Its more like 290lbs. I must have been thinking of my own weight.
On the speech thing, the phrase “Have a good one” also annoys the shit out of me. I forgot to mention it.
Ohio SUCKS!!
Earl,
Hang in there! get rid of the dead weight in your life and enjoy!
I’m trying to get out but I’ve dug myself in deep here. What was I thinking?
That’s nothing in Norwood I had so called freinds who not only mooched off me but if they wanted more or I would not give it to them would call the police to come get from me or when i use to bank at the fifth third go down there and take it. The respected members of the community would even go to that bank and clean out your entire account or if you are at the same store, bar, or resturant that they are the scum would stiff you with the bil some friends heh.l
Sheesh Jim, I thought I had it bad. You’re dealing with corruption on a Latin American scale in Norwood. That sounds really bad so actually you should call the FBI and give the names of the “respected member of the community” to them.
Here’s the number to the local offices. Go get em! It’s safe, anonymous, fun and use a pay phone.
(513) 421-4310
(216) 522-1400
Now, now, folks…nothing wrong w/ this State of Insanity that a few million dollars, a few tons of well-placed C 4, strict anti-inbreeding laws and a couple of centuries couldn’t cure.
The FBI has investigated in the past and the city has been found guilty but becuase of legal loopholes and the respected members of the community are either drug snitches or convincingly discredit with the aid of the police those who expose them I even had one agent tell me that he has been trying to nail these clowns for years but have not been able to make anything stick due to witness’s not testifying, their freinds lying on their behalf, and their well to do drug clients always bail them out. As for the Fifth Third goes I beleive the perpertraiters responsable were either fired, retired, or put on notice. This whole thing sounds like something out of a paperback novel but it is true ask anyone who has ever lived in Norwood and they will tell you how corupt it is.
LOL i just stumbled on this site as a pep talk for try to get a job in LA.
You know things are bad in Cleveland when the Latino population decreased, yes DECREASED, between surveys.
My gf of 4 years, doesn’t want to hear of me picking up and leaving (she’s got the house in her name and family upstairs, a daughter in a bloodsucking catholic private high school (we’re cleveland schools over here…need I say more).
Fuck it. Our relationship is half financial half “i feel sorry for you” anyways. I’m not taking my career skills and pissing ’em away for $10/hr temp job. Which is about all you can find here.
What gets me is. I’m gonna get a position that pays at least 50 grand in LA and despite getting hammered on cost of living. I know I’m gonna be better off.
You see thats how Ohioans scare each other off from leaving. A. cost of living.
B. family
I’m sicking of getting “rolled over” in a layoff and finding there’s no opportunities in my jobset. I’m fed up with Republicans who think the state going to be better if they pass the “patiot act” and I could care less about OSU. I like OU better and I live in Cleveland.
Jim ,
How long have you been off of your meds?
The old earl has been blocked by the host. Meet the new earl.
Hello my fellow Ohioans.
We moved to near younsgtown in 1992 for my wife’s job. This place really sucks. If an armpit had an armpit and if that armpit had an armpit now that would be Ohio. I was born, raised and college educated in WI (go Badgers). Spent 4 years in St. Louis (I wish we could move back) then another 4 years in LA. I have two sons and almost everyday I tell them to get the hell out of here after high school and go to college elsewhere. Thank god we visit WI and TX each year to see family so my boys can see how the rest of the country lives. Don’t get me started on the weather. BTW, my wife is from Dallas and has a Ph.D. and she likes this place–go figure.
Rick,
St.Louis? Dallas, Texas?They both SUCK!!! If you are the man that wears the pants then say “Hey Woman get the stuff together we are moving”But you would rather sit on this site and bitch and complain!Maybe what sucks is you and your attitude! change those two things and maybe you will enjoy life a little more.Remember if your attitude sucks in Ohio it will suck anywhere else.Sorry but sometimes the truth does hurt!
You see thats how Ohioans scare each other off from leaving.
A. cost of living.
B. family
–getting near 40
…so so true. I’m near 40 too.
That’s exactly what they do to you everytime you mention leaving. You know what that’s all about? Misery loves company and everyone wants a free ride.
Do yourself a favor – buy a plane ticket and cancel your cell phone. Do it fast before you can think about it.
I’ve lived in Toledo for a year now. I have to say that this is the worst mistake of my life. As a military veteran, I’ve traveled many places. I’ve been stationed in a few places like San Diego and Chicago. I’m originally from Illinois, and I figured Ohio would be sort of like it. Being the midwest and all. Well…
Speaking for Toledo(ToLittle), this is the worst city(town, I’m sorry) I’ve ever lived in my entire life. Any city that can make Detroit look appealing, is sad. I’m moving to Chicago soon, and I am happier than ever. I liked Toledo, until I met the people. These are the most inbred, stupid, hillbilly in a bigger place people I’ve ever seen in my life. There are actually people here who can’t even write their own name!!! The downtown area is dilapidated, under developed, and sad. Even a sunny day at the Mudhens Park looks like a black and white 1920’s movie. The Mudhens games would be fun if it were in another city, because Toledoans are very wierd and depressing people. They have a look of utter stupidity and cluelessness. There are more churches per person in this city than in any major city in the country. I think that’s bad because if you didn’t go to their church from a child up, they won’t talk to you. There are too many difficiencies to discuss. I’m glad I’m leaving. Please don’t come here. I don’t know the rest of Ohio, but Toledo is a nightmare.
The whole g’dam place is a nightmare. Go to the coast.
Props to Jerold!! Toledo is THE absolute stain on society. Moving here was by far the worst move ever for me too. To hell with this place. Especially Waterville, the worst suburb in society. To hell with it all, and all it stands for.
I hate it! I hate it so much!!! Everyday is another shit-fest. I have decided to move the hell out. I just sold my home, and its into an apartment until I find another state, AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE!! It wont be long now, just a matter of getting a job elsewhere. Then its goodbye forever Toledo, and OHIO!!!!
This has got to be the most sports-barified city in the world. If your hard core into OSU, basketball or whatever, and love getting wasted daily with a cliquey group of idiots, then this is all for you. If your into anything else, forget it, it doesnt exist around here. Man if your not into OSU here, the Ohioans will do terrible, horrible things to you. Its amazing how much this area revolves around it. No culture, pooor pooor nightlife, no outdoors. Want to buy some corn or soybeans anyone? . BLEGH.
What a run-down, dirty, needs-to-be bulldozed, and never rebuilt again city. Especially the east side. The number of vacant buildings is absolutely staggering. There is more trash in the streets than in the landfill. The houses were all built 100 years ago, never been updated or fixed up, and they show it.
I was sentenced to a 2 week stay in Ohio, or as I call it the ” learn to clap state” and I can honestly say that the smartest man in Toledo is retarded. the most beautiful woman in ohio is a visitor. seriously though, they live in a world of their own where they are free from the ravages of intelligence.I can only speak about Toledo as I couldn’t drink enough to visit the rest of the state. I met the winner of the miss humpmonkey contest.the best thing about Toledo is when I flush , I dont see it anymore.
I posted a review about Columbus at epinions. Check it out (http://www.epinions.com/content_224000511620). The State of Ohio is in shambles. It is not a very good place to live and as soon as I sell my nome, I will be leaving and not returning. I grew up in the Boston area and when i moved here at 13, I thought I moved to a backwards place. My fears at 13 still hold true today as I am 30. Soon my family and I will be out of here, though.
By the way, the tax situation is insane and the housing prices are abhorrent for what you get. A crappy production home can cost you above $500,000. An average crappy production home is about $250,000 in Columbus.
We are outta here!
B
Well, this is my second comment. I went to Cedar Point on Saturday. Well…
The park itself lived up to it’s hype. It really was one of the better parks I’ve ever been to. I’ve been to a lot of them, so that’s saying a lot. The place…awesome. I really enjoyed the park. The one thing that really dampened the experience was the Ohioans. I was there for a company picnic, as I work for a company in Toledo. All I can say, is that if it weren’t for me running into my co-worker(who happens to be from Buffalo), I would’ve spent the whole day by myself. Ohioans(a lot of them seem to be from Toledo) seem to be very anti-social and unfriendly. As a lot of you are saying, if you aren’t into Ohio State Football…then you are considered an outcast. As it so happens, they had a game that day. My co-worker and I stopped into that sportsbar called Gameday inside the park to grab a beer. It was ridiculous. It was a sea of red. Now, being a sports fan myself, I’m not knocking going to a nice sports grille and cheering on your favorite team. But, Ohioans ruin your experience, because they are so hostile to non-OSU fans. My buddy from Buffalo said to me,”These people are nuts!!!” We actually got rude looks from the people, because we weren’t cheering on the Buckeyes. I thought to myself,”You know, you can’t go anywhere in Toledo and just have genuine fun.” Even though, the park is in Sandusky…I know. It just seems like a lot of people from Toledo were there. I wonder if the whole state is like Toledo. I came to the conclusion that if you don’t like getting drunk to oblivion, fighting, or eating…you are not a Toledoan. I think it’s sad that there are actually people in the world(especially America) that foster such a negative mentality. I am on pace to move out of here in May, so until then, I guess I have to suck it up. I just hate being 26 and there’s no nightlife or people to meet.
I have run out of negative comments about my home town. The angry bitter fount is dry for the moment. I do know that it is not a good time to be selling your Ohio real estate and after about 30 bad showings I just gave up selling the one I’m in (tried in 05 to sell it too) and probably am going to rent the remaining vacant (no deals there either) place to an OSU student and just keep plugging along here until Berneke lowers the interest rates or hell freezes over or whatever. At least the weather’s been nice.
Well I now live on the West Coast, before that I lived in Ohio for 21 years. I find that most areas have positive and negatives, and most cities have very bad, poor, decrepid sections. I also find, even in places like California, you have populations that have not moved out of their native areas and remain ignorant to the rest of the country. But what I do think is a common thing with Ohioans is a bitterness and hostility to difference. Anything that is outside of the middle or foriegn or new or challenging they are sure to hate on it and usually put it down (in their insecurities) by calling it “elitist” or “extreme” or “radical” or “upperclass”. Watch out for the Ohio haters, they are real, and they will cut you down every chance they get.
I’m with ya dave. They always hated me although they usually call me “Sir” now before they start putting me down.
A damn insecure bunch aren’t they? They project their narrow-minded hostility on everything that isn’t scarlet and grey. They even get suspicious if you’re into pro sports instead of freakin OSU.
Can’t wait to get out of here.
Hey everyone. I hope you all don’t mind me airing out my frustrations here. I’ve found a sort of rescue mission in this site to let out my feelings about Toledo and it’s inhabitants. I now understand why outsiders to Toledo say that Toledoans will stab you in the back. I just got done cleaning off the rusty knife that some of them stabbed me with. It’s work related and I won’t go into detail, but I’ve learned a valuable lesson about this town and it’s “good ole boy” mentality. I’m now, more than ever, even more motivated to getting out of here. Moving from a place has never been a priority in my life. Toledo changed all of that. I agree with Dave on the fact that, even on the West Coast, different regions have their issues and characteristics. Toledo is different in my opinion. It’s really a negative city(town, I’m sorry). To call this place a city is an insult to thriving places that have long overcome this sort of small town, secluded mentality. I ran into a church buddy of mine, who is also trying to get out of Ohio. She said that even at my church, they are just unfriendly. I can’t believe that this is reality. I feel like I’m on another planet. Is ALL of Ohio like Toledo? Please let me know. I trust that an entire state can’t be as detached from reality as one town. I mean, Detroit is only 40 minutes away, and it seems like it’s an entirely different world from Toledo. No offense to Detroit, but for a town to make it look appealing is down right disgusting.
Jerold,
Just leave Ohio. Forget about living here. GO WEST! Go! Get the Hell out of here! It all sucks. Nobody cool stays. It’s the worlds capital of psychic vampires and drama queens. Go!- before they drain your life force.
Get your keys and wallet and run out of your house. Don’t look back til you cross the state line.
^Exactly, earl!
IT SUCKS HERE!! Just looking outside today at the cloudy cold day makes it even worse.
There is so much drama here, that everyday I feel as if this whole place is one big soap opera reality. Jerry Springer should open up a new show here. He would become three times the millionaire he is.
What a HOLE! I now hate Ohio with a passion. Constant shit-fests, everyday, all day. It is now most definately the scum of the earth!
Ugh, the people here are so full of shit!! Nobody keeps their word. They are abunch of ignorant, self-absorbed, conceited, naive pricks. Whomever said this is the “learn to clap state”, and the ” thats not how we do it here state”, was damn right.
The only good thing to come out of this whole experience is that I didnt turn into one of them.
I will disappear from this wasteland like a fart in the wind as soon as I can, hopefully very soon. I wish all the rest of you the best of luck in getting the hell out of here, never to return!!
OHIO SUCKS!! IT SUCKS!!! SUCKS!!!!
It’s just the lack of ambition and desire to drag everyone to their level that gets you down. You get somewhere and then they start thinking “Oh, now he thinks he’s better than us. Let’s find a way to screw up his life. Let’s milk this guy for all he’s worth.”
The only cool people are the ones passing through. The place is pathetic. It’s like a lazy beach town without a beach or a ski resort without a mountain. I can’t stand it.
Entry 3:
Hello all. I’m making my third entry, and I still have nothing good to say about this place. Tell me something. Is it just me, or do people from Toledo only talk to other Toledoans? You know, I think they know their own kind. Everyone in Toledo has a look about them. A mannerism, that is only displayed by Toledoans. It’s a look of just utter cluelessness and hopelessness. I hate that look. It seems like if you don’t have that “I don’t know my asshole from a hole in the ground” look on your face, they won’t talk to you. I’ve also noticed how crappy the service is at damn near every, and I do mean EVERY, business in this God-forsaken town. Just one after the other, all of these people are rude and very stupid. If you’ve met one Toledoan, you’ve met them all. Everyone is the same here. EVERYONE!!! No one has a different personality. No culture or optimism or motivation. The only thing that I’ve seen Toledoans do with some enthusiasm is gossip and try to tear down someone. It’s sickening. Drink till you piss on yourself and watch Ohio State Buckeye Football. That’s the most culture you’ll find in Toledo. I think I’ve met more inbred hicks here in Toledo, than I did when I visited Kentucky. This is definately the Glass City, because I see through all of this B.S. Good luck to everyone in OUR quest to escape the assylum that is Ohio.
With faith, courage, discipline and a better real estate market we will all God-willing…escape this icy hell, this Siberia of the soul, this malignant fast food fat cell metastizing on the buttocks of mother earth.
Now here’s a guy who’s been to Ohio. Check out his ratings page.
For those of us with years still left on our sentence, I have found yet another Ohio diversion in addition to drinking the native’s wine. Here are some ODNR cabins which aren’t a bad way to escape the tedium of lame Ohio cities. They’re cheaper than the commercial variety and easy to reserve.
It’s for those times when you can’t make a long weekend in the Poconos.
I can understand why some people aren’t all happy with Ohio, but I think a lot of comments are far too extreme. There are worse states in the country in terms of the economy, weather, pollution, ugliness, etc. People always seem to forget about Indianna. IN has it far worse than OH.
AND I just don’t think it is fair to make sweeping characterizations about the state. People live in a lot of different kinds of cities, different kinds of suburbs, and different kinds of rural areas. There is no “one and horrible” Ohio as many people are claiming.
There are very different parts and very nice parts that could certainly satisfy everyone. Maybe not everyone would be pleased, but I think everyone would be quite satisfied if they knew where to look for the things they are looking for. I like talking to my friends or other people I meet who are so down on Ohio. After talking to them I learn that they are actually just very unaware of how different Ohio is and how much it actually has to offer.
I think after living here for 39 years that it’s a nice state if you are a mom or a dad and just want to settle down somewhere and buy a big house and raise your kids.
If you are highly career ambitious, enjoy change and beautiful scenery and not into the family thing then I don’t see that it offers anything at all.
I agree there are good things here but there are great things elsewhere. You try to make the best of where you’re at.
If you want to live out your life in Dayton or Columbus ,Cleveland or Youngstown .well then good for you. Enjoy yourself.
..But if you’ve been other places and seen some of the wonders of this world as I have then you know that it can be improved upon. Travel does broaden the mind and people should just get the hell out of Ohio because it’s anything but a broadminded place. It will drag you down if you stay. Take it from somebody who knows better than most.
To earlthepearl: I don’t quite agree with you about people who have been other places and seen some of the wonders of the world necessarily needing to get out ofOhio. I’m fairly young myself (22), enjoy a variety of types of things, career ambitious, and in my 22 years I’ve probably spent two years (cumulatively speaking) outside the state and traveling to some of the most fabulous places in the world.
We have to remember that any particular place is narrowminded- no matter where you are. Indeed every place in Ohio is narrow-minded in their way. BUT if you travel around Ohio through the various rural parts, the various suburbs, and the various urban centers you will find in Ohio- just as in the world- that there are a variety of different view points, cultures, and lifestyles.
If I had only known my specific community that I grew up in Earlthepearl, and then traveled outside of the state and outside the country I would agree with you that Ohio is nice for families as a place to settle down. BUT you see I have come to understand that my community is not necessarily typical Ohio. Typical Ohio does not exist. If I wanted to have a white collar job and have a family in the suburbs I could do so. If I wanted to have a blue collar job and have a family in a working class neighborhood I could do so. If I wanted to live in the country I could do so. If I wanted to have a bohemian artist lifestyle and live in the city near art galleries and coffee shops I could do so. If I wanted to be a young professional and live in a new swanky apartment near the clubs, I could do so.
To Edgewater03 :
It looks like Ohio created an antibody. This is certainly one of the better defenses of Ohio. I’ve come across on the net and I look forward to refuting you on a day that’s less hectic than today.
Not many people want to step up and defend the home of the useless nut.
