The mobile, Florida writes, live and move along both coasts and in the Rocky Mountain region. The stuck remain in a belt that extends across the middle of the country and into the South. I grew up in Silicon Valley, a highly mobile region, and spent my college and post-graduate years in Chicago, which, even though it’s located in the Stuck Belt, likely qualifies as a mobile city......

 

 

Read the complete article here:

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2011/12/stuck-or-content/770/

 

I wouldn't say stuck, not would I say I'm content. Content implies complacency to me. I like it here (in Cincy), but I'm continuously striving to improve the city. I'm certainly not content with the status quo. What I most like about Cincy as opposed to NYC or Chicago - the potential. When I'm in those cities, it feels as though 'it's done.' (Don't know the best way to describe it). In Cincy, I feel like I'm a part of the change, growth, and redevelopment of the city. THAT is why I love it here. I like visiting those other cities to remind myself of that.

Definitely content considering I have no desire to move.  If I wanted to live somewhere else, I would (and have, only to return).  I can change where I reside, but home is home.  There's no changing that for me. 

I was wondering if anybody on here feels stuck, either by lack of resources or by personal obligations.

I was wondering if anybody on here feels stuck, either by lack of resources or by personal obligations.

I'm somewhat stuck. It would be really difficult to leave the area because my Mother and my In-laws are here, plus we went and bought a house right before the real estate market crashed. I was offered a job in DC last year, but after a lot of thinking about it decided the increase in salary wouldn't be enough to cover moving there and then frequently (a few times a year) traveling back to visit family.

I feel stuck. Mostly. While I have worked, and continue to work hard to love living here, and in many ways, I do like many advantages of living here, I definitely feel stuck a majority of the year, and the stuck-ness is solely due to one reason - my Mother. We are extremely close, and we are both really enjoying her sole opportunity to be a grandmother via the birth of my son 2 years ago, and that has been very joyful. As long as she continues to live, which I hope will be for a very long time (she's 68 and in good health), we will be staying here. Whenever her time here on Earth is done, we will be gone within a year's time, I'm certain. The only way that might change is if we are unable to find good employment offers elsewhere and/or my son is very embroiled in school and school friends such that I think it would harm him to move away if we could not ensure a similar situation elsewhere.

 

In an ideal world, we would have seasonal and very lucrative jobs that provide for summers off (teaching?) and would have a summer home here in Cleveland where we would spend the summer months, and that's it. I love Ohio more than almost any place on earth during the months of June, July and August. I feel somewhat of a lukewarm 'like' during May, September and October. And anything from burning hatred, to general loathing and depression the remainder of the other months. And yes, that is almost 100% weather-focused. I hate, hate, hate the bitter cold, winds and rain and gray day after gray day, and I really, really loathe snow and ice, and my husband feels the same way I do. We are trying hard not to transfer that onto our son but it's hard to disguise loathing and pretend like you like going outside and freezing your ass off in the snow when you really, really hate it and don't find it to be "fun" in any way.

I'd list myself as content, but I'm also not completely closed to the idea of moving out of Cleveland, either. My wife and I moved here primarily because she grew up here and her family was all here. Since then, most of that family has either passed on, or moved out, and only her mother remains, and her house is up for sale. When that is sold, my guess is she becomes a Florida resident, or moves out west to be closer to the sons. At that point, I don't have much tying us to the region, so we may explore our options.

 

By the same token, I have a good career here, and we've built up a good community of friends, so who knows.

I knew where you were going to fall RnR because of the weather, anybody who considers Phoenix an ideal climate probably doesn't handle Ohio winters well.

 

I am sort of stuck now, I have gone to work as a sales rep in our family business and our territory is centered around Ohio. 

