Big city living

[Deadfall]

I do not know how folk live like this. I have been in missouri for 3 weeks now with family stuff. This state has zero resemblance from when I grew up here.
Around kansas city area all the small towns now seem to be converged into one big traffic jam.
Guess this has given some perspective to how blessed I am to live where I do.
Sitting outside at night trying to enjoy the evening skies and quiet to clear my head is almost useless. The night time here is littered with barking dogs and traffic noise. No wonder world is going crazy.
I am staying roughly 40 minutes south east of Kansas city in what locals call a quiet neighborhood. Recon that just goes to show not all words mean the same thing to everyone.
This has given new/renewed meaning to what busy is!
Absolutely can not wait to get home!

How in the world do you big city guys live like this, year in year out?

 

[Beagle1]

Over 80% of the people in the US live in cities. For the most part I think things valued by city folks are not valued by country folks and vice versa.

 

[hunterjmj]

Over 80% of the people in the US live in cities. For the most part I think things valued by city folks are not valued by country folks and vice versa.

I think you nailed it. I have relatives that don't understand how we live in the middle of nowhere and I don't understand how they live in a big city. Tonight we hopped in the sxs, drove down to our neighbors and did s'mores and fireworks without the excitement of city stuff. Everyone is different and enjoy different things.

 

[Mish]

First post here, usually a lurker, but yep - your comment resonates.

What will become of us, when we no longer glance or stare upon the starry sky?

 

[Fowl Play]

It’s a necessary evil for most. Jobs, schools, healthcare, etc are most always better in or near a big city. Rather than look down on city folk, be thankful for what you have.

 

[Hippie Steve]

Living rural is cool if you have a decent size town or city near you with modern conveniences (food, night life, medical, etc). MT has become the Florida of the Rockies with old people living everywhere. The state is archaic at best, all of the "Montanans" (really folks from MN, MI, PA) are sitting around growing lawns and wasting water, if that's "retirement", yikes. Every place, city or rural has its pro's and con's. It's whatever you value the most. Regardless of either place with the growing amount of human presence on the landscape, there really is no place to run to.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I lived in Central FL. for 16 years. Wall to wall people.
Felt like a Coon Hound in an Apt. bldg.

 

[kda082]

I’m rural and enjoy having KC less than 1 hr away. Heck tonight we’re driving in and taking family to SKC game. Best of both worlds. Don’t live in the mess but enjoy the occasional visit. Cities have their purpose.

 

[grfox92]

Over 80% of the people in the US live in cities. For the most part I think things valued by city folks are not valued by country folks and vice versa.

We had a family from Alabama stay at an Air B and B next to us in Wyoming. I asked the woman if she was able to go Yellowstone and some of the surrounding are, she looked disappointed and said "yea, there's nothing there."

Like as if she would have enjoyed it better if there were skyscrapers every where.

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[DooleyVT]

City life to me seems to be self destructive, incredibly stressful, and self absorbed. The people all appear to have tunnel vision and I don't think they even notice the chaos around them but at the same time they can't imagine living without it. Despite everything around them they seem distant. There is no peace and quiet anywhere and when there is it seems "crazy" to them maybe because there are no distractions. I have family that love the chaos of suburban Massachusetts and all of the mental and physical health problems that come along with that life. No thanks...green grass and blue skies forever.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I live the city life and I do the best to make the most of it and enjoy the limited outdoor opportunities I do have, but also dream of the day I can convince my wife that we don’t need the city. She wants everything within 10 minutes but she also constantly complains of the traffic and just general lack of space.


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[signing off]

Replace KC with STL and I went through the same thing. All the towns blend in together.
We moved 100 miles away from that mess. Now our yard is non stop critters and porch time is paradise. 3 miles from a grocery store so necessities are covered.
Convincing ourselves to bail out was a long process, but very happy in the middle of nowhere.

 

[ArrowForester]

“Green Acres is the place to be…..”

 

[Kurts86]

LoL if you think Kansas City is too urban or has appreciable traffic. Honestly KC barely qualifies as a city, it’s mostly a 80 mile circle of suburbs. It’s like a 2/10 compared to Chicago/LA/Atlanta. If anything KC’s problem is that it’s too spread out for a city of its size and doesn’t really have concentrated urban core at lets you walk and take advantage of the city upsides.

The reality of choosing to live in a city is nearly 100% economic. It generally provides opportunities for education, higher wages and stability if one employer or industry takes a downturn than a rural environment. That’s why most people live there even if it’s a worse environment. Also most cities have some areas/suburbs with top tier schools. In the KC area you buy a house in the Southwest Kansas suburbs so your kids can go to a top 10 in the nation public school district.

Cities do have some upsides and I’m not a big “city person” but I have lived in a town of 16,000 and a city of 7 million people in a high rise apartment and anything in between. Cities have way better food and entertainment than rural places. Ever eat at a Michelin star restaurant out in the country? Want to go to a pro sports game or a concert on a weeknight? Sure no problem buy the ticket and go after work and walk/take the train and have as many beers as you want because you don’t have to drive home. Want to be close to an airport with direct flights most anywhere in the country and lots of international options a city definitely wins out. If you travel for work you can literally save 1 day per week living near a good airport versus taking 3 flights to get anywhere or driving 4 hours to an airport.

Everyone in an urban environment could benefit from living in the country and everyone in the country would be better having lived a year in a city. It creates diverse life experience and perspective.

 

[FLATHEAD]

My wife likess to do city vacations. I keep asking why?, there's just streets and
buildings in those places - nothing I want to see.

 

[11boo]

Living in Denver, twice, taught me all I needed to know about city life.

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

I dislike cities so much because they are filled with people who live in a city. I live about 6 miles from a small and very nice historic city and still don't venture in unless I absolutely have to.

 

[Sherman]

I live the city life and I do the best to make the most of it and enjoy the limited outdoor opportunities I do have, but also dream of the day I can convince my wife that we don’t need the city. She wants everything within 10 minutes but she also constantly complains of the traffic and just general lack of space.


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Good for you willing to make concessions for your wife she is unwilling to make for you.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Living in Denver, twice, taught me all I needed to know about city life.

I work there… Denver is a sh@thole… even living on the west side of the frontrange is getting super crowded and miserable But when you sit and think about where to go to get away from it, it’s tough. Someday I’d love to live on the west side of berthoud or Loveland if it hasn’t been filled in yet

 

[Doc Holliday]

How in the world do you big city guys live like this, year in year out?

One day at a time, and with a constant eye on ways to escape. I live in FL in an area with 3.5 million people. Grew up in the country in GA, live here because that's where my wife's family is, and I agreed to move here about 10 yrs ago. Get up to my farm in middle Georgia monthly and stay for several days at a time, locking the gate behind me, intentionally never seeing or speaking to another human while I'm there. Any "trip" I ever plan is to one of the darkest places on the map. I was in Montana in May. Northern BC in July, Saskatchewan in Oct. Things like this help alot....just got to have something to look forward to, and in the meantime try to enjoy the good things @Kurts86 mentioned

To all the folks living in the country, don't assume anyone in the city is looking down on you. Some ignorant ones might be, but I guarantee you alot of people like me are envious of you. Be thankful for what you have. I don't think in terms of city folk or country folk. There is country and cities, and people who live in both, spend time in both, and live in both during different times of their lives.