Goldmoon Dawn on 21/5/2007 at 01:14

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Yorkist, my friend?

It all depends on where you live or have lived. Many folks were born in the city and as such that is all they've known. I personally share your sentiment. I have lived in the same part of "town" my whole life and it is the same story. In fact, it was in the last 3 years that everything has changed here. We still have a decent amount of land surrounding us, but far from enough. We backed out of our driveways without even looking for years. Now, it takes at least 2 to 5 minutes just to get out! It's just a part of life in this type of society.

So, in answer to your question. Yes, I believe that to some degree, parts of this country and others are very much in a Metal Age like transition.

imperialreign on 21/5/2007 at 04:26

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I have to completely agree, man - for starters the "Edward Scissorhands" neighborhoods really bother me (although, Tim Burton's movie kicked ass!). I hate how cheaply the houses are put together, and how much they cost on the final market; I hate how large and sprawling they are, but most of the interior rooms are small. The other week I was house-sitting for some friends of our family, who own a large lower-upper class home like this, keeping an eye on their pets . . . and I swear, you can hear the wind wistling outside, there's so little insulation in the walls. One afternoon, I was chillin watching TV, and you could hear an ice cream truck rolling through the neighborhood clear as a bell. Give me an authentic, old southern home anyday.

But, same here - this area used to be mostly farmland and pasture, but the city has expanded so quickly over the last 20 years (largest city in VA, now), there aren't that many rural areas left. I remember a few years back, there was a special on the local news about how all these people were moving into upper-class homes that were being built out in the rural farmlands of the city, and these people were complaining to the city about the smell out that way . . . like the smell of dairy and grain farms will stop at the property line or something :rolleyes:

And it's sad, I think, the number of old farm homes that have been abandoned for years . . . even though no one lives there, they give character to a rural area. How many rural regions have you ever driven through that don't have a few abandoned homes? Plus, the age of them, does a lot to tell a bit of the history of that area, too . . . but in our region, most have been torn down, leaving vacant, empty plots of property that are usually cleared, leveled, and have housing complexes planned out instead. I started taking pictures of some of these vacant homes around here; kind of to "preserve the memory" I guess . . . there's just something nostalgic and humble to them . . .

Dia on 21/5/2007 at 14:37

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I've lived in a rural area for the past 28 yrs. and within the last year just found out a Super WalMart is going to be built just two miles N.E. of my home. There've been 'burbs going up like mad a couple miles south and from what I've heard another little 'burb will be constructed (complete with a strip mall) a couple blocks north of here. (There are a couple hundred acres where I and about 20 other 'old' families live that are still protected by the zoning law that doesn't allow lots being divided into anything less than five acres - for now at least.)

I had to have the pump to my well lowered about 130 ft. a couple years ago because the water level around here has dropped drastically due to all the new neighborhoods springing up to the south (an expense I really didn't need, either). Which really pisses me off when I drive down my road during a drought in the summer and see all those yahoos with their lawn sprinklers going 24/7. The traffic has increased dramatically and my once very quiet road is now becoming way too travelled; especially by the weekend warriors with their shiny, brand-spankin'-new Harleys and Hell's-Angels-wannabe leather jackets (they'd be pathetically amusing if their bikes weren't so DAMN LOUD AT 1 O'CLOCK IN THE FUCKING MORNING).

I overheard one woman in the local gas station going on and on about how she just 'loves living the country life, but why in God's name can't they put sidewalks down all these little roads so I can go for my strolls and enjoy the natural beauty of my little village?' I wanted to throttle her and scream, 'Because it's the gorram COUNTRY you moron and it's not a village it's a fucking ticky-tacky 'burb!' She then went on to complain about a farmer who lives down the road (he's an old family friend, btw) who threatened to shoot her dog if he caught it killing his chickens again (seems he caught her dog in the process of killing a whole new clutch of little chicks last week). She whined, 'I mean that's one of the reasons I moved here from the city; so my little Pookums (no rly - that's its name) could run free and get his exercise and I wouldn't have to walk him all the time. It's the country for God's sake and everybody lets their dogs run free here, right?'

