Anonymous wrote:OP, there are some here who have not resided in a nicer place. 'Tis a shame, indeed. You can tell who has immediately. You seem like you have known nicer, so you have a point of comparison. Life is short. Explore your options! Those that do not, or are "Rah rah D.C." why are you even on this post? To be a typical, antagonistic, counter productive, bullyish, D.C. type? Really? How's that serving you so far? By the looks on your faces, not so good.

That said, I know what you mention, OP. I have found in my too many years here that those who try to act important, and are stumbling over themselves being snifflier than thou, are really just extemely pissed off about how little they have accomplished and how far they have not come in their time here. Consistently. Remember that. Laugh at it. It is funny.

As far as the PP who mentioned "shallow" and "weather" in the same sentence: I want to know where you score your crack, because I could use some of that while living here with the likes of you.

I was at a party recently and I heard someone's MIL mention that people are "friendly" here. The whole party responded in riotous laughter - literally! That is part of the issue, OP. As far as comparing this area to any other, you simply can not. If not only for the high concentration of those who think that D.C. is the be all and end all. Do you really want to know where they are coming from? Probably not. Holy sh*t! Let them think the rest of the nation and world sucks and that this must be heaven on earth (egads!). Then we won't have to deal with them when we vacation or retire

Know that you are still young and that most people do not and would never retire here, given an option. But that is another thread You have options, OP. Option one: laugh. Laugh often. There is so much around you that is amusing. Example: If you comment how rude someone is, they will counter you with how rude you must be, given that you did well, nothing. You can't buy this stuff!

This hell is not forever. It is overpriced, crowded, self important (read:amusing), stifling hot, incapable, blundering, extremely frustrated, tries to deflect and deny, can't drive and not so pretty, among many other things, but one thing it is not is forever.

Anonymous wrote:Ewwww, Cleveland... I grew up there... Ewww, just ewwww.

I never heard of an apt in DC w/o a washer/dryer, central a/c, etc. Maybe you haven't looked at any since the 90ties but things have changed.

Anonymous wrote:"I lived in San Diego for 8 years and San Francisco for 2 years. I prefer San Diego, because it's almost always sunny and moderate, except for the occasional May Gray and June Gloom days. And once you've lived in a warm weather state, you do notice the subtle seasonal changes. You're right; it's personal. "

San Diegans don't entertain in their homes much - not much hospitality. Tremendous border patrol issues. Financial issues, always. Just to get 300 + plus days of sunshine a year? Not worth it to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a huge difference between DC and these so called "close in suburbs". There is no comparison. Affording a house on Lowell lane or even somewhere like AU Park requires a much higher level of income than the burbs. And yes higher income generally means best and brightest.

Long-time Kent resident here -- living just a block away from Lowell for years. Please, folks, do not be fooled by the well-rehearsed facades so common to the neighborhood. Plenty of people have trust-funds or other inherited family wealth and are definitely not the "best and the brightest." The luckiest, maybe, but not the brightest. Many of these people lay it all on so thick simply to make everyone else believe they really are the best, etc., but this facade is a mile wide and an inch deep. It doesn't take long to figure out that these people are not smarter, more clever, more hard-working, etc. than the average person -- they just hit the lottery.

Truth is, that to afford the lifestyle (expensive house, private school, nanny, housekeeper, Chevy Chase Club, etc.), one truly needs a trust fund. Likely, someone earning their own money would have the good sense to realize they are surrounded by some of the best public schools in the country -- and that they ought to take advantage of them! Honestly, all of this keeping up with the Joneses must be exhausting -- especially when the Joneses so often have the invisible hand of family money keeping them afloat!

So what you are saying is we should move to Fairfax and send our kids to 3000 people schools because they are "good"? And I put good in quotations because we know about the gang problems, the busing, the high student to teacher ratio etc etc. And if most of us hit a genetic lottery that would posit that we inherited most of our family's smart genes to keep this wealth going. Of course a lot of people in wealthy areas have trust funds that's why the areas are wealthy. Just because your family worked hard enough to create multigenerational wealth doesn't diminish your accomplishments.

No, not saying Fairfax. Perhaps the other side of Western Ave. (which separates DC from MoCo). You could live in a Bethesda neighborhood which is just steps from the DC boarder and send your kids to those schools.

Also, have you met many 2nd and 3rd generation wealthy? Your theory of "smart genes" notwithstanding, usually, not the brightest bulbs.

