What Do You Miss of City Life? (Getting Started)

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My move to the woods is coming up. I ask myself: What am I going to miss? Delivery Pizza? Close neighbors? Quick runs to the store? Electricity? Warm toilet seat?

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 25, 2002

Answers

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

LOL - Susan, I just told my DH the other day that the only thing I missed about city life was pizza delivery! But, we can drive about 10 miles and get some pretty good pizza, so it's definitely worth it! :-)

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), January 25, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Well I miss my friends. I moved about 5 1/2 hours north, out of Minneapolis. My best friend and her family own an island in a lake about 10 minutes from my house so I get to see her and her daughter when they come up. I also really miss my co-op (health food store) , and a few very select speciality stores. Otherwise, I miss nothing! I can always have my friend bring stuff to me or I can plan a trip and hit my favorite places. It is a good excuse to go somewhere for the weekend.

Susan

-- Susan northern MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), January 25, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

pizza is the thing,, I havnt had a good pizza since I moved here,, except the times I vist the "city folk". But what about car alarms,, having to lock your doors, ,car and house. traffic jams,, BOY I miss those also,,( N O T )

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 25, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Decent SHOPPING! ! We depend on catalogs for quite a bit. DH finally took me to the Mall of America for a few days to satisfy my need to see something other than Wally world or a farm store :)

-- beckie (none@this.time), January 25, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

The theater.

-- Rose in Texas (open_rose@hotmail.com), January 25, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Pizza? That's the world's easiest thing to make at home. Where's your creativity??

I don't miss anything about the city.

-- bw (niobrara55@hotmail.com), January 25, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Opera with real stars in it (as in the ones you see on PBS)--not that we could afford seats, mind you, but standing room was very inexpensive.

Good foreign food.

The anonymity of the city. Sounds odd, but people in small towns sometimes do not understand that others crave privacy.

Nice museums with once a month free days.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 25, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

I miss the ability to buy everything I need within 5000 feet of where I am now.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), January 25, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

you can do that mitch,, called the "internet" :)

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 25, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Simple : Not a dam thing.

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), January 25, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

My hubby morns the loss of good television reception. I only keep the satellite turned on during football( pre-season doesn't count) and I'll probably extend it thru the olympics this year. When it is off, we only get a very snowy picture of Joplin ,Mo.--- no matter what kind of antenna he uses. We live in KS so most of it is irrelevent to us...... but then again so is most things found on the tube.

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 25, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

I'll second that. Not a damn thing.

..........Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), January 25, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Pizza

If the homemade isn't good enough, try stocking up on some DiGiorno (sp?)frozen self rising pizzas!

Mama Mia

-- Rick (WV) (Rick_122@hotmail.com), January 25, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Okay, I've decided...I'll miss watching Wil Smith dragging an alien across a desert.

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 25, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

I read everyones answers to see if something came up that I hadn't thought about but nope, I don't miss a thing!

Our closest town is 3 miles(150 people), the next is 20 miles (5,000 people) Ft. Dodge is 35 miles (30,000? people) so it's not like there's nothing close but it's nice nothings very big and I don't live in any of them.

-- Anna in Iowa (countryanna54@hotmail.com), January 25, 2002.



Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

I've got to agree with those who miss good pizza. And a real cheesesteak. And real soft pretzels. Yes, I grew up in Philly, and those three things were the basic food groups when I grew up. I stock up when I go home to visit Mom, but when I'm there, I miss everything I've got here. Other than those things, I can't think of anything I miss or that I feel I've had to do without. A small price to pay for everything I've got now.

