tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post4481811176942771414..comments2023-10-22T03:45:04.749-05:00Comments on the Constant Observer: Why I hate the suburbs (or at least harbor a strong dislike)Tish Grierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15657229618222899908noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post-76220084454655419542012-02-08T12:58:42.302-05:002012-02-08T12:58:42.302-05:00I guffawed at Miss Suburbia's comment! I live...I guffawed at Miss Suburbia's comment! I lived in Northern Virginia twice - in my 20s, when I loved it (being my first time away from home, independent, and too cool for words), the second time in the 2000s, when I was well into my 30s, and asking "what was i thinking? this place sucks!".<br />Pittsburgh, PA, my home now, is actually a very good city for quality of life. Like a lotAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post-85498330297557045202011-11-27T16:57:29.471-05:002011-11-27T16:57:29.471-05:00I really enjoyed reading this article. I Live in ...I really enjoyed reading this article. I Live in a city neighborhood and find it nice to chat with my neighbors who live twenty feet away, usually while gardening or some other outdoor chores. I drive my son to pre k, work full time, etc. I average 800 miles a month on my car. Every weekend we drive to the country 25 miles away, for hiking, biking, swimming, etc. I enjoy the respite that Miss Laurenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994234978993246906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post-63521687156503575202011-01-22T19:24:40.501-05:002011-01-22T19:24:40.501-05:00I hate the suburbs too! I live in the Northern Vi...I hate the suburbs too! I live in the Northern Virginia area of Washington, DC. This place is full of people who want to tuck themeselves deeply away from all the "scary things" in life. I have documented some of my experiences of living in the area. I hope you find them to a funny and interesting read at www.misssuburbia.wordpress.comMiss Suburbiahttp://www.misssuburbia.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post-45437869216110324242009-09-14T17:29:22.760-05:002009-09-14T17:29:22.760-05:00Thanks so much Claire! I'm so glad this artic...Thanks so much Claire! I'm so glad this article will be useful to your students. IMO, we don't talk enough about the pros/cons of where we live, and the fact that we don't have to stay there if we don't want to. I really like what Kuntsler had to say as well, about the architecture/planning (or lack thereof) in the suburbs. yeesh!<br /><br />If you can, let me know how your Tish Grierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15657229618222899908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post-56036081619380831732009-09-13T13:26:23.801-05:002009-09-13T13:26:23.801-05:00This is an excellent distillation of the downside ...This is an excellent distillation of the downside of suburbia - and I know exactly what you mean about the pros and cons of Easthampton (I lived in Florence, Northampton, and Amherst from 98-04). Now I live in NYC, and I teach at a public high school in Brooklyn, and I was looking for a good article to give my students for a debate they're preparing for on whether the suburbs, the city, or Clairehttp://magnoliaavenue.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post-36424977987879739802008-05-19T07:26:00.000-05:002008-05-19T07:26:00.000-05:00Charleston is at risk economically because the lab...Charleston is at risk economically because the labor market remains relatively low-wage, as does much of the South, while the real estate market remains relatively inflated because people love to be here. This one dichotomy -- more than mass transit -- threatens urban life here. It's hard to work a regular job and live in the urban core, which happens to be a peninsula. <BR/><BR/>The obvious Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03899114436024719014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post-41440598300786945042008-05-18T21:27:00.000-05:002008-05-18T21:27:00.000-05:00Thanks, Daniel! Sounds like Charleston's doing gre...Thanks, Daniel! Sounds like Charleston's doing great things to get itself back to the type of city that is needed in the U.S.--not the huge metro cities (I'm thinking NYC/Boston/SF) but the medium and small sized, live-able cities. The places that suffered from "white flight" but hopefully will begin to grow again.<BR/><BR/>Out here in W. Mass, though, our biggest problems to revitalization are Tish Grierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15657229618222899908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12673673.post-49616478163015231972008-05-18T12:31:00.000-05:002008-05-18T12:31:00.000-05:00I flopped at suburban living.The nice thing about ...I flopped at suburban living.<BR/><BR/>The nice thing about "good" urban living is that healthy cities and neighborhoods scale to transportation. Charleston isn't exactly bike-friendly, but I've been bike commuting for more than a year and it's improved every aspect of my life. And with a few changes to the way the city handles transportation and zoning issues (more bike safety features, more Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03899114436024719014noreply@blogger.com