We’re nearing the home stretch — only nine more challenge questions. I hope you’ve enjoyed this half as much as I!
Day 21
How did you come to live where you live?
Unlike many of my coworkers and other family, I was a nomad of sorts. I was born in Illinois, then moved to a suburb of Milwaukee. Just before I entered high school in 1973, my family moved to Ohio, and with the exception of an 18-month stint in Florida, I’ve been in the same city ever since.
I know there are some stay-putters as well as other gypsies out there. Let’s compare notes.
I have lived and worked in 3 of the 4 corners of the US – Pacific Northwest is the only place I haven’t been except to visit.
I have never lived in one place more than 3 years; this went on during my childhood and has continued as I have gotten older. Picking up and moving is old hat to me – not sure if that’s a good thing or not.
In the Winter of 2006, we were in Syracuse and we had the usual 6.99 months of snow, ice, cold, lake effect and other nastiness. After considering the fact that neither of us was getting any younger and we really didn’t want to spend the rest of our lives chipping ice off the car before we could go anywhere, Michael and I decided to check things out in warmer climes. I had friends that had moved to NC in 2000 and couldn’t say enough good things about it, so when I had a break from BeeYou, Michael and I came down to the Raleigh area for a look-see. We did some preliminary homework and both set up job interviews for the 10 days we were going to stay. The agreement was if either of us got a job offer, we’d take it. If not, we’d just stay in Siberia-cuse for a while longer. We got off the plane at 10 PM and Michael had a job offer by 9AM the next morning. We spent the rest of the 10 days finding an apartment and doing some general goofing off, went home and in 3 weeks were in our new place.
Since then I’ve learned the difference between “y’all” and “all y’all”, that “bless her heart” is something you say when you want to say something nasty, and that there are children who are respectful. I’ve gotten used to “Yes, Ma’am; No, Ma’am; Thank You, Ma’am” and absolutely do not go out on the road when there is ice – not because I don’t know how to drive on ice, but because most people down here do not.
It was a good move for us – I miss upstate NY in some ways, but every place has something good to offer.
PK
So that’s how you got down there! “BeeYou.” HA — I’ve heard more horror stories lately…
My dad lived in Hawaii for 2 years. He came back to Ohio to visit, and met my mom. Then moved here. Then Kyle was born. Then I was born. Then my dad wanted to move back to Hawaii, and my mom made didn’t, so I now I live here. Greenwich. Great decision, Mom.
Greenwich/Hawaii, Greenwich/Hawaii, Greenwich/Hawaii…hmmm…tough choice there.
Born/raised in Waterloo, IA & lived there for 19 yrs. Because I grew up in the Brethren Church, I ended up attending Ashland College/AU for my undergrad. After a brief 3 years of teaching back in Iowa, I returned to Ashland to teach a couple years at Ashland HS. Then my “nomad” period begins where I bounced around to Euclid and then back down to Mansfield, and finally ended up in Maui, Hawaii because OH voters decided not to pass tax levees (sp?). Been in Dallas now for 15.5 yrs – ended up here because my spouse at that time got a job transfer from HI back to TX.
…and here I’ll stay….??!!
The things we do for love, eh? But aren’t you glad you did?!?
TOTALLY!!!!
Born in Mid-Michigan. Lived on the west and east coasts of Michigan. ( I think I moved a total of a bazillion times while there! Aside from the house I grew up in the house I now live in is the longest!! )
Moved to California. Lived on the east “coast” of CA for 8 years, then in the posh part of CA (Rancho Mirage)
Now live in The Netherlands, west coast sort of.
Guess you could say I am a gypsy of sorts.
That makes 3 out of the 4 responses about moving for love. Are we on to something here?
The parental units (mostly the maternal unit) liked the idea of a school that scored high on the state report card. Ta-da, I’m here for fourteen years.
A day late but better late than never…….
Born here. Raised here. Living 1/10 of a mile from where I grew up and I have no plans to leave. It’s in my genes I guess….my grandfather lived in the same house for over 70 years – across the road from where I live. He came to the farm as a hired man and never left!