Potential to come back to the D - thoughts?

**sumas** · October-13-09, 02:23 AM

I lived briefly in New Mexico. I loved it. The mountains and terrain were awesome. I had one problem. No water. The closest lake was 100 miles away and you needed a wet suit it was so cold. The municipal pool was like trying to swim in a hot tub. A glass of water cost more than a cup of coffee. A friend came to visit and I drove 150 miles south to a listed lake. It was essentially a cow pond. I never realized how much I loved the Great Lakes until I left.

Best wishes to you on your job search. Hope you find what is right for you!

**detroitbred** · October-13-09, 09:16 AM

It is obvious that Detroit is where your heart is and I hope it works out for you. This is such a difficult area in which to live these days....not a lot of good news to hold on to. I love Michigan and grew up in Detroit also, but I have 3 adult children, all unemployed, one is also loosing his home and moving back in with us. My husband's job is in jeopary as well. My heart is here and I would not want to leave Michigan or have my children leave, but there any not be any choice for some of us.

**barnesfoto** · October-13-09, 09:59 AM

Dearest English, I write not to say that our mother does not need you back,but to say that you will be sad to see her up close.
The hopes for continuing recovery that some of us saw in the last decade seem to have been dashed, and our mother is worse than ever, staggering about with many of her teeth missing, wearing stained sweatpants, half drunk and cursing at strangers incoherently. Frankly, I am tired of making apologies for her.
I, too, think that I might move back if a good job were to be had, but I am no longer a young lad, and have to consider that in another couple decades I will be old and therefore, perhaps a target. My adopted city, Los Angeles, offers me declining crime rates, [[imagine for just one moment not only the privilege of having a car stereo, but having the same car stereo for years!!) a much greater range of internationalism, and no foul grayness.
On the other side, it will never be home and I will never be able to own a home here, and there are plenty of layoffs, like in so many other places.
Follow your instincts, but if I were you I would spend a year outside of the country before coming back.

**Pam** · October-13-09, 11:23 AM

Honestly English I think you should take it. We have lost too many good people....good educated people to other locales becuase of our challenges here.

He's right, don't be part of the Michigan "brain drain". Plus we need your tax dollars.

**English** · October-13-09, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by barnesfoto

Dearest English, I write not to say that our mother does not need you back,but to say that you will be sad to see her up close.
The hopes for continuing recovery that some of us saw in the last decade seem to have been dashed, and our mother is worse than ever, staggering about with many of her teeth missing, wearing stained sweatpants, half drunk and cursing at strangers incoherently. Frankly, I am tired of making apologies for her.
I, too, think that I might move back if a good job were to be had, but I am no longer a young lad, and have to consider that in another couple decades I will be old and therefore, perhaps a target. My adopted city, Los Angeles, offers me declining crime rates, [[imagine for just one moment not only the privilege of having a car stereo, but having the same car stereo for years!!) a much greater range of internationalism, and no foul grayness.
On the other side, it will never be home and I will never be able to own a home here, and there are plenty of layoffs, like in so many other places.
Follow your instincts, but if I were you I would spend a year outside of the country before coming back.

You know, I have been home over the past 5 years [[note that I don't call Ann Arbor home -- home can never be a student ghetto!), mainly during the weekends and evenings, I'll admit. And the first sentence of your post made me teary-eyed. I'm sitting in the Michigan Union right now, wishing I was sitting in the Cass Cafe instead...

But yes, it's bad. On Election Eve, I drove down, deep into the West Side, through my old neighborhood, to pick up my niece from my sister's house. With me was a Michigan buddy from another state. She said she had never seen anything like our drive up Grand River to Oakman, then down Oakman towards Chicago, in her life. No lights. No people. No sound. Just darkness.

I have two things on my side -- youth [[well, relative!) and a longitudinal perspective. Things weren't that bad 10 years ago this fall, when I first started teaching in DPS. But 10 years before that, in 1989, our murder highmark for the past 25 years was still ahead of us. In 1989, some things that were opened since then were either closed or nonexistent.

Yes, we're not doing so great right now. But I can't believe they'll let Detroit rot. I'm in my early 30s and have another 30-40 years to work. By 2050, I just don't think the Detroit of today will be Detroit then. It's a border city, there's water, there's infrastructure, and there's a history that puts most other US cities to shame. [[Over on City-Data, the Chicagoans are trying to figure out what bands with worldwide impact are indigenous to Chicago. Ha, ha.)

Maybe I'm just a dreamer, and other places are too... finished. I mean, it's not as if Seattle or Portland or Phoenix or Texas need me. They've been doing fine without me, right? But I feel as if I fled Detroit just when they needed me. Two of the people I talked over that decision with were itsJeff and Cafe. Since I've been up here, Cafe's gone, and Jeff is in heaven.

Wow... this does hurt. But hurt or not, my great-grandparents made the decision for me over 100 years ago, if one of these places says the same.

**Red Devil** · October-13-09, 07:54 PM

English, if youre still a relatively young guy who isn't tied down, you might want to take Barnes's advice and try living abroad for a year to gain some new perspectives that you could bring back to Detroit. I recommend checking out China. They are always looking for English-speaking educators [[Mandarin fluency is not a requirement). Regardless of one's feelings on the PRC government, we are now living in China's century and it would be cool to witness it take shape first hand.

