[thunderous_funker]

Finally getting out of Los Angeles.

Sometime next weekend I will be in lovely Portland, OR. My wife has already gone ahead (she got a job already) and I will driving the moving truck up the 27-28th.

[dillerX]

fun

[gorickey]

Wow, is LA that bad?

[MindFad]

Congrats! Good luck with the new crizzab.

This is what the cool kids are saying nowadays.

[boardsurfer]

Originally posted by gorickey:
Wow, is LA that bad?

umm, yeah. The traffic alone is enough to make you batty.

[Vader�s Pinch of Death]

Originally posted by gorickey:
Wow, is LA that bad?

I have heard nothing but bad things about it also.

[Sp@rtan]

Congrats. I got out of L.A. 2 1/2 years ago--best decision I ever made. I love the Bay Area, sure is a lot nicer that L.A.

[scottiB]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
Finally getting out of Los Angeles.

Sometime next weekend I will be in lovely Portland, OR. My wife has already gone ahead (she got a job already) and I will driving the moving truck up the 27-28th.

I'll see you in June. I'm driving the truck from Detroit. My GF landed a job and is out there now. Buy you a beer.

[gorickey]

Originally posted by boardsurfer:
umm, yeah. The traffic alone is enough to make you batty.

I bet. Chicago is #3 in the nation for traffic, so I can't imagine being #1...

[itai195]

Cool! I was thinking of heading up to the Portland area as well, but I wasn't aware there were actual jobs available there.

Anyway, congrats.

[ASIMO]

L.A. is like Hitler.

[thunderous_funker]

Originally posted by scottiB:
I'll see you in June. I'm driving the truck from Detroit. My GF landed a job and is out there now. Buy you a beer.

You're on.

Its been a real love/hate thing in LA for 5 years. Great job, great weather but found myself becoming more and more of a shut-in as the pollution, cost, traffic, congestion and overall pace of the rat race drove me into staying at home more and more and doing the things I love less and less.

I'm so excited to get back to backpacking, fishing, snowshoeing and riding my bike I can hardly see straight.

LA is great to visit, but there is absolutely no reason to live here. Unless, of course, you happen to be filthy, filthy rich.

[daimoni]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
Finally getting out of Los Angeles.

Sometime next weekend I will be in lovely Portland, OR. My wife has already gone ahead (she got a job already) and I will driving the moving truck up the 27-28th.

As someone who couldn't last two months in Southern California (without it turning into an emotional vietnam), I commend you on getting the hell out of there.

Hmm... I think a road trip will be in order (after you and yours are all settled in).

Powell's, baby. Powell's.

[vmpaul]

Funny thing Thunderous, I never pictured you taking the 'survivalist' route. Good luck in the land of the beaver. Or is it ducks? I can never remember.

The only time I could picture myself living in LA is back in the early part of the 1900's. Like in Chinatown, with the great weather and the orange orchards all about.

[nredman]

cool..glad you are free at last

[ryju]

Maybe I'll just move to NYC instead...

[spiky_dog]

nice. portland has some traffic, too, mind you, especially if you work in downtown. i solved the problem by living within walking distance of the MAX.

http://www.trimet.org/

[Link]

LA is pretty sucky. I think Oregon's pretty cool until you start to make your way into the redneck filled suburbs..


All you see are a bunch of chevy suburbans and tahoes and stuff... oh god I can't stand those places...

[TheDisaster]

eeh.. LA is that bad? What happened to running around on the Sunset Strip with M�tley Cr�e? What about Long Beach? That's pretty close to being LA and there's a possibility I might move out there... should I regret this possible decision?

[SouthPaW1227]

Nice move! You'll save like thousands of dollars each year, I promise. No sales-tax states OWN!

[Joshua]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
Finally getting out of Los Angeles.

Sometime next weekend I will be in lovely Portland, OR. My wife has already gone ahead (she got a job already) and I will driving the moving truck up the 27-28th.

Congratulations! I'm sure you'll love it. I have a few friends living in Seattle that go down there for long weekends every chance they get; they all swear they're going to move there first chance they get.

Good luck!

[chalk_outline]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
Finally getting out of Los Angeles.

Sometime next weekend I will be in lovely Portland, OR. My wife has already gone ahead (she got a job already) and I will driving the moving truck up the 27-28th.