Again why would I want to do that? Higher taxes, PUBLIC schools which have huge classes and tons of other problems. Sending my tax dollars to Baltimore that never come back, at least in DC my tax dollars stay in the same city I live in. MD has just as much corruption and government waste. Plus you lose some social currency if your zip code doesn't end in 20016.

Well then, you aren't like the OP who is struggling to come up with alternatives. That's fine. But, really, do you think anyone is conferring "social currency" upon you b/c you live in 20016. Have lived in that zip for a long time I know that to be bogus. Newsflash: no one cares what your zip is. Look, there are socially connected, powerful, wealthy people in many more zips than 20016 (and 20016 has many folks just struggling to make it work in a tiny house with no wealth, power or perceived social status). However, if you are interested in such things, you are an example of the "keeping up with the Joneses" that the OP and many others have rightfully mocked on this thread.

"Mocked"? Let's call it what it really is "jealousy". OP and the others are jealous that they can't afford to live the upper NW DC lifestyle and this thread Is a free therapy session to vent and hate on the "cool rich kids". Is it wrong to have a trust fund or to work hard and create wealth? Should we give it all away? Would that make y'all all happy if we all lived 20 miles from city center because we were all equal? Give me a break and stop complaining. This is your life so accept it or change it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The crazy part is some people LOVE the weather here. I don't like the hot summers, but we have mild winters and exceptionally long spring and fall. Also, where is it that has year-round ideal weather? Maybe in Northern California which is just insanely expensive.

Are you kidding? Spring and fall are exceptionally short, here.

And to answer your weather...southern coastal California.

Southern coastal California is full of whackos and there are not four seasons. It's driven by people into cars, how they look and how perfect the weather is. Those aren't my values.

Anonymous wrote:OP, there are some here who have not resided in a nicer place. 'Tis a shame, indeed. You can tell who has immediately. You seem like you have known nicer, so you have a point of comparison. Life is short. Explore your options! Those that do not, or are "Rah rah D.C." why are you even on this post? To be a typical, antagonistic, counter productive, bullyish, D.C. type? Really? How's that serving you so far? By the looks on your faces, not so good.

That said, I know what you mention, OP. I have found in my too many years here that those who try to act important, and are stumbling over themselves being snifflier than thou, are really just extemely pissed off about how little they have accomplished and how far they have not come in their time here. Consistently. Remember that. Laugh at it. It is funny.

As far as the PP who mentioned "shallow" and "weather" in the same sentence: I want to know where you score your crack, because I could use some of that while living here with the likes of you.

I was at a party recently and I heard someone's MIL mention that people are "friendly" here. The whole party responded in riotous laughter - literally! That is part of the issue, OP. As far as comparing this area to any other, you simply can not. If not only for the high concentration of those who think that D.C. is the be all and end all. Do you really want to know where they are coming from? Probably not. Holy sh*t! Let them think the rest of the nation and world sucks and that this must be heaven on earth (egads!). Then we won't have to deal with them when we vacation or retire

Know that you are still young and that most people do not and would never retire here, given an option. But that is another thread You have options, OP. Option one: laugh. Laugh often. There is so much around you that is amusing. Example: If you comment how rude someone is, they will counter you with how rude you must be, given that you did well, nothing. You can't buy this stuff!

This hell is not forever. It is overpriced, crowded, self important (read:amusing), stifling hot, incapable, blundering, extremely frustrated, tries to deflect and deny, can't drive and not so pretty, among many other things, but one thing it is not is forever.

Anonymous wrote:OP, there are some here who have not resided in a nicer place. 'Tis a shame, indeed. You can tell who has immediately. You seem like you have known nicer, so you have a point of comparison. Life is short. Explore your options! Those that do not, or are "Rah rah D.C." why are you even on this post? To be a typical, antagonistic, counter productive, bullyish, D.C. type? Really? How's that serving you so far? By the looks on your faces, not so good.

That said, I know what you mention, OP. I have found in my too many years here that those who try to act important, and are stumbling over themselves being snifflier than thou, are really just extemely pissed off about how little they have accomplished and how far they have not come in their time here. Consistently. Remember that. Laugh at it. It is funny.

As far as the PP who mentioned "shallow" and "weather" in the same sentence: I want to know where you score your crack, because I could use some of that while living here with the likes of you.

