Me, Asylums, Roller Coasters, and You.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The desert is beautiful.

I couldn't live there, but it's beautiful.

[Dimocritus]

I just found random roundtrips in August for $362.50.

FFS, I could live off of that for months 

[Doktor Howl]

I can't sleep when it's quiet.

Neighbors fucking, sirens screeching, car accidents, gun shots, pouring rain and thunder, however...

For that, there's Tucson.

[PeregrineBF]

I can't sleep when it's quiet.

Neighbors fucking, sirens screeching, car accidents, gun shots, pouring rain and thunder, however...

For that, there's Tucson.

Tucson might be a bit extreme, though not as bad as Detroit or Philly...

As for the silence, I've noticed the same thing. I leave my computer on (folding@home) and that works for noise. I think it might be a primitive reaction: when there's no noise from animals around there's something sneaking up on you.

[Freeky]

It's only totally quiet in the residential only areas. Out near I-10, or the railroad tracks, or even the main roads, it's still noisy.

[Dimocritus]

Yeah, but what does it smell like out there?

But really, I'm not sure why exactly, but being to far away from the ocean makes me feel trapped. I'm not even a big beach goer. I just feel "safer" knowing it's there...

[Freeky]

TBH, it smells like gas fumes a lot, especially when it's hot. When it rains, it smells funny. Probably due to this one plant we get here. You can't even notice the coyote poop.

[Doktor Howl]

Tucson might be a bit extreme, though not as bad as Detroit or Philly...

Link, pls.

[Eater of Clowns]

The problem with life as a roller coaster is you don't control roller coasters.  Some glassy eyed guy in a vest jams buttons and warbles into a loudspeaker and you're launched and you stay on the track.  It's a blast, for sure, especially after it's been built up, but it's inevitable to end up where you see yourself now.

I've always tried to be careful about the idea of some other place representing salvation.  Everything will be alright if I could just move to -blank-.  I've seen Arizona, Colorado, Seattle, Chicago, New York, depending on the personality, act as the mecca.  I have a feeling that once the newness of that place wears off the same feelings will strike back up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating staying put.  I just think doing it to see something new or generally adventure is more likely to get the desired effect.  Doing it to escape one's problems means less awareness of those same problems coming up only in a different setting.

[Richter]

I don't think there's salvation or mecca anywhere.  Only different flavors of the strange, the DUMB, and the pretense. 

There are different people too.  Depending on how many, and how well you get on with them, this counts for a lot.   

[Suu]

Providence is extremely Lovecraftian. HP saw some serious shit living up on that hill and had a great understanding of crazy New Englanders.

[Dimocritus]

The problem with life as a roller coaster is you don't control roller coasters.  Some glassy eyed guy in a vest jams buttons and warbles into a loudspeaker and you're launched and you stay on the track.  It's a blast, for sure, especially after it's been built up, but it's inevitable to end up where you see yourself now.

I've always tried to be careful about the idea of some other place representing salvation.  Everything will be alright if I could just move to -blank-.  I've seen Arizona, Colorado, Seattle, Chicago, New York, depending on the personality, act as the mecca.  I have a feeling that once the newness of that place wears off the same feelings will strike back up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating staying put.  I just think doing it to see something new or generally adventure is more likely to get the desired effect.  Doing it to escape one's problems means less awareness of those same problems coming up only in a different setting.

Just to clarify, I'm not doing this as a form of escape. Just a change of pace. I've lived in the same town my whole life, and have done little traveling due to my low income. I know what you mean, though. Whenever someone says to me "man, I gotta get the fuck out of shitty RI," I usually say the same things you just said. I don't even know much of anything about Tuscon or Portland, or anything really, so it's not like I expect it to be some happy magical gumdrop village. Just a change of pace. Though, maybe I should take an extended vacation before actually planning a permanent move.

As far as the glassy eyed guy in the vest, well, that made me think of this.

[Eater of Clowns]

Just to clarify, I'm not doing this as a form of escape. Just a change of pace. I've lived in the same town my whole life, and have done little traveling due to my low income. I know what you mean, though. Whenever someone says to me "man, I gotta get the fuck out of shitty RI," I usually say the same things you just said. I don't even know much of anything about Tuscon or Portland, or anything really, so it's not like I expect it to be some happy magical gumdrop village. Just a change of pace. Though, maybe I should take an extended vacation before actually planning a permanent move.

As far as the glassy eyed guy in the vest, well, that made me think of this.

There's definitely something to be said for culture shock in moving between places.  Sounds like you haven't had that experience.  I got it just going between southeastern and western MA.  I can only imagine what a cross country move would be like.  Maybe I'll do it someday too.