Congrats. Portland rocks. I just moved from there a few months ago. You should fit in nicely. Just remember Powells has a science book store a few blocks away from the main branch on Burnside. The entrance is on the park blocks.

Take the tour of the Shanghai Tunnel. And visit the bar.
http://northwestparanormal.freehomep...m/custom2.html

For a nice dinner. ---Montage---
http://cuisinenet.com/info/rstrnt-276968/?&t=514

If you go and run into a waitress named Shauna tell her Powell sez HI!

Check out OMSI.
http://www.omsi.edu/

If you want to stop in Eugene on the way up I can buy you a beer or some tofu chicken strips.

[itai195]

Originally posted by TheDisaster:
eeh.. LA is that bad? What happened to running around on the Sunset Strip with M�tley Cr�e? What about Long Beach? That's pretty close to being LA and there's a possibility I might move out there... should I regret this possible decision?

Yes

I'm not a big fan of LA, but Orange County and San Diego are nice areas to live in SoCal if you have to live down there. In the LA area, Pasadena is pretty nice.

I love the Bay Area, but I'll probably bolt from here within a couple years because it doesn't make any sense to stay with the high cost of living.

[soul searching]

Originally posted by Sp@rtan:
Congrats. I got out of L.A. 2 1/2 years ago--best decision I ever made. I love the Bay Area, sure is a lot nicer that L.A.

I moved to the Bay Area from LA when I started school a few years ago. Now I can't wait to go back to LA .

[g. olson]

I left L.A. (Redondo Beach) in 1972 to move to northern Minnesota. I visited once for two days in '74 but the closest I've gotten to there since is S. F. I was actually born in Minnesota, but was moved west when I was just 2 years old, so I grew up in L.A.

Now I live next to Lake Superior, which holds something like 10% of all the fresh water on the planet. Here, air pollution is a little particulate matter in the air from wood-burning stoves in the winter. I walk my dogs a couple of miles from home on a logging road which I share with bears, grey wolves, deer, moose, otter, bald eagles and other assorted critters (actually, we have regular visits by all of those right in town.) I haven't locked my house for so long I've lost my front door key. Even average income folks can afford to own a home (though prices have gone up in the past few years to an average of $110,000.) I can drive the 2 plus hours to Minneapolis/St. Paul for culture. Okay, there is winter, which is sometimes described as "brutal," but personally I love the 20 below temps and piles of fresh snow - besides, it keeps the population low.

My prediction is that you'll never regret your decision to leave but give it some time. It took me a couple of years to adjust to strangers on the street saying "Hello," the almost utter lack of sensational news, friendly cops, and other interesting differences. Good luck!

[Gankdawg]

Originally posted by SouthPaW1227:
Nice move! You'll save like thousands of dollars each year, I promise. No sales-tax states OWN!

If you only knew the truth. No sales tax, yes. Extremely high property and personal income taxes though. Sales tax has been voted down 9 times because no concession has been made for the other taxes. We just voted down a "temporary" income tax surcharge. Governor Tax-N-Gouge-Me rode into office on a "We'll live within our means" platform, only to support the latest tax raising measure. We're number 2 in the nation in unemployment and the Governor wants to raise taxes.

[nobitacu]

I will never be able to live in LA. Maybe to visit, but never to live there... I can't stand the traffic there... it drives me nuts.

Ming

[thunderous_funker]

Originally posted by spiky_dog:
nice. portland has some traffic, too, mind you, especially if you work in downtown. i solved the problem by living within walking distance of the MAX.

http://www.trimet.org/

Our new place is downtown, on the edge of the Pearl District.

5 blocks from The Mission Theater & Pub, 6 blocks from Powell's

I'm stoked.

You should see the looks on my coworkers' faces when I told them I had a huge apartment in a historic building, parkay floors, crown molding, downtown for $650/mo including utilities. Most of them are trying to figure out how to manage a $1 million mortgage for some POS 2 bedroom bungalo 3 hours away from work. Insane.

[Shaddim]

Congrats T_F, I hated LA when I lived there.

Actually, LA wouldn't be so bad if you had tons of $$$, no concern for honesty or integrity, and lived in Beverly Hills. Ummm... I think I just described almost all the movie stars, didn't I?

[daimoni]

Originally posted by itai195:
I love the Bay Area, but I'll probably bolt from here within a couple years because it doesn't make any sense to stay with the high cost of living.

