I know, I know, everyone can live where they choose to. But, there are those that want to live somewhere where they really "fit in". IOW, a person wouldn't live by the beach and hate the beach/ocean, would they? If a family owned a farm or ranch property, would they sell it and move to Los Angeles? Perhaps, but very, very unlikely. About the only city/town we've lived in that was close to where we'd "fit in" was in Parker, CO. And, even it was becoming like Denver when we sold and left. Yes, we live in an apartment and yet have a real interest, without actually doing it, in ranching and/or farming as well as rodeo. IOW, we dropped the western clothes and rodeo interest in order to live in Jacksonville, FL, but ended up hating ourselves for doing it........moving, that is. Most likely, by now, if we would have stayed living in Colorado, we would've moved out of Colorado by now. Just funny how people will move to a place where they have absolutely no interest in the history of the area. They could be living in Montana and drive their convertible Mustang to local grocery store. They could easily get some very strange looks. Now, if you don't believe in "living somewhere and fitting in", that's fine, but for us, we really want to fit-in.
I'm not sure I worry so much about fitting in as I do hating the things that are around me. For example, I lived in the same town outside of DC from 1963 till 2010. It really changed over time. My neighborhood changed. People became less tolerant. People became class-oriented and all about status. I moved to the rural area I live in now and pretty much keep to myself. I used to be real active in 3 affiliated churches, but that was me finding a spot where I belonged, not necessarily finding an entire area where I belonged. People here are pretty much Live-And-Let-Live, so I don't know if that's "fitting in." I believe I define "fitting in" as not being where I don't belong, if that makes any sense. I feel comfortable here without having a lot of interaction.
I've never worried about fitting in, and I have moved from a town of 200 people, most of whom I was related to, to Southern California. Later, I moved to a place where I didn't know anyone and people didn't even speak English as a first language. Nevertheless, I lived my life, accepted people for who they were, and, before long, I fit in just fine.
@Cody Fousnaugh You might consider might visiting a place you want to move- at night on a week end. We would scout out years ago, and ask people who lived at a pace what they thought of neighborhood. It would be nice if there were affordable senior communities to live in. I read years ago about a place I think in Oregon, that had a whole community of senior housing built around things they would need. Was in waling distance to stores and shops. Was lke their on little city. That sounds nice at least.
Fitting in usually requires being a conformist. I like being an individual living my life as I want while accepting others as long as they don't try to force their lifestyles on me. Finding a place where one thinks they fit in, is most times an illusion. Way too many factors involving every aspect of social structure. I don't care if I fit in or not, I do my thing and don't worry about getting looks or being shunned. I am not going to "put on the dog" just to fit in. Fitting in keywords: Conformity, acceptance, and tolerance, all the things that make for socialism. I realize that someday I will have to sell this place. Where I move depends on the climate, cost of housing, availability of specialized medical care, rural stability, ruling political party, and ruling religions. Choosing where I live is much like choosing clothes. Most important is comfort and health and of much lesser concern is how I look and how it fits. Individualism is more important to me than fitting in. After all, every neighborhood needs at least one eccentric eclectic old woman that isn't a cat hoarder.
I used to look for places to “fit in”. I tried to join the VA and they said they wouldn’t accept Vietnam combat vets so I joined the American Legion was almost immediately voted in as a 3 year executive. Why? To fit in of course and I wanted to feel wanted. I even joined the Moose Lodge and the Elks Lodge and became a lifetime member of the Lion’s club. Why? Because other guys I knew belonged to those clubs and after all, I’d fit right in. Bottom line is I found out that I actually hated clubs because I really don’t like being around people for the most part. I’ve already written how bad it is where we live but there’s a point where I know that bad people are going to do bad things no matter where a person lives. They’re going to show their butts, litter, do dope, rob people, shoot guns in the air or at each other, beat each other up and mangle their apartments and houses and age has absolutely NOTHING to do with it. I lived in the desert and some illegals raided my house while I was gone. I lived in the mountains and a couple of dopers thought I was easy prey. They were wrong. I lived in Atlanta and a guy tried to rob me by knife point. I live here and I’ve been threatened but I’m still here and healthy. But……… I lived in the desert and met my son’s mother. I lived in the mountains and was able to help some troubled lives at the Hebron Colony. I lived in Atlanta and went on staff at the Atlanta Union Mission. I live here and my wife is getting healthier by the day. In short, fitting in is a matter of perspective. If ya have a crappy outlook and cease from looking for the good then no place is going to be good enough.