Perhaps when you’re 39 you may feel a little bit different about the place as you’re friends bug out to better places and you slowly grow a thick hide of contempt for the same-old-same-old. I’m sure it’s easier when you are 22 for a lot of reasons.
B.T.W. I’ve been to at least 25 countries spanning Asia, Europe, Eurasia and the Americas so I might know something. I travel out of this siberia every winter for as long as I can.
Hello everyone, like many of you I stumbled on this sight by googling OHIO SUCKS. I have lived here for 12 years, originally from Michigan… the biggest sucky thing about Ohio has been the rude ass bags. I was never a sports fan but have become a Michigan fan over the years because of the fucktard Buckeye fans treating me with such contempt just for being FROM Michigan. I am looking forward to retiring somewhere else… but unfortunately my DH (who unfortunately is a buckeye fan, but not a rude ass bag) and I have to work another 15 years if our jobs are here that long! Here lately I’ve been wishing the company we work for would go belly up so we can get out of here. He is a native but hates it too. I also had to laugh when you talk about the fatties… You wouldn’t believe all the jealous biscuit n gravy eating sows I have to work with…. and if they’re not in the over 200 range they look like their mother and father were siblings. They can’t be nice to a normal looking female! OH WELL, I don’t prefer to converse with them anyway, they are all emotionally unstable or have some other severe personality defect anyway! My 9 yr. old son has a better sense of humor and better conversationalist than the ugly fat bitches I work with!
Hey everyone, doing another entry. Well, I got back from Detroit today. I went to the game yesterday afternoon to watch the Detroit Tigers beat the dark side. Although I’m a White Sox fan, I’d much rather see someone else win besides the Yankees. I had so much fun. The place errupted with excitement. The best thing of all…NO BUCKEYE FANS!!! I was so glad that there is somewhere that is semi-normal that I can now escape from Toledo. I think its funny because I went to a Detroit Tiger playoff game, and I got the full ambience of a playoff baseball game. I went to the Toledo Mudhens playoff and championship games (ALL of them.) The stadium is very nice, but it was empty because of the start of high school football and OSU games. I think that its sad that this city doesn’t patronize something other than getting drunk, going out to eat, and taking you big girl to a high school football game. I know it sounds unbelievable, but high school football games to Toledo, is like a night out at the Knicks or Yankees game to New York. The people are so small minded here. Maybe I’m just being knit-picky, but this place has just pushed me to my wits end with the cliquey, good ol’ boy, narrow-minded vibe it gives off. I mean, no offense to Detroit…but it was supposed to be the mean city. I have more friends up there than I have made here in a year of living here. I actually like Detroit. I didn’t think I would, but I go up there whenever I want a change. What is Cleveland like? I’ve been through, but not to it. Is it like Toledo? I read some of your responses and I don’t want to go there if it is as bad as people say it is. And props to the girl from Michigan. I like people from Michigan as opposed to Ohioans. You know, I think Ohio is actually the lost confederate state that floated north. I mean, think about it. The small town mentality, they HATE northern states(Michigan/Pennsylvania), the pickup trucks, the college football madness, the number of times you see a confederate flag and trailer parks per square mile. Think about it. Ohio, the northern most southern state. Then again, that’s in insult to all southern states. So, Ohio is just an outcast and I apologize to the south for comparing it to Ohio. That is just downright inhumane.
Another reason Ohio SUCKS the big Kaboobee… that SF song… We don’t give a damn for the whole state of Michigan…. like they care you sf tards!…… Yeah, I am going home to Michigan to visit for a few days and getting out of here!!!!! WOOOHOOO! GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The one thing that i always noticed living in Norwood was that these idiots never have money to pay their bills on time or to buy food but they always have money to go to the bars seems like in Ohio ones vice takes priority over personal responsabilities go figure.
Hello all,
You know, I never noticed just how lazy and stupid these people are until I started working here. They complain about there being no jobs here, but when they get a job…they don’t wanna work. I work with some of the laziest m.f.s in the country. The worst part about it, they will complain whenever they have to start doing what they are supposed to be doing. In their little Ohio mind, they’re picking up your slack. I can’t believe half of the stuff I’ve seen. And this “good ol boy” mentality. I’m still waiting for someone named Cooter to come along and tell everyone how much fun he had at the high school game he went to on Friday night. This town is so damn weird.
Hello everyone!
Let me start by saying i have lived in alot of places growing up (Ohio,Michigan,Western NY,MN,and Boston) And am currently living in Dublin Ohio. Yes alot of what you say about Youngstown, Cleveland and Akron is true. But alot is false. In the list of places i have lived i would put ohio second behind MN. It is nice if you are in the right places. I am in a nice clean area with NO crime A ton of jobs and million dollar homes. Yet i can still afford a two bedroom apt. for under 700 a month. Try that in Boston. The LOWEST i could find a two bedroom apt in and around Boston was in NH and it was 1300 a month. im making just as much as i would have there and in a year my new house will be built on 1 acre of land with 2100 square ft of space for under 250K. That would be unthinkable in MANY other places. Alot of the people bashing Ohio are young, they havent had to fend for themselves yet. NY is crazy exspensive and i know alot of mindless new yorkers. In Ohio i can get away from people and start my life faster then in the east coast. The fact that some people here are stupid doesnt matter so much to me people are stupid everyplace. I do whats best for me and my family and there are alot of good schools outside of the inner cities. To tell you the truth most of the people i meet on a daily basis are from somplace else. So if Ohio is Shitty because of the people that live here and they are from other places, then other places have shitty people also. Point being the upside of Ohio (at least central Ohio) is better then the downside for me and alot of other people. Also i dont think its fair to judge a state just by driving through it, have any of you people been to GA or KY or even WV and WY? I have and as bad as ohio seems it gets alot worse in other places. Food is cheap here, land is cheap here, gas is cheap here, everything cost less its really not that bad of a place.
sorry for any spelling errors
-ryan
Hey Ryan,
You bring good points to the table. I’m not knocking the cost of living at all. I mean, this place is good as far as trying to get on your feet. I lived in L.A. for 2 years, and let me tell you…I don’t think anywhere in the U.S. is more ridiculous when it comes to cost of living then L.A. You’re practically paying for sunshine out there. My main gripe with Ohio(well Toledo, anyway) is that you run into a lot of close mindedness here. The town has a lot of potential and COULD really go somewhere. It’s just the mentality of the people here. That “good ol’ boy”, small town in Indiana crap. I never thought that a city this size could foster such a wierd mentality. I’m in the process of moving, and a large part of the reason why the move is going to be a success(which is also a blessing) is the fact that Toledo is dirt cheap to live in and I’m saving a ton of money. I’m planning on buying a house, though. So, if I get stuck with something here and want to move later, I don’t know how difficult that would be. Seeing the fact that the housing market is more or less crippled up here in the rustbelt area. I agree with your point of view. Props and much respect.
Jerold
Yes Ryan, that is ONE thing I am thankful for… the cost of living because that means I will be able to retire early in 15 years and get out of this state. I have live in the big city and you get no where fast paying rent. My house payment is only 500 a month and I will have it paid off in 3 yrs. Not too many places you can do that! I just am really happy I’m not from here and that my son has gotten to travel quite a bit so he knows Ohio isn’t what the whole planet is like mentality wise!
Hi again thanks for the replies,
Both of you bring up a good point, people in the “rust belt” and really most of ohio seem stuck in the mudd. Which is dissapointing but provides all the more opportunity to people who are not like that. As far as character and Culture yes the east coast wins hands down but with that huge diverse population your in more of a “rat race” kind of life style. And yes i would like to see more of a “can do” approach to people in Ohio, instead your going to see more of a “im happy with how things are right now” outlook. But the way i see it, its just easy pickens for me i now run my own business and just take their money all day long. And really as much as i miss Bostons culture, most bostonian’s are rude opinonated stubburn people and compaired to that people out here (while not the brightest stars in the sky) are not so bad. I guess if i lived in Ohio my whole life i might have a different outlook but where i am in my life compaired to people i know back in New England im way ahead, not so much with a career but as far as money goes im much more secure. Well to each his or her’s own and the best advice i can give to anyone is if you dont like where you are, you need to find a way out or continue to struggle through it to a brighter future.
thanks again everyone
And sorry for any errors grammer or spelling
thanks
-Ryan
Work Without Hope
All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair –
The bees are stirring -birds are on the wing –
And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!
And I the while, the sole unbusy thing,
Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.
Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow,
Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow.
Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may,
For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away!
With lips unbrightened, wreathless brow, I stroll:
And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul?
Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve,
And Hope without an object cannot live.
-Samuel Taylor Coleridge
I come from a family that has until myself lived in Ohio in abject poverty for the last 100 years and I think my life experiences and observations qualifies me to say that the greatest problem facing Ohioans is a lack of Hope. I think one of the earlier posters put it right when he said that Ohio will give you a couple good days then turn around and stab you in the back. Some people have said Ohio isn’t all bad and they are correct there are good places but having lived in South Eastern Ohio (ranked the poorest place in the entire U.S.) where the vast majority of people are living at or below the poverty level and having lived in some of the best places Upper Arlington, Columbus, the suburbish “ex-urbs” around Cincinnati, I have to say the majority of Ohioans live in poor, dead-end job, slum/trailer-park/poo-dunk communities. The real problems with these places is the cycle of poverty, hopeless poverty and the ignorance that goes along with it. From having had the luxury of traveling the nation on both coasts, down many many biking tours of Ohio and been raised in a more “cultured” home I can say the comments on the bible thumping, narrow minded, ignorant, self-defeating, redneck culture are very true. The people here worship at the alter of football and motor sports, while pounding down some type of drug, alcohol or both to distract themselves from their sad lot in life. The fear of finances that prevent people from leaving is all too real as while the housing is “affordable” the average wage is scaled down as well, a $75,000 dollar home takes time to pay off on a $26k/yr income (espcially with a family to support on that wage). In my hometown I grew up in all to often people, particularly men, would commit suicide if they were diagnosed with cancer or some other severe disease as it was not the depressing news, but the thought of the financial burden treatment would place on the family that put them over the edge (as there suicide notes stated). The weather seems to reflect the generally negative and depressing attitude of Ohio’s denizens, 7-8 months of grey rainy skies gives way to hot, humid, opressive summers. Ohio literrally gets more precipitation than Seattle and more days of cloudy skies. Right now I’m looking a graduating from OSU this year and being the first person in both sides of my family to have ever recieved a college degree. I soon will be leaving Ohio to find a job just like the majority of Ohio college graduates in what has been termed in Ohio as “The Great Brain Drain” as this state offers few job oppertunities for someone with a degree aside from teaching in the public shools or managing some telemarketing call center. Every time I go home I struggle with things that others have already commented on from friends and relatives wanting to suck off any potential wealth me and my family can offer as they feel they are “owed” to being treated like shit out of hand because I’m now a “big headed college boy”. I take this in stride and with good humor because in contrast when I was in high school and playing varsity football at my parents behest, my team was always in state title contention and these same people insisted on treating me like some hometown hero(which I hated). To this day they insist, as they did then, that those would be the “best years of my entire life”. This is becuase next to NFL and College football, high school football is the next favorite thing on Ohioans lists and this is not limited to the rednecks. Maybe this gives you some more personalized insight into the type of people that live in Ohio and why, though I won’t say Ohio sucks (there are far worse places in the world) it is in fact loaded with negatives. I included the above poem because it really expresses the hopeless-malaise that effects the people here and like its author the people can’t seem to ever free themselves from: money woes, major family problems(abuse etc.), drug habits, unwanted pregnancies. So all they can do is sit idly by stuck in their problems. ABANDON ALL HOPE YEE WHO ENTER HERE!
Here’s a list of things I’ve noticed in my life:
Corrupt Politicians
High Taxes (we’re rated 11th highest in the nation)
Bad Public School Systems (We never covered English grammer at my shool IM NOT KIDDING!)
Major Drug Problems (#1 Meth consuming state YAY!)
Rapidly Growing Crime Rate
Overweight People ( Everything revolves around watching sports and eating food here! Columbus is the 4th fatest city in the U.S)
Ignorant People (All the smart people are leaving!)
Obnoxious People
Narrow Minded People
Religiously Intolerent People (had Hanzel and Grettle taken out of my elementary school b/c it “promoted” witch craft)
Crap Weather
Ugly People (Seriously I’ve noticed from my friends at OSU and my travels that the majority of natives are much more homely than the average from abroad person, our women have V shaped bodies for christ sake!)
Briars – defn: redneck, particularly one who’s ancestors left Appalachia to work in Ohio factories during the great depression.
High Arsenic Levels in the Water ( Hope you like intestinal cancer yum! yum!)
Racists (Goes with the whole redneck thing)
I
llegal Immigrants (Seriously we have a ton of factory/service industry jobs and fruit farms. I know people from the
Southwest and they never fail to make the comment “They are more damned illegals here than in Texas/Arizona/N.M./Cali”)
Finally We Have only Lake Erie seperating us from Canada, on a quiet winter’s night when there has been a recent cold snap you if you listen closely you can here them sharpening their skates, waiting for the lake to freeze over so they can come down and steal our cheese!
Okay so the last one was just for fun! Seriously though I like Canada, cold, but its got some friendly-funny people.
Wow, Exodus… you are a very eloquent young man! Good for you for getting an education. My step daughter is at OSU and I have high hopes for her as well to get out there and have a better life than her relatives… her mom’s family is exactly like the girls’ family in Million Dollar Baby if you’ve seen it!
Congrats Exodus. I truly envy you. Get out before the sick bastards here kill your soul.
If you’ve got family ,friends or business associates —just turn off the phone. They’ll throw more drama at you than a Shakespeare festival to get you back. GET THE HELL OUT!!!!!! Don’t let me catch you around this state again.
Hey Ex,
I’m blown away at your comment. You have really given me an insight to what the rest of Ohio is really like. I didn’t know half the facts that you stated about it. I’ve figured that the narrow-mindedness what just limited to Toledo. Here, the job market is broken. Detroit looks attractive compared to Toledo. The crime rate is growing as is teenage pregnancy and domestic violence. The downtown area is deprived of all hope, thanks to the mayor here. He seems like one of those good ol boys who only wanna fatten the pockets of his friends. The people here have a real unfriendly, rustbelt, “what the F*** are you looking at” mentality. I’ve never, in my life, been to a place where the thing to do on a Friday night (for the ENTIRE town) is go to their old high school to watch football. It’s amazing how the mentality has regressed so in this area. There are no jobs unless you know someone, or want to work at a factory. You even have to know someone for that. I can’t believe that there is actually a train of thought like this. You seem like a really driven person. I’m on pace to move out of here in May. I wish you luck and happiness. See you on the other side.
Jerold
Yep, it’s raining hard right now in Central Ohio, but all I need is a full belly, snuggly woman and a. roof over my head. And I have all 3, so Ohio don’t suck too bad tonight, and the rain will help me sleep like a rock. Good luck to you all!
What a great blog!! Great posts all!! I could not agree more. Lets keep it going!
I have been stuck here for 3 long years, as a result of an unfortunate job transfer from Maryland.
What a mistake moving here was. Exodus could not have summed it up better for me.
I have been posting my negative thoughts on city-data.com/forum. My opinions are not well taken there, because of the many people there that see Ohio thru “rose colored glasses”. It would be great if some true Ohioans, such as those here, that really want out could get over there and post some real insight on what life is like in this god-forsaken state.
I have finally sold my house in Toledo almost after 2 years of attempts, repairs, and lowering the price. I am living in an apartment now and researching many different cities. I will be leaving this cesspool soon.
Natives: Just my 2 cents. There is soo much out there. Ohio is a stain on the mattress compared to what possibilities, culture, life, and every other part of reality that exists in the rest of this great country!! Leave this place and get out there and experience it!! The sky is the limit.
Hope to all the very best, and good luck in leaving this place!!!
Hello all,
This is probably my 6th or 7th entry now. This place is just cool for me to vent frustration from being confined in the “broken glass city”. After reading the majority of the comments here. I now realize that I’m not alone in the quest to leave the Cockeyed State. Chicago is looking better and better by the day. I really can’t wait to leave. I almost lost my job today due to just plain racism and bias. This guy at work, who barely works at all, goes to his “good ol boy” buddy (who is also my supervisor) and complained about how I was making his job harder on him. I work in production, so it’s very hard to make someones job harder is everyone is supposed to be working. I guess I did make it harder, because I interrupted his conversation that he’s paid $10 an hour to have with the other yahoos on the line. Anyway, he’s in the lunch room telling the supervisor how butt hurt he is that him and his buddy couldn’t finish their conversation because work interferred with it. By the way, they were talking about high school football. I was just doing my job and telling them that everyone can’t keep picking up their slack. I got written up for that. I was so upset. Not only at the stupidity of the issue at hand, but that the supervisor would entertain such a stupid complaint. I guess that goes with the territory of messing with inbred good ol boys. This is one of the only towns I’ve ever been to that is really bad with that mess. You would swear that only 10 1/2 people lived in Toledo if you weren’t from here. Good luck to all trying to leave.
First of all PA doesn’t suck for whoever said that. Ohio does suck – my wife is from there and we moved back to Pittsburgh after college. I’ve been alot of places in the US including Hawaii and I must say Ohio is comparable to say Mississippi. Anyone reading this who lives in Ohio should move. Yes there are nice neighborhoods around Cleveland, but what city doesn’t have that? There are just those “intangible” things that everywhere seems to have but Ohio. Like PA has alot of history to it and Philly and its natural beauty and wildlife. Ohio just deosn’t seem to have anything but endless suburbs that make you feel like a rat in a cage. Hell even WV is pretty scenic if you can get past the locals. I use to hate Ohio, now I just feel bad for you guys. Sorry!