That's when I calmly informed her (I had to say something before my head exploded) that even in the rural area there are laws stating that your pets are not allowed off your property unless on a leash; and if she doesn't want her little Pookums shot (the farmer does have the legal right to do so, btw), smashed on the highway (the number of roadkill pets has seriously increased during the last 3 yrs. and my heart breaks every time I see a dead pet on our road), or caught by Animal Control wherein she'd have to pay a hefty fine to get it back again, then she'd be wise to keep her pet in her own yard from now on. And yes, I couldn't help adding, 'And please turn your damn sprinkler off; don't you know we're in the middle of a drought?' Smiling sweetly and humming a self-satisfied little tune I sauntered off (lest I give in to the urge to bitch-slap her).


I think it's time to start looking for a place further north before I hurt one of my new neighbors.


I hate the 'burbs. Intensely. :mad:


Metal Age? No; just too many people out their trying to live their idea of the American Dream. And pissing off the rest of us in the process.

Disclaimer: This is not directed at any fellow TTLG'ers who happen to live in a suburb; just those idiots who are invading my once-peaceful existence.


P.S. When I stopped at the same station a few days later, Fred (the cashier/station owner) told me the woman had harrumphed and continued to complain that other people let their dogs run free because just the other evening there were about four or five dogs sniffing around the edge of her property. Fred asked her to describe the appearance of the dogs, after which he calmly informed her, 'Lady, those weren't dogs, those're coyotes. And they're probably waiting for you to let your dog out so they can have it for dinner.' He said the woman's eyes bugged out and when she asked what she was supposed to do now Fred calmly replied, 'Use a leash. And welcome to the country.'


God I love that guy! :cheeky:

imperialreign on 21/5/2007 at 21:35

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Let me get on my soapbox . . .

I hear that, and around here, it's all the young military with their Cobra's and Vette's that they've payed for with their deployment bonuses, y'know, the bonus for being in a war zone, the bonus for crossing the equator, plus, the amount of active duty in this region (more than 50% of this city's 500,000 population is military) that doesn't live on base where the govm't pays for a large percentage of their living expenses . . . it's only driving the cost of living sky-high, property values are going up, and those of us trying to just get by are caught in the middle of being irrate and being treated like we owe THEM something;

anyhow . . . it really pisses me off anymore to see the number of FOOLS that don't know how to slow down for farm equipment moving along the backroads. I mean, they're plainly marked with their "slow moving vehicle" signs, you can't miss them cause they usually take up the whole friggin road; and people still cut them off and fly by them like they don't have any reason to be on the road.

One of the biggest issues I have with these 'city-breed' people that want to move out into these areas, is they've been so taught by the media and the news to be afraid of strangers. I remember a few years back, when I broadsided a deer that jumped out of nowhere while I was doing 60mph late at night (thankfully I was alright), I had pulled over to the side of the road to just collect myself and to get out and assess the cars condition. I had my emergency flashers on, and the hood was up, and here comes this Lexus SUV slowly driving by . . . didn't even stop to ask if I needed any help or to at least offer a phone call. I grew up that if someone's on the side of the road, see if they need any help; it might be your neighbor there in a state of emergency - and you'd hope that someone would be willing to do the same for you, y'know? But, these people have been taught to be fearful because of all these horror stories the media propagates on, that they're not even willing to stop. Rural areas, everyone knows just about everyone; but these people want to be able to claim the anonyminity that they enjoyed living in their urban areas.

And damn if I'm not looking forward to this weekend . . . every memorial day weekend there's this big festival here around here . . . but it's been so commercialized that the area is packed with people. It'd be alright, but very few people are curteous, considerate, or kind anymore . . . you might as well just be walking through an outdoors strip mall :rolleyes:

SlyFoxx on 22/5/2007 at 00:28

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It's a series of stores/shops that are linked together like row houses that share a common parking lot/ car park.