"A small town is a place where there's no place to go where you shouldn't". -  Burt Bacharach

"The nice thing about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you're doing, someone else does." Immanuel Kant

Like I need that kinda pressure !!

lol

steve

I guess that means that you are the "someone else who knows how to do it" that is pressure.

I guess that means that you are the "someone else who knows how to do it"

Not actually, I mean when I'm fuckin up I dont want everyone to know my business. 

I grew up in the typical small poor midwestern cow town surrounded by cornfields and baseball fields. Everyone knew everyone and all of  our parents knew each other And ALL of us kids. 

There wasn't much to do there, there was No money there and we couldn't do a damn thing without our parents knowing where we went, what we did when there and who was with us. 24/7/365 by the time I was 17 or 18 I'd had all I ever wanted of it, that shit takes its toll on ya. 

I was miserable. 

I moved to a mid size town and started living and thriving.  

Then onto a big city, now that's home. A small fish in a really big pond who never gets noticed no matter what I do or when I do it. 

IMO: I have had much more of a fulfilling life than I ever would have in the typical small poor midwestern cow town surrounded by cornfields and baseball fields. Where everyone knew everyone and all of  our parents knew each other And ALL of us kids.

Thur Facebook I got in touch with a couple of guys I grew up with. Their live's aren't much different when I left 40 years ago. They have lived the same day over and over since I left. 

Some at the same job, living in the same house, going shopping at the same store, hanging with the same people, going to the same church and of course the same baseball games. ad nauseum

That's WHY I left. 

I've lived next to the Oklahoma sooners football stadium, I've lived by the atlantic ocean and I've lived in the middle of over a million people.  I've thrived and enjoyed my life and everyone in town didn't know every little time I fucked up a little, cause I did plenty of that as well !!.   LOL

The Freedom to be ME  !!   and Lovin every minute of it !!    

steve

Glad you found your spot that makes you happy - for me it is this small, sleepy hamlet where everybody knows your name and your business - but most importantly where everyone is ready to help you at the drop of a hat.

but most importantly where everyone is ready to help you at the drop of a hat.

Yep It is a cold world out here.

I have learned many lessons and had some tough times, But I've had many wonderful ones as well.

I saw my dad cry more than once as he got ready to go to the same job he hated after 20 some years when I was a kid, I was determined that was Not going to be me.

It isn't !!!

I was always a loner, so becoming as independent as I am wasn't unforeseen.

I get a kick out of the alaska shows where the people think they have to endure so much hardship to have their privacy and to just be away from people. 

I'm now retired if I dont want to see people, I just dont go out in public or answer the door. My life is not on the line to get food and everything I ever need is within about two miles of my home. 

I lived in small towns, out in the country , mid size towns and large cities.

Where I ended up is in the middle of a large city that is spread out so well it has the feel of a small town if you want to know your neighbors you can.  Glendale... part of Phoenix.

Where I came from was the edge of a small town in central Illinois there you had no choice  everyone knew everyone.  (and No one had much money)

Thanks, Yep I think I did make the right choices to make my self happy.

But to each their own, I'm so happy we all dont want to live the same, or that place would be pretty darn crowded.

LOL 

I'm glad you are happy where you are. Robert, I hope you are also happy on when you are alive.

I am.

I Was always happy I was born in the USA and when I was born. I know people who say they wish they had been born long ago back in the western days, NO thanks to that either, I like our modern conveniences, But I question the long term future,

so I'm happy here and now.

LOL.. THanks and the best to ya !!

steve

I am content with the life I have led and where I find myself (both geographically, mentally and emotionally) at this point.

I have raised three boys, who have made their way in the world and have lives and families of their own, but they still like to have me and their mom around as much as we can manage a spread out as they are around the country.

There are times when I look at the craziness and long for the simpler times I have known in the past, but I am ready to face the world each day and try to live my life by the Golden Rule and the Serenity Prayer - low stress and high enjoyment being the goal.

low stress and high enjoyment being the goal.

I agree, I've always strived for a balance between work and pleasure myself.

Congratulations on the successful up bringing of a family. That is one major things I missed in my life I never did or will have.

When I was married I didn't want kids at first , by time I did , she didn't. She's now long gone and I have been on my own mainly by choice for a very long time. My independence is a large part of that.  

Occasionally I too look back to "simpler times" and smile, But I know now I'm able to see my past more selectively and separate the good times from the rest of the crap I was dealing with at the time.  

One of the main reasons I actually left to begin with was to get away from my parents control (or their illusion of such) over me. The other major factor was there was NO financial future there for the average person and the weather was too cold for my liking. 

LOL... So Ironically, low stress and high enjoyment being the goal. Was why I left. 

lol,  And I'm still chasing that goal ....  LOL 

We are all chasing that goal one way or another - and never giving up the chase is the essence of life

I'm a fall person so Halloween is my favorite holiday.  And, it's the best time of year to hike.  The fall foliage is breathtaking.  I grew up in a small country community.  We would create a haunted maze out of the bales of hay in our barn.   

PJ

We are mostly farmers and farm related businesses around here and this time of year is in the end of the harvest - a time for celebrating a good year or lamenting a bad one and knowing that Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are just down the road.

There are mazes as you describe but also corn mazes created in fields that are also very popular

I would love to live in that village.

Paula

My wife grew up here and I was skeptical when she wanted to move here when we retired - but I'll tell you somethin - I love this place and after only a couple of years, all the people have accepted me as a native.  I still hear "you married so and so's daughter when she moved to the city didn't you" - but it is a point of reference not condemnation as an outsider.