I was at a party recently and I heard someone's MIL mention that people are "friendly" here. The whole party responded in riotous laughter - literally! That is part of the issue, OP. As far as comparing this area to any other, you simply can not. If not only for the high concentration of those who think that D.C. is the be all and end all. Do you really want to know where they are coming from? Probably not. Holy sh*t! Let them think the rest of the nation and world sucks and that this must be heaven on earth (egads!). Then we won't have to deal with them when we vacation or retire

Know that you are still young and that most people do not and would never retire here, given an option. But that is another thread You have options, OP. Option one: laugh. Laugh often. There is so much around you that is amusing. Example: If you comment how rude someone is, they will counter you with how rude you must be, given that you did well, nothing. You can't buy this stuff!

This hell is not forever. It is overpriced, crowded, self important (read:amusing), stifling hot, incapable, blundering, extremely frustrated, tries to deflect and deny, can't drive and not so pretty, among many other things, but one thing it is not is forever.

Anonymous wrote:

If yo don't like living here, then you should leave. We live in DC, are happy with our public school, have had awesome childcare, have commutes of less than 30 minutes, and have a decent-sized house. We are not rich but make a comfortable living. We have lots of friends who have the same philosphy we do regarding parenting (definitely NOT helicopters).

It's just been a matter of finding what it takes to make us happy, and if you can't do that here, then go somewhere else. I'm tired of people acting like DC is so horrible and other cities are magically wonderful. I love living here and I'm not rich, a snob, or an elitist.

Amen!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a huge difference between DC and these so called "close in suburbs". There is no comparison. Affording a house on Lowell lane or even somewhere like AU Park requires a much higher level of income than the burbs. And yes higher income generally means best and brightest.

Long-time Kent resident here -- living just a block away from Lowell for years. Please, folks, do not be fooled by the well-rehearsed facades so common to the neighborhood. Plenty of people have trust-funds or other inherited family wealth and are definitely not the "best and the brightest." The luckiest, maybe, but not the brightest. Many of these people lay it all on so thick simply to make everyone else believe they really are the best, etc., but this facade is a mile wide and an inch deep. It doesn't take long to figure out that these people are not smarter, more clever, more hard-working, etc. than the average person -- they just hit the lottery.

Truth is, that to afford the lifestyle (expensive house, private school, nanny, housekeeper, Chevy Chase Club, etc.), one truly needs a trust fund. Likely, someone earning their own money would have the good sense to realize they are surrounded by some of the best public schools in the country -- and that they ought to take advantage of them! Honestly, all of this keeping up with the Joneses must be exhausting -- especially when the Joneses so often have the invisible hand of family money keeping them afloat!

So what you are saying is we should move to Fairfax and send our kids to 3000 people schools because they are "good"? And I put good in quotations because we know about the gang problems, the busing, the high student to teacher ratio etc etc. And if most of us hit a genetic lottery that would posit that we inherited most of our family's smart genes to keep this wealth going. Of course a lot of people in wealthy areas have trust funds that's why the areas are wealthy. Just because your family worked hard enough to create multigenerational wealth doesn't diminish your accomplishments.

No, not saying Fairfax. Perhaps the other side of Western Ave. (which separates DC from MoCo). You could live in a Bethesda neighborhood which is just steps from the DC boarder and send your kids to those schools.

Also, have you met many 2nd and 3rd generation wealthy? Your theory of "smart genes" notwithstanding, usually, not the brightest bulbs.

Again why would I want to do that? Higher taxes, PUBLIC schools which have huge classes and tons of other problems. Sending my tax dollars to Baltimore that never come back, at least in DC my tax dollars stay in the same city I live in. MD has just as much corruption and government waste. Plus you lose some social currency if your zip code doesn't end in 20016.

Well then, you aren't like the OP who is struggling to come up with alternatives. That's fine. But, really, do you think anyone is conferring "social currency" upon you b/c you live in 20016. Have lived in that zip for a long time I know that to be bogus. Newsflash: no one cares what your zip is. Look, there are socially connected, powerful, wealthy people in many more zips than 20016 (and 20016 has many folks just struggling to make it work in a tiny house with no wealth, power or perceived social status). However, if you are interested in such things, you are an example of the "keeping up with the Joneses" that the OP and many others have rightfully mocked on this thread.

Anonymous wrote:OP, there are some here who have not resided in a nicer place. 'Tis a shame, indeed. You can tell who has immediately. You seem like you have known nicer, so you have a point of comparison.