What the heck is up with these exburb boosters?

[Anonymous]

I live in the exurbs because it is close to my job. Most my neighbors work close to home or have their own businesses. I don't know anybody that lives in DC because it is so great and then commutes out to their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And who makes you an authority about the needs of my family or every other family? You are making a lot of assumptions here. If you need 6000 sq.ft I certainly don't.

3000 sqrft + basement is standard for first world upper middle class families

You say this on a lot of threads. Can you please cite some proof? Otherwise it is just your bitchy opinion. We are 1%ers and exist happily in 2,000 SF.

PP, your problem was the time you were leaving. The key is to leave by 6:30 a.m.; most people in the Rockville area and north are well aware of that. You waited until prime rush-hour time.

If you have to leave before 7 am to get to work in a reasonable time, you live in an exurb.

[Anonymous]

why does anyone give a shit about any of this? honest answers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And who makes you an authority about the needs of my family or every other family? You are making a lot of assumptions here. If you need 6000 sq.ft I certainly don't.

3000 sqrft + basement is standard for first world upper middle class families

You say this on a lot of threads. Can you please cite some proof? Otherwise it is just your bitchy opinion. We are 1%ers and exist happily in 2,000 SF.

PP, your problem was the time you were leaving. The key is to leave by 6:30 a.m.; most people in the Rockville area and north are well aware of that. You waited until prime rush-hour time.

If you have to leave before 7 am to get to work in a reasonable time, you live in an exurb.

Touche. Seriously, what am I supposed to go to bed at 9:45 every night? #whyidonotliveinanexurb

[Anonymous]

you have to go to sleep at 9:45 to get up at 6? ok grandma.

[Anonymous]

Really, how late do you need to stay up? My DH goes to sleep between 10:30 and 11, is up at 5:30, and out the door by 6:30.

Many of us live in the exurbs BECAUSE WE LIKE IT. We don't want to live closer in, and either have jobs out here or are willing to commute a little more to live here. If you want the city life, then enjoy it! But the thought that everyone who lives in the suburbs or exurbs has the desire to live in DC or even in the close-in areas in absurd.

[Anonymous]

I don't live in exurb, but I'm not bothered by those who do and see part of the appeal. Some people seriously cannot fathom why one would live differently than they do. WTF peolple, get some perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Geez. We get it. You enjoy driving 2 hrs to get to work, it allows you to listen to your favorite podcasts. Your favorite restaurant here is also located in every city in America which is great when you take that road trip back to Ohio and you sneer at those of us who live in "effectively suburban" parts of the District. All that being said, some of those places on the edges of the orange line, Dunn Loring and others are real holes.

Some points of your post may be true, but you appear to be the one who's sneering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yay for you, OP. I am super thrilled that you are happy with where you live. But not everyone can afford to live in Kent/SV. Some of us can only afford to live outside the Beltway and drive 40 minutes or take the Orange Line to downtown DC. We make that trade off so that our kids can have safe neighborhoods and good schools. Stop being so elitist.

Just curious - are you in a condo/townhouse? Or are you one of those people who "can't afford" to live in the city because you simply must have 4+ bedrooms, a sun parlor, etc?

I love the implication that really cool, virtuous, GOOD people must continue to live in cramped quarters as long as they are within city limits instead of decamping to, SHUDDER, suburbs that are a better match for the real needs of their family, which do not include racking up UrbanCool(TM) points.

No, that's not the implication at all. Good people - and douchebags - live everywhere. The point is that ALL of us make choices, trade-offs and sacrifices. Those of us who live in the city often sacrifice square footage, outside space, etc. because other things are more important. To others, big houses and yards are more important than the convenience of living in the city. Each of those choices is fine - until you start whining that "Some of us can only afford to live outside the Beltway." Then, you're a child who just can't take responsibility for your own life and choices. It's an unattractive quality in an elementary school child; it's intolerable in an adult.

You must be reading this through a different lens. To me, "we can't afford to live inside the Beltway" isn't whining, it's the statement of facts as they are. And I also don't think it should come with a fine print of "can't afford a single family house with a backyard and good schools in SV but yeah, could totally swing a 1-br in Trinidad". I've frequently told people we couldn't afford to stay in DC and I don't believe it qualified as whining, it's simply an accurate statement that what I could get in the city no longer meets my needs.

As a side note, I haven't read many comments from 1-br urban dwellers lecturing suburbanites on their overall lack of coolness. Typically, these diatribes come from self-proclaimed owners in AU Park, Spring Valley and others comfortably situated enclaves.

I don't think this thread or comments you might be referring to have anything to do with "coolness", urban or suburban. It's not a war between the city and burbs, relax. It's annoyance at having every thread, many of which are actually discussing suburban areas, highjacked by boosters. It's like a cheesy salesman has joined these boards and now harassing every person, who is not interested in their product. The salesmen gets angry and starts insulting everyone who is not interested and refuses to understand why people make the choices they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yay for you, OP. I am super thrilled that you are happy with where you live. But not everyone can afford to live in Kent/SV. Some of us can only afford to live outside the Beltway and drive 40 minutes or take the Orange Line to downtown DC. We make that trade off so that our kids can have safe neighborhoods and good schools. Stop being so elitist.