 

 

Stuck, but not because I lack the education or means, but because my career - as a university faculty - means that I can't just pick up and leave. It's not that I dislike Ohio - it's that the resources that would make my life more pleasant and enjoyable (regular lectures by academics and national figures; a kick-ass research library, and forests, and hills) are lacking in NW Ohio. Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor, Bloomington or maybe even Athens would be great. It's not the Midwest I'm fleeing, it's this particular part of great gridded plains.

 

I think Florida vastly overgeneralizes, yet again. I've let my Atlantic subscription lapse because the he seems to have taken over the magazine, and I'm not a fan anymore.

It's hard, because I feel in so many ways that Ohio has a lot of great things to offer, and at a much more reasonable price than a lot of places. I do like fall (mostly), and we've been discovering even more great things for families to do all over the state since we had a kid that I didn't really know about growing up since we never had any money and never did anything, but the long winter and the wet, cold spring, it's just not my cup of tea. I think I might be able to handle it better if I had enough money to, say, be a SAHM so that I wouldn't really have to go outside much in the winter at all except when it looked decent and dry and I could control when I went. And if I had a heated garage to park my car in, that would also help. Scraping the ice and snow off the car and then trying to hustle your little one into the car seat while snow is pelting you in the face and the wind is so cold it makes your nostrils burn and your eyes water, there's just no way I would ever enjoy that. All I feel when I see the snow falling is dread. I don't think it's pretty or fun or anything else, just dangerous and cold. I have been loving this winter so far here more than any other I can recall. I had my windows down a little in the car yesterday!

^RnR.... look into a remote starter for you car.  They are not that expensive to install and you can have it all warmed up before you even start scraping.

 

If we are talking "ideal worlds" where money is not a factor, I would definitely own another home in a warmer climate and probably live there from sometime in February and March.  The early winter months are enjoyable to me (just had a blast going sledding with my son and his friends last weekend) when everything is relatively clean and the snow is new.  And I could easily handle April if I wasn't tired of all the slush and moisture from February and March.  The grey season during that time also wears on me.  So, sure, I would take a vaca home for those two months in a place that I would never consider visiting during the warmer months.

 

For me, as someone who has lived in the sweltering heat of the southeast, I will take the cold everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.  If I lived in a warmer climate, it would have to be a dryer climate like SoCal (without all the smog and traffic of course).  I definitely could not handle the climate of the Ohio Valley where you somewhat get the worst of both worlds with relatively cold winters and steaming summers.

My sisters and their husbands are very open about feeling stuck in Cleveland, which has caused some family hiccups since my parents want to live here until they die and I'm a big Cleveland backer. There's a good chance that when my last nephew goes to college in 3 years, that at least one of my sister's and her family will move to Florida. Her husband runs a .com business and can do it anywhere, and she doesn't really work, so the job situation isn't an obstacle. And now the other sister is talking about doing the same since her husband really wants to practice medicine there and has already turned down some offers. And if they both go, then my parents will probably follow because the goal is for them to all be together.

 

Which puts me in an odd position because I have no interest in Florida whatsoever, yet my business does provide a certain mobility and it's not impossible. So while my parents and I are fairly content when in Ohio (I'm a part-timer), my sisters and their families absolutely feel stuck and they're not quiet about it.

Im content, and I got my girlfriend to be content as well. She loves Cleveland almost as much as me, which wasn't always the case.

 

Funny thing about Florida is I know several people who have vacationed there, and hated it. They said it was overrated and miserable. And these people weren't Cleveland fans either.

My ideal thing would be to split up time between Ohio, NYC and San Diego- my dad is retiring there asap.

 

I always thought Ohio was especially boring in the summer, because there was no "it" place to be...everyone sort of disappears. In the summer I am longing for the beach or the boardwalk, the atmosphere I grew up with. To me there is nothing comparable here to capture that crowded, "summer break" atmosphere.

 

Otherwise, there are obviously awesome things to do all year round here. I like that I have a house in Lakewood. My wife, however, wants to move. After 18 years she's grown tired of our winters. She either wants to find a place with either more snow, or more sun.