-- Fran (on MD's Eastern Shore) (simpleplesurzfrm@dmv.com), January 25, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Korean food. Korean restaurants. Kim chi from the supermarket in bulk plastic bags. Thai restaurants. Enormously inexpensive bulk foods from the Asian and Lebanese bulk shops. Arab/Vietnamese/Chinese/Pacific Islander/skinhead gang wars. People trying to mug me on the way home from work - not to rob me, but just for kicks (never worked, but it still injured me once, and that was once too many). Being careful not to get stuck by all the discarded hypodermic syringes. Firearms beginning to be used in crime, to the extent (my impression) that they might be one tenth as bad as the USA. Sydney is a beautiful harbour city - miss the Harbour. Wish I'd made more more use of the beaches (but let's face it - I didn't bother). Being able to visit some relatives, and have an after-work beer with one of my brothers. The murders that happened down the corridor, or on my way to the train station. The continual adrenaline high from being careful you weren't putting yourself in a situation where you'd be attacked (Australia is a great place to live, but I was living in a cheap area of a big city, and there are just some things that go with that territory). Hearing that my son (night shift, bar manager) had got held up at knife point AGAIN on his way home (he's learnt better now - he's changed jobs and cities and girls - in reverse order - about time someone took him in hand - I couldn't manage it). Knowing that the other son (24-hour grocery and food store - ABSOLUTE inner city - anyone can buy anything any time of the day or night) is still travelling trains to get there at 6am start, or train and taxi to get home after 11pm finish - if they don't cancel the train.

And I miss the exhaust fumes so much! And the black grime that used to settle, whereas now it's either red dust or just plain fluff.

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 26, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

I miss the Opera, Musical theater, decent movie houses with great, comfortable seating, libraries with books galore (I mean a good selection instead of a poor one), noodle houses, decent chinese food (i'd settle for good), Good sushi, good coffee (not that brown colored water that people drink as coffee), I agree with GT here, The anonymity of the city, privacy is all you have left these days,( I could stand up on my soapbox here but I won't) (If I wanted to have no privacy I wouldn't have moved to the country) You can keep the pizza (make my own), decent manners (yeah sounds strange, but some of us city folk have a decent set of manners and curtesy that seems lacking out in the country side at least in my experience), other than that nothing at all.

-- jonathan (jonathan_sz@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Hey Don Downunder, I have a sister-in-law from Thailand. Best food in the west now! Just gotta plan your family right. LOL

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Well, Susan, I've got a Filipina sister-in-law, and (I hope) I'm about to get a Mizo (that's Mizoram - a state of North-Eastern Indian, against Myanmar and Bangla-Desh, and close to Nepal) sister- in-law. One son is heavily involved with someone who is more-or-less half Irish and half Italian, and the other son is a good deal more than half hopeless. My ancestry is over 50% Scots, just less than that German, plus bits and pieces of Manx (mieaow), Alsation (WOOOFF), and odds and sods of Irish and whatever else fits into the British Isles. If you're offering introductions I'd be pleased to meet any Thais you'd care to propose, but I've also got my eye (wishfully, I'll admit) on certain more-or-less fifties from this forum.

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 26, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Don, Luv them pinenuts. yum. Haven't had good food like that since I dated a Saudi in the 60's. Oops, hope the FBI isn't reading. LOL. You still up? It's 4:15 Saturday morn here. Daughter has an Aussie buddie. I moved away so I didn't have to pay her phone bills anymore. (grin). TTYL. Email me, we can talk culinary sillyness.

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

What do I miss? NOTHING!!

Russ

-- (imashortguy@hotmail.com), January 26, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Rus, You're up early. Milkin' cows?

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Me. I love chickpeas, but truth be told I love Kim Chi more than anything else. Except possibly - well I can't honestly say that - it's been so MANY years since - ah, forget it!.

With the glories of daylight savings, I'd guess it was 8:15pm Saturday night my time (everbody ..... everybody ..... everybody loves .... ah, heck with it) here when Susan posted there. Matter of interest, does anyone remember that show? I know I'm dating myself, but there was a show called "Saturday Night" which we used to get in Australia, and which was produced in Canada. Had - s'wlp me - a big German content.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 26, 2002.


Response to What Do You Miss of City Life?

