Swimming Upstream

[Dixon Carter Lee]

My wife and I were chatting about how we both feel in our hearts that we will eventually retire in New York. It's the "Swimming Upstream" thing I think most people have -- the need to return to the place of your early youth. My father had it, and eventually went back to the deep South, dragging my poor mother with him. He hated his childhood, but, still, he had to Swim Upstream, and breathe the same air he breathed when he was five years old, see the same droopy trees, listen to the same insects and accents. It's getting back to who you are.

For me it's New York (and, Jersey, somewhat). I know I'll die there. It's comforting, and a bit weird, to know that.

Do you plan to Swim Upstream? Or is it too early to tell?

 

[Spinaroonie]

Will you visit Leonardo, New Jersey?

 

[Raina]

Probably. Lots of folks retire in Arizona. Right now I can't imagine living there in all that heat, but when I'm 50 or 60, who knows?

 

[Tyrael]

Nope.

I've already done everything there is to do here.

When I get the chance, I'm gone and will never look back.

 

[Private Vasquez]

Way too early to tell for moi.
I have to finish school first and work a few years. But if this little brat kid still lives in the house next door, no way.

 

[sexy-girl]

i haven't left from where i was born yet

 

[sunstruck]

I am one of those horribly lame people who moved back to her hometown after college. Though I did live in Boston until I was 11 the Cape really is where I grew up. We were here every summer before it became permanent.

Part of it is because I'm very family oriented. Not having kids of my own makes my neices and nephews that much more valuble to me and I want to be a part of their growth.

But it's also because I love the Cape. If you've never been her, come. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth, the people are friendly (outside certain country clubs lol) the beaches are amazing and the history and culture are intriguing.

I've been all over the world and I can't imagine living anywhere else.

 

[Rubyfruit]

I never knew how much I loved California until I left it, and I've been trying to get back home ever since.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

I actually almost took a biz opportunity to come to Boston next month, but I have to go somewhere else, so I turned it down. Too bad. I love Boston.

 

[Never]

Having no home to return to I'll settle for growing roots to wherever I find myself.

 

[sunstruck]

I actually almost took a biz opportunity to come to Boston next month, but I have to go somewhere else, so I turned it down. Too bad. I love Boston.

TEASE! lmao

Boston is hands down my favorite city. From the swan boats to the Science Museum to the Freedom trail (except for the part where you have to walk past the butcher shop with dead bunnies hanging in the window. Ick).

The architexture, the SHOPPING! lol God bless Newbury Street. And the people are actually very polite.

If you're visiting though, don't drive. Park your car and take the T (Train) if you want to live. We don't believe in "lanes" in Boston.

 

[sunstruck]

Having no home to return to I'll settle for growing roots to wherever I find myself.

You can have some of mine. If you don't mind an unbelievable nosey, but loving family. Oh, and you have to be able to yell. It's just the way we communicate.

(which is why I rarely raise my voice outside of my parents house. lmao)

 

[Guest]

Do you plan to Swim Upstream? Or is it too early to tell?

Yes, too early to tell. Right now, I don't feel the need to be a salmon. I, however, do feel that I'd like to be in an environment - seasonal weather wise - similar to the place of my origin, which happend to be on Jupiter.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Too bad Washignton Heights in upper Manhattan is such a dump now. That's where I was born. But, hey, I'll settle for the upper west side, near the river.

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Re: Re: Swimming Upstream

Yes, too early to tell. Right now, I don't feel the need to be a salmon. I, however, do feel that I'd like to be in an environment - seasonal weather wise - similar to the place of my origin, which happend to be on Jupiter.

Jupiter is good. See, I've decided to stop trying to kill you. It would be a waste of good material. Instead, I am going to absorb you into the collective.

Resistance is futile. Prepare to be assimilated.

 

[OUTSIDER]

Do you plan to Swim Upstream? Or is it too early to tell?

This is a great question and one I feel I can answer, at the moment I have the whole love/hate thing going on with London but I gotta say I'm sick to my soul with the sight of otheer people.

I'd like to go someplace where my nearest neibour is a good drive away, I'm sick of the lack of privacy here in the UK and the fact that you have to be rich to buy any at all.

I think I'll try to retire somewhere abroard.....someplace warm.

 

[Never]

sunstruck:
"You can have some of mine. If you don't mind an unbelievable nosey, but loving family. Oh, and you have to be able to yell. It's just the way we communicate.

(which is why I rarely raise my voice outside of my parents house. lmao)"

I can't yell, but I'm perfectly comfortable being around people who do. Nosey but loving? Sounds great.. I'm spending my next summer vacation with you.

 

[District Line]

... the history and culture are intriguing...

Please could you tell us some more.

 

[Calamity Jane]

I think about moving back home every now and then. It was a great town to grow up in, and it'd be a great town to raise kids in. It also has the college I need to go to to get my degree... but somehow, I think the distance between my family and I is perfect. I can easily get there, they can easily get here, but no one just 'drops by'.

I may move back someday though, sometimes I miss the Flint Hills so much, I ache.

 

[sunstruck]

Please could you tell us some more.

I am trying to curb my hijacking ways. lol But feel free to pm me if you're really interested.

Never, I hope you like to eat. lmao. We have more BBQ's in a summer than the rest of the world does in a year. And bring a bathing suit!

 

[iwmggw]

swimming upstream

When I was younger...........all I wanted to do was "get out of Dodge" as quickly as possible. An immediate stint in the military, got me to the Mediterranean and Caribbean (most delightful), and then SE Asia (with time off for good behavior in Australia). After I got out of the service (relatively whole)......I continued to travel all over the states.....which caused me to take 7 years and 4 schools to get a degree. Never thinking of home, a small commercial fishing village in Wisconsin, till I had a family of my own. Thats when all the reasons for leaving that sleepy little town.........caused me to go back.....they were now virtues. Now, I enjoy the peace.........and its bliss, not boredom. Oh how the years change our perspective. Thanks for the thread DCL..............I'm just a salmon swimming upstream>gsw

 

[freakygirl]

I'm still swimming in the same pond.. under the same lily pad.. that I was born and raised in.

No need to swim upstream for me..

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Do you plan to Swim Upstream? Or is it too early to tell?

For me its hard to tell. I came from the blasted desert wasteland, home of sagebrush, rocks, and nuclear weapons testing.

If I do go back, it will be becasue the thing I really miss is the sagebrush scent of a twilight breeze when everything has started to cool off, but before it gets so dark that sight is difficult. Its the best time of the day anywhere, at least in my opinion.

 

[freescorfr]

Ah DCL, even my spry are swimming upstream. My sisters and I all left Scotland, but this year five of their nine grandchildren have all, independently chosen to return.

Maybe it's to put a safe distance between themselves and their parents: to me it seems extraordinary.

Anyway, I hope you and your wife have much pleasure planning retirement: it's a most natural phase of life in many ways.

 

[desert spike]

Ya call me a pacific northwest salmon or steelhead

Left northern Idaho in 1984 to St Thomas US Virgin Islands. My wife and I lived their for two year then moved to Sacramento, CA. Lived there for nine years. Had an opportunity to move back to northern Idaho. Wife was the one who was more desirious of moving back. Nice to be closer to family and child hood friends, those that are still around. Don't live in childhood town but I'm only 90 minutes away from there and both of our parents.

All in all, its been a good move. Now that I recently got a better job. Peachy Keen all around. Soon enough the kids will be gone and we'll spend more time travelling northwest and western canada.