Sunday, August 4, 2013

I knew I should live in the city eight years ago

In Science confirms my opinion of life in the country, I described the worst incidents during my eleven years in the country that convinced me that life in the country was dangerous.  It turns out that I had realized that I belonged back in the city in December 2005 and wrote about it in my LiveJournal.  Here's I'm mismatched with my place of residence, which describes where I should live based on a meme from OKCupid.
For almost 2 years, I figured that I lived too far out in the country and that I should move into the city to be closer to my jobs and have access to services, like regular trash pick up, that I don't have out here. With no trash pickup, I have to be very diligent about sorting my waste into burnables, recyclables, compostables...and stuff that I have to sneak into trash cans in the city. Bleah, that's a pain. I've had enough of living in the country. I'll miss the lake and wildlife, but it's just not practical anymore. I started fixing up my house and finally put it on the market this June. So far, I've had no takers. This coming week, I'll have to decide whether to relist my house and, if so, should I list it with the same realtor. I probably will. It turns out that the fellow who assigns judging positions for the marching band circuit works there. I want to keep him happy, as I really enjoy judging.

The relevant test on OKCupid (below) also shows that I'm mismatched with my residence. In fact, I'm so mismatched that I'm at the other end of the spectrum. My current house is best described by that classification as a secluded hideaway--a cottage on a lake, the most rural of all settings. The test thinks I would be happiest in a rowhouse in a city, the second most urban setting. Well, a condo near good shopping and public transportation would be nice, but I don't think I'm going to move to Detroit to renovate a rowhouse. It would be as bad as keeping this place maintained, and I don't have the time for that, either!


Rowhouse 'Hood
You scored 28 out of 40 on urban-rural and 25 out of 40 land intensity.

People know you as: The Bohemian Gentrifier
Quote: "That crack house just needed a little paint."

Your score indicates that you are a city-dweller of the old-school. You like a dense, finely grained neighborhood with restaurants, churches and brothels all on the same block. Although you've never spoken to him personally, you know that guy Eddie down the street is a pimp and you're sure to tell your lame suburban friends about him at every opportunity, just to freak them out.

The bad news is that as more and more people like you move into your neighborhood it gradually becomes less cool and more expensive. Enjoy things while you can, because in 5 years you're going to have to move to the next 'hood uptown.

Examples of places you should live: Baltimore, Philadelphia
Follow over the jump for the description of the kind of neighborhood where I ended up moving to, after four years in a small town.



Streetcar Suburb

People know you as: Grandmama
Quote: "Maybe the neighbor can lend us some sugar."

Your score indicates that you prefer a large metropolitan area to the wilderness and that you like your personal space. But you also enjoy interacting with other people occasionally and maybe, just maybe, on a rare occasion you even enjoy walking somewhere besides across the parking lot to your car.

You should live in a pre-World War II suburb. The kind populated by bungalow houses and charming little corner grocery stores. Just like grandma.

Examples of places you should live: Bethesda, MD; Evanston, IL
After three years in a streetcar suburb, my wife and I are very happy here.  It's urban enough for us.

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