Don, Could you put your last post in North American. Apologies but it's hard for us Northern Hemisphere colonials to understand. (grin) Thanks,

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

What do I miss? Nosy neighbors, the noise, the exhaust fumes, feeling "boxed" in, mean neighbor kids, neighbors dog pooping in my yard, stuff missing when I go away, having to lock-up everything when I go away or maybe the 10x10 yard? Nope, I don't miss any of it!

-- Jo in PA (farmerjo02@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

That's a great question Susan. What I miss most is the "choices" in shopping.

Believe it or not...to our shock...we have pizza delivery - and great pizza at that! Little pizza place just 3 miles away and they deliver out here on the dirt mountain roads. Bless thier hearts!!!

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.


When I lived in the city I used to get this certain feeling that I can't explain whenever I thought of the country.It was excitement (I think) and just a real good relaxed feeling. I would also get the same feeling whenever I saw a river flowing or bright stars or heard birds singing or saw wild animals or mountains.

Now that I live in the country I have grown so used to all of these things that I don't get that feeling anymore. I hope the excitement is not gone!

I miss the city only because I miss whatever feeling it was that I felt when I thought of the country or when I went to the country for a ride or to visit someone. There was always that dread of going back to the city. Now when I am in the city I try to imagine the feelings I use to have when I thought of the country and I can't feel them anymore.

The best way to explain this is imagine that you moved away from your family and it has been years since you last saw them. You love your family very much and you think maybe, just maybe someday soon you will see them again.Is it excitement that you're feeling?

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), January 26, 2002.


What do I miss? Car jackings, car alarms going off all the time, 2 hour commutes to work, noisy neighbors, neighbors' dogs barking all night, sirens at 3:00 am, crouds of hurried people angry at anything that gets in their way, city odors, and above all else, STRESS!

-- woodsbilly (coleenl@penn.com), January 26, 2002.

I never thought about this one really, but guess I don't miss a thing about it! Not even the extra sleep i got, that I now lose when commuting 1.5 hours 1 way to work 3 days a week!!! Shopping - hate it. Use the internet mostly. Although, cheap/quick interent service is kind of missed! Pizza, can't handle that much cheese anymore. Friends - got better ones here! they're just like family! DH and I are always telling each other how grateful we are for the life we have in the woods! Just wish we didn't have to pull a full-time job then we'd almost never see that smog filled, rude, stressfull city again!

-- Michelle in NM (naychurs_way@hotmail.com), January 26, 2002.

We are moving back to the city after homesteading, farming & ranching for 35 yeaars. We will be near the hardware, super market, chineese resturant, good coffee etc. About the "Warm Toilet Seat" I always had my seat hanging behind the wood stove and carried it out to the privy in the winter. Now we have inside pllumbing but I still have a seat hanging on a nail in the shop.

-- hendo (redgate@echoweb.net), January 26, 2002.

Same thing I have missed for the last 30 years. The "only" thing. Take out Chicago style Vienna dogs and Italian beef sandwiches "all the way", hot peppers included.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

THE RITUAL OF THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER.PLUG IN THE COFFEE POT,GO OUTSIDE GET THE NEWSPAPER,LAY IT ALL OUT.GET A CUP OF COFFEE AND START GOING THROUGH THE PAPER,COUPONS,SALES ECT

-- autumn white (gawmonk@misn.com), January 26, 2002.

When i'm dog sick and have no meds, that's when i wish i still lived a mile from the store.

-- buk (noadd@tiredofspam.com), January 26, 2002.

Dunno, I've never lived in the city! I did live in town (pop. 5000 or so) once for 4 years. There was a grocery store just 1/2 block away that was VERY convenient. It took me about a year to get used to stocking up on food again after we moved back to the farm; but I did save a lot of money on groceries by not going to the store every day.

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), January 26, 2002.

sleeping really late anytime I wanted.

-- VickiP. (countrymous@webtv.net), January 26, 2002.

Boy, I've really had to think about this one. Good question. I guess the only thing I miss, is a shorter commute (distance and time) to work. Of course, that's only if/when I'm working. Spending 45 minutes to an hour + *each way* every work day is a real waste of time. It just happens to be necessary at the moment, though.

