I went to a new-to-me shop this morning*, and had a great time shopping and chatting with the store owner. We talked a lot about why she moved to town (from another suburb) and the reputations some of the suburbs have here. We were totally on the same page, so we talked for quite a while.
One of the things we talked about was how much people want to “keep up with the Joneses” out here. That is something I noticed immediately when I moved out here in May 2007. It’s glaringly obvious, and completely not for Steven and me. Gosh, we feel so out of place with it.**
Of course, there are material things we want (duh), but never because we feel like we need to keep up with someone else who has them, or for status. But you see it so much out here. It’s icky.
The store owner and I talked about the towns that have that reputation. And she enlightened me on how living in that culture was affecting her children, and how much better things are now. She laughed when I told her I didn’t even want to drive through one of the towns she used to live in that has that reputation – everything is so “showy” there, I want nothing to do with it! Ha.
And I realize I shouldn’t shun a whole town because of that reputation, but I totally do it. Guilty. There are a few towns here we don’t like to go to, because they are overly commercial (and often then, a nightmare to drive in), and I think it’s because of this “gotta have it all!” culture. Yuck.
Then there are towns like the one I live in, which people shun for a completely opposite reason – because it has a horrible reputation and is seen as too dangerous to visit, and especially, to live in. The town we live in had a horrible reputation when we moved here, and is still does. It’s in the news every week for violence. But we luckily live far from the city center (where the violence is) and love it here.
So, yeah. Tell me, what reputation does your town have?!
I got the Illinois “home” card at the shop today
*This shop has a variety of items from small business owners, including a friend of mine who designs baby clothes. I was there to pick up some of my friend’s items, but found a few other cute things, too.
**WHY DO WE LIVE HERE?!?!!?!?
We moved to the town we did last fall because it is an inbetween town. It definitely isn’t one of the fancy schmancy suburbs. I do not want my kids growing up in a town where it is all about status and money. My husband works in a town like that and it drives him nuts. People thinking they can do whatever they want because of money. But in general I love Maine because people are so down to earth.
I am glad you like your town now! And yes, good point about people thinking they can do whatever they want because of money – I’ve heard stories about that from people working in public service in certain cities like that. Eek. I can’t even imagine being a public servant in one of those cities!!!
My town seems to have a reputation for being one no one has never heard of, ha. Though now that I think about it, almost every town I’ve lived in (aside from Chicago, obviously) is a town no one has ever heard of. But it has surprised me how few people in the city had any idea where I was moving to (where I live now). I have to refer to it in terms of nearby, more “famous” suburbs, and even then it’s pretty hit or miss as to whether or not they know where that is. Sometimes I just describe it in terms of how many miles it is from downtown!
Anyway, having lived here for an entire 19 days, I’m clearly in a position to make sweeping generalizations about this town, and that generalization is: it’s very normal. It doesn’t feel overly wealthy or overly impoverished. It doesn’t feel overly corporate/big box-y/suburb-y. It just feels…normal. Which is probably why I’ve liked it here so much for the whopping 19 days I’ve been a resident, because that’s very much how I see myself as a person!
Really?! That surprises me! Now I am curious which town it is. Every once in a while, someone says one to me that I don’t know, but I feel like I’ve heard of a lot of them. I am actually worse with knowing Chicago neighborhoods.
I am glad you’re liking it and it just feels normal and doesn’t swing heavily in either direction!