Californians for over 50 years, then relocated to Texas… Though I consider myself a moderate Liberal, Texas is actually rather a refreshing change from the rampant craziness of California. People here are fiercely independent, friendly, and probably more conservative than I prefer, but mostly not fanatics. I like hot weather, and the humidity is good for my skin... The fire ants and I have reached an agreement. I destroy nests that are too close to the dogs, they hang out by the woods and bother the deer and the armadillos. They bite me, and they die. (Hooray for After Bite!) And Texas is so big, you can find any terrain you like, except maybe snow enough for skiing - but, hey, that's why there's New Mexico. And surfing on the Gulf is not too good, except during hurricanes. In short, a California girl who's become a Texan, and likes it!
Terry
I actually am considering Washington. Just your parks make it worth it. 
Texas… went to grad school at in Denton. One of my dearest friends is in Dallas, sister lives in Houston. That would be a no, lol. Been there, done that.
Debra I grew up in Indiana and have lived in Tennessee and California. I live in Alabama entirely by choice. I'm sorry if you have experienced bad attitudes in Georgia, but it was not necessary to bring Alabama into the discussion at all.
Lenora, I respectfully suggest you lighten up. I am sure i like places you don't and that there are ones you love that I don't. It's called opinions. As long as no one is calling people stupid or other names for liking a place, then unless you secretly created the state and control it, a bit silly to take it personally, don't you think? Having spent enough time there, I get to have an opinion. You get to disagree or not, but you don't really get to tell me not to have one. It's like me saying I love red and white basenji coloring best. Preference. I also hate hate hate grits. If you love grits, you going to jump me for dissing them?
This was a simple fun "state" poking. Please don't take things personally that are not attacking you or your beliefs. Really takes the fun out of things.
Wa is wonderful! I love to travel, but this is home to me.
I when to high school in Charleston S.C. so know a bit about the south.
Laugh.
And I suggest Debra that you do the same. To reply to a simple sentence with such condescenscion and by inserting into that reply things that I clearly did not and would never say is overkill. It is never okay to get a laugh by insulting others. You didn't like being insulted by someone in Georgia but yet you insult others by calling that expressing an opinion.
Debra, you would love Washington state, and I absolutely love the Seattle area. It's very green and very vibrant. It's very similar to where I live. We don't get a lot of snow, but get the liquid form of it. You can ski, golf and go swimming (if you're brave) all in the same day!
I just have to say this, (putting on flack jacket and placing helmet on my head)-
Freedom of Speech
Opinions allowed
It is what so many people in the world are willing to die for.
Here is a slightly different POV, Debra….that ignorant (and I use that in the non-insulting way) person, truly had never met a Jew before, and YOU and your family get to be her exposure to an entirely new experience. That is really powerful, and meaningful responsibility. Sometimes we don't like living where we are, or being in a group or setting that we are, because we don't "fit-in" but, maybe there is a bigger reason why we are where we are for the moment
And I suggest Debra that you do the same. To reply to a simple sentence with such condescenscion and by inserting into that reply things that I clearly did not and would never say is overkill. It is never okay to get a laugh by insulting others. You didn't like being insulted by someone in Georgia but yet you insult others by calling that expressing an opinion.
Okay, first, I did NOT consider what she said insulting! In fact when someone suggested it, I said "No offense was meant, so none taken." Not sure how you missed that! NOR did I insult OTHERS, it's about states. Please quit personalizing nonpersonal comments and don't accuse me of something I didn't do. Thanks.
Andrea, please scroll up. I said: No offense was meant, so none taken.
I am sure she never had. My comment was simply that we had chosen the wrong place to live when someone had never met someone Jewish before…ie. isolation, lack of other Jews for my daughter.
Add to it ignorant racism with such things as being called "jesus killers", saying Jews have tails, and other crappola, there is much to hate about this area. The way all minorities are treated here, bullying in school, times I have had to have the JDL intervene over overt discrimination at the school... But I didn't bring that up because this was MEANT to be pretty light hearted. I regret it got at all serious.
Andrea, please scroll up. I said: No offense was meant, so none taken.
I am sure she never had. My comment was simply that we had chosen the wrong place to live when someone had never met someone Jewish before…ie. isolation, lack of other Jews for my daughter.Add to it ignorant racism with such things as being called "jesus killers", saying Jews have tails, and other crappola, there is much to hate about this area. The way all minorities are treated here, bullying in school, times I have had to have the JDL intervene over overt discrimination at the school... But I didn't bring that up because this was MEANT to be pretty light hearted. I regret it got at all serious.
Oh, no..I am aware that you knew the woman meant no offense. And I totally get that you weren't offended. I am just saying that even though that comment made it feel like it was the wrong place to live, your presence there changed that woman's experience of never having met a Jew…and hopefully it was a good experience for her...so therefore, YOUR presence made a difference even if it was somewhere that you didn't/don't wish to be.
I am pretty sure that we agree that people are usually ignorant because of inexperience or lack of knowledge...the only way to change that is to have opportunities to have new experiences.
Yeah, she was a nice person, lol. And she really did ask a lot of questions over the couple of years before she moved to FL.
Debra - come and live in the UK and especially in Shropshire which is arguably the most beautiful county in England with lots and lots of trees and open spaces.
We have hardly any vicious biting insects but at times do have too much mud!!!
Georgia and Jews: Please, no offense, anyone: My current MD (Dr. Cohen) is a friend and grew up in Tifton, about 80 miles from the small Georgia town I am from. He laughs and says that every Georgia town has at least one Jewish family to run the dry goods store! He had a Jewish father and Southern Baptist mother, so gets to celebrate ALL the holidays. They did indeed have a clothing store, and looking back I realized that both the stores in our little town, Davidson's and Silver's were owned by Jewish families, and I liked to go to Cordele to shop at Cohen's, so haha, I guess it is to some degree true!
When I was a freshman at the U of Ga., my roommate was from a very small town in South Georgia. One of our dorm-mates who I palled around with (she introduced me to pastrami on rye) was Jewish, and one day my roommate asked her, quite incredulous, "You really don't believe in Jesus???"
She too had never met a Jewish person and probably not met many who were not Protestants. Hopefully we all learn tolerance when we realize that the "Jew" or the "Catholic" is really just Susan or Mary, who can learn a lot from each other!
LOL Anne, in my home town, the ONLY Jewish family owned Brooks clothing store. That was over 50 yrs ago. A couple of more families moved in when I was in high school, not in the clothing business.\
And yeah, Leora often has to explain, NO we really do NOT celebrate Christmas or Easter.
