Where I've Lived

The other day I was thinking about all the places I've lived in my adult life.  I wish I could take the best parts of each place and combine them into an ideal neighborhood.  Money Magazine runs a best places article each year.  I read this article looking for the best place to live each time I plan to move.  I'm still looking for that wonderful location that has affordable housing, excellent public transportation, stores, restaurants, and services nearby, friendly neighbors, a good ward, politics similar to mine, low crime, and a stable economy.

My first apartment had two things to recommend it in the beginning.  It was my first place and I had good neighbors.  I had gone to school with many of them.  Later when I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was in a very good ward.   Public transportation came close by and necessary to ge anywhere.  This apartment complex was in the middle of nowhere. 

My next few apartments had pretty good public transportation but in walking distance of a few businesses.  Neighbors and ward not so hot. 

The Sandy, Utah house had almost everything.  By walking less than a quarter mile I was not only at the bus stop but at other places I wanted to be.  Three different bus route ran nearby; four, if you count the express buses that ran during rush hour.  The last bus left downtown at 11:20 p.m. but no buses ran on Sunday in my area.  I could walk to both fast food and sit down restaurants, the grocery store, discount store, dollar store, bank, dry cleaners, dentist, fabric store, work, church, and even the karate school where I earned my orange belt in Kempo Karate.  Sandy had tow drawbacks; few friendly neighbors which results in a not so wonderful ward.  That said, if I got the chance I'd move back into that house and make friends elsewhere.  The advantages of living there far out weigh the disadvantages.  The Wasatch Front has light rail now, I'm thinking the public transportation is even better.   Utah is the only place I lived with good brick and mortor schools.  Students could get a decent education there.

The Pine Bluff, Arkansas house was challenging.  Build in 1889, it had no insulation in the walls, original windows, some of the underground plumbing had clay pipes, and all the other issues that come with an old house.  Here we were close to family and businesses I had grown up with.  Our neighbors were diverse, some kept to themselves while others were outgoing and friendly.  Andrea learned to do all kinds of things from our neighbors, the Campbells.  She learned everything from carpentry to how to play hand bells.  The campbells were very good neighbors.  When we moved to Pine Bluff a bus ran right in front of our house.  That helped with the inconvenience of the limited routes and times the buses ran.  As time went on Saturday service had stopped altogether.  By the time we left, Pine Bluff Transit ran from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.   Transprtation wasn't the only decline; when we moved to Pine Bluff there were quite a few fast food restaurants we could walk to.  When we left even McDonald's had relocated, leaving us with Wendy's which I don't care for, and Long John Silvers which was a longer walk.  

Members of the Pine Bluff ward were friendly, caring, and nice to be around.  That ward had a real sense of community. 

Arkansas Virtual Academy was a very good online charter school.  I was very impressed and once I got started talking about it I could go on for a long time.  When we had trouble with math we could call the teacher and meet in an Eluminate room.  She showed us how to do the problems and we worked problems together until Andrea or I, or both of us understood how to do them.  

I liked how laid back Pine Bluff could be but I didn't like having to be home before six or get a ride. 

Good neighbors, fair ward, but the transportation, what can I say.  Quite a bit actually.  I moved to Metro Atlanta for the transportation.  MARTA starts running early and stops late.  MARTA runs trains as well as buses.  MARTA goes lots of places.  But it takes half of forever to get anywhere on MARTA.  Just to get started I have a .61 mile walk just to get to the bus stop.  When I get there, there is nothing, just a gas station.  I can go to the grocery store without having to transfer.  My favorite WalMart takes a bus, a train, and another bus.  Now don't forget, after going out I've got to again walk that .61 miles to get home.  Why did I choose such a place?  Because walkability neighborhoods are too expensive and the suburbs are set up for people with cars.  The houses are here, on winding road.  The businesses are over there, some also set up on winding roads.  Georgia Cyber Academy is better than the brick and mortar schools but it's no Arkansas Virtual Academy.  GCA places too much emphasis on Study Island and YouTube videos to do the teaching.  The only reason I haven't pulled her out is because I want her to get a diploma from somewhere, not just a GED.

In a perfect world I'd live in Sandy, Utah in the house pictured above.  The Utah Transit Authority would run on MARTA's schedule.  Andrea would take Math and Science at Jordan High and everything else Through Arkansas Virtual Academy.  My neighbors would be those from my first apartment, Pine Bluff, and Decatur, where I live now.  I'd go to church in the Little Rock Second Ward building with those members and the members of the Pine Bluff Ward.  Now that would be Utopia.