I go back and forth on this depending on the day, but today is a day I wish the rest of my local family would move to Florida (there is already a contingent down there).  I'd be much more content to be here if they weren't.  Plus a larger selection of spare bedrooms to choose from while on my trips down there would be nice too.  :evil:

 

I'm definitely content.  I don't feel I have to leave to build out my life.  If something or someone great tried to pull me away I wouldn't outright refuse but I wouldn't immediately pack my bags either.

Remote starter would not really work here - first of all, I have to park so far away from my building that I would be pretty nervous about leaving the car running and unattended that far away, and the cold inside of the car is not what bothers me. It's the scraping and battling the snow while getting my kid into it that's the problem, and a remote starter wouldn't really help that.

 

As for Florida, I think it depends on where you go. I have a good girlfriend I finally got around to visiting who lives in a small town a little bit away from Ft. Lauderdale. It's not touristy, just a place where families live and where snowbirds decamp for part of the year. Good schools, good independent restaurants, quiet community, low crime. She kept telling me how swelteringly hot it was down there and I kept assuring her I would like it. We went to the pool (less than 5 mins walk from her cute, very affordable house) and sat outside in the 85 degree heat for over an hour, and she finally said we had to get back so she could shower before picking up the kids because she was dripping with sweat. I had her put her hand on the back of neck so she could see how it was bone dry. She said I am an alien. :) But there are way too many bugs there for me.

I dont understand people retiring places. All of my grandparents would never want to leave because they wouldn't want to leave there kids, and grandchildren. Same with my parents. They would never want to leave me and my brother and sister. And when we have kids, there is no way they are going anywhere.

 

Also that nice picture of Cincinnati would be some much better if it weren't for those damn highways.

I can understand why older folks would want to move to warmer areas. It would be very hard to be in your 80s and have to deal with sometimes severe snow and ice 4 or 5 months a year. Think about how hard it must be to be in your 80s and just see gloomy weather half the time. You can't leave because the roads are icy and it's painfully cold, so you feel stuck. Plus there's issues like shoveling walks, driving in bad conditions with little visibility, body temperture fluctuations with age, and concerns about getting sick from the cold. Not everyone has a network of people to help them through their later years, and it's about self preservation for a lot of them.

I can understand why older folks would want to move to warmer areas. It would be very hard to be in your 80s and have to deal with sometimes severe snow and ice 4 or 5 months a year. Think about how hard it must be to be in your 80s and just see gloomy weather half the time. You can't leave because the roads are icy and it's painfully cold, so you feel stuck. Plus there's issues like shoveling walks, driving in bad conditions with little visibility, body temperture fluctuations with age, and concerns about getting sick from the cold. Not everyone has a network of people to help them through their later years, and it's about self preservation for a lot of them.

 

I agree with certain cases of course. But Im surprised by the 60 somethings who leave all their children and grandchildren behind. I guess some people just dont really care to be a part of there children's adult lives and their grandchildren's lives.

 

In the case where two children moved to California, and only one stayed in Ohio, then sure, go ahead and move to the easier climate where most of your kids and grandchildren are. Its not like I really care, do what you want, it just surprises me about the number of people who actually do it.

A lot of grandparents are just not interested, trust me. My Mom is wonderful and loves her relationship with my son. My ILs on the other hand only see my kid a handful of times a year and are uninterested in him most of the time when they do see him, at family gatherings. They were not very good parents. They have no clue or interest in doing anything with our son. They won't drive on the freeway and have never been up here for a visit, even before they got the freeway phobia and before my son was born. They and are both not in very good health/physical shape. There have been times when my son has actually been in danger being around them because they couldn't deal with him properly. They cancel planned visits to see them at least 75% of the time. Honestly if they didn't live in the same state with us it would be fine with me and I'm sure it would be fine with them.

Content... Love my job, cost of living, and having most relatives w/in a hour drive of the CLE is nice. 