Just curious, did you grow up in Sunnyvale? (I did)

[mac-at-kearsarge]

Originally posted by Gankdawg:
If you only knew the truth. No sales tax, yes. Extremely high property and personal income taxes though. Sales tax has been voted down 9 times because no concession has been made for the other taxes. We just voted down a "temporary" income tax surcharge. Governor Tax-N-Gouge-Me rode into office on a "We'll live within our means" platform, only to support the latest tax raising measure. We're number 2 in the nation in unemployment and the Governor wants to raise taxes.

Come to NH, every one in MA does: on weekends, holidays, weekdays, day, night, any time they damm feel like it. There are times I'll be driving on I-89 and I swear to two things: 1. I'm in the ONLY vehichle with NH, 2. MA has annexed I-89!

[Gankdawg]

Originally posted by mac-at-kearsarge:
Come to NH, every one in MA does: on weekends, holidays, weekdays, day, night, any time they damm feel like it. There are times I'll be driving on I-89 and I swear to two things: 1. I'm in the ONLY vehichle with NH, 2. MA has annexed I-89!

I don't understand what you are saying with relation to my thought. Why did you quote it?

[::maroma::]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
Our new place is downtown, on the edge of the Pearl District.

5 blocks from The Mission Theater & Pub, 6 blocks from Powell's

I'm stoked.

You should see the looks on my coworkers' faces when I told them I had a huge apartment in a historic building, parkay floors, crown molding, downtown for $650/mo including utilities. Most of them are trying to figure out how to manage a $1 million mortgage for some POS 2 bedroom bungalo 3 hours away from work. Insane.

Congrats Funker! Portland is a GREAT city. Best city I've ever lived in. And I don't see myself leaving anytime soon.

And how, may I ask, did you score that great apartment in the Pearl for that price? Is it income restricted housing? I live right next to Washington Park, up on the hill behind Zupan's market. It's basically NW Portland, but just on the South side of Burnside, so it's considered Southwest.

And glad to hear you guys got jobs! They've been pretty scarce around here the past few years. Things are slowly picking up, but for my industry (graphic design) it's still pretty bad.

And I hope you like beer, cuz we got some of the best over here!

[itai195]

Originally posted by daimoni:
Just curious, did you grow up in Sunnyvale? (I did)

Roughly. Sunnyvale for 7 years, west San Jose for 7 years, Cupertino for the rest. I went to college in the Bay Area too, so it will be tough to leave.

[itai195]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
You should see the looks on my coworkers' faces when I told them I had a huge apartment in a historic building, parkay floors, crown molding, downtown for $650/mo including utilities. Most of them are trying to figure out how to manage a $1 million mortgage for some POS 2 bedroom bungalo 3 hours away from work. Insane.

LOL, when I lived in Berkeley for $650/mo you could maybe get to live in someone's unpainted, decaying living room in a one bathroom apartment with seventy year old appliances. What a hell hole that city is... CA just stinks in some ways...

[thunderous_funker]

Originally posted by ::maroma:::
Congrats Funker! Portland is a GREAT city. Best city I've ever lived in. And I don't see myself leaving anytime soon.

And how, may I ask, did you score that great apartment in the Pearl for that price? Is it income restricted housing? I live right next to Washington Park, up on the hill behind Zupan's market. It's basically NW Portland, but just on the South side of Burnside, so it's considered Southwest.

And glad to hear you guys got jobs! They've been pretty scarce around here the past few years. Things are slowly picking up, but for my industry (graphic design) it's still pretty bad.

And I hope you like beer, cuz we got some of the best over here!

We're north of Burnside and west of the freeway so I don't think its officially "in the Pearl".

My wife has a job already, I don't. I have some leads, but nothing concrete yet. I'm not holding out much hope for something comparable to my job in LA, but I don't really care. In fact, I'm not sure I'd be sad to get out of computers altogether. We'll see.

Beer is a food group as far as I'm concerned and I hope to be buying you a round as soon as possible.

[daimoni]

Originally posted by itai195:
Roughly. Sunnyvale for 7 years, west San Jose for 7 years, Cupertino for the rest. I went to college in the Bay Area too, so it will be tough to leave.

Okay. Now I'm scared because I probably know you.