Ok let’s face it, 90% of us on here know Ohio sucks and most of us can give a million reasons why it does suck… But what, if anything, could Ohio do to fix itself? Do the people that live there need a better attitude? More things to do? Better football team? Better weather? New governor? Fix up Cleveland? Less a$$hole cops? Raise the speed limit? I do not live in Ohio but have spent the better part of 5 years there for college so I have some idea of what makes that place horrible so let’s hear it!!!
I never saw a state outside the northeast with so many smartass flaming assholes like Ohio has no wonder people want to leave.
Browns suck,
For one, Ohio could use less sportsbars, and more outdoor and cultural activities. Everything there is to do here revolves around drinking and OSU. OSU is cool, but I am tired of hearing about it 24/7. The main activity here seems to be drinking. That could use some improvement.
The weather? Yeah, it sucks most of the year, but if there were other things here to offset that, then it wouldnt be a problem. The problem is, in the winter, everyone disappears into a heated cave and never comes out. If there was something for people to do other than drink and go to the mall then maybe people would get out a little more.
The other thing here, its very hard to find someone to start an intelligent conversation with. You talk about anything other than OSU, when you will drink next, or which girl you will take home, and all you get is this dumbfounded look like you were talking in a foreign language.
Its not all bad here, but there are certainly many many more negatives than positives. I cant stand it here anymore, and am in the process of getting out. The sooner the better.
Browns suck,
The lack of decent culture and nightlife is another bad thing about Ohio. As daytrepper explained, all there is to do in this town is go to the bar, watch OSU football, get drunk, go to church and squeeze just enough time in to reproduce and eat. Downtown Toledo is a morgue after 5pm on a Friday night, and barely open at all on Saturday. The only thing that is remotely cultural down there is Fifth Third Field(the minor league ballpark). It was actually graded the best minor league field in the nation. I will never take that away from them. Outside of that, I don’t know. This town thinks that Dave & Buster’s is wierd. Go figure.
I just turned 40 in Ohio today. Please shoot me.
BANG!
I visited Ohio on August 1st. It was Akron, OH and what I saw I thought it was tons of shopping malls and eateries. I was like god damn. I’m from Westchester County 10 minuates from the Bronx, NY (NYC) and I thought the eateries were out in Long Island or out in New Jersey along route 17 near the Garden State Plaza. BTW I was visiting a friend who was working at the Univ of Akron follow that up by going to the Hall of Fame Ceromonies in Canton, OH seeing Harry Carson getting Inducted. Well anyway, enough of the other news and on to the matter as I went there and I noticed it was flat. Yes flat. Then, I also noticed on my tour through Akron with my friend that we went along Market Streets and saw how a lot of shopping areas there. One of the malls was Summet Mall. and around there were lots of restaurants. Tons of them and I mean comercial ones. Then we went to another mall which was the Springdale mall and I saw nothing but resturants along West Market Street. I mean I didn’t see a bunch of fatso but I had to imaginate that if it was a Saturday Afternoon then yes the fatsos would rule. But it seemed alright, maybe if you are an old person or had a family. I went to Cleveland and I was expecting the flats to still be life. I went there back in 2000 and it seemed alive. Then I went there and it was dead. I noticed the warehouse district and it was good but I was with friends and didn’t do much there. But before these rants I was first of maybe considering of living there and renting an apartment and getting a job in the Akron area. Now once I saw this site I gave it a second thought, but damn I don’t know if I want to do that now. Hot summers and cold winters with nothing in between. But if there are a ton of fat girls then damn that’s not good. I like pretty ladies BTW in shape. Anyway, I am talking and talking but if the ladies are giving you folks troube in Ohio. Then google David DeAngelo for the lady problems and his stuff can get you great game on getting the pretty ladies of Ohio ( not overweight and ugly (base on each indviduals attraction)). Now for the rest of the people I’d just say you might want to leave for more better quality folks. Because this does not sound good. I mean their whole lives are Ohio State Buckeye’s and drinking beer or the Browns and Indians in Northeast Ohio. That sucks. I’m a Giants fan but at least I have a life I go to. I work out, go to the gym, go out at times at night or play chess in certain spots or movies etc…………. And it doesn’t make or break me if a person or friend doesn’t root for the home town team. But it seems like it’s work and home and dead end stuff and bitterness and rednecks and ghetto trash. Not my cup of tea. BTW I thought Ohio ladies were attractive at Ohio State University. Just curious.
BTW, I am not in no means trying to disrespect the state. Seriously. I also forgot to mention that when I passed two exits before going to the Hall of Fame Ceromonies in Canton, OH I saw another plaza which had Longhorn Restaurant and more eateries. It was a slew of plazas and that was near the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. I think it was the strip. And there was a place off I-77 where I-480 intersect and there seemed to be restaurants there too. All I can say is that it seems like that part Ohio has a ton of eateries with folks that make tons in the weight department 🙂
uhhhhh…
Another grim, cold day in this god-forsaken place. Winter only amplifies the abysmal monotony that accompanies living here. The platitude of day to day life can be extremely burdensome for the persons not yet assimilated into the typical Ohioan persona.
daytrepper, my advice to you is look for another job somewhere out of state on monster, in fact that is my advice to everyone from Ohio. Winter would be better if there were hills out there at least to ski on. Ohio is so boring! Westwood 1 you are right, there is nothing to do besides eat and drink out there – no natural beauty like PA, NY, or MD. Trust me dude don’t move there, I lived there for 5 years and it was too much, I went crazy and moved back to PA. BTW I am browns suck and PA.
To JasonPA,
Man so you say it is that bad. Damn, I heard that a certain part of Ohio had contamination of toxic waste and that was Cheshie, OH. I heard a story from real sports that the company that contaminated the town used a buyout and sold the town as part of their property. Now JasonPA where did you live in Ohio?
I was in Akron, OH. It seemed OK, that’s it OK. In Manhatten, Brooklyn, Queens, and a part of Staten Island you get some real culture and some of the chain restaurants. That is a bit more frequent in the burb (North New Jersey, Westchester County and Rockland and Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Long Island) but still you can find authentic cuisie (spelling). I don’t know about Ohio? In Cleveland it was kind of like chain restaurants, except for the Rock Bottem Brewery off of the Flats back in August of this year. Also, can anyone answer what happened to the Flats? I mean in 2000 it was alive and had bars and clubs open. I heard on a website called (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flats) that drowning deaths that made it dead. But why? I mean the clubs should have put wals there or something. It seemed nice.
I didn’t get a chance to go to the Warehouse area. I just passed by. I rode with my friend at the time and I had a drink along with my sinuis killing me at the time so I didn’t get to check out that area. Damnit. Anyway, enough of the talking I am just rumbling and rumbling 🙂 This place just seems ordinary to me. Maybe good to visit a friend but that’s it.
Again JasonPA:
Where in PA are you from? I have folks that live in Philly and even thought that’s a rough town at least there is stuff to do and you are 1hour and 45 mins south of New York.
But I have been bad places and by all means don’t go to Western New York. Particulary, Buffalo. That place sucks the big one. EVERYONE there is nothing but fat sloppy Buffalo Bills rooting loser and very biased (bigoted people) too. There are nothing but bars in downtown Buffalo that is filled with college students but that’s it. In that area if you want real nightlife, then you have to go 1 hour and 45 minuates to Toronto or stay close and waste your money on the casinos called Casion Niagara or the strip clubs (which have fine ladies from Toronto-called the Canadian Ballet). The ladies of Western New York look like mutants. All I got to say is BUFFALO SUCKS!!!!!!!
To JasonPA: I will give the rest of New York State one thing and that’s scenery and hills to ski. Outside of Buffalo has Wispering Pines and that has good ski slopes. Now for me I consider north outside Westchester County and Rockland County Upstate New York State. Nice scenery, but some crappy towns like Rochester and Syarcuse, Rust Belt towns. What more can I say. So if the rest of Ohio is like that then oh man that’s not good. And to add insult to injury #1 ranked Ohio State is playing #2 ranked Michigan in college football and it seems like it is going to be the center of the sports universe that day. Little do folks know about outside of Ohio that it may not be good as TV makes it out to be. I hope Rugters ranked #6 from New Jersey gets a shot at the National Championship whoever loses the game this weekend. And TV made Rugters right next to Manhatten when that campus is 40 minuates south of Manhatten which is exit 9 on the New Jersey Turnpike. Anyway, Nuff Said about this I don’t want to hog up the boards but just my 2 cents. Opps I meant $2.45 cents 🙂 Again I don’t want to disrespect anyone. Have a great day and again google David DeAngelo and his products if you are having lady problems. They are good. Have a great day 🙂
I live in Pittsburgh, thank God, went to Kent near Akron for 5 years. It is ok to visit in the summer if you are lucky.
Ohio is like having Buffalo NY or Detroit MI or South Philly over the whole state. It’s nickname is North Mississippi, move to the Poconos if you want out of NY, but by God, don’t go to Jersey either.
Oh and the Cuyahoga River actually caught fire, TWICE! The impression I have gotten from Ohio is that the people there have no common sense, and they don’t want it either. After all, if they did they would leave. They love being ignorant. The people there just have a loosing attitude. I could go into great lengths trust me. Just to give you an idea my wife bought her wedding dress from a scam artist who was previously convicted and yet still in business, you order things from a store like a bed and it take twice as long as what the salesman told you and when it does come it’s not what you ordered. If you move there you have to re-take your driver’s course – the actual driving and test both! There is no EZ-Pass on any highways yet (stone-age) It’s just a very gloomy and downtrodden place and you can feel it the minute you cross the border from PA. Imagine nothing in your life ever working out, constantly having bad luck, and being stuck with a sinus infection, that is Ohio.
To JasonPA: Now is that the reason why it went dark in the Flats in Cleveland after 2000. Was it some stupid drunk launched the Cuyagoa River on fire again in 2000? If so when? In fact when I was there I remember going to a Hooters Restaurant there. And the watress was good looking and a few were fine. But, that really sucks. Also, like I said before Go Rugters beat Cincinnati and get to the ranking of #2 for the national championship and beat the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeye’s. Also, here’s an article from that town I spoke to you about. Did you hear of Cheshire, OH. That is sad and here’s the link: http://www.forgottenoh.com/Cheshire/cheshire.html. That really is evil and sad. But hey the folks want to stay in the dark so oh well. Again I am not trying to disrespect the state but it just amazes me how people think and live in ignorant bliss.
Hello,
I’m so glad so many rude foul mouthed folks like you all are leaving!!
You should move to Flint MI or Saginaw!!
I think you all have bad attitudes which may come from within yourselves and blaming OH is your excuse.
I have met some of the type of people you talk about and most of them migrated here from West Virginia, PA and other southern coal towns. Ignorant people are everywhere!!
I traveled a lot in the early 1990’s been to Houston, Charlotte & Raleigh NC, Minneapolis, Portland Oregon, Michigan and Wisconsin. Lived in Phoenix AZ for 2 months and been through NM, and states all along the way. We vacation in Upper Michigan and while nice I wouldn’t live there. Best towns were Charlotte and Portland but even there homeless people craped on the sidewalks in a very nice neighbor hood, not seen that in OHIO!
I grew up in the nastiest northeastern most city Ashtabula Ohio, which is now the Meth capital of Ohio. I was lucky enough to go to a decent school and live in a ok neighborhood. I married a farmer and moved to Orwell south in Ashtabula Co. (near Don King’s training Camp). My nearest neighbor is across the street or 1/4 mile away and we enjoy the country life.
I still like Ohio better even though the weather gets depressing. Shopping is great, within any 30-40 miles I choose to go and cheaper cost of living for sure.
Ohio has amusement parks, too bad Sea World left, Ashtabula Co has covered bridges and tons of local museums and fairs. Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame, caves southern Ohio, train rides Jefferson and Sugarcreek, canal boat rides Coshocton and steam boat ride to Blennerhasset Island in Ohio river. Air museum in Dayton is great as are the museums in Cleveland and Zoo too! Water parks in Sandusky, I could go on…
I do not watch sports, I’m a God fearing Christian, go to church, have an occasional alcoholic beverage, a few lbs. overweight, size 12 and just got off my Total Gym, self educated on my 4th career I will create myself and been told throughout my life I’m attractive. Most of my friends like me are well spoken, no drawl, slang or foul language. We are intelligent, polite and do not watch much TV. Our hobbies include cooking, gardening family and friends. We do Roller Hockey, Track and Band.
My husband’s family have been on this same farm 150 years and milked cows since 1890 and my family have been around Northeastern Ohio for 150 years also. We do not make Ohio suck, we make it civilized, good and make it work.
Ever notice that the worst Ohio cities are huge democrat strongholds?? Cleveland, Akron Youngstown all Democrat union type folks and run by ignorant politicians??? Connection?? I think so, Democrats make Ohio suck. The only thing I might change would be weather or live in Marietta Ohio.
Lady loves Ohio
JasonPA,
I actually am on careerbuilder as I type this, seeking employment. Something somewhat promising is in the works as of this moment. I have never been to a more gloomy town than Toledo. This place is a damn hole. Seriously, it’s like being stuck in 1971. The mentality up here is very union and blue collar. Not that there’s anything wrong with blue collar, but it’s a wierd redneck, Jeff Foxworthy bluecollar. Not the hard working, honest blue collar. Toledo is the true definition of a good ol boy town. You’d swear that 15 1/2 people lived here, and they’re all related. All they know how to do is reproduce and get fat while watching OSU and drinking. The city itself has a lot of potential, but the people keep it from progressing. The people of Toledo are very unique. They have a certain look about themselves. It’s a look of total cluelessness and laziness. I’m serious. I’m not trying to be funny, it’s true. Anyone who has ever lived in Toledo can tell you. Living in Toledo is like being Charleton Heston in that movie,”The Omega Man”. I honestly feel that I am one of the only normal people in this entire city. I have never been to Cleveland, well, not enough to get a feel for it. I drove around it and it appeared somewhat normal. I just really want to warn anyone who is considering moving to or visiting Toledo, OH. If you don’t like eating, watching OSU, getting drunk, and being alienated by a bunch of cliquey rednecks who you’d probably never talk to anyway, but they go out of their way to try to make you feel like an outsider…don’t come to Toledo, OH.
To I love Ohio,
You are right Democrats do make most areas suck, and I am glad to hear about the church thing, I agree with you. See you are the minority in Ohio being in the area for so long and all and being in the country like that. Good for you! Most people from PA are like you. Most Ohioans live in suburbs like a bunch of rats with no real reason for being there other than a job, which can be found anywhere obviously and probably better ones in a much more enjoyable part of the country. That’s all I’m saying and all the modern coveniences of NE Ohio just spawn stupidity. Cleveland is consistantly rated one of the worst cities in America, below New Orleans at one point! That’s bad any way you look at it! The whole state needs help in my opinion. Ohio was recently voted as having the worst governor in the US as well. As far as unions, they are just running themselves out of work by working for 20/hr to pull a freakin’ lever. I think it’s funny. Democrats will only lose power when they are all gone to China. The Democrats in PA are different, Casey for instance is pro-life and for the most part is not a left wing nut job. Most of the Democrats here are more centered and level headed thank God. People in Ohio just need to vote these corrupt bastards of both parties out of office, start passing issues so your schools don’t fall apart and you’ll be on the right track.
To I love Ohio,
I almost forgot, I wish more people from Ohio were like you. At least your state went the right way in the 2004 election. The frustrating thing about PA is that the state always goes (Dem./Rep.) with Philly. Yeah there is some union remnants around Pittsburgh with their last-ditch effort to hang on to the old steel town. Philly is pretty much always Democratic as are most cities, hey it’s the 5th largest city in the US after all. Not sure if you have ever been there but it is easily 4 times the size of Pitts. or Cleveland. Someone early compared Cleveland to Philly in size and culture, I had to laugh. If you look at the 2004 election results by county most of western Ohio is nearly red and if you look at PA there is a big wide swatch or red going right through the middle. Really only Philly, Pitts., and maybe Erie are bluish. The rest of the state is as red as the south. PA really isn’t a very liberal state at all. I think Ohio is more liberal than meets the eye and that is another problem I have with Ohio and that’s what scares me. Like I said earlier, Ohios Democrats seem to be whack jobs whereas ours are more in the center. Later.
To Jerold,
You might also try a recruiter, that’s how I escaped after college.
Later.
On my trip there in Ohio, there seemed to be churches. But around the exit of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH I noticed a big scoreboard. It was a church like one of the Evangilical(excuse the spelling) churches. And it had a scoreboard. Also goign back to my friends apartment complex and there was another church. I was like is that how Ohio is a big Evangilical place. I mean I believe in GOD. But, this is overwelming and a way to control people. Akron-Canton area only seems OK but it seems too religious and dull. What is anyone’s take on it?
GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heh, yeah, GO BLUE!!
I have heard that damn Ohio song so many times today on the radio I could scream!!!
Not to turn this into a sports chat, but I think I need #1 Ohio State to win because then Rugters which is #6 will have a shot at moving up. Barring that #5 Notre Dame, #4Florida, and #3 USC all lose. So, sadly enough I need Ohio State to win so Rugters can have a chance. Unless you guys are Michigan Fans, I have to say the Buckeye’s have to win. Becuase if Michigan wins then it will be Ohio State ranked #2 in the BCS polls. Tough call. All I can say is last night I went to a club Mansion formerly the Limelight and it was great. Nuff Said. I danced with the ladies and got a number. What more can I say. Well enough of the bragging and lets just get back to the subject and that subject is there is more life out there. Just look at NYC and the nightlife.
To the lady of Ohio, that is great to here that. My friend lives in Akron and works for Univ of Akron. He is orginally from the Brooklyn and we were classmates at SUNY Buffalo. He wanted the change of pace so he moved out there. So, if you find the best of it and you are satisfied in life and are able to surround yourself with good people then you can be in a great state of mind. Right now I am still young and I like the burbs and the rest of the NYC tri state area.