Ahh, so Ohio is suffering from brain drain and out-migration and at the same time everyone there is stuck.  Got it. 

 

That Richard Florida post got my blood boiling for being so logically disingenuous. For a stupid back-of-the-envelope measure of "stuck," wouldn't you want to know the share of people born in a state who still live there?  Not the share of people living there who were born there, which as much as anything reflects the low rate of immigration from other places.

 

Anyway, I'm an expat but I'm down with a surfohio-style three way split: Cleveland, Northeastern US city (NYC or Boston) and warm weather place (though probably not in US).

I feel just as, if not more, stuck in my house when it is 95 and humid than when it is below freezing.  It always amazes me how some people just can't understand that heat can be just as uncomfortable as the cold for a lot of people.  When I lived down south, I once got home from work to find that the plastic bag around my bread had melted to the kitchen table.  3 straight months of humid, 90+ heat wears on me way more than our winters.  I was in Charlotte this summer riding my bike around in late July..... I got lost in a residential neighborhood and couldn't find my way out.... nor could I find one single soul out in their front yard or walking to give me directions.  People hybernate during those months and it just runs contrary to everything I'm used to in that the summer months are the time that the last thing you want to do is be inside.

 

RnR - most remote starters have your security concerns taken care of.  Look into it.  Also, my point was that if you warm up your car for about 10 minutes before you actually try to scrape it off, it makes the job much, much easier because your defroster will have already have been running.

I get that about the heat, I really do. I just don't feel that way, I feel the opposite about it. I had enough discussions with my food peeps out in Phoenix that I realized it's probably not a good place to live, if stuff burns through the window from the sun, and stories like your bread wrapper story. I get it. I don't want to live somewhere where it's too hot for my little kid to go out and play - it was actually like that so many days this summer, we were inside a lot, so I hear you. Just because I like it that hot doesn't mean it's safe for my kid, so yeah, something more moderate will be in order for the family.

To be clear, it is more the humidity that bothers me than the heat.  When I went to Spain for two weeks, it was nearly 100 degrees there everyday, but I was fine walking around.  Returning to the US and getting off the plane in NC, it was 88 and humid and I immediately felt that sticky sensation on my skin and the need to take a shower.  I also have some difficulty breathing normally when the air is so thick and I am prone to heat exhaustion under such conditions.

 

Oh yeah.... and not to turn this into a weather thread.... but another big plus we have in my book is the relative lack of a natural disaster threat.  I have lived in places that are prone to hurricanes and I was in LA two years ago when it had a little tremor (all I needed to feel to know I don't want to be anywhere near a fault line).  I don't want to worry about a disaster striking in a place where my wife and kids could be here or there around town.

My Mom feels the same way. I actually love that feeling. I know, I know, I am weird. I like the dry heat too, but I love that heavy, hot humidity that makes everything feel hotter.

Ditto on everything that Hts. said about the humidity.

Nice point on the natural disaster statement Hts121.

 

You could go even further and say we are not likely to see an outside attack from other countries or terrorists as well.

I read the article with interest, and I probably fall somewhere between the two extremes. Right now I'm technically "stuck" because I'm in the process of completing grad school in Cincinnati, but when I get my masters I'll have to make a choice as to whether I want to stay here or not. I've spent most of my adult life living in more "mobile" places like Chicago and New York City, and coming back home to Cincinnati for grad school has been equal parts rewarding and infuriating. Part of me wants to stay here because I have personal roots here, lots of friends and family, and because Cincinnati is finally starting to realize its full potential as a city, and it's exciting to be part of that.

 

On that downside: Outside of Cincinnati I generally hate Ohio and the Midwest, the weather is terrible both in summer and in winter, the religious and political climate is consistently a generation behind the times, and Cincinnati has a ton of racial and cultural baggage that you never notice until you've lived elsewhere for a while and then come back. Most importantly, other regions of the country offer far better career prospects for somebody in my line of work.