Me <- Sunnyvale/Cupertino/San Jose/San Francisco/Oakland/Palo Alto

(not necessarily in that order, some cities multiple times, and several cities omitted)

[historylme]

Originally posted by Sp@rtan:
Congrats. I got out of L.A. 2 1/2 years ago--best decision I ever made. I love the Bay Area, sure is a lot nicer that L.A.

I DID THE SAME, HATE LA.

[Webscreamer]

Originally posted by gorickey:
I bet. Chicago is #3 in the nation for traffic, so I can't imagine being #1...

I think we got the craziest drivers though here in Chicago...

[zigzag]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
Our new place is downtown, on the edge of the Pearl District.

5 blocks from The Mission Theater & Pub, 6 blocks from Powell's

I'm stoked.

You should see the looks on my coworkers' faces when I told them I had a huge apartment in a historic building, parkay floors . . .

Parkay floors are OK, but I prefer butter.

Congrats, though. I lived there for 3 years in the early 80s. Fondest memories are of going to the Bagby Hot Springs at 4 AM under the influence of mind-altering substances. And Sauvie's Island is fun. And Powell's, of course.

I'm hoping to help scottiB move out there this summer, so maybe we can get together for a beer or four.

[iNub]

Originally posted by ASIMO:
L.A. is like Hitler.

It ... kills lots of Jews?

[stevesnj]

I went on a trip to LA a few years back and all I have to say will sum it up in this word. 'SCUMPIT' . Now mind you the tourist sites were good and Sunset Strip was nice and riding around Beverly Hills and Bel Air was nice but other than that it was a scummy coldren of puke. And this is coming from a guy from NJ...hehe...go figure...congrats on getting out of there.

[Peder Rice]

Originally posted by iNub:
It ... kills lots of Jews?

I actually took it to mean that it is attempting to consume the globe with its suburban ambitions, first reaching out to San Diego. Arnold will allow this first move, as long as L.A. agrees not to expand again. However, L.A. will continue to gobble up city after city with no complaint from northern California.

But then, L.A. will eye Fresno.

Arnold will then be recalled and replaced by Jeb Bush. Bush will immediately tell L.A. to end its weapons of mass destruction programs (in true Bush style), but also tell L.A. that it must stop its ruthless expansion. L.A. will go ahead with their plan anyway, and crush Fresno in just days, and at the same time attack San Francisco. L.A. will be successful in defeating San Francisco, but not until large numbers of citizens from San Fran will have escaped to Sacramento in the largest migration in the history of the world.

At this point, San Francisco will be divided into an L.A.-controlled San Francisco and Vichy San Francisco. However, Vichy San Francisco would simply be a puppet government run by Los Angeles itself. Concurrently, the great Battle of Sacramento would ensue, with planes froms L.A. constantly hitting residential targets. Though these would be costly in human lives, it was ultimately a mistake to attack residential targets instead of factories. Because of this, Sacramento was allowed to build a new airforce, while the planes from L.A. slowly diminished, a lack of resources preventing new construction. Nonetheless, L.A. easily had Sacramento in a terrible position.

L.A. was confident that they could continue their expansion as opposed to fighting a slow battle in Sacramento. L.A. naturally eyed Mexico. With Tijuana standing so close to its borders and unable to rightly defend itself, L.A. moved into Mexico and began to push the Mexican home builders and architects back. The battle in Mexico went very well for L.A., driving the Mexican crew to Mexico City, Acapulco, and Tampico.

But at this time of despair, a Sacramento and Oregon-based crew marched valiantly into San Francisco on a day that would be referred to as C-Day (Construction Day). The Sacramento and Oregon crews erected skyscrapers and shamed the L.A. developers who had only been developing suburban homes with large lawns. At the same time, the Mexican army, with support from Oregon, came back and forced the L.A. crews into Tijuana. A third Oregon and Sacramento crew from Nevada provided a three-prong attack on the evil city.

And eventually, L.A. was defeated, and its horrible traffic, sprawling suburbs, and deadly pollution were kept at bay, leaving the world safe from these horrors.

[Demonhood]

Originally posted by Peder Rice:
{long prediction}

but the important thing is that Fresno is crushed after all is said and done, right? ok, good.

[DeathToWindows]

boston! w00t

[thunderous_funker]

Originally posted by Peder Rice:
I actually took it to mean that it is attempting to consume the globe with its suburban ambitions, first reaching out to San Diego. Arnold will allow this first move, as long as L.A. agrees not to expand again. However, L.A. will continue to gobble up city after city with no complaint from northern California.