I read on here that Ohio was 11th in the nation for taxes…WRONG! We are number 3 for highest taxes in the nation. I am sure the new Governor will fix that though.
We will lead the nation soon though.
Number one in jobs lost.
Number one in taxes.
Number one in lowest housing appreciation.
Number one in crime.
This state sucks. I also traveled to Rochester, MN, Lacrosse, WI, and Pittsburgh, PA. Those areas suck too. The entire midwest sucks but Ohio leads them.
Oh yeah, I went 5 days straight without seeing the sun. How can that happen?
Hello all,
Well, this is one of my many entries. I must express first of all that I hate that Ohio State won yesterday, because tomorrow at work those rednecks will go on and on about it. I’m not a Michigan fan, but they will come up to you and taunt you with their victory as if you care. EVEN IF YOU DON’T. I guess ALL of Ohio is like everyone says it is. I met someone from Cincy yesterday, and I must say that is was not too much different than meeting a Toledoan. That’s sad when you consider the fact that Toledoans are probably the most one-dimensional, narrow minded, redneck people you’ll ever meet. He just looked at me and said,”OSU and Jack Daniel’s…boy it don’t git no better than this shit, hehe!” I’m not joking. And that was the depth of our conversation. I’ve noticed that intelligent conversation with a Toledoan is almost impossible. Whenever I’m at work, I tend to talk to some of my co-workers about socially conscious issues, only to be met with an ignorant look and a rude change of subject to Libbey High School’s football game. I really don’t know what the deal is with the people up here. I can recall one day when I was discussing with another person(who isn’t from Ohio either) the Hurricane Katrina issue. A girl from Toledo was sitting across from us, and for no reason she moved over to another table full of Toledoans. I heard her say,”I’m coming over here where ya’ll ain’t talking about nuthin.” I’m not joking. I think that is scary, when you consider that fact that she is only 19. That just goes to show just how small minded Toledoans are. Also, how willfully ignorant they will remain with that mentality. I can’t wait to leave. Oh yeah, I got an offer from Edward Jones. Keeping my fingers crossed. Good luck to all.
To Jerold: Again, not to turn this into a real sports chat, but, Earlier on Saturday I was hoping Ohio State would win becuase of the BCS and Rutgers being #6 in the BCS would maybe move them closer in the rankings to that National Championship Game. But that turned in the state of Ohio just a few hundred miles south of Colombus in Cincinnati when Cincinnati beat Rutgers 30-11. So, now I am like oh well, what else is new. Can’t win them all 🙁
Since, the New York City area and the radio stations doesn’t talk about College Football that much. BTW Rugters is a New Jersey school that is like 40 miles from Midtown Manhatten, and is the closest school to college Div 1 A school. I couldn’t New York is really a pro sports, cultural town. Now don’t get me wrong there are ignorant biased people here too in the Big Apple (just like Lady of Ohio pointed out-ignorant small minded people are everywhere) even though it is a cosmopolition, but at least you can escape it here much better. YOu can talk about sports, social issues, and have a bit of a better time getting into better social circles. Problem with NYC area is that it is expensive and competetive. And if you are still single Jerold and the ladies are giving you trouble, google David DeAngelo and he can help. I am not taunting you. Also to all, I am not trying to disrespect any of you who post or change this into an all sports topic. I am just putting in my 2 cents. Best of luck to all.
One last thing, the phrase “I couldn’t “, I was trying to make a point about ESPN and the media making it out to be a interesting place. What I meant to say was “I couldn’t believe when ESPN did the Rugters vs. Louisville game they made the Rugters campus seem like it was around Union Square West 14th Street in Manhatten when it is only 40 miles away.” That was what I was trying to say from that phrase “I couldn’t” from the last post.
Westwood 1,
Thanks for the advice. I’ve been to NYC. I must say that it’s alright, but I don’t think I would want to live there. Like you said, way too expensive. I agree with you and Lady of Ohio, small mindedness is everywhere. Trust me I know, I lived in LA for 5 years. The thing is, even in a purgatory like Los Angeles, you could still strike up good, half way intelligent conversation with one of them. Plus, you didn’t have to be a good ol boy to get to know people around there. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Toledo or not, but that seems to be the culture around here. It’s a very blue collar, rustbelt mentality up here. I think a lot of it is because of the crippled job economy and depressing weather, I don’t know. You can almost directly associate the economy in Toledo to that of Detroit. I’m sorry about your Scarlet Knights. I know that this is one of their better seasons, so at least you can be happy about that. They were fun to watch this year. I’m single, and not looking for anyone right now. I’m just living the single life and loving it. Detroit does have a pretty vibrant nightlife(Depending on where you go there.) Thanks for the advice though, no offense taken. Better luck next year with Rutgers.
To Jerold: To respond to your last post. I have been in a town similar to the one you described. I went to school in Buffalo, NY. And the school was Univ at Buffalo or know as SUNY Buffalo. Well, let me tell you that town is exactly what you described. Except, their sports outlet isn’t a college team. It is a pro team like the Buffalo Bills. Oh god, if you can avoid Buffalo and the rest of Western New York State. That area sucks. That is the armpit of the world. Tackey homes, fat ugly ladies, mean spirted people, stupid cliques “good ol boy” syndrome. The burbs aren’t much better either like Cheektowaga, Kemmore, Tonawanda, Lancaster, Hamburg, West Senca, Clarence all sucks. Even a few miles north in Niagara Falls, NY and that area of Wheatfield, and North Tonawanda all sucks too. Listen, I posted before on post #164 and I describe that the only other thing to do is to go to Canada and check out either Toronto which is 1 hour and 20 mins away or go across the river to the Canadian Ballet in Niagara Falls or Fort Erie, But if not then the only thing to do is go to downtown Chippawa street and drink your guts out with college dudes or go on Main street at UB’s south campus and drink with college dudes too. And even that gets old. The folks are narrowminded and biased people too. So, I have been to an old rust belt town and ,my advise is if you want to avoid misary don’t go to Buffalo, A.K.A. Barfalo, A.K.A. Pukealo becuase it SUCKS THE BIG ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. Avoid Rochester, NY, Syarcuse, NY, and Albany, NY (unless you are a state employee under Eliot Spitzer) 🙂 Ok enough of the banter and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and didn’t get hounded about college football or the pros because both games were boring. Well have a nice day.
Westwood 1,
Hey, hope your turkeyday was a great one. I’ve never been to Buffalo, or anywhere in western NY State for that matter. I have a buddy at my job who is originally from Buffalo. He describes it pretty much as you did. Very much like Toledo, except Buffalo might have a little more going for it. The only thing that Toledo has going for it is a bunch of restaurants and churches. They pride themselves on being the “City With the Most Restaurants Per Capita”. Wow!!! Maybe that’s why it’s on the “America’s Fattest Cities” list. I think that Ohio is one of the most supersized states in the union. I don’t know. I think that you can relate to a lot of what I am talking about, as far as Toledo. 9 more months and I’m leaving. I just said screw it and I’m gonna use my G.I. Bill to go back to school. I want to move back to Chicago, or maybe…Ann Arbor, MI. It’s alright up there. The only thing is that it’s dangerously close to Detroit and Toledo. It has it’s own vibe, though. Unlike Toledo. Detroit is okay, it’s just dead as far as the job market. That’s the only thing that kills the D for me. It’s slowly trying to come back. Toledo, on the other hand, continues it’s pursuit to live permanantly in 1972. Maybe this town needs a new mayor. Oh well, good luck to all trying to leave the Big, Dead, O.
GO GATORS!
To Jerold: Again I am not trying to make it which towns suck the worse but when I was in Buffalo, NY I thought that town sucks. Now you say it has more going on. Are you saying like three malls. The one in the city is just a trashy mall Main Place Mall in downtown Buffalo. The OK mall is the Blvd Mall in Amherst. Or the nice mall called Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga. When I attended UB and didn’t have a car the folks at school would cheer to go to the mall and sound enthused. Me I am like “So f&cking what”.
Because in the New York area and the town I live in Westchester County there are two malls that will out do those malls in a heartbeat. One is the Westchester Mall and the Galleria Mall. Then over across the river in Rockland County we have the Palasades Mall, In New Jersey in Parmus called the Garden State Plaza and the Parmus Mall (a small one level mall which is the size of the Blvd Mall in Amherst). We can shop in Manhatten 5th avenue and the 50’s, Herald Square on East 34th and 6th Ave Manhatten Mall, downtown SoHo in Lower Manhatten, Queens Mall, Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, Long Island, NY. Or the Stamford Mall in Stamford, CT Connecticut. Plus 20 miles east is the mall in Trumbul Mall in Trumbul, CT And you have more malls in North Jersey as well.
So to me Buffalo sucked the big one. One more thing I wanted to mention is that when you don’t want to go drinking at the same bars, you go across the river to the Canadian Ballet. What I meant is that there are strip joints over in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada and Niagara Falls, Canada. I mean it is good and the folks across the river and Niagara Falls in Canada seem a bit more open minded. However if you just go to those places I mentioned you waste money. And 1 hour and 20 minuates away is Toronto where that town has it going on. But if it’s cold as f#@k with snow down on the ground then do you really want to battle the snow just to go up there on a winter weekend night. Plus do you really want to battle Canadian and U.S. Customs to cross everytime (particulary after 9/11with more intrrogations just to have a good time). I mean it is a convience to a certain extent but you want to me near it all. That is why I am still in the NYC area. I like it being 30 minuates away from Manhatten or I can stay in Westchester and do stuff as well with the burbs.
Again, I am not trying to have a pissing contest on which city is the worst but that was my experience in Westen New York. So to all the ignorant Western New Yorkers.
F#ck Buffalo and the Rest of you Western New Yorkers (except your friend of course and a couple of open minded friends that were cool back at UB)
Hey Westwood,
It sounds like Buffalo is probably as bad as T-Town. I’m not gonna argue that, because like you said…I’m not trying to make this whose town is worse. I just wanted to let you know how much Toledo needs improvement. I’m set to move out of here in the summer, so that is a breath of fresh air. I don’t really know why I came here. At least I got to see Detroit. It’s okay. It’s getting better every month it seems like. There are tons of things to get into up there. I am only 40 minutes away from it, so I spend a lot of time in Detroit and Ann Arbor(which is only 35 minutes away.) Ohio just seems a bit too…redneck. Don’t get me wrong, I have a friend in Cleveland who is pretty cool, but other than that…I don’t know. It’s hard to meet someone here who means you good. It seems like Toledoans meet you with the intention of doing you wrong. If you don’t like OSU, drinking, and morbitly obese women, then you are considered an outcast here. There are actually a LOT of people here who have NEVER been to Detroit or Cleveland. I’m serious. Detroit is only 40 minutes away(50 on a bad day) and Cleveland is an hour and a half away. Yet and still, Toledoans make it a point not to travel outside of Toledo. You see, Toledo is like a big bubble. No one ever leaves this bubble, and no one can come in except the ones already in it. That’s Toledo. They really have no idea what sits outside of Toledo. It’s sad when you consider the fact that Toledo is centrally located to a lot of bigger, more cultured cities. At least people in Buffalo will travel outside of it, well…that’s what it sounds like. I like Detroit a lot. It’s run down and the job market is very crippled…but it’s like they are trying to get it going in the right direction. Plus, there is ALWAYS something to do there. The best thing is that you are right next to Canada. I actually considered moving there at one point. I liked the places I saw near Wayne State University, and the cost of living is very reasonable. It’s definately a young person’s town. Toledo is a suicide-inducing nightmare. Oh well, I have only a little while left. Go Gators, Buckeyes Suck.
I have been living in Dayton, Ohio for over a year now, having moved here from the Niagara area of Ontario, Canada. My husband is in the Air Force and is situated at Wright-Patt. While I like Ohio okay, I want to tell you guys my first impressions of it: the people seemed overweight, they smoke like chimneys and are missing a whole lot of teeth! Yikes!
And I was surprised at the “southern drawl” to their accents. I figured we weren’t far enough south to hear much in the way of a drawl. On the plus side, most people have been quite friendly to us.
The people I’ve become friends with are all from somewhere else (California, Texas, W. Virginia, Virginia etc.) being military people.
I’m kind of glad we will only be here for another 3 years or so then perhaps Boston as our next base.
If I was a younger woman I think I would go crazy here! Not a lot to do. Luckily I’m older now and not as into going out to bars or clubs, cuz I think most of them really suck here. Very scary! Last night a group of us girl-friends (3 pregnant and 2 breastfeeding) went to a really ghetto Mexican restaurant and found 2 hairs on the table and one on the food! Then some drunk guy came over to our table with tattoos on his neck and tried to pick one of us up, I think. A group of women at the bar were hammered and talking super loud about going to jail or something. Yikes! But there must be some cute little towns in Ohio? Like Yellow Springs…even if it is very hippy-ish!
Adie ,
>
That’s because they’re all Alien escapees from Hanger 13. They encourage their human hosts to overeat so they have enough space to work the controls in there.
Stay for his tour of duty then leave before you become one of the pod people. Boston’s a great choice. It’s got Boston Common, Fenway park, the best private university on the planet, Nobel price winners, billionaires, a harbor, great public transit. I can go on and on.
Hello All,
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May 2007 bring us hope, prosperity, and relocation.
Peace and Love
Merry X-mas to all you smart ambitious people escaping the event horizon of this midwestern black hole.
instead of ingnorantly bashing ohio, why don’t you take a look at what it has to offer. I am from cleveland, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Great people, no we’re not hillbillys, but we get along with them. in fact we get along with everyone that is why it is the more diverse city america. Ohio has everything, great city folk, kind country folk, loyal and welcoming people everywhere, and tons of attractions and natural beauty. But it is far more easier to judge it while driving through on the turnpike, and moving here for one month and deciding it sucks, right?
Jon Z,
Most of the Ohio bashing going on here is from long-time residents, whom are hardly ignorant or have just seen it from the turnpike.
I myself cannot wait to get out of here, as I have been here 25 years. Ohio absolutely does not have everything, at least for me. The job market is terrible, outdoors activities are non existent, and all anyone cares about is drinking and sports bars, and shopping. I could go on and on. There are fun things to do here, but they are several hours drive away. What would be a simple day trip or weekend outing in the right places turns into an overly expensive 4 day pain in the butt in Ohio. It usually turns out to be cheaper to fly to a real place like Miami or LA.
I am going to a real place, with real diversity, good economy, and great outdoors scene. Ohio sucks.
COME ONE, COME ALL!!! To the NYE HODOWN. Jan. 31, 2006 in Toleda, Ohia!!! YEEEEHAAAWWWW!!!!
No really, though. Toledo sucks.
Jon Z,
Ohio has spawned another antibody. This time from the great city of Cleve-land – the poorest big city in the United States according to the Federal government.
If it makes you feel better, I think Buffalo,NY sucks a bigger nastier enchilada than Cleveland but that’s just a personal bias. The facts speak for themselves.
Read Edgewater03 for a better rebuttal of this blog.. and why don’t you take a trip to Chicago or New York for your diversity fix? They beat the crap out of Cleve-land.
To earthpearl: As you know I went to school in Buffalo at SUNY Buffalo and all I can tell you is what I have expressed above. BUFFALO SUCKS AND THERE ARE NOTHING BUT NASTY BIASED SCUMBAGS THERE!!!!! But again, I am not trying to make this into a pissing contest.
To Jon Z: Learn to travel and stay in cosmopolitions for 3 months maybe you can learn something.
To Jerold: You had the funnest quote of this month. Keep it up as you disway folks from coming to that town. Or you try to make people change their narrowminded attitude. BTW I am not trying to make it more of a pissing contest on which town is the worst between cities in Ohio vs cities of central and western New York State.
QUESTION: why is it that so many natives of the buckeye state have either bipolar or some other mental ailment? Is there something in the genes, I hope it’s not in the water….haha! GO GATORS! BEAT the useless nuts!
First off, I am a native of Texas, not Ohio and in the three short years I have lived her, I have noticed the real mistake I made of moving here. The only thing good that happened was I found my wife here. So we are out of here and she is glad. She has lived here her whole life and she pointed out things that sucked to me I never noticed before.
Not to say Texas or anywhere else is some paradise. I just get sick of people bitching about how hot it is in the summer and I came from a place with regular 110 degree days. People cannot drive for squat here and people are just rude and nasty.
Everyone is poor as well. I do slightly better than the average bear but the only real white collar people in Ohio are lawyers, doctors, politicians, and middle managers. Everyone else is poor. Pick any street in Dayton or Cincinnati and you’ll find at least five houses for sale, two of which are foreclosures.
The only thing good about Cincinnati is Northern Kentucky, which everyone in city hall hates with a passion.
I plan to be out of this state in the next two months, heading back south. All I can say is thanks for the wife, my kid on the way, and state of Ohio kiss my Texan ass and for those in a certain insurance company in Fairfield, OH, thanks for dragging me up here and firing me five months later. I’ll be back some day to pay you bastard sons of bitches back in kind.
I go to the College of Wooster. At first, I was excited to get out of Maryland, the state I have been in for most of my life. However, upon arriving, I realized one thing….Ohio blows. I really appreciate being able to go to college, but I am planning on transferring to a better school. Wooster doesn’t give a FUCK about its students unless you’re in the top 10 percent, which I am just on the outside of. (Biochem major, tough classes, don’t have a 4.0..) So, to anyone looking at colleges….
DO NOT GO TO WOOSTER. IT BLOWS. THERE ARE A FEW GOOD PROFESSORS, BUT NOTHING THAT YOU WON’T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.
daytrepper ,
190 lbs?… that’s a lightweight.
Earl,
Its more like 290lbs. I must have been thinking of my own weight.