Thanks for the feedback

Your town looks like a wonderful place to retire. It also looks like a great place to raise kids. Peaceful and safe, with people who care about each other. Reminds me of the town I grew up in.

It is quite similar to the town I grew up in only more rural and smaller - I was hesitant to move here, but now can not imagine leaving anywhere else

Speaking of small towns......I spend 4 years living in Town of Warrenton VA, which is a small town in the DC Metro area of No Virginia in Fauguier Country. The town is in the heart of the Civil War Battlegrounds and most of the buildings in the immediate center of town are all marked as historic sites.

Warrenton is also the Country seat, a Hqtrs for the Sheriff's Dept and Highway Patrol, has strong presence of Black Suits and helicopters, and its own Police Dept. So I felt very safe living there. I never had to lock my car or use my steering wheel Club when I left my car, nor felt afraid to go for a walk after dark. The building I lived in was 1 block off Main St in downtown Warrenton, and they had outdoor concerts at the local Town Hall area during the summer months. Most people who lived there knew just about everyone else in town and were very supportive and cordial. For me, it was like walking back in time. Although it is only about 35 minutes DC proper, it is very rural, as is most all of the surrounding small towns. I was the Secretary and Member of the Board of Directors of the Fauguier Technology Alliance and the Town of Warrenton Chamber of Commerce. I was also the only Instructor of Microsoft software and computer operations at two Community colleges in the area during the 4 years I lived there. 

Here are pictures of Main St. Warrenton. What you see is all their is to Main St. In the building just beyond the building with the flower pot out front is the Post Office. All of the buildings in the downtown area are all historical sites. 

Looks like a great place to grow up - a little bigger than where I came from but it looks like the place has a lot of hometown charm

I truly envy you and your village.

I have spent my last 20 years of my life living a small town living that looks pretty much like yours does Rio. The thing is that most people don't think of Long Island that way. Today I went past our village hall that looked like your second to last pic, on the way to the chicken farm to get some fresh eggs for the morn. It is a nice way of living, although in my youth, I did enjoy living in Queens. If you have ever seen the opening of "The King of Queens", those are all places that I lived walking distance to. My favorite was King of Corona Ice. Best Ice in the world and you could watch the older men playing Botchi Ball while having a cone in Corona Park. 

You have inspired me to take some pics. 

You have inspired me to take some pics.

Perrie 

It sounds nice there - my experience with NYC is largely Manhattan and a little of the Bronx

I have heard that there are parts of the area surrounding the city that are quite rural and beautiful and I need to make it a point to check those out.

Once you take those "small town U.S.A. pictures" I hope you will share them

My Birthday is October 30th. All my life I have celebrated my Birthday on Halloween as 1) it meant I got to have a costume party for my Birthday, and 2) my Friends and I would all go Trick or Treating as part of my Birthday celebrating. We would have a cookout first, then afterwards we would go Trick or Treating in the neighborhood. After we came back to the house, I would open my presents and then have cake and ice cream. After that, my Friends and I would sit around in the living room and trade our goodies with each other until time for them to go home. 

When I got older, it became a joint Birthday with my Mother, as he Birthday was Nov 2, so we still celebrated jointly on Halloween and our family and Friends would come in costumes. The only one left for me to celebrate my Birthday with is my Granddaughter, and it's still celebrated Halloween so we can have a costume party. 

So....Halloween has always been a special time for me. (grin)

Raven Wing

What a great story - thanks for sharing it.

It is has been a while since we chatted I hope all is well with you and yours

Hi Robert, great to see you again.  All is well here and I hope the same for you and yours. 

Hey Bob.  You're covering a couple of topics here - small town America and Halloween.  I've always liked the idea of living in a small town, which I finally got to do about six years ago. Prior to that I always lived in the shadow of Boston. I love the serenity and the peace & quiet. There are drawbacks. This town is so plain bread & butter a place that it desperately could use a bakery or a deli. Country stores and farm stands are great, but I need just a bit more spice in my diet.
As for this rolling time of the year, there is no scenic match for fall in New England. My daughters have big plans for Halloween and it looks like I'm going to be a player. 

 I have plans to purchase a small home in my favorite small town - Saratoga, NY. Then it will be Florida in the winter and the Spa in the summer!

Vic

Sounds like a good plan - I know Saratoga has a wonderful race course and I am sure it is a great place to live

Good luck

I grew up in a small country community but live in the hustle and bustle of a major city now.  I gravitate back to my country roots with my love of hiking and being in nature as much as I can.  I raised my sons in a small town and commuted over 3 hours a day to work.  I wanted them to have the small town community experience.  

I definitely miss the holiday celebrations of a small town.  

PJ

I know a lot of people who do as you did and live rurally and commute to Cleveland for work and in the winter up here it is brutal, but raising kids in small town America is so much better for them and the future of the country that the hustle and bustle of city life from their childhood

Nice to hear from you

Dear Friend RIO: Super topic.

Great back and forth from community members.

Well done, my good friend.

Peace and Abundant Blessings Always.

Enoch.

Enoch

And peace, blessings and happiness on your house as well

Thanks - I love my little village and all that dwell there, we are a community in every sense of the word.

I'm a life-long big city boy … but … I spent lots of time in a small town … often on its main street and some years, at Halloween.

© A. Mac/A.G.

I have never been to Disney World at or around Halloween, but I have a new great grandson and he might like to get a look at it next year.

Great picture - thanks for sharing