Just curious - are you in a condo/townhouse? Or are you one of those people who "can't afford" to live in the city because you simply must have 4+ bedrooms, a sun parlor, etc?

I love the implication that really cool, virtuous, GOOD people must continue to live in cramped quarters as long as they are within city limits instead of decamping to, SHUDDER, suburbs that are a better match for the real needs of their family, which do not include racking up UrbanCool(TM) points.

And who makes you an authority about the needs of my family or every other family? You are making a lot of assumptions here. If you need 6000 sq.ft I certainly don't.

3000 sqrft + basement is standard for first world upper middle class families

Can you please link to the research backing such fantastic claim?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Maybe you could have Jeff resurrect DCUM as a list serve with access restricted to those who provide valid proof of DC residency.

Until then, deal with it, asshat.

Well, given the name of the site is "DC Urban Moms and Dads" you'd think people would be smart enough to figure that out on their own. Oh well, in a country where half the high school students can't find Canada on a map, and the parents are significantly less savvy, what are you gonna do?

Maybe they drew inferences from the fact that Jeff set up forums on "MD Public Schools" and "VA Public Schools," among others. Of course, maybe those are just for DC residents, when they are getting ready to flee the non-stop disaster that is DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you have to go to sleep at 9:45 to get up at 6? ok grandma.

Wait, how many hours of sleep do you usually get? No wonder you're so grumpy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Exurb is anywhere more than 1km from the District line.

exurb is outside of the beltway

Rockville is an exurb? Half of Silver Spring is an exurb? No.

If it takes an hour and a half to drive there from the Capitol, it's an exurb.

it doesnt take an hour and a half

I used to commute from Capitol Hill to Rockville and it took between 1 and 1.5 hours if i left between 7 and 9 in the morning. Same thing on the return trip. Didn't matter if I took NY Ave, GW Parkway, or North Cap Street. I know this for a fact because I'm still undergoing counseling for the PTSD.

PP, your problem was the time you were leaving. The key is to leave by 6:30 a.m.; most people in the Rockville area and north are well aware of that. You waited until prime rush-hour time.

Rockville is an exurb. Nothing bad with that. Bethesda is a suburb. Nothing bad with that either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really, how late do you need to stay up? My DH goes to sleep between 10:30 and 11, is up at 5:30, and out the door by 6:30.

Many of us live in the exurbs BECAUSE WE LIKE IT. We don't want to live closer in, and either have jobs out here or are willing to commute a little more to live here. If you want the city life, then enjoy it! But the thought that everyone who lives in the suburbs or exurbs has the desire to live in DC or even in the close-in areas in absurd.

Sheesh, if the sedentary lifestyle and stress-filled commute doesn't kill you, the lack of sleep will.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20012475-10391704.html
http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/02/commuter-stress-d-c-commute-can-add-to-existing-health-problems-72857.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yay for you, OP. I am super thrilled that you are happy with where you live. But not everyone can afford to live in Kent/SV. Some of us can only afford to live outside the Beltway and drive 40 minutes or take the Orange Line to downtown DC. We make that trade off so that our kids can have safe neighborhoods and good schools. Stop being so elitist.

Just curious - are you in a condo/townhouse? Or are you one of those people who "can't afford" to live in the city because you simply must have 4+ bedrooms, a sun parlor, etc?

I love the implication that really cool, virtuous, GOOD people must continue to live in cramped quarters as long as they are within city limits instead of decamping to, SHUDDER, suburbs that are a better match for the real needs of their family, which do not include racking up UrbanCool(TM) points.

No, that's not the implication at all. Good people - and douchebags - live everywhere. The point is that ALL of us make choices, trade-offs and sacrifices. Those of us who live in the city often sacrifice square footage, outside space, etc. because other things are more important. To others, big houses and yards are more important than the convenience of living in the city. Each of those choices is fine - until you start whining that "Some of us can only afford to live outside the Beltway." Then, you're a child who just can't take responsibility for your own life and choices. It's an unattractive quality in an elementary school child; it's intolerable in an adult.

You must be reading this through a different lens. To me, "we can't afford to live inside the Beltway" isn't whining, it's the statement of facts as they are. And I also don't think it should come with a fine print of "can't afford a single family house with a backyard and good schools in SV but yeah, could totally swing a 1-br in Trinidad". I've frequently told people we couldn't afford to stay in DC and I don't believe it qualified as whining, it's simply an accurate statement that what I could get in the city no longer meets my needs.

As a side note, I haven't read many comments from 1-br urban dwellers lecturing suburbanites on their overall lack of coolness. Typically, these diatribes come from self-proclaimed owners in AU Park, Spring Valley and others comfortably situated enclaves.

ah yes, the people who want to claim DC but who are too scared to actually live in it

Dumbest fucking thing Ive read on this website. These neighborhoods have been part of the District for hundreds of years.