On the speech thing, the phrase “Have a good one” also annoys the shit out of me. I forgot to mention it.
Ohio SUCKS!!
Earl,
Hang in there! get rid of the dead weight in your life and enjoy!
I’m trying to get out but I’ve dug myself in deep here. What was I thinking?
That’s nothing in Norwood I had so called freinds who not only mooched off me but if they wanted more or I would not give it to them would call the police to come get from me or when i use to bank at the fifth third go down there and take it. The respected members of the community would even go to that bank and clean out your entire account or if you are at the same store, bar, or resturant that they are the scum would stiff you with the bil some friends heh.l
Sheesh Jim, I thought I had it bad. You’re dealing with corruption on a Latin American scale in Norwood. That sounds really bad so actually you should call the FBI and give the names of the “respected member of the community” to them.
Here’s the number to the local offices. Go get em! It’s safe, anonymous, fun and use a pay phone.
(513) 421-4310
(216) 522-1400
Now, now, folks…nothing wrong w/ this State of Insanity that a few million dollars, a few tons of well-placed C 4, strict anti-inbreeding laws and a couple of centuries couldn’t cure.
The FBI has investigated in the past and the city has been found guilty but becuase of legal loopholes and the respected members of the community are either drug snitches or convincingly discredit with the aid of the police those who expose them I even had one agent tell me that he has been trying to nail these clowns for years but have not been able to make anything stick due to witness’s not testifying, their freinds lying on their behalf, and their well to do drug clients always bail them out. As for the Fifth Third goes I beleive the perpertraiters responsable were either fired, retired, or put on notice. This whole thing sounds like something out of a paperback novel but it is true ask anyone who has ever lived in Norwood and they will tell you how corupt it is.
LOL i just stumbled on this site as a pep talk for try to get a job in LA.
You know things are bad in Cleveland when the Latino population decreased, yes DECREASED, between surveys.
My gf of 4 years, doesn’t want to hear of me picking up and leaving (she’s got the house in her name and family upstairs, a daughter in a bloodsucking catholic private high school (we’re cleveland schools over here…need I say more).
Fuck it. Our relationship is half financial half “i feel sorry for you” anyways. I’m not taking my career skills and pissing ’em away for $10/hr temp job. Which is about all you can find here.
What gets me is. I’m gonna get a position that pays at least 50 grand in LA and despite getting hammered on cost of living. I know I’m gonna be better off.
You see thats how Ohioans scare each other off from leaving. A. cost of living.
B. family
I’m sicking of getting “rolled over” in a layoff and finding there’s no opportunities in my jobset. I’m fed up with Republicans who think the state going to be better if they pass the “patiot act” and I could care less about OSU. I like OU better and I live in Cleveland.
Jim ,
How long have you been off of your meds?
The old earl has been blocked by the host. Meet the new earl.
Hello my fellow Ohioans.
We moved to near younsgtown in 1992 for my wife’s job. This place really sucks. If an armpit had an armpit and if that armpit had an armpit now that would be Ohio. I was born, raised and college educated in WI (go Badgers). Spent 4 years in St. Louis (I wish we could move back) then another 4 years in LA. I have two sons and almost everyday I tell them to get the hell out of here after high school and go to college elsewhere. Thank god we visit WI and TX each year to see family so my boys can see how the rest of the country lives. Don’t get me started on the weather. BTW, my wife is from Dallas and has a Ph.D. and she likes this place–go figure.
Rick,
St.Louis? Dallas, Texas?They both SUCK!!! If you are the man that wears the pants then say “Hey Woman get the stuff together we are moving”But you would rather sit on this site and bitch and complain!Maybe what sucks is you and your attitude! change those two things and maybe you will enjoy life a little more.Remember if your attitude sucks in Ohio it will suck anywhere else.Sorry but sometimes the truth does hurt!
You see thats how Ohioans scare each other off from leaving.
A. cost of living.
B. family
–getting near 40
…so so true. I’m near 40 too.
That’s exactly what they do to you everytime you mention leaving. You know what that’s all about? Misery loves company and everyone wants a free ride.
Do yourself a favor – buy a plane ticket and cancel your cell phone. Do it fast before you can think about it.
I’ve lived in Toledo for a year now. I have to say that this is the worst mistake of my life. As a military veteran, I’ve traveled many places. I’ve been stationed in a few places like San Diego and Chicago. I’m originally from Illinois, and I figured Ohio would be sort of like it. Being the midwest and all. Well…
Speaking for Toledo(ToLittle), this is the worst city(town, I’m sorry) I’ve ever lived in my entire life. Any city that can make Detroit look appealing, is sad. I’m moving to Chicago soon, and I am happier than ever. I liked Toledo, until I met the people. These are the most inbred, stupid, hillbilly in a bigger place people I’ve ever seen in my life. There are actually people here who can’t even write their own name!!! The downtown area is dilapidated, under developed, and sad. Even a sunny day at the Mudhens Park looks like a black and white 1920’s movie. The Mudhens games would be fun if it were in another city, because Toledoans are very wierd and depressing people. They have a look of utter stupidity and cluelessness. There are more churches per person in this city than in any major city in the country. I think that’s bad because if you didn’t go to their church from a child up, they won’t talk to you. There are too many difficiencies to discuss. I’m glad I’m leaving. Please don’t come here. I don’t know the rest of Ohio, but Toledo is a nightmare.
The whole g’dam place is a nightmare. Go to the coast.
Props to Jerold!! Toledo is THE absolute stain on society. Moving here was by far the worst move ever for me too. To hell with this place. Especially Waterville, the worst suburb in society. To hell with it all, and all it stands for.
I hate it! I hate it so much!!! Everyday is another shit-fest. I have decided to move the hell out. I just sold my home, and its into an apartment until I find another state, AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE!! It wont be long now, just a matter of getting a job elsewhere. Then its goodbye forever Toledo, and OHIO!!!!
This has got to be the most sports-barified city in the world. If your hard core into OSU, basketball or whatever, and love getting wasted daily with a cliquey group of idiots, then this is all for you. If your into anything else, forget it, it doesnt exist around here. Man if your not into OSU here, the Ohioans will do terrible, horrible things to you. Its amazing how much this area revolves around it. No culture, pooor pooor nightlife, no outdoors. Want to buy some corn or soybeans anyone? . BLEGH.
What a run-down, dirty, needs-to-be bulldozed, and never rebuilt again city. Especially the east side. The number of vacant buildings is absolutely staggering. There is more trash in the streets than in the landfill. The houses were all built 100 years ago, never been updated or fixed up, and they show it.
I was sentenced to a 2 week stay in Ohio, or as I call it the ” learn to clap state” and I can honestly say that the smartest man in Toledo is retarded. the most beautiful woman in ohio is a visitor. seriously though, they live in a world of their own where they are free from the ravages of intelligence.I can only speak about Toledo as I couldn’t drink enough to visit the rest of the state. I met the winner of the miss humpmonkey contest.the best thing about Toledo is when I flush , I dont see it anymore.
I posted a review about Columbus at epinions. Check it out (http://www.epinions.com/content_224000511620). The State of Ohio is in shambles. It is not a very good place to live and as soon as I sell my nome, I will be leaving and not returning. I grew up in the Boston area and when i moved here at 13, I thought I moved to a backwards place. My fears at 13 still hold true today as I am 30. Soon my family and I will be out of here, though.
By the way, the tax situation is insane and the housing prices are abhorrent for what you get. A crappy production home can cost you above $500,000. An average crappy production home is about $250,000 in Columbus.
We are outta here!
B
Well, this is my second comment. I went to Cedar Point on Saturday. Well…
The park itself lived up to it’s hype. It really was one of the better parks I’ve ever been to. I’ve been to a lot of them, so that’s saying a lot. The place…awesome. I really enjoyed the park. The one thing that really dampened the experience was the Ohioans. I was there for a company picnic, as I work for a company in Toledo. All I can say, is that if it weren’t for me running into my co-worker(who happens to be from Buffalo), I would’ve spent the whole day by myself. Ohioans(a lot of them seem to be from Toledo) seem to be very anti-social and unfriendly. As a lot of you are saying, if you aren’t into Ohio State Football…then you are considered an outcast. As it so happens, they had a game that day. My co-worker and I stopped into that sportsbar called Gameday inside the park to grab a beer. It was ridiculous. It was a sea of red. Now, being a sports fan myself, I’m not knocking going to a nice sports grille and cheering on your favorite team. But, Ohioans ruin your experience, because they are so hostile to non-OSU fans. My buddy from Buffalo said to me,”These people are nuts!!!” We actually got rude looks from the people, because we weren’t cheering on the Buckeyes. I thought to myself,”You know, you can’t go anywhere in Toledo and just have genuine fun.” Even though, the park is in Sandusky…I know. It just seems like a lot of people from Toledo were there. I wonder if the whole state is like Toledo. I came to the conclusion that if you don’t like getting drunk to oblivion, fighting, or eating…you are not a Toledoan. I think it’s sad that there are actually people in the world(especially America) that foster such a negative mentality. I am on pace to move out of here in May, so until then, I guess I have to suck it up. I just hate being 26 and there’s no nightlife or people to meet.
I have run out of negative comments about my home town. The angry bitter fount is dry for the moment. I do know that it is not a good time to be selling your Ohio real estate and after about 30 bad showings I just gave up selling the one I’m in (tried in 05 to sell it too) and probably am going to rent the remaining vacant (no deals there either) place to an OSU student and just keep plugging along here until Berneke lowers the interest rates or hell freezes over or whatever. At least the weather’s been nice.
Well I now live on the West Coast, before that I lived in Ohio for 21 years. I find that most areas have positive and negatives, and most cities have very bad, poor, decrepid sections. I also find, even in places like California, you have populations that have not moved out of their native areas and remain ignorant to the rest of the country. But what I do think is a common thing with Ohioans is a bitterness and hostility to difference. Anything that is outside of the middle or foriegn or new or challenging they are sure to hate on it and usually put it down (in their insecurities) by calling it “elitist” or “extreme” or “radical” or “upperclass”. Watch out for the Ohio haters, they are real, and they will cut you down every chance they get.
I’m with ya dave. They always hated me although they usually call me “Sir” now before they start putting me down.
A damn insecure bunch aren’t they? They project their narrow-minded hostility on everything that isn’t scarlet and grey. They even get suspicious if you’re into pro sports instead of freakin OSU.
Can’t wait to get out of here.
Hey everyone. I hope you all don’t mind me airing out my frustrations here. I’ve found a sort of rescue mission in this site to let out my feelings about Toledo and it’s inhabitants. I now understand why outsiders to Toledo say that Toledoans will stab you in the back. I just got done cleaning off the rusty knife that some of them stabbed me with. It’s work related and I won’t go into detail, but I’ve learned a valuable lesson about this town and it’s “good ole boy” mentality. I’m now, more than ever, even more motivated to getting out of here. Moving from a place has never been a priority in my life. Toledo changed all of that. I agree with Dave on the fact that, even on the West Coast, different regions have their issues and characteristics. Toledo is different in my opinion. It’s really a negative city(town, I’m sorry). To call this place a city is an insult to thriving places that have long overcome this sort of small town, secluded mentality. I ran into a church buddy of mine, who is also trying to get out of Ohio. She said that even at my church, they are just unfriendly. I can’t believe that this is reality. I feel like I’m on another planet. Is ALL of Ohio like Toledo? Please let me know. I trust that an entire state can’t be as detached from reality as one town. I mean, Detroit is only 40 minutes away, and it seems like it’s an entirely different world from Toledo. No offense to Detroit, but for a town to make it look appealing is down right disgusting.
Jerold,
Just leave Ohio. Forget about living here. GO WEST! Go! Get the Hell out of here! It all sucks. Nobody cool stays. It’s the worlds capital of psychic vampires and drama queens. Go!- before they drain your life force.
Get your keys and wallet and run out of your house. Don’t look back til you cross the state line.
^Exactly, earl!
IT SUCKS HERE!! Just looking outside today at the cloudy cold day makes it even worse.
There is so much drama here, that everyday I feel as if this whole place is one big soap opera reality. Jerry Springer should open up a new show here. He would become three times the millionaire he is.
What a HOLE! I now hate Ohio with a passion. Constant shit-fests, everyday, all day. It is now most definately the scum of the earth!
Ugh, the people here are so full of shit!! Nobody keeps their word. They are abunch of ignorant, self-absorbed, conceited, naive pricks. Whomever said this is the “learn to clap state”, and the ” thats not how we do it here state”, was damn right.
The only good thing to come out of this whole experience is that I didnt turn into one of them.
I will disappear from this wasteland like a fart in the wind as soon as I can, hopefully very soon. I wish all the rest of you the best of luck in getting the hell out of here, never to return!!
OHIO SUCKS!! IT SUCKS!!! SUCKS!!!!
It’s just the lack of ambition and desire to drag everyone to their level that gets you down. You get somewhere and then they start thinking “Oh, now he thinks he’s better than us. Let’s find a way to screw up his life. Let’s milk this guy for all he’s worth.”
The only cool people are the ones passing through. The place is pathetic. It’s like a lazy beach town without a beach or a ski resort without a mountain. I can’t stand it.
Entry 3:
Hello all. I’m making my third entry, and I still have nothing good to say about this place. Tell me something. Is it just me, or do people from Toledo only talk to other Toledoans? You know, I think they know their own kind. Everyone in Toledo has a look about them. A mannerism, that is only displayed by Toledoans. It’s a look of just utter cluelessness and hopelessness. I hate that look. It seems like if you don’t have that “I don’t know my asshole from a hole in the ground” look on your face, they won’t talk to you. I’ve also noticed how crappy the service is at damn near every, and I do mean EVERY, business in this God-forsaken town. Just one after the other, all of these people are rude and very stupid. If you’ve met one Toledoan, you’ve met them all. Everyone is the same here. EVERYONE!!! No one has a different personality. No culture or optimism or motivation. The only thing that I’ve seen Toledoans do with some enthusiasm is gossip and try to tear down someone. It’s sickening. Drink till you piss on yourself and watch Ohio State Buckeye Football. That’s the most culture you’ll find in Toledo. I think I’ve met more inbred hicks here in Toledo, than I did when I visited Kentucky. This is definately the Glass City, because I see through all of this B.S. Good luck to everyone in OUR quest to escape the assylum that is Ohio.
With faith, courage, discipline and a better real estate market we will all God-willing…escape this icy hell, this Siberia of the soul, this malignant fast food fat cell metastizing on the buttocks of mother earth.
Now here’s a guy who’s been to Ohio. Check out his ratings page.
http://amath.colorado.edu/student/lawrenjb/ohiosucks/appendix.html
For those of us with years still left on our sentence, I have found yet another Ohio diversion in addition to drinking the native’s wine. Here are some ODNR cabins which aren’t a bad way to escape the tedium of lame Ohio cities. They’re cheaper than the commercial variety and easy to reserve.
http://www.ohiodnr.com/parks/lodging/default.htm
It’s for those times when you can’t make a long weekend in the Poconos.
I can understand why some people aren’t all happy with Ohio, but I think a lot of comments are far too extreme. There are worse states in the country in terms of the economy, weather, pollution, ugliness, etc. People always seem to forget about Indianna. IN has it far worse than OH.
AND I just don’t think it is fair to make sweeping characterizations about the state. People live in a lot of different kinds of cities, different kinds of suburbs, and different kinds of rural areas. There is no “one and horrible” Ohio as many people are claiming.
There are very different parts and very nice parts that could certainly satisfy everyone. Maybe not everyone would be pleased, but I think everyone would be quite satisfied if they knew where to look for the things they are looking for. I like talking to my friends or other people I meet who are so down on Ohio. After talking to them I learn that they are actually just very unaware of how different Ohio is and how much it actually has to offer.
I think after living here for 39 years that it’s a nice state if you are a mom or a dad and just want to settle down somewhere and buy a big house and raise your kids.
If you are highly career ambitious, enjoy change and beautiful scenery and not into the family thing then I don’t see that it offers anything at all.
I agree there are good things here but there are great things elsewhere. You try to make the best of where you’re at.
If you want to live out your life in Dayton or Columbus ,Cleveland or Youngstown .well then good for you. Enjoy yourself.
..But if you’ve been other places and seen some of the wonders of this world as I have then you know that it can be improved upon. Travel does broaden the mind and people should just get the hell out of Ohio because it’s anything but a broadminded place. It will drag you down if you stay. Take it from somebody who knows better than most.
To earlthepearl: I don’t quite agree with you about people who have been other places and seen some of the wonders of the world necessarily needing to get out ofOhio. I’m fairly young myself (22), enjoy a variety of types of things, career ambitious, and in my 22 years I’ve probably spent two years (cumulatively speaking) outside the state and traveling to some of the most fabulous places in the world.
We have to remember that any particular place is narrowminded- no matter where you are. Indeed every place in Ohio is narrow-minded in their way. BUT if you travel around Ohio through the various rural parts, the various suburbs, and the various urban centers you will find in Ohio- just as in the world- that there are a variety of different view points, cultures, and lifestyles.
If I had only known my specific community that I grew up in Earlthepearl, and then traveled outside of the state and outside the country I would agree with you that Ohio is nice for families as a place to settle down. BUT you see I have come to understand that my community is not necessarily typical Ohio. Typical Ohio does not exist. If I wanted to have a white collar job and have a family in the suburbs I could do so. If I wanted to have a blue collar job and have a family in a working class neighborhood I could do so. If I wanted to live in the country I could do so. If I wanted to have a bohemian artist lifestyle and live in the city near art galleries and coffee shops I could do so. If I wanted to be a young professional and live in a new swanky apartment near the clubs, I could do so.
To Edgewater03 :
It looks like Ohio created an antibody. This is certainly one of the better defenses of Ohio. I’ve come across on the net and I look forward to refuting you on a day that’s less hectic than today.