 

I have zero desire to move back to someplace like New York or Chicago, where the cost of living is obscene and the quality of life isn't that great (and the weather still sucks), but lately I've been taking a close look at the Pacific Northwest, particularly Portland. Nearly the same size as Cincinnati and only somewhat more expensive, it's in a much more appealing part of the country and the city itself has made almost all the right decisions regarding its future. And nobody in Portland gives a damn which high school I went to.

Not so sure about the "somewhat more expensive" (emphasis on the 'somewhat') tidbit..... unless I am underestimating the cost of living in Cincy, which I always thought was very close to Cleveland's.

 

You could always move to a more liberal area of the state if that is what is driving you out  ;)

I would go in a heartbeat if I could. 

 

Cleveland will always be my home, but after 20 years of trying to invest in it's neighborhoods and be a proponent I'm fed up with the lack of growth combined with the consistent defeatist attitude.  I long for Cleveland to return to it's greatness of the 1950's, but sadly I don't think it will happen in my lifetime.  Today's politicians are too interested in quick fixes like aquariums and sports teams to make a real lasting impact on our cities' futures.

 

 

^ Yeah the population was at its height in the 1950's but I wouldn't say it was Cleveland greatest time. We had a lot of issues and the 50's and it's when we saw it all start to go down hill. Cant forget that the 1960 census is what really shows what happened in the 50's. People began leaving in the 50's leading up to the the 1960 census. In the 40's we saw the population grow that lead up to 1950 census. So if population is a sign of greatness(which its not) the 40's was our prime time.

Not so sure about the "somewhat more expensive" (emphasis on the 'somewhat') tidbit..... unless I am underestimating the cost of living in Cincy, which I always thought was very close to Cleveland's.

 

You could always move to a more liberal area of the state if that is what is driving you out  ;)

 

If I go through the hassle and effort of moving away from Cincinnati, I'll almost certainly not be moving to another part of Ohio or anywhere else in the Midwest. (Of course, with the economy so bad, I might have to consider job offers in places I otherwise wouldn't touch with a barge pole.)

 

I've been keeping a close eye on rental and real estate listings in Portland, and it's possible to get a decent 2-bedroom apartment for less than $1000 a month if you're not dead-set on living downtown or in the Pearl District. Gas prices are about the same, and utilities are cheaper because of the mild climate and abundant hydropower. Most importantly, Portland's extensive light rail system means you're not necessarily handcuffed to a car for day-to-day commuting.

Content.  I've lived in 3 different States and 1 different country during the past 3 years (before moving back to Ohio)....very content.

^ Yeah the population was at its height in the 1950's but I wouldn't say it was Cleveland greatest time. We had a lot of issues and the 50's and it's when we saw it all start to go down hill. Cant forget that the 1960 census is what really shows what happened in the 50's. People began leaving in the 50's leading up to the the 1960 census. In the 40's we saw the population grow that lead up to 1950 census. So if population is a sign of greatness(which its not) the 40's was our prime time.

 

Understood--I suppose I was speaking in general terms when we were a manufacturing and economic force to be reckoned with, and even threw in a sports championship here and there.  This predates me by several decades of course... :) 

I'm content as is the mister.  I came here in 2002 for college, could've left in 2006 but stayed for my masters......  Could've left in 2007 but stayed for my Ph.D......  Could've left this year but got a real job here instead.  Of course Cleveland isn't perfect, but I like to think I'm contributing to its regrowth!

I'm content.  Like others, I feel like I'm a part of Youngstown's come-back.  But, I'm also able to take advantage of some of the drawbacks that others see as a disadvantage.

 

I may be underemployed.  But, even working only 4 days a week, I still make enough to benefit from Youngstown's struggling real estate market, and own 2 houses in prime (at least to me) neighborhoods in the city. (one adjacent to Mill Creek Park, and one adjacent to Wick Park)  And, with regular 3 day weekends, I have the time to work on restoring the second house.