Otherwise, I have no interest in moving back to a city. I rarely visit Seattle at all anymore. Even to visit old friends. Way too crowded and I don't relax at all.

-- sheepish (WA) (the_original_sheepish@hotmail.com), January 26, 2002.


NOTHING! If I need something that bad I drive to the city (and remember why I moved to the country while I'm there).

-- Sharon (spangenberg@hovac.com), January 26, 2002.

Absolutely nothing,,:-)...

-- Patsy, MT (cozyhollow-gal@care2.com), January 26, 2002.

THANK YOU Everyone! Good thoughts (and a great toilet seat idea to boot).

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

Trash pickin', er treasure hunting on Thursday mornings when all the trash is set out at the curbs. Lots of spendthrifts live in the city. They throw away all sorts of good stuff.

-- vicki in NW OH (thga76@aol.com), January 27, 2002.

the paycheck!

-- rose marie wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), January 27, 2002.

When I get to missing a large museum or ethnic food (without me cooking) and large used bookstores, bridges and imported cheeses, well, I just take a trip to the city. The nation's capitol is under 4 hours from here if the university town 20 minutes away won't do, or the steel city 1 1/2 hours away can't contain me. I do like mass transit. Wish there was a convenient and cheap schedule for mass transit here.

-- Anne (Healthytouch101@wildmail.com), January 27, 2002.

Good, reliable, clean public transportation so I could be car-free when I chose to be. Roads with at least a shoulder to walk on (not road and ditch), could care less about sidewalks.

Reasonable speed limits where there are traffic lights (I have seen in the country 55mph speed limits with no warning of when the light was going to change--ridiculous!). Lots of accidents because of this.

I agree with those who miss restaurant-style pizza and other special foods. They use special ovens that you can approximate, but not completely duplicate (the cooking action of) at home, even if you buy baking tiles and so forth. I make my own and have gotten used to it, but can always tell the difference.

It is weird to only have 5 TV stations in the area (as opposed to 20 with just a roof antenna, some were network affiliates in other cities or course, but it is nice to get more than one PBS station).

This was a great question!

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 28, 2002.


George, I have been thinking ALL DAY about what you had to say about that special feeling when you thought about or drove into the country. I must say you hit a note. A good note, not a sour one! Here's what I came up with:

I absolutely know what you mean. It's the same feeling that I get when in March we have that first sunny above 50 degrees day or when you finally get on the road headed for a backpacking trip into the wilderness or one is in the process of riding a horse thru a maple grove in the autumn. etc.

Anyway. I am hoping that after I have moved and am living on my homestead and the joy of it has worn off, my soul will find other things to cause that joy. I don't know if I am expressing myself correctly. I have faith that Joy is out there in so many forms that I haven't seen or experienced even a fraction of it.

How 'bout this: Last September, as I was really working hard (very alone) on clearing my spot for the cottage (by hand) I suddenly fell to my knees and thanked God for the Joy of the work and the blessings of the moment. I thanked him/her for the opportunity, the country I lived in and the peace surrounding me. The tears came to my eyes. I drove to town to the hardware store to get a wheelbarrow to help me out and found out that New York City had been bombed!

I have no more words. Blessings to you, Susan

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 28, 2002.


We are very fortunate in having a really good gourmet supermarket with lots of organic & natural health stuff, and most importantly lots of Asian ingredients. If we did not have that, I would have had serious adjustment problems. I think I miss the great variety of ethnic restaurants most. We have one excellent Thai restaurant and 2 excellent Japanese restaurants out here. And for them I am very grateful, but them's it. Other than that, I don't miss anything in the city. I go over once every week or two, for the day, but the traffic makes me uptight, and the noise and the air pollution. I was used to living within one mile of the International District, so mainly, it's the food. And the people of colour...I get so tired of all this monochrome Causasiana. I miss the variety of the human species.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), January 28, 2002.

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