It's pretty interesting to ask why someone lives somewhere. More often than not, there's a really engaging story behind it. I posed the question to fellow blogger Donna and she gave a lengthy response on her site today. I posed it to her because she and her family live in Conway, Arkansas -- a town I had never heard of before. I wondered what drew her there: job, family, good place to raise kids, etc. Reading her response, along with a lengthy conversation over the weekend with a couple friends related to the topic, I got to thinking about why in live in Dallas. No, the town is not as cool or hip as Austin or Chicago, but this is where I want to be.
As much as I loved growing up in New Orleans and Houston, I always loved visiting Dallas. With three pairs of aunts and uncles living in the area, we always went there for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. I don't know if it was the slightly colder temperatures, the farm country in Ennis or the building in downtown Dallas outlined in green light, but something felt really right about Dallas.
After four years in Fort Worth for college, I desired to make the trek across I-30 once I graduated. I didn't make the move until the then-home situation went south seven months later. Plus, the job prospects were more promising living in Dallas seven months later as compared to when I graduated. I was so fed up with the rampant "why bother going to Dallas? We've got everything here" attitude because the town's offerings were rather shortcoming to me. So when it seemed like it was the right time to move, I moved. The job prospects definitely paid off as I landed a producing gig the week I moved in. Coming upon five years living here, Dallas definitely is my second home.
I wouldn't go so far to say that I never want to live in another town, but I have no desire to move out of here anytime soon. If there was something very pressing to move out of here (job, family), I'd move. But Dallas, even with its flaws, is where I want to be at this stage in my life. Chicago is a great town as is Austin, but Dallas feels like where I should be.
As much as I loved growing up in New Orleans and Houston, I always loved visiting Dallas. With three pairs of aunts and uncles living in the area, we always went there for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. I don't know if it was the slightly colder temperatures, the farm country in Ennis or the building in downtown Dallas outlined in green light, but something felt really right about Dallas.
After four years in Fort Worth for college, I desired to make the trek across I-30 once I graduated. I didn't make the move until the then-home situation went south seven months later. Plus, the job prospects were more promising living in Dallas seven months later as compared to when I graduated. I was so fed up with the rampant "why bother going to Dallas? We've got everything here" attitude because the town's offerings were rather shortcoming to me. So when it seemed like it was the right time to move, I moved. The job prospects definitely paid off as I landed a producing gig the week I moved in. Coming upon five years living here, Dallas definitely is my second home.
I wouldn't go so far to say that I never want to live in another town, but I have no desire to move out of here anytime soon. If there was something very pressing to move out of here (job, family), I'd move. But Dallas, even with its flaws, is where I want to be at this stage in my life. Chicago is a great town as is Austin, but Dallas feels like where I should be.
Comments
Donna didn't appear to mention that Conway is near the old settlement of Toad Suck, home of the Toad Suck Ferry. (I couldn't make this up if I tried...)
I'm not making this up. I swear. Google it!