**English** · October-13-09, 08:55 PM

Red Devil, I'm a lady... and I have considered going over to Asia or Australia for a while. One of my connections didn't pan out there; another is pending.

Everything's such a toss-up right now. As the old saying goes, "You pays your money and you takes your chances." Just sent off another batch of application packets today. The job market is kind of like going to Vegas right now, so I'm not sure what will happen!

**Red Devil** · October-13-09, 09:31 PM

Ms English, my sincere apologies! I hope everything works out in your favor.

**English** · October-13-09, 09:40 PM

Thanks!

I'll keep everyone posted -- I won't have more news for another few weeks or so, so I'll let this thread drop down 'til then

**sturge** · October-14-09, 11:42 AM

My adopted city, Los Angeles, offers me declining crime rates, [[imagine for just one moment not only the privilege of having a car stereo, but having the same car stereo for years!!) a much greater range of internationalism, and no foul grayness.

Other than the smoke from all the wild fires.

**Red Devil** · October-14-09, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by sturge

Other than the smoke from all the wild fires.

No fires today, its been raining in SoCal since yesterday. Here comes the mud lol

**kryptonite** · October-14-09, 02:30 PM

English, I moved back to Detroit nine years ago after living out of state for five years and I have happier than I ever was when I lived in the South. I did like the weather there better than here and my family are all in the South and I get homesick for them but Detroit has been home for most of my life and I love living here and don't regret returning.

Detroit is wonderful to some people, I guess just embrace it if you are one of those people that love living here.

**Detroit Stylin** · October-14-09, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Red Devil

No fires today, its been raining in SoCal since yesterday. Here comes the mud lol

I thought Toni, Tony, Tone said that It never rains in Southern California...

**vetalalumni** · October-14-09, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

I thought Toni, Tony, Tone said that It never rains in Southern California...

"It Never Rains In Southern California" from their album The Revival.

**Detroit Stylin** · October-14-09, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by vetalalumni

"It Never Rains In Southern California" from their album The Revival.

Oh so they LIED then huh.....se if i ever buy another T3 CD again....

**ordinary** · October-14-09, 05:44 PM

Supersport, Great post [[#15).

English,
I just came back from visiting my brother in Portland, OR. He's been living there for more than 25 years and I can really understand it when he says he feels a lot more relaxed than he ever did when he lived here. He just doesn't feel that tension. I have been here my whole life and I still feel a sort of tension living here. I would say that you owe it to yourself to go out and see what else is out there.

Ordinary

LouHat · October-14-09, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by ordinary

Supersport, Great post [[#15).

English,
I just came back from visiting my brother in Portland, OR. He's been living there for more than 25 years and I can really understand it when he says he feels a lot more relaxed than he ever did when he lived here.

Ordinary

Portland? What's a Portland? My grandparents are a lot more relaxed now than when they lived here, but the graveyard is a relaxing place. Come back to Detroit, but don't be a dope about it.

**Sstashmoo** · October-14-09, 06:48 PM

Quote: "putting up with the long cold winters and the rain-every-other-day and the weeks at a time without seeing the sun,"

The last few years, the weather has been absolutely great here. This past fall/summer/spring here could not be rivaled anywhere. Arizona? If you like rocks, sand and more sand. Living with the AC on 9 months out of the year and high electric bills, it's great. I like my trees too much.

You're homesick, admit it.

**EMG** · October-14-09, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Sstashmoo

Quote: "putting up with the long cold winters and the rain-every-other-day and the weeks at a time without seeing the sun,"

The last few years, the weather has been absolutely great here. This past fall/summer/spring here could not be rivaled anywhere. Arizona? If you like rocks, sand and more sand. Living with the AC on 9 months out of the year and high electric bills, it's great. I like my trees too much.

You're homesick, admit it.

Not one bit. In fact, I heard this past summer in Mushigan was the worst [[by my standards) in years. [[I like my summers HOT). As for trees - I had one tree on my property when I moved here, and one of the first things I did was have it removed. I'm not a fan of yard work. I'd much rather go out and rake the gravel once or twice a year than have to cut a lawn or rake leaves or pay someone else to do it week after week after week. I've got better things to do [[like post here!)

By the way, if you think Arizona is "sand," you haven't spent much time here. As for the AC bills, it's a wash. Our higher summer expenses are cancelled out by our lower winter expenses.

DetroitDad · October-14-09, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by EMG

Not one bit. In fact, I heard this past summer in Mushigan was the worst [[by my standards) in years. [[I like my summers HOT). As for trees - I had one tree on my property when I moved here, and one of the first things I did was have it removed. I'm not a fan of yard work. I'd much rather go out and rake the gravel once or twice a year than have to cut a lawn or rake leaves or pay someone else to do it week after week after week. I've got better things to do [[like post here!)

By the way, if you think Arizona is "sand," you haven't spent much time here. As for the AC bills, it's a wash. Our higher summer expenses are cancelled out by our lower winter expenses.

I would hate the car dependence, in all that heat. I've always enjoyed the Michigan Winters and snowfall, and never minded putting on a coat to walk in the Winter.