I'm content. I made sure to stay here.

Content - although I'm always open to moving back to Kentucky (Lexington, preferably) due to relationships. I have a stable job at a university, and some great photographic contacts here, and shoot for the Reds/Bengals on occasion. It's also easy to hop on the interstate and go to the mountains (eastward), to the thumb (northward), and to the hills (southward). Plus, I'm in debt to my house... which makes it hard to pick up and leave.

Content.  My wife & I both lived in other cities before coming to Cleveland.  Only knock is the weather.  I really hate snow anymore

LOVE it!!!  Moved from Florida and have not looked back once!!!

I'm committed to Ohio because my roots here are very deep.  I love having a homeland that I feel so connected with.

I love my home.  as said earlier there is no perfect city.  there are trade offs here.  There are some things other cities have that I wish we had, ex, subway, commuter and intercity rail, overall, we have many pluses, we just need a better way to educating our own residents on the virtues of our region.

... we just need a better way to educating our own residents on the virtues of our region.

Are you volunteering to educate them?  :-D

it's my been my experience that people who never lived outside the area are the most miserable.  They are the ones who feel "stuck" for whatever reason (job, house, family) and are bitter about their place in life and therefore don't take advantage of Ohio's cultural institutions, appreciate it's architecture, or any other city's amenities.  Those who lived elsewhere but came back or decided to stay, have done so because they made a choice and are generally satisfied.

 

Educating people who choose to be miserable probably won't get too far.  I've found that long time residents of Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston or San Diego or any other city pretty much love to complain about the faults of their home city.  Complaining about the city leadership, high taxes, lack of jobs, weather, lousy traffic, poor city services, etc.  People just love to complain.

Content. Although I've not lived in other cities, many of my relatives and friends have, and I also have done business in many other cities. I've also traveled throughout Europe six times. So I think I've got a pretty good base of experiences and diverse perspectives for someone who hasn't lived somewhere else.

 

Guess what? People complain everywhere about the same things people in Cleveland complain about. There are some contrasts, like people complaining about the traffic in southern "sprawl" cities where development moves so fast that new, cheaply designed stores are built in areas where there are already high vacancies, and nothing is built to last. People up north complain that development happens too slowly because we're trying to stop progress in the name of historic preservation. Traffic is horrible down south and in the west. Potholes are horrible up north. It's too snowy up north. It's too hot down south. It's too expensive in the east. It's not expensive enough in the Midwest. Cities are too transient in the south and west so you don't feel like you can't sink roots into these shallow cities. Cities in the Midwest are too stuck in their traditions and aren't friendly to newcomers because most families have been there for a century or more. Politicians are corrupt or short-sighted in the south and west. Politicians are corrupt or short-sighted in the Midwest and Northeast.

 

It's true about the saying that the grass is always greener somewhere else. I could easily enjoy living in one of a dozen cities in the U.S. (mostly in the Midwest and Northeast) and at least as many in Europe. But the reason why I am content here is because, to me, Cleveland is a big, cozy extended family with great stories, and it sucks you in like a comfortable sofa in front of a crackling fire on a cold night. When I drive visitors from other cities (some much larger than Cleveland) around town and tell them such-and-such happened there, or XYZ Corporation was founded in a house down there, and this-and-that happened over there, they love the stories that this city has to tell, much of them surrounding the immigrant struggle and Cleveland's contributions to overcoming the struggles of America. It's a wonderful story to be a part of, and to contribute to in whatever small way I can. I am happy to be a part of it.

I really can't imagine myself living anywhere else in the country.  I spent some time in Arizona in the late 2000s and while it definitely has its advantages, it just never was home for me.  Depending on what the job prospects are in my field when I finish up my program as CSU, I may have to look elsewhere, but I'm really hoping that at worst wherever the may be it's within a short day's drive of Ohio.