Not many people want to step up and defend the home of the useless nut.
Perhaps when you’re 39 you may feel a little bit different about the place as you’re friends bug out to better places and you slowly grow a thick hide of contempt for the same-old-same-old. I’m sure it’s easier when you are 22 for a lot of reasons.
B.T.W. I’ve been to at least 25 countries spanning Asia, Europe, Eurasia and the Americas so I might know something. I travel out of this siberia every winter for as long as I can.
Hello everyone, like many of you I stumbled on this sight by googling OHIO SUCKS. I have lived here for 12 years, originally from Michigan… the biggest sucky thing about Ohio has been the rude ass bags. I was never a sports fan but have become a Michigan fan over the years because of the fucktard Buckeye fans treating me with such contempt just for being FROM Michigan. I am looking forward to retiring somewhere else… but unfortunately my DH (who unfortunately is a buckeye fan, but not a rude ass bag) and I have to work another 15 years if our jobs are here that long! Here lately I’ve been wishing the company we work for would go belly up so we can get out of here. He is a native but hates it too. I also had to laugh when you talk about the fatties… You wouldn’t believe all the jealous biscuit n gravy eating sows I have to work with…. and if they’re not in the over 200 range they look like their mother and father were siblings. They can’t be nice to a normal looking female! OH WELL, I don’t prefer to converse with them anyway, they are all emotionally unstable or have some other severe personality defect anyway! My 9 yr. old son has a better sense of humor and better conversationalist than the ugly fat bitches I work with!
Hey everyone, doing another entry. Well, I got back from Detroit today. I went to the game yesterday afternoon to watch the Detroit Tigers beat the dark side. Although I’m a White Sox fan, I’d much rather see someone else win besides the Yankees. I had so much fun. The place errupted with excitement. The best thing of all…NO BUCKEYE FANS!!! I was so glad that there is somewhere that is semi-normal that I can now escape from Toledo. I think its funny because I went to a Detroit Tiger playoff game, and I got the full ambience of a playoff baseball game. I went to the Toledo Mudhens playoff and championship games (ALL of them.) The stadium is very nice, but it was empty because of the start of high school football and OSU games. I think that its sad that this city doesn’t patronize something other than getting drunk, going out to eat, and taking you big girl to a high school football game. I know it sounds unbelievable, but high school football games to Toledo, is like a night out at the Knicks or Yankees game to New York. The people are so small minded here. Maybe I’m just being knit-picky, but this place has just pushed me to my wits end with the cliquey, good ol’ boy, narrow-minded vibe it gives off. I mean, no offense to Detroit…but it was supposed to be the mean city. I have more friends up there than I have made here in a year of living here. I actually like Detroit. I didn’t think I would, but I go up there whenever I want a change. What is Cleveland like? I’ve been through, but not to it. Is it like Toledo? I read some of your responses and I don’t want to go there if it is as bad as people say it is. And props to the girl from Michigan. I like people from Michigan as opposed to Ohioans. You know, I think Ohio is actually the lost confederate state that floated north. I mean, think about it. The small town mentality, they HATE northern states(Michigan/Pennsylvania), the pickup trucks, the college football madness, the number of times you see a confederate flag and trailer parks per square mile. Think about it. Ohio, the northern most southern state. Then again, that’s in insult to all southern states. So, Ohio is just an outcast and I apologize to the south for comparing it to Ohio. That is just downright inhumane.
Another reason Ohio SUCKS the big Kaboobee… that SF song… We don’t give a damn for the whole state of Michigan…. like they care you sf tards!…… Yeah, I am going home to Michigan to visit for a few days and getting out of here!!!!! WOOOHOOO! GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The one thing that i always noticed living in Norwood was that these idiots never have money to pay their bills on time or to buy food but they always have money to go to the bars seems like in Ohio ones vice takes priority over personal responsabilities go figure.
Hello all,
You know, I never noticed just how lazy and stupid these people are until I started working here. They complain about there being no jobs here, but when they get a job…they don’t wanna work. I work with some of the laziest m.f.s in the country. The worst part about it, they will complain whenever they have to start doing what they are supposed to be doing. In their little Ohio mind, they’re picking up your slack. I can’t believe half of the stuff I’ve seen. And this “good ol boy” mentality. I’m still waiting for someone named Cooter to come along and tell everyone how much fun he had at the high school game he went to on Friday night. This town is so damn weird.
Hello everyone!
Let me start by saying i have lived in alot of places growing up (Ohio,Michigan,Western NY,MN,and Boston) And am currently living in Dublin Ohio. Yes alot of what you say about Youngstown, Cleveland and Akron is true. But alot is false. In the list of places i have lived i would put ohio second behind MN. It is nice if you are in the right places. I am in a nice clean area with NO crime A ton of jobs and million dollar homes. Yet i can still afford a two bedroom apt. for under 700 a month. Try that in Boston. The LOWEST i could find a two bedroom apt in and around Boston was in NH and it was 1300 a month. im making just as much as i would have there and in a year my new house will be built on 1 acre of land with 2100 square ft of space for under 250K. That would be unthinkable in MANY other places. Alot of the people bashing Ohio are young, they havent had to fend for themselves yet. NY is crazy exspensive and i know alot of mindless new yorkers. In Ohio i can get away from people and start my life faster then in the east coast. The fact that some people here are stupid doesnt matter so much to me people are stupid everyplace. I do whats best for me and my family and there are alot of good schools outside of the inner cities. To tell you the truth most of the people i meet on a daily basis are from somplace else. So if Ohio is Shitty because of the people that live here and they are from other places, then other places have shitty people also. Point being the upside of Ohio (at least central Ohio) is better then the downside for me and alot of other people. Also i dont think its fair to judge a state just by driving through it, have any of you people been to GA or KY or even WV and WY? I have and as bad as ohio seems it gets alot worse in other places. Food is cheap here, land is cheap here, gas is cheap here, everything cost less its really not that bad of a place.
sorry for any spelling errors
-ryan
Hey Ryan,
You bring good points to the table. I’m not knocking the cost of living at all. I mean, this place is good as far as trying to get on your feet. I lived in L.A. for 2 years, and let me tell you…I don’t think anywhere in the U.S. is more ridiculous when it comes to cost of living then L.A. You’re practically paying for sunshine out there. My main gripe with Ohio(well Toledo, anyway) is that you run into a lot of close mindedness here. The town has a lot of potential and COULD really go somewhere. It’s just the mentality of the people here. That “good ol’ boy”, small town in Indiana crap. I never thought that a city this size could foster such a wierd mentality. I’m in the process of moving, and a large part of the reason why the move is going to be a success(which is also a blessing) is the fact that Toledo is dirt cheap to live in and I’m saving a ton of money. I’m planning on buying a house, though. So, if I get stuck with something here and want to move later, I don’t know how difficult that would be. Seeing the fact that the housing market is more or less crippled up here in the rustbelt area. I agree with your point of view. Props and much respect.
Jerold
Yes Ryan, that is ONE thing I am thankful for… the cost of living because that means I will be able to retire early in 15 years and get out of this state. I have live in the big city and you get no where fast paying rent. My house payment is only 500 a month and I will have it paid off in 3 yrs. Not too many places you can do that! I just am really happy I’m not from here and that my son has gotten to travel quite a bit so he knows Ohio isn’t what the whole planet is like mentality wise!
Hi again thanks for the replies,
Both of you bring up a good point, people in the “rust belt” and really most of ohio seem stuck in the mudd. Which is dissapointing but provides all the more opportunity to people who are not like that. As far as character and Culture yes the east coast wins hands down but with that huge diverse population your in more of a “rat race” kind of life style. And yes i would like to see more of a “can do” approach to people in Ohio, instead your going to see more of a “im happy with how things are right now” outlook. But the way i see it, its just easy pickens for me i now run my own business and just take their money all day long. And really as much as i miss Bostons culture, most bostonian’s are rude opinonated stubburn people and compaired to that people out here (while not the brightest stars in the sky) are not so bad. I guess if i lived in Ohio my whole life i might have a different outlook but where i am in my life compaired to people i know back in New England im way ahead, not so much with a career but as far as money goes im much more secure. Well to each his or her’s own and the best advice i can give to anyone is if you dont like where you are, you need to find a way out or continue to struggle through it to a brighter future.
thanks again everyone
And sorry for any errors grammer or spelling
thanks
-Ryan
Work Without Hope
All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair –
The bees are stirring -birds are on the wing –
And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!
And I the while, the sole unbusy thing,
Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.
Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow,
Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow.
Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may,
For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away!
With lips unbrightened, wreathless brow, I stroll:
And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul?
Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve,
And Hope without an object cannot live.
-Samuel Taylor Coleridge
I come from a family that has until myself lived in Ohio in abject poverty for the last 100 years and I think my life experiences and observations qualifies me to say that the greatest problem facing Ohioans is a lack of Hope. I think one of the earlier posters put it right when he said that Ohio will give you a couple good days then turn around and stab you in the back. Some people have said Ohio isn’t all bad and they are correct there are good places but having lived in South Eastern Ohio (ranked the poorest place in the entire U.S.) where the vast majority of people are living at or below the poverty level and having lived in some of the best places Upper Arlington, Columbus, the suburbish “ex-urbs” around Cincinnati, I have to say the majority of Ohioans live in poor, dead-end job, slum/trailer-park/poo-dunk communities. The real problems with these places is the cycle of poverty, hopeless poverty and the ignorance that goes along with it. From having had the luxury of traveling the nation on both coasts, down many many biking tours of Ohio and been raised in a more “cultured” home I can say the comments on the bible thumping, narrow minded, ignorant, self-defeating, redneck culture are very true. The people here worship at the alter of football and motor sports, while pounding down some type of drug, alcohol or both to distract themselves from their sad lot in life. The fear of finances that prevent people from leaving is all too real as while the housing is “affordable” the average wage is scaled down as well, a $75,000 dollar home takes time to pay off on a $26k/yr income (espcially with a family to support on that wage). In my hometown I grew up in all to often people, particularly men, would commit suicide if they were diagnosed with cancer or some other severe disease as it was not the depressing news, but the thought of the financial burden treatment would place on the family that put them over the edge (as there suicide notes stated). The weather seems to reflect the generally negative and depressing attitude of Ohio’s denizens, 7-8 months of grey rainy skies gives way to hot, humid, opressive summers. Ohio literrally gets more precipitation than Seattle and more days of cloudy skies. Right now I’m looking a graduating from OSU this year and being the first person in both sides of my family to have ever recieved a college degree. I soon will be leaving Ohio to find a job just like the majority of Ohio college graduates in what has been termed in Ohio as “The Great Brain Drain” as this state offers few job oppertunities for someone with a degree aside from teaching in the public shools or managing some telemarketing call center. Every time I go home I struggle with things that others have already commented on from friends and relatives wanting to suck off any potential wealth me and my family can offer as they feel they are “owed” to being treated like shit out of hand because I’m now a “big headed college boy”. I take this in stride and with good humor because in contrast when I was in high school and playing varsity football at my parents behest, my team was always in state title contention and these same people insisted on treating me like some hometown hero(which I hated). To this day they insist, as they did then, that those would be the “best years of my entire life”. This is becuase next to NFL and College football, high school football is the next favorite thing on Ohioans lists and this is not limited to the rednecks. Maybe this gives you some more personalized insight into the type of people that live in Ohio and why, though I won’t say Ohio sucks (there are far worse places in the world) it is in fact loaded with negatives. I included the above poem because it really expresses the hopeless-malaise that effects the people here and like its author the people can’t seem to ever free themselves from: money woes, major family problems(abuse etc.), drug habits, unwanted pregnancies. So all they can do is sit idly by stuck in their problems. ABANDON ALL HOPE YEE WHO ENTER HERE!
Here’s a list of things I’ve noticed in my life:
Corrupt Politicians
High Taxes (we’re rated 11th highest in the nation)
Bad Public School Systems (We never covered English grammer at my shool IM NOT KIDDING!)
Major Drug Problems (#1 Meth consuming state YAY!)
Rapidly Growing Crime Rate
Overweight People ( Everything revolves around watching sports and eating food here! Columbus is the 4th fatest city in the U.S)
Ignorant People (All the smart people are leaving!)
Obnoxious People
Narrow Minded People
Religiously Intolerent People (had Hanzel and Grettle taken out of my elementary school b/c it “promoted” witch craft)
Crap Weather
Ugly People (Seriously I’ve noticed from my friends at OSU and my travels that the majority of natives are much more homely than the average from abroad person, our women have V shaped bodies for christ sake!)
Briars – defn: redneck, particularly one who’s ancestors left Appalachia to work in Ohio factories during the great depression.
High Arsenic Levels in the Water ( Hope you like intestinal cancer yum! yum!)
Racists (Goes with the whole redneck thing)
I
llegal Immigrants (Seriously we have a ton of factory/service industry jobs and fruit farms. I know people from the
Southwest and they never fail to make the comment “They are more damned illegals here than in Texas/Arizona/N.M./Cali”)
Finally We Have only Lake Erie seperating us from Canada, on a quiet winter’s night when there has been a recent cold snap you if you listen closely you can here them sharpening their skates, waiting for the lake to freeze over so they can come down and steal our cheese!
Okay so the last one was just for fun! Seriously though I like Canada, cold, but its got some friendly-funny people.
Wow, Exodus… you are a very eloquent young man! Good for you for getting an education. My step daughter is at OSU and I have high hopes for her as well to get out there and have a better life than her relatives… her mom’s family is exactly like the girls’ family in Million Dollar Baby if you’ve seen it!
Congrats Exodus. I truly envy you. Get out before the sick bastards here kill your soul.
If you’ve got family ,friends or business associates —just turn off the phone. They’ll throw more drama at you than a Shakespeare festival to get you back. GET THE HELL OUT!!!!!! Don’t let me catch you around this state again.
Hey Ex,
I’m blown away at your comment. You have really given me an insight to what the rest of Ohio is really like. I didn’t know half the facts that you stated about it. I’ve figured that the narrow-mindedness what just limited to Toledo. Here, the job market is broken. Detroit looks attractive compared to Toledo. The crime rate is growing as is teenage pregnancy and domestic violence. The downtown area is deprived of all hope, thanks to the mayor here. He seems like one of those good ol boys who only wanna fatten the pockets of his friends. The people here have a real unfriendly, rustbelt, “what the F*** are you looking at” mentality. I’ve never, in my life, been to a place where the thing to do on a Friday night (for the ENTIRE town) is go to their old high school to watch football. It’s amazing how the mentality has regressed so in this area. There are no jobs unless you know someone, or want to work at a factory. You even have to know someone for that. I can’t believe that there is actually a train of thought like this. You seem like a really driven person. I’m on pace to move out of here in May. I wish you luck and happiness. See you on the other side.
Jerold
Yep, it’s raining hard right now in Central Ohio, but all I need is a full belly, snuggly woman and a. roof over my head. And I have all 3, so Ohio don’t suck too bad tonight, and the rain will help me sleep like a rock. Good luck to you all!
What a great blog!! Great posts all!! I could not agree more. Lets keep it going!
I have been stuck here for 3 long years, as a result of an unfortunate job transfer from Maryland.
What a mistake moving here was. Exodus could not have summed it up better for me.
I have been posting my negative thoughts on city-data.com/forum. My opinions are not well taken there, because of the many people there that see Ohio thru “rose colored glasses”. It would be great if some true Ohioans, such as those here, that really want out could get over there and post some real insight on what life is like in this god-forsaken state.
I have finally sold my house in Toledo almost after 2 years of attempts, repairs, and lowering the price. I am living in an apartment now and researching many different cities. I will be leaving this cesspool soon.
Natives: Just my 2 cents. There is soo much out there. Ohio is a stain on the mattress compared to what possibilities, culture, life, and every other part of reality that exists in the rest of this great country!! Leave this place and get out there and experience it!! The sky is the limit.
Hope to all the very best, and good luck in leaving this place!!!
Hello all,
This is probably my 6th or 7th entry now. This place is just cool for me to vent frustration from being confined in the “broken glass city”. After reading the majority of the comments here. I now realize that I’m not alone in the quest to leave the Cockeyed State. Chicago is looking better and better by the day. I really can’t wait to leave. I almost lost my job today due to just plain racism and bias. This guy at work, who barely works at all, goes to his “good ol boy” buddy (who is also my supervisor) and complained about how I was making his job harder on him. I work in production, so it’s very hard to make someones job harder is everyone is supposed to be working. I guess I did make it harder, because I interrupted his conversation that he’s paid $10 an hour to have with the other yahoos on the line. Anyway, he’s in the lunch room telling the supervisor how butt hurt he is that him and his buddy couldn’t finish their conversation because work interferred with it. By the way, they were talking about high school football. I was just doing my job and telling them that everyone can’t keep picking up their slack. I got written up for that. I was so upset. Not only at the stupidity of the issue at hand, but that the supervisor would entertain such a stupid complaint. I guess that goes with the territory of messing with inbred good ol boys. This is one of the only towns I’ve ever been to that is really bad with that mess. You would swear that only 10 1/2 people lived in Toledo if you weren’t from here. Good luck to all trying to leave.
First of all PA doesn’t suck for whoever said that. Ohio does suck – my wife is from there and we moved back to Pittsburgh after college. I’ve been alot of places in the US including Hawaii and I must say Ohio is comparable to say Mississippi. Anyone reading this who lives in Ohio should move. Yes there are nice neighborhoods around Cleveland, but what city doesn’t have that? There are just those “intangible” things that everywhere seems to have but Ohio. Like PA has alot of history to it and Philly and its natural beauty and wildlife. Ohio just deosn’t seem to have anything but endless suburbs that make you feel like a rat in a cage. Hell even WV is pretty scenic if you can get past the locals. I use to hate Ohio, now I just feel bad for you guys. Sorry!