Well, part of what we want is more like a "dream" than reality, but. Obviously, since we are both major rodeo fans, we'd like to live somewhere where there are major rodeo fans, like us. But, that "somewhere" isn't just anywhere. If someone was to walk into our current apartment, they could be shocked at the pictures we have on our walls. IOW, rodeo, rodeo and more rodeo and, of course, all PRCA. Also, an entire was dedicated to tv/movie western stars, such as Audie Murphy, Dale Robertson, Clayton Morre and others. Our 5 foot 3 inch counter (between kitchen and dining room) miniature ranch/farm setup, that incudes livestock (in corrals), barn, tractors, stock trailer/truck, combine, hay baler. A wall with pictures from the Old West showing Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley and all of the Indian Chiefs among others. And, right in front of one of my old team roping "heading" ropes, hanging on the wall, is our hat rack with both of our cowboy hats and numerous baseball caps on it. Wintertime it's our black felt hats, summertime it's our straws. So, with this decor, we definitely want to live somewhere that goes with it. Funny, but when we lived in Jacksonville, Florida, which is most definitely not a "western" style area, we still had one wall with our tv/movie western stars on it, but that's it for "western" decor. Three ceramic lighthouses, pictures of boats/docks adorned our walls. Got rid of all of that when we moved back here. "Fitting in" to us means being around those that wear western clothes on occasion, like to dinner at a steakhouse, country-western nightclub for dinner or a rodeo. Going to a western clothing store and the clerks know about an upcoming rodeo or western event. We've been to western clothing stores where all of the clerks knew about rodeo and livestock. There are those that simply "don't care" what others think. If a guy and lady wants to attend a Cowboy Church Service wearing a 3-piece normal suit and his wife wears a dress and stiletto high heels, they will. Get "looks", possibly, but they don't care. Awkard to us, and others in the church, but.........
Your assumption is correct. The VA is indeed a pain in the posterior but it was the VFW which took years to recognize Vietnam vets but as the WWI and WWII guys dwindled down, they had to recognize us or lose a lot of $.
I'm on my second time of using VA Medical and I haven't had the problems that some Veterans have had. Then again, my last surgery thru the VA Medical was in 1988. My hip replacement and one rotator cuff surgery was done by company insurance I use to have when we lived in Colorado before. My other rotator cuff surgery and laser cataract surgery (both eyes) was done with my Medicare. I don't know what kind of problems Veterans have had with the VA Medical, but know they had problems.
When we go to Colorado Springs in July for the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Cowboy Ball and Induction, we'll ask some of the people attending where they live. Since they are all very serious rodeo fans, perhaps we can learn some things about places.
We pretty much picked the best place ot live ,which is rural but it is changing like everything else so we just try to adjust. Kind of hard when bullets are flying past your head once a asshole moves in who hates all code restrictions and wants to live like they do in Haiti. So property values take a huge dive, but only a capitalist would care about something like money since they actually have to work for it! Long as you can accept the fact that only the "crony" capitalist and "victims" get to live in peace and prosper you may survive. I had a farm in Africa,lol.
One thing we do know for sure, all of the Millennials that move into this city will most definitely "fit in" with how they look. Seen a guy yesterday with a tri-colored Mohawk haircut. With that said, we most definitely don't, without a doubt, "fit in". At least not like we did in 2003 when we were here for the County Fair.
Not the idea of 'fitting in' , the idea of ignoring code laws and taking over the community to suit your own rules. I say don't like the rules then don't join the community with those rules. Some will say " its my property and I'll do what I damn well please". Not if you agreed to rules when you moved in and your "ILLEGAL" actions are costing your neighbors tens of thousands of dollars in property values. We have the right to give up some of our property 'rights' to live in a peaceful and safe n-hood. Let somebody move in nexst door to the mayor or Commish ,set up a tent poop in the woods and burn their chemical filled trash. OH I forgot they are special so that won't happen.. Only a mentally ill person would want to be upside down in their property values. https://www.bing.com/aclk?ld=e8LOpk...A&rlid=18dcce5ca37412e28f59acdacc8bb5a0&ntb=1