Five Least Popular Cities

I saw a list of the five least popular places to live in the country on the web today. These are all big cities that, despite the ability to get high paying jobs, people still are not willing to live in. The funny thing is as I clicked through and read about each city, I realized that I have lived or spent some significant time in all five and I completely agree that I would never move to any of them…EXCEPT for the number one least popular place to live. Here are the cities in reverse order:

5. Chicago – Yeah, no kidding. I lived there for 18 months and it was the longest 18 months of my life. People who took the survey said it was too cold – No Sh*t! They also complained it was not affordable. Affordable? They could give me a place there and I still wouldn’t live there. The winters are brutal and the summers are worse. It is a great place to visit, about three months out of the year.

4. New Orleans – I think this one really made the list because of Hurricane Katrina. Katrina has made the cities population shrink, the murder rate increase and caused tourism to suffer dramatically. But I have to tell you that I would not have lived there before the hurricane hit. Forget about the fact that I wont live anywhere where hurricanes hit on a semi-regular basis, the crime there is outrageous. During Mardi Gras tourists are warned not to go north of Bourbon St. as you might not come back. Living there would also require me to take a vacation every February as I don’t want to be around the city when the thousands of college kids show up to get drunk, throw up and pass out in the streets. And since I was there for Mardi Gras some years ago, I know what I am talking about.

3. Los Angeles – OK maybe it is because I am a “NCal Guy” which predisposes me to hate all that is SCal, but I would never live in LA. I lived in San Diego many years ago for about 12 months and absolutely loved it. However LA has not only encroached upon, but totally swallowed SD to the point where SD is nothing more than a suburb of LA these days. Who wants to live with the crowds, the traffic, and the smog. Not to mention that, if you have ever been in LA proper, you know it is a pit. I would not live there…not ever!

2. Detroit – LA’s reputation is fantastic in comparison to Detroit’s. The Mayor went to jail recently for lying in a sex scandal. Or is it laying…either way. I was there a few years ago and a local recommended a great Italian restaurant. The restaurant had been there forever, but the neighborhood it is in had disintegrated. The local told me not to worry about the neighborhood but to make sure I ate and left before it got dark. What a great city. Detroit’s reputation is that it is a dangerous city full of slums. And that was when the auto industry wasn’t about to fold up camp. What will become of that city when EVERYONE is out of work next year.

And the number on least popular city to live in…

1. New York City – Come on now! Are you kidding me? NYC is the best city in the world. Who wouldn’t want to live here, at least for a few years? Plenty of high paying jobs, Central Park, great public transportation and not to mention one of the best restaurant, bar, music and art scenes in the world. Sure you pay a lot to live in a shoebox, but we must all make sacrifices. Apparently most people think it is too expensive and there is too much crime. I don’t care, I would still live there - anytime.

Well that was the list. I guess getting 4 out 5 right isn’t bad. But they really missed the mark with NYC. There are a whole bunch of other cities I would never live in for sure. How about you? Would you live in any of these cities? Where wouldn’t you live?

Did I Mention?

I am on my way “home” today for the weekend. A long weekend with family and friends. It has been a few months since I was back in the Bay Area, so I am looking forward to the weekend. I am not looking forward to the six hour flight home on Tuesday. One nice thing is my cleaning lady came while I was gone this week, so I will return to a very clean apartment. I love coming home to that freshly cleaned smell.

I saw Nick this week. He cut his hair, sold his car, broke his hand in a bicycle accident, has a new summer job as a baker (I would explain “baker” but I can’t type and laugh this hard), somehow now believes in ghosts and ET and introduced me to his girlfriend. She is the girl with him in the photo to the right. I will not mention her name as she has yet to sign the release form. She struck me as a great young woman who may be very good for Nick. I really enjoyed meeting her.

And Nick, remember what I said – you can get away with the bohemian lifestyle you lead now, when you are 21, as girls think it is cool, but sooner or later, they will expect you to be able to actually buy them dinner and not always take them to someplace because they are giving out free cheese. Enjoy your youth, but remember it doesn’t last forever.

One other interesting note: I was approached about a job this week. It is still with my company, but in a different group, doing something completely different than I do now and here is the kicker…it is in NYC. Yep I said it - NYC. It would also most like be a big promotion, a good raise and did I mention in NYC. I am going to have to seriously give this some thought. Anyone want to rent my condo for a while?