 

As much as I love living here--in the exact suburb of Cleveland in which I grew up even--with so many of my friends moving away (and coming back this time of the year to visit family), I do sort of feel like "that guy" at times.  I wish I didn't get that feeling, Cleveland is not a small town by any stretch, nor is it a place that people should have to feel like "they're getting away from."  Unfortunately when my friends come back for the holidays from places like Chicago or New York and out west like Colorado and Southern California, it can be a little awkward being that guy living in Cleveland where we all grew up.  I don't know how else to describe it but perhaps others can relate.

Content. Although I've not lived in other cities, many of my relatives and friends have, and I also have done business in many other cities. I've also traveled throughout Europe six times. So I think I've got a pretty good base of experiences and diverse perspectives for someone who hasn't lived somewhere else.

 

Guess what? People complain everywhere about the same things people in Cleveland complain about. There are some contrasts, like people complaining about the traffic in southern "sprawl" cities where development moves so fast that new, cheaply designed stores are built in areas where there are already high vacancies, and nothing is built to last. People up north complain that development happens too slowly because we're trying to stop progress in the name of historic preservation. Traffic is horrible down south and in the west. Potholes are horrible up north. It's too snowy up north. It's too hot down south. It's too expensive in the east. It's not expensive enough in the Midwest. Cities are too transient in the south and west so you don't feel like you can't sink roots into these shallow cities. Cities in the Midwest are too stuck in their traditions and aren't friendly to newcomers because most families have been there for a century or more. Politicians are corrupt or short-sighted in the south and west. Politicians are corrupt or short-sighted in the Midwest and Northeast.

 

It's true about the saying that the grass is always greener somewhere else. I could easily enjoy living in one of a dozen cities in the U.S. (mostly in the Midwest and Northeast) and at least as many in Europe. But the reason why I am content here is because, to me, Cleveland is a big, cozy extended family with great stories, and it sucks you in like a comfortable sofa in front of a crackling fire on a cold night. When I drive visitors from other cities (some much larger than Cleveland) around town and tell them such-and-such happened there, or XYZ Corporation was founded in a house down there, and this-and-that happened over there, they love the stories that this city has to tell, much of them surrounding the immigrant struggle and Cleveland's contributions to overcoming the struggles of America. It's a wonderful story to be a part of, and to contribute to in whatever small way I can. I am happy to be a part of it.

 

+1

Ahh, so Ohio is suffering from brain drain and out-migration and at the same time everyone there is stuck.  Got it. 

 

That Richard Florida post got my blood boiling for being so logically disingenuous. For a stupid back-of-the-envelope measure of "stuck," wouldn't you want to know the share of people born in a state who still live there?  Not the share of people living there who were born there, which as much as anything reflects the low rate of immigration from other places.

By extension, would Richard Florida claim that migrant agricultural workers are the freest, happiest entrepreneurs? 

 

I fantasize about leaving but here is what I have observed: Fresno is ugly, the air in LA will kill you, there are blocks in San Francisco where I would get pummeled.  Seattle is expensive.  The cheapskates in the sagebrush West don't care about children, so they don't fund the schools.  The schools and libraries in Arizona are inadequate and their racist politicians can't deal with brown people.  Texas is like Mississippi with good roads.  Denver is a frying pan.  The mountains in Colorado are always cold.  Wyoming is run by the oil companies. 

 

Happy Christmas

I'm content in Ohio, though I could see myself moving somewhere else within the state.  (Akron has really grown on me over the last two years, though.)  I lived in Columbus during undergrad and grew up just outside it, so I'd be content there, and I'm in Cleveland fairly often for work and professional functions, and I could live up there, too.

 

If I'd stayed in Canton after my previous job, I might feel a little more stuck.  There wasn't a whole lot going on there, though a [too tiny] handful of citizens are making valiant efforts to change that.