Ok let’s face it, 90% of us on here know Ohio sucks and most of us can give a million reasons why it does suck… But what, if anything, could Ohio do to fix itself? Do the people that live there need a better attitude? More things to do? Better football team? Better weather? New governor? Fix up Cleveland? Less a$$hole cops? Raise the speed limit? I do not live in Ohio but have spent the better part of 5 years there for college so I have some idea of what makes that place horrible so let’s hear it!!!
I never saw a state outside the northeast with so many smartass flaming assholes like Ohio has no wonder people want to leave.
Browns suck,
For one, Ohio could use less sportsbars, and more outdoor and cultural activities. Everything there is to do here revolves around drinking and OSU. OSU is cool, but I am tired of hearing about it 24/7. The main activity here seems to be drinking. That could use some improvement.
The weather? Yeah, it sucks most of the year, but if there were other things here to offset that, then it wouldnt be a problem. The problem is, in the winter, everyone disappears into a heated cave and never comes out. If there was something for people to do other than drink and go to the mall then maybe people would get out a little more.
The other thing here, its very hard to find someone to start an intelligent conversation with. You talk about anything other than OSU, when you will drink next, or which girl you will take home, and all you get is this dumbfounded look like you were talking in a foreign language.
Its not all bad here, but there are certainly many many more negatives than positives. I cant stand it here anymore, and am in the process of getting out. The sooner the better.
Browns suck,
The lack of decent culture and nightlife is another bad thing about Ohio. As daytrepper explained, all there is to do in this town is go to the bar, watch OSU football, get drunk, go to church and squeeze just enough time in to reproduce and eat. Downtown Toledo is a morgue after 5pm on a Friday night, and barely open at all on Saturday. The only thing that is remotely cultural down there is Fifth Third Field(the minor league ballpark). It was actually graded the best minor league field in the nation. I will never take that away from them. Outside of that, I don’t know. This town thinks that Dave & Buster’s is wierd. Go figure.
I just turned 40 in Ohio today. Please shoot me.
BANG!
I visited Ohio on August 1st. It was Akron, OH and what I saw I thought it was tons of shopping malls and eateries. I was like god damn. I’m from Westchester County 10 minuates from the Bronx, NY (NYC) and I thought the eateries were out in Long Island or out in New Jersey along route 17 near the Garden State Plaza. BTW I was visiting a friend who was working at the Univ of Akron follow that up by going to the Hall of Fame Ceromonies in Canton, OH seeing Harry Carson getting Inducted. Well anyway, enough of the other news and on to the matter as I went there and I noticed it was flat. Yes flat. Then, I also noticed on my tour through Akron with my friend that we went along Market Streets and saw how a lot of shopping areas there. One of the malls was Summet Mall. and around there were lots of restaurants. Tons of them and I mean comercial ones. Then we went to another mall which was the Springdale mall and I saw nothing but resturants along West Market Street. I mean I didn’t see a bunch of fatso but I had to imaginate that if it was a Saturday Afternoon then yes the fatsos would rule. But it seemed alright, maybe if you are an old person or had a family. I went to Cleveland and I was expecting the flats to still be life. I went there back in 2000 and it seemed alive. Then I went there and it was dead. I noticed the warehouse district and it was good but I was with friends and didn’t do much there. But before these rants I was first of maybe considering of living there and renting an apartment and getting a job in the Akron area. Now once I saw this site I gave it a second thought, but damn I don’t know if I want to do that now. Hot summers and cold winters with nothing in between. But if there are a ton of fat girls then damn that’s not good. I like pretty ladies BTW in shape. Anyway, I am talking and talking but if the ladies are giving you folks troube in Ohio. Then google David DeAngelo for the lady problems and his stuff can get you great game on getting the pretty ladies of Ohio ( not overweight and ugly (base on each indviduals attraction)). Now for the rest of the people I’d just say you might want to leave for more better quality folks. Because this does not sound good. I mean their whole lives are Ohio State Buckeye’s and drinking beer or the Browns and Indians in Northeast Ohio. That sucks. I’m a Giants fan but at least I have a life I go to. I work out, go to the gym, go out at times at night or play chess in certain spots or movies etc…………. And it doesn’t make or break me if a person or friend doesn’t root for the home town team. But it seems like it’s work and home and dead end stuff and bitterness and rednecks and ghetto trash. Not my cup of tea. BTW I thought Ohio ladies were attractive at Ohio State University. Just curious.
BTW, I am not in no means trying to disrespect the state. Seriously. I also forgot to mention that when I passed two exits before going to the Hall of Fame Ceromonies in Canton, OH I saw another plaza which had Longhorn Restaurant and more eateries. It was a slew of plazas and that was near the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. I think it was the strip. And there was a place off I-77 where I-480 intersect and there seemed to be restaurants there too. All I can say is that it seems like that part Ohio has a ton of eateries with folks that make tons in the weight department 🙂
uhhhhh…
Another grim, cold day in this god-forsaken place. Winter only amplifies the abysmal monotony that accompanies living here. The platitude of day to day life can be extremely burdensome for the persons not yet assimilated into the typical Ohioan persona.
daytrepper, my advice to you is look for another job somewhere out of state on monster, in fact that is my advice to everyone from Ohio. Winter would be better if there were hills out there at least to ski on. Ohio is so boring! Westwood 1 you are right, there is nothing to do besides eat and drink out there – no natural beauty like PA, NY, or MD. Trust me dude don’t move there, I lived there for 5 years and it was too much, I went crazy and moved back to PA. BTW I am browns suck and PA.
To JasonPA,
Man so you say it is that bad. Damn, I heard that a certain part of Ohio had contamination of toxic waste and that was Cheshie, OH. I heard a story from real sports that the company that contaminated the town used a buyout and sold the town as part of their property. Now JasonPA where did you live in Ohio?
I was in Akron, OH. It seemed OK, that’s it OK. In Manhatten, Brooklyn, Queens, and a part of Staten Island you get some real culture and some of the chain restaurants. That is a bit more frequent in the burb (North New Jersey, Westchester County and Rockland and Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Long Island) but still you can find authentic cuisie (spelling). I don’t know about Ohio? In Cleveland it was kind of like chain restaurants, except for the Rock Bottem Brewery off of the Flats back in August of this year. Also, can anyone answer what happened to the Flats? I mean in 2000 it was alive and had bars and clubs open. I heard on a website called (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flats) that drowning deaths that made it dead. But why? I mean the clubs should have put wals there or something. It seemed nice.
I didn’t get a chance to go to the Warehouse area. I just passed by. I rode with my friend at the time and I had a drink along with my sinuis killing me at the time so I didn’t get to check out that area. Damnit. Anyway, enough of the talking I am just rumbling and rumbling 🙂 This place just seems ordinary to me. Maybe good to visit a friend but that’s it.
Again JasonPA:
Where in PA are you from? I have folks that live in Philly and even thought that’s a rough town at least there is stuff to do and you are 1hour and 45 mins south of New York.
But I have been bad places and by all means don’t go to Western New York. Particulary, Buffalo. That place sucks the big one. EVERYONE there is nothing but fat sloppy Buffalo Bills rooting loser and very biased (bigoted people) too. There are nothing but bars in downtown Buffalo that is filled with college students but that’s it. In that area if you want real nightlife, then you have to go 1 hour and 45 minuates to Toronto or stay close and waste your money on the casinos called Casion Niagara or the strip clubs (which have fine ladies from Toronto-called the Canadian Ballet). The ladies of Western New York look like mutants. All I got to say is BUFFALO SUCKS!!!!!!!
To JasonPA: I will give the rest of New York State one thing and that’s scenery and hills to ski. Outside of Buffalo has Wispering Pines and that has good ski slopes. Now for me I consider north outside Westchester County and Rockland County Upstate New York State. Nice scenery, but some crappy towns like Rochester and Syarcuse, Rust Belt towns. What more can I say. So if the rest of Ohio is like that then oh man that’s not good. And to add insult to injury #1 ranked Ohio State is playing #2 ranked Michigan in college football and it seems like it is going to be the center of the sports universe that day. Little do folks know about outside of Ohio that it may not be good as TV makes it out to be. I hope Rugters ranked #6 from New Jersey gets a shot at the National Championship whoever loses the game this weekend. And TV made Rugters right next to Manhatten when that campus is 40 minuates south of Manhatten which is exit 9 on the New Jersey Turnpike. Anyway, Nuff Said about this I don’t want to hog up the boards but just my 2 cents. Opps I meant $2.45 cents 🙂 Again I don’t want to disrespect anyone. Have a great day and again google David DeAngelo and his products if you are having lady problems. They are good. Have a great day 🙂
I live in Pittsburgh, thank God, went to Kent near Akron for 5 years. It is ok to visit in the summer if you are lucky.
Ohio is like having Buffalo NY or Detroit MI or South Philly over the whole state. It’s nickname is North Mississippi, move to the Poconos if you want out of NY, but by God, don’t go to Jersey either.
Oh and the Cuyahoga River actually caught fire, TWICE! The impression I have gotten from Ohio is that the people there have no common sense, and they don’t want it either. After all, if they did they would leave. They love being ignorant. The people there just have a loosing attitude. I could go into great lengths trust me. Just to give you an idea my wife bought her wedding dress from a scam artist who was previously convicted and yet still in business, you order things from a store like a bed and it take twice as long as what the salesman told you and when it does come it’s not what you ordered. If you move there you have to re-take your driver’s course – the actual driving and test both! There is no EZ-Pass on any highways yet (stone-age) It’s just a very gloomy and downtrodden place and you can feel it the minute you cross the border from PA. Imagine nothing in your life ever working out, constantly having bad luck, and being stuck with a sinus infection, that is Ohio.
To JasonPA: Now is that the reason why it went dark in the Flats in Cleveland after 2000. Was it some stupid drunk launched the Cuyagoa River on fire again in 2000? If so when? In fact when I was there I remember going to a Hooters Restaurant there. And the watress was good looking and a few were fine. But, that really sucks. Also, like I said before Go Rugters beat Cincinnati and get to the ranking of #2 for the national championship and beat the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeye’s. Also, here’s an article from that town I spoke to you about. Did you hear of Cheshire, OH. That is sad and here’s the link: http://www.forgottenoh.com/Cheshire/cheshire.html. That really is evil and sad. But hey the folks want to stay in the dark so oh well. Again I am not trying to disrespect the state but it just amazes me how people think and live in ignorant bliss.
Hello,
I’m so glad so many rude foul mouthed folks like you all are leaving!!
You should move to Flint MI or Saginaw!!
I think you all have bad attitudes which may come from within yourselves and blaming OH is your excuse.
I have met some of the type of people you talk about and most of them migrated here from West Virginia, PA and other southern coal towns. Ignorant people are everywhere!!
I traveled a lot in the early 1990’s been to Houston, Charlotte & Raleigh NC, Minneapolis, Portland Oregon, Michigan and Wisconsin. Lived in Phoenix AZ for 2 months and been through NM, and states all along the way. We vacation in Upper Michigan and while nice I wouldn’t live there. Best towns were Charlotte and Portland but even there homeless people craped on the sidewalks in a very nice neighbor hood, not seen that in OHIO!
I grew up in the nastiest northeastern most city Ashtabula Ohio, which is now the Meth capital of Ohio. I was lucky enough to go to a decent school and live in a ok neighborhood. I married a farmer and moved to Orwell south in Ashtabula Co. (near Don King’s training Camp). My nearest neighbor is across the street or 1/4 mile away and we enjoy the country life.
I still like Ohio better even though the weather gets depressing. Shopping is great, within any 30-40 miles I choose to go and cheaper cost of living for sure.
Ohio has amusement parks, too bad Sea World left, Ashtabula Co has covered bridges and tons of local museums and fairs. Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame, caves southern Ohio, train rides Jefferson and Sugarcreek, canal boat rides Coshocton and steam boat ride to Blennerhasset Island in Ohio river. Air museum in Dayton is great as are the museums in Cleveland and Zoo too! Water parks in Sandusky, I could go on…
I do not watch sports, I’m a God fearing Christian, go to church, have an occasional alcoholic beverage, a few lbs. overweight, size 12 and just got off my Total Gym, self educated on my 4th career I will create myself and been told throughout my life I’m attractive. Most of my friends like me are well spoken, no drawl, slang or foul language. We are intelligent, polite and do not watch much TV. Our hobbies include cooking, gardening family and friends. We do Roller Hockey, Track and Band.
My husband’s family have been on this same farm 150 years and milked cows since 1890 and my family have been around Northeastern Ohio for 150 years also. We do not make Ohio suck, we make it civilized, good and make it work.
Ever notice that the worst Ohio cities are huge democrat strongholds?? Cleveland, Akron Youngstown all Democrat union type folks and run by ignorant politicians??? Connection?? I think so, Democrats make Ohio suck. The only thing I might change would be weather or live in Marietta Ohio.
Lady loves Ohio
JasonPA,
I actually am on careerbuilder as I type this, seeking employment. Something somewhat promising is in the works as of this moment. I have never been to a more gloomy town than Toledo. This place is a damn hole. Seriously, it’s like being stuck in 1971. The mentality up here is very union and blue collar. Not that there’s anything wrong with blue collar, but it’s a wierd redneck, Jeff Foxworthy bluecollar. Not the hard working, honest blue collar. Toledo is the true definition of a good ol boy town. You’d swear that 15 1/2 people lived here, and they’re all related. All they know how to do is reproduce and get fat while watching OSU and drinking. The city itself has a lot of potential, but the people keep it from progressing. The people of Toledo are very unique. They have a certain look about themselves. It’s a look of total cluelessness and laziness. I’m serious. I’m not trying to be funny, it’s true. Anyone who has ever lived in Toledo can tell you. Living in Toledo is like being Charleton Heston in that movie,”The Omega Man”. I honestly feel that I am one of the only normal people in this entire city. I have never been to Cleveland, well, not enough to get a feel for it. I drove around it and it appeared somewhat normal. I just really want to warn anyone who is considering moving to or visiting Toledo, OH. If you don’t like eating, watching OSU, getting drunk, and being alienated by a bunch of cliquey rednecks who you’d probably never talk to anyway, but they go out of their way to try to make you feel like an outsider…don’t come to Toledo, OH.
To I love Ohio,
You are right Democrats do make most areas suck, and I am glad to hear about the church thing, I agree with you. See you are the minority in Ohio being in the area for so long and all and being in the country like that. Good for you! Most people from PA are like you. Most Ohioans live in suburbs like a bunch of rats with no real reason for being there other than a job, which can be found anywhere obviously and probably better ones in a much more enjoyable part of the country. That’s all I’m saying and all the modern coveniences of NE Ohio just spawn stupidity. Cleveland is consistantly rated one of the worst cities in America, below New Orleans at one point! That’s bad any way you look at it! The whole state needs help in my opinion. Ohio was recently voted as having the worst governor in the US as well. As far as unions, they are just running themselves out of work by working for 20/hr to pull a freakin’ lever. I think it’s funny. Democrats will only lose power when they are all gone to China. The Democrats in PA are different, Casey for instance is pro-life and for the most part is not a left wing nut job. Most of the Democrats here are more centered and level headed thank God. People in Ohio just need to vote these corrupt bastards of both parties out of office, start passing issues so your schools don’t fall apart and you’ll be on the right track.
To I love Ohio,
I almost forgot, I wish more people from Ohio were like you. At least your state went the right way in the 2004 election. The frustrating thing about PA is that the state always goes (Dem./Rep.) with Philly. Yeah there is some union remnants around Pittsburgh with their last-ditch effort to hang on to the old steel town. Philly is pretty much always Democratic as are most cities, hey it’s the 5th largest city in the US after all. Not sure if you have ever been there but it is easily 4 times the size of Pitts. or Cleveland. Someone early compared Cleveland to Philly in size and culture, I had to laugh. If you look at the 2004 election results by county most of western Ohio is nearly red and if you look at PA there is a big wide swatch or red going right through the middle. Really only Philly, Pitts., and maybe Erie are bluish. The rest of the state is as red as the south. PA really isn’t a very liberal state at all. I think Ohio is more liberal than meets the eye and that is another problem I have with Ohio and that’s what scares me. Like I said earlier, Ohios Democrats seem to be whack jobs whereas ours are more in the center. Later.
To Jerold,
You might also try a recruiter, that’s how I escaped after college.
Later.
On my trip there in Ohio, there seemed to be churches. But around the exit of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH I noticed a big scoreboard. It was a church like one of the Evangilical(excuse the spelling) churches. And it had a scoreboard. Also goign back to my friends apartment complex and there was another church. I was like is that how Ohio is a big Evangilical place. I mean I believe in GOD. But, this is overwelming and a way to control people. Akron-Canton area only seems OK but it seems too religious and dull. What is anyone’s take on it?
GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heh, yeah, GO BLUE!!
I have heard that damn Ohio song so many times today on the radio I could scream!!!
Not to turn this into a sports chat, but I think I need #1 Ohio State to win because then Rugters which is #6 will have a shot at moving up. Barring that #5 Notre Dame, #4Florida, and #3 USC all lose. So, sadly enough I need Ohio State to win so Rugters can have a chance. Unless you guys are Michigan Fans, I have to say the Buckeye’s have to win. Becuase if Michigan wins then it will be Ohio State ranked #2 in the BCS polls. Tough call. All I can say is last night I went to a club Mansion formerly the Limelight and it was great. Nuff Said. I danced with the ladies and got a number. What more can I say. Well enough of the bragging and lets just get back to the subject and that subject is there is more life out there. Just look at NYC and the nightlife.
To the lady of Ohio, that is great to here that. My friend lives in Akron and works for Univ of Akron. He is orginally from the Brooklyn and we were classmates at SUNY Buffalo. He wanted the change of pace so he moved out there. So, if you find the best of it and you are satisfied in life and are able to surround yourself with good people then you can be in a great state of mind. Right now I am still young and I like the burbs and the rest of the NYC tri state area.
