now, i am most definitely not a regular ray of sunshine but there are some things i feel are worth bitching about and MANY that are not. i have personally had the privilege of living in several, very diverse parts of the country and consider myself moderately well traveled...but there is something that has occurred in each city and town i have resided in that drives me COMPLETELY INSANE, i call them:current city haters.
now. when you are in high school this is acceptable. in fact, even a few years past college in some circumstances it is ok to hate the place you live. up until this point, your primary location of residence is often out of your control due to age and financial limitations.* but come on people. once you reach age 25 you need to make a choice, move where you want and shut up about it. we all have choices and if you chose to live in ____ville, usa, then that is where you chose to live. if you hate it...MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
*you may also complain if you are stuck with an ailing relative or child. but even then, that excuse is limited and not to be abused.
when i lived in seattle there were TONS of current city haters. they annoyed the crap out of me for several reasons: 1. seattle is awesome. 2. it is super fun, there are a million things to do. 3. it is gorgeous. 4. it is close to pretty much everything neat-o in the north-north west. 5. it is pretty affordable, and 6. generally safe, kinda. just be smart. i mean you've really got to try to get to seattle. you can't get stuck there because you ran out of gas on your way somewhere else. moving to seattle has to be an intentional and deliberate move.
another rampant current city hater city is richmond, va. again, richmond is also pretty cool. if i hadn't moved there with someone that had bi-polar features i would have enjoyed living there a lot more. i love going there now. richmond is in no way a black hole of in-opportunity...and unlike many other cities, it is not very cheap to live in so if you live there and hate it...your bad. stop complaining and go to dc and waste your money or something.
by far the most hating i have ever observed and currently feel a blood boiling level of epic proportions for is my current city. i like my little southern town. now i too, was a hater of lynchburg for a while but i was SIXTEEN YEARS OLD. i grew up in the new york and was culture shocked into this place and felt like i was drowning for a few years before i peaced out to college and didn't look back...for about a decade. then i explored and pondered and ran away and ran back a few times and decided this was the kind of place i wanted to live in.
i have no desire to watch my back in the city i live in. i have no desire to commute or pay a ridiculous amount of money for housing. i like mountains and the river. i like walking my dog and i love the park that takes my stress away on a regular basis. i like my family close by. i like my friends who i don't have to "explain" myself to. (they know i'm a bitch and keep me in check when necessary.) i don't get bored here. if anything, i wish i had more time to do everything i would like to do...especially in the summer.
don't get me wrong- there are things that drive me crazy about this place, just like any normal person...there are days i want to scream. (this is why i rarely drive west of link road, unless going to my parents house or the yellow sub)...but i don't dwell and the good outweigh the bad. if they didn't i would move away.
so those of you who are under 40 and hate lynchburg: if you are able, please consider relocating. it has been lovely to have you but i am taking your negativity personally. if you want "stuff to do" OPEN YOUR EYES, there is a bunch of fun stuff right here. think of it this way: IT MIGHT BE YOU, not the city. you may not be happy in any city. perhaps you are a chronic current city hater. i don't know, that is your business...i just know i am going to go apeshit the next time you ask where i am from then scoff sarcastically when i answer proudly.
i am from lynchburg jerk face. and i live here by choice. deal with it.
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