But then, L.A. will eye Fresno.

Arnold will then be recalled and replaced by Jeb Bush. Bush will immediately tell L.A. to end its weapons of mass destruction programs (in true Bush style), but also tell L.A. that it must stop its ruthless expansion. L.A. will go ahead with their plan anyway, and crush Fresno in just days, and at the same time attack San Francisco. L.A. will be successful in defeating San Francisco, but not until large numbers of citizens from San Fran will have escaped to Sacramento in the largest migration in the history of the world.

At this point, San Francisco will be divided into an L.A.-controlled San Francisco and Vichy San Francisco. However, Vichy San Francisco would simply be a puppet government run by Los Angeles itself. Concurrently, the great Battle of Sacramento would ensue, with planes froms L.A. constantly hitting residential targets. Though these would be costly in human lives, it was ultimately a mistake to attack residential targets instead of factories. Because of this, Sacramento was allowed to build a new airforce, while the planes from L.A. slowly diminished, a lack of resources preventing new construction. Nonetheless, L.A. easily had Sacramento in a terrible position.

L.A. was confident that they could continue their expansion as opposed to fighting a slow battle in Sacramento. L.A. naturally eyed Mexico. With Tijuana standing so close to its borders and unable to rightly defend itself, L.A. moved into Mexico and began to push the Mexican home builders and architects back. The battle in Mexico went very well for L.A., driving the Mexican crew to Mexico City, Acapulco, and Tampico.

But at this time of despair, a Sacramento and Oregon-based crew marched valiantly into San Francisco on a day that would be referred to as C-Day (Construction Day). The Sacramento and Oregon crews erected skyscrapers and shamed the L.A. developers who had only been developing suburban homes with large lawns. At the same time, the Mexican army, with support from Oregon, came back and forced the L.A. crews into Tijuana. A third Oregon and Sacramento crew from Nevada provided a three-prong attack on the evil city.

And eventually, L.A. was defeated, and its horrible traffic, sprawling suburbs, and deadly pollution were kept at bay, leaving the world safe from these horrors.

ROFL!! That's great.

Sorta Mike Davis meets The Onion.

[Gee-Man]

Isn't anyone going to defend anything about LA? ;-)

As a born-and-raised native Angeleno who's lived in lots of places all around the US but eventually came BACK to LA, I gotta concur with the idea that LA can sometimes feel hellish. BUT...

I also know that there's nothing like driving down PCH in mid-November with the sunroof open and the windows down, and hearing the water lap up on the shore on the other side. LA isn't just about hell, there's a lot here to like.

As far as the people go... it's common knowledge among the natives that people from LA can be some of the nicest, most down to earth people you'll ever meet. Unfortunately, some people bring their negative attitude (and rumors) about LA with them when they come here, and those are the people who are mistaken for "LA people". Most actors aren't from here - ever notice that when everyone bashes LA, actual LA natives simply smile and usually say nothing? There's a reason for that...

Anyway, Portland is a great city, I was just up there about 2 months ago for a conference. Beautiful city, nice people. Congrats!

[mac-at-kearsarge]

Originally posted by Gankdawg:
I don't understand what you are saying with relation to my thought. Why did you quote it?

Because NH is also a tax free state.

The problem is, (As I attepted humously to point out...and probably failed) as a result, we get hoarded by people from other states taking advante of no taxes.

Let me put it this way: It's like when you want to have a SAMLL get together in High school, and you invite 5 friends over. However, they each invite 5 friends, who in turn all invite five friends, ect, ect, ect, until your small get toghether is a huge party. Aftward, all these people you don't know, and wh you didn't invite leave (Probably after the cops have been there), your home is trashed, and your left to clean up the mess.

[daimoni]

Originally posted by Gee-Man:
I also know that there's nothing like driving down PCH in mid-November with the sunroof open and the windows down, and hearing the water lap up on the shore on the other side. LA isn't just about hell, there's a lot here to like.

True. It's not all bad. But there's nothing like driving that same highway through Big Sur. Especially in winter when the whales are frolicking off the coast (I just spotted one the day before yesterday).

So, for me, the choice is pretty obvious.

[Timo]

I guess my Randy Newman, "I love LA" refrain is out of place in this thread?