I read on here that Ohio was 11th in the nation for taxes…WRONG! We are number 3 for highest taxes in the nation. I am sure the new Governor will fix that though.
We will lead the nation soon though.
Number one in jobs lost.
Number one in taxes.
Number one in lowest housing appreciation.
Number one in crime.
This state sucks. I also traveled to Rochester, MN, Lacrosse, WI, and Pittsburgh, PA. Those areas suck too. The entire midwest sucks but Ohio leads them.
Oh yeah, I went 5 days straight without seeing the sun. How can that happen?
Hello all,
Well, this is one of my many entries. I must express first of all that I hate that Ohio State won yesterday, because tomorrow at work those rednecks will go on and on about it. I’m not a Michigan fan, but they will come up to you and taunt you with their victory as if you care. EVEN IF YOU DON’T. I guess ALL of Ohio is like everyone says it is. I met someone from Cincy yesterday, and I must say that is was not too much different than meeting a Toledoan. That’s sad when you consider the fact that Toledoans are probably the most one-dimensional, narrow minded, redneck people you’ll ever meet. He just looked at me and said,”OSU and Jack Daniel’s…boy it don’t git no better than this shit, hehe!” I’m not joking. And that was the depth of our conversation. I’ve noticed that intelligent conversation with a Toledoan is almost impossible. Whenever I’m at work, I tend to talk to some of my co-workers about socially conscious issues, only to be met with an ignorant look and a rude change of subject to Libbey High School’s football game. I really don’t know what the deal is with the people up here. I can recall one day when I was discussing with another person(who isn’t from Ohio either) the Hurricane Katrina issue. A girl from Toledo was sitting across from us, and for no reason she moved over to another table full of Toledoans. I heard her say,”I’m coming over here where ya’ll ain’t talking about nuthin.” I’m not joking. I think that is scary, when you consider that fact that she is only 19. That just goes to show just how small minded Toledoans are. Also, how willfully ignorant they will remain with that mentality. I can’t wait to leave. Oh yeah, I got an offer from Edward Jones. Keeping my fingers crossed. Good luck to all.
To Jerold: Again, not to turn this into a real sports chat, but, Earlier on Saturday I was hoping Ohio State would win becuase of the BCS and Rutgers being #6 in the BCS would maybe move them closer in the rankings to that National Championship Game. But that turned in the state of Ohio just a few hundred miles south of Colombus in Cincinnati when Cincinnati beat Rutgers 30-11. So, now I am like oh well, what else is new. Can’t win them all 🙁
Since, the New York City area and the radio stations doesn’t talk about College Football that much. BTW Rugters is a New Jersey school that is like 40 miles from Midtown Manhatten, and is the closest school to college Div 1 A school. I couldn’t New York is really a pro sports, cultural town. Now don’t get me wrong there are ignorant biased people here too in the Big Apple (just like Lady of Ohio pointed out-ignorant small minded people are everywhere) even though it is a cosmopolition, but at least you can escape it here much better. YOu can talk about sports, social issues, and have a bit of a better time getting into better social circles. Problem with NYC area is that it is expensive and competetive. And if you are still single Jerold and the ladies are giving you trouble, google David DeAngelo and he can help. I am not taunting you. Also to all, I am not trying to disrespect any of you who post or change this into an all sports topic. I am just putting in my 2 cents. Best of luck to all.
One last thing, the phrase “I couldn’t “, I was trying to make a point about ESPN and the media making it out to be a interesting place. What I meant to say was “I couldn’t believe when ESPN did the Rugters vs. Louisville game they made the Rugters campus seem like it was around Union Square West 14th Street in Manhatten when it is only 40 miles away.” That was what I was trying to say from that phrase “I couldn’t” from the last post.
Westwood 1,
Thanks for the advice. I’ve been to NYC. I must say that it’s alright, but I don’t think I would want to live there. Like you said, way too expensive. I agree with you and Lady of Ohio, small mindedness is everywhere. Trust me I know, I lived in LA for 5 years. The thing is, even in a purgatory like Los Angeles, you could still strike up good, half way intelligent conversation with one of them. Plus, you didn’t have to be a good ol boy to get to know people around there. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Toledo or not, but that seems to be the culture around here. It’s a very blue collar, rustbelt mentality up here. I think a lot of it is because of the crippled job economy and depressing weather, I don’t know. You can almost directly associate the economy in Toledo to that of Detroit. I’m sorry about your Scarlet Knights. I know that this is one of their better seasons, so at least you can be happy about that. They were fun to watch this year. I’m single, and not looking for anyone right now. I’m just living the single life and loving it. Detroit does have a pretty vibrant nightlife(Depending on where you go there.) Thanks for the advice though, no offense taken. Better luck next year with Rutgers.
To Jerold: To respond to your last post. I have been in a town similar to the one you described. I went to school in Buffalo, NY. And the school was Univ at Buffalo or know as SUNY Buffalo. Well, let me tell you that town is exactly what you described. Except, their sports outlet isn’t a college team. It is a pro team like the Buffalo Bills. Oh god, if you can avoid Buffalo and the rest of Western New York State. That area sucks. That is the armpit of the world. Tackey homes, fat ugly ladies, mean spirted people, stupid cliques “good ol boy” syndrome. The burbs aren’t much better either like Cheektowaga, Kemmore, Tonawanda, Lancaster, Hamburg, West Senca, Clarence all sucks. Even a few miles north in Niagara Falls, NY and that area of Wheatfield, and North Tonawanda all sucks too. Listen, I posted before on post #164 and I describe that the only other thing to do is to go to Canada and check out either Toronto which is 1 hour and 20 mins away or go across the river to the Canadian Ballet in Niagara Falls or Fort Erie, But if not then the only thing to do is go to downtown Chippawa street and drink your guts out with college dudes or go on Main street at UB’s south campus and drink with college dudes too. And even that gets old. The folks are narrowminded and biased people too. So, I have been to an old rust belt town and ,my advise is if you want to avoid misary don’t go to Buffalo, A.K.A. Barfalo, A.K.A. Pukealo becuase it SUCKS THE BIG ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. Avoid Rochester, NY, Syarcuse, NY, and Albany, NY (unless you are a state employee under Eliot Spitzer) 🙂 Ok enough of the banter and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and didn’t get hounded about college football or the pros because both games were boring. Well have a nice day.
Westwood 1,
Hey, hope your turkeyday was a great one. I’ve never been to Buffalo, or anywhere in western NY State for that matter. I have a buddy at my job who is originally from Buffalo. He describes it pretty much as you did. Very much like Toledo, except Buffalo might have a little more going for it. The only thing that Toledo has going for it is a bunch of restaurants and churches. They pride themselves on being the “City With the Most Restaurants Per Capita”. Wow!!! Maybe that’s why it’s on the “America’s Fattest Cities” list. I think that Ohio is one of the most supersized states in the union. I don’t know. I think that you can relate to a lot of what I am talking about, as far as Toledo. 9 more months and I’m leaving. I just said screw it and I’m gonna use my G.I. Bill to go back to school. I want to move back to Chicago, or maybe…Ann Arbor, MI. It’s alright up there. The only thing is that it’s dangerously close to Detroit and Toledo. It has it’s own vibe, though. Unlike Toledo. Detroit is okay, it’s just dead as far as the job market. That’s the only thing that kills the D for me. It’s slowly trying to come back. Toledo, on the other hand, continues it’s pursuit to live permanantly in 1972. Maybe this town needs a new mayor. Oh well, good luck to all trying to leave the Big, Dead, O.
GO GATORS!
To Jerold: Again I am not trying to make it which towns suck the worse but when I was in Buffalo, NY I thought that town sucks. Now you say it has more going on. Are you saying like three malls. The one in the city is just a trashy mall Main Place Mall in downtown Buffalo. The OK mall is the Blvd Mall in Amherst. Or the nice mall called Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga. When I attended UB and didn’t have a car the folks at school would cheer to go to the mall and sound enthused. Me I am like “So f&cking what”.
Because in the New York area and the town I live in Westchester County there are two malls that will out do those malls in a heartbeat. One is the Westchester Mall and the Galleria Mall. Then over across the river in Rockland County we have the Palasades Mall, In New Jersey in Parmus called the Garden State Plaza and the Parmus Mall (a small one level mall which is the size of the Blvd Mall in Amherst). We can shop in Manhatten 5th avenue and the 50’s, Herald Square on East 34th and 6th Ave Manhatten Mall, downtown SoHo in Lower Manhatten, Queens Mall, Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, Long Island, NY. Or the Stamford Mall in Stamford, CT Connecticut. Plus 20 miles east is the mall in Trumbul Mall in Trumbul, CT And you have more malls in North Jersey as well.
So to me Buffalo sucked the big one. One more thing I wanted to mention is that when you don’t want to go drinking at the same bars, you go across the river to the Canadian Ballet. What I meant is that there are strip joints over in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada and Niagara Falls, Canada. I mean it is good and the folks across the river and Niagara Falls in Canada seem a bit more open minded. However if you just go to those places I mentioned you waste money. And 1 hour and 20 minuates away is Toronto where that town has it going on. But if it’s cold as f#@k with snow down on the ground then do you really want to battle the snow just to go up there on a winter weekend night. Plus do you really want to battle Canadian and U.S. Customs to cross everytime (particulary after 9/11with more intrrogations just to have a good time). I mean it is a convience to a certain extent but you want to me near it all. That is why I am still in the NYC area. I like it being 30 minuates away from Manhatten or I can stay in Westchester and do stuff as well with the burbs.
Again, I am not trying to have a pissing contest on which city is the worst but that was my experience in Westen New York. So to all the ignorant Western New Yorkers.
F#ck Buffalo and the Rest of you Western New Yorkers (except your friend of course and a couple of open minded friends that were cool back at UB)
Hey Westwood,
It sounds like Buffalo is probably as bad as T-Town. I’m not gonna argue that, because like you said…I’m not trying to make this whose town is worse. I just wanted to let you know how much Toledo needs improvement. I’m set to move out of here in the summer, so that is a breath of fresh air. I don’t really know why I came here. At least I got to see Detroit. It’s okay. It’s getting better every month it seems like. There are tons of things to get into up there. I am only 40 minutes away from it, so I spend a lot of time in Detroit and Ann Arbor(which is only 35 minutes away.) Ohio just seems a bit too…redneck. Don’t get me wrong, I have a friend in Cleveland who is pretty cool, but other than that…I don’t know. It’s hard to meet someone here who means you good. It seems like Toledoans meet you with the intention of doing you wrong. If you don’t like OSU, drinking, and morbitly obese women, then you are considered an outcast here. There are actually a LOT of people here who have NEVER been to Detroit or Cleveland. I’m serious. Detroit is only 40 minutes away(50 on a bad day) and Cleveland is an hour and a half away. Yet and still, Toledoans make it a point not to travel outside of Toledo. You see, Toledo is like a big bubble. No one ever leaves this bubble, and no one can come in except the ones already in it. That’s Toledo. They really have no idea what sits outside of Toledo. It’s sad when you consider the fact that Toledo is centrally located to a lot of bigger, more cultured cities. At least people in Buffalo will travel outside of it, well…that’s what it sounds like. I like Detroit a lot. It’s run down and the job market is very crippled…but it’s like they are trying to get it going in the right direction. Plus, there is ALWAYS something to do there. The best thing is that you are right next to Canada. I actually considered moving there at one point. I liked the places I saw near Wayne State University, and the cost of living is very reasonable. It’s definately a young person’s town. Toledo is a suicide-inducing nightmare. Oh well, I have only a little while left. Go Gators, Buckeyes Suck.
I have been living in Dayton, Ohio for over a year now, having moved here from the Niagara area of Ontario, Canada. My husband is in the Air Force and is situated at Wright-Patt. While I like Ohio okay, I want to tell you guys my first impressions of it: the people seemed overweight, they smoke like chimneys and are missing a whole lot of teeth! Yikes!
And I was surprised at the “southern drawl” to their accents. I figured we weren’t far enough south to hear much in the way of a drawl. On the plus side, most people have been quite friendly to us.
The people I’ve become friends with are all from somewhere else (California, Texas, W. Virginia, Virginia etc.) being military people.
I’m kind of glad we will only be here for another 3 years or so then perhaps Boston as our next base.
If I was a younger woman I think I would go crazy here! Not a lot to do. Luckily I’m older now and not as into going out to bars or clubs, cuz I think most of them really suck here. Very scary! Last night a group of us girl-friends (3 pregnant and 2 breastfeeding) went to a really ghetto Mexican restaurant and found 2 hairs on the table and one on the food! Then some drunk guy came over to our table with tattoos on his neck and tried to pick one of us up, I think. A group of women at the bar were hammered and talking super loud about going to jail or something. Yikes! But there must be some cute little towns in Ohio? Like Yellow Springs…even if it is very hippy-ish!
Adie ,
>
That’s because they’re all Alien escapees from Hanger 13. They encourage their human hosts to overeat so they have enough space to work the controls in there.
Stay for his tour of duty then leave before you become one of the pod people. Boston’s a great choice. It’s got Boston Common, Fenway park, the best private university on the planet, Nobel price winners, billionaires, a harbor, great public transit. I can go on and on.
Hello All,
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May 2007 bring us hope, prosperity, and relocation.
Peace and Love
Merry X-mas to all you smart ambitious people escaping the event horizon of this midwestern black hole.
instead of ingnorantly bashing ohio, why don’t you take a look at what it has to offer. I am from cleveland, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Great people, no we’re not hillbillys, but we get along with them. in fact we get along with everyone that is why it is the more diverse city america. Ohio has everything, great city folk, kind country folk, loyal and welcoming people everywhere, and tons of attractions and natural beauty. But it is far more easier to judge it while driving through on the turnpike, and moving here for one month and deciding it sucks, right?
Jon Z,
Most of the Ohio bashing going on here is from long-time residents, whom are hardly ignorant or have just seen it from the turnpike.
I myself cannot wait to get out of here, as I have been here 25 years. Ohio absolutely does not have everything, at least for me. The job market is terrible, outdoors activities are non existent, and all anyone cares about is drinking and sports bars, and shopping. I could go on and on. There are fun things to do here, but they are several hours drive away. What would be a simple day trip or weekend outing in the right places turns into an overly expensive 4 day pain in the butt in Ohio. It usually turns out to be cheaper to fly to a real place like Miami or LA.
I am going to a real place, with real diversity, good economy, and great outdoors scene. Ohio sucks.
COME ONE, COME ALL!!! To the NYE HODOWN. Jan. 31, 2006 in Toleda, Ohia!!! YEEEEHAAAWWWW!!!!
No really, though. Toledo sucks.
Jon Z,
Ohio has spawned another antibody. This time from the great city of Cleve-land – the poorest big city in the United States according to the Federal government.
http://www.clevelandfed.org/research/Regional/Features/2006/september/poverty.cfm
If it makes you feel better, I think Buffalo,NY sucks a bigger nastier enchilada than Cleveland but that’s just a personal bias. The facts speak for themselves.
Read Edgewater03 for a better rebuttal of this blog.. and why don’t you take a trip to Chicago or New York for your diversity fix? They beat the crap out of Cleve-land.
To earthpearl: As you know I went to school in Buffalo at SUNY Buffalo and all I can tell you is what I have expressed above. BUFFALO SUCKS AND THERE ARE NOTHING BUT NASTY BIASED SCUMBAGS THERE!!!!! But again, I am not trying to make this into a pissing contest.
To Jon Z: Learn to travel and stay in cosmopolitions for 3 months maybe you can learn something.
To Jerold: You had the funnest quote of this month. Keep it up as you disway folks from coming to that town. Or you try to make people change their narrowminded attitude. BTW I am not trying to make it more of a pissing contest on which town is the worst between cities in Ohio vs cities of central and western New York State.
QUESTION: why is it that so many natives of the buckeye state have either bipolar or some other mental ailment? Is there something in the genes, I hope it’s not in the water….haha! GO GATORS! BEAT the useless nuts!
First off, I am a native of Texas, not Ohio and in the three short years I have lived her, I have noticed the real mistake I made of moving here. The only thing good that happened was I found my wife here. So we are out of here and she is glad. She has lived here her whole life and she pointed out things that sucked to me I never noticed before.
Not to say Texas or anywhere else is some paradise. I just get sick of people bitching about how hot it is in the summer and I came from a place with regular 110 degree days. People cannot drive for squat here and people are just rude and nasty.
Everyone is poor as well. I do slightly better than the average bear but the only real white collar people in Ohio are lawyers, doctors, politicians, and middle managers. Everyone else is poor. Pick any street in Dayton or Cincinnati and you’ll find at least five houses for sale, two of which are foreclosures.
The only thing good about Cincinnati is Northern Kentucky, which everyone in city hall hates with a passion.
I plan to be out of this state in the next two months, heading back south. All I can say is thanks for the wife, my kid on the way, and state of Ohio kiss my Texan ass and for those in a certain insurance company in Fairfield, OH, thanks for dragging me up here and firing me five months later. I’ll be back some day to pay you bastard sons of bitches back in kind.
I go to the College of Wooster. At first, I was excited to get out of Maryland, the state I have been in for most of my life. However, upon arriving, I realized one thing….Ohio blows. I really appreciate being able to go to college, but I am planning on transferring to a better school. Wooster doesn’t give a FUCK about its students unless you’re in the top 10 percent, which I am just on the outside of. (Biochem major, tough classes, don’t have a 4.0..) So, to anyone looking at colleges….
DO NOT GO TO WOOSTER. IT BLOWS. THERE ARE A FEW GOOD PROFESSORS, BUT NOTHING THAT YOU WON’T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.