Little Rock, Arkansas-come on, someone knows something!

[Changenow]

where would you live?

where would you sent your kids to high school?

where would you meet people like you?

Thanks.

[spacelady]

1. come to Mobile, Alabama-It's the same, but FUN!

[Changenow]

2. If only it were that simple.

Thanks anyway.

on edit: Mobile is a cool place, beautiful in parts also. Did it suffer much in all the hurricanes?

[spacelady]

3. We suffered some during both Ivan & Katrina in that Lots of rubble and

power outages for a week, bad but not devastating, unless directly on the water. I chuckled at your post, though, because before we moved here, we lived in El Dorado, Arkansas, so Little Rock seemed like heaven! All a matter of perspective, I guess. Hot Springs was a good place.

[Changenow]

4. That's sort of surprising

I'd have expected Mobile to have been hit fairly hard. We have relatives in Florida who can't believe the Wilma devistation hasn't been reported.

How about the Alabama beaches? They had not recovered from Ivan when this season hit, are they recovering well?

The thing about the Little Rock move is that there is no context.

[spacelady]

6. Yeah, we were hit fairly hard, but have nothing to complain about

compared to Bayou La Batre & on west to New Orleans. Any other year and we would get the violins out.

[Changenow]

8. The beaches?

They were the best kept secret in the US. Did they do well?

[spacelady]

9. The regular beaches are fine, but Dauphin Island is washed out and

in the market for a couple million dollars worth of taxpayer sand, for the 3rd year in a row.

[Changenow]

12. Thank God for taxpayer generosity

to the rich. I'm conflicted about this since they are so beautiful.

[Nevernose]

5. MAYBE I could help w/ the second 2 quetions

The Big Dog managed to make it out of there with no running water and a diploma from Hot Springs High -- then the worst high school in Arkansas.

It's just not a rich state. The "safe" suburbs seem to be filled with Christian fundamentalists, which may be scarier than downtown LR (which, since the library opened, has greatly improved).

I grew up in the SW part of the state and still spend a good deal of time in the Ozarks. The one thing I can say with authority is that you will meet "people like you" anywhere: bus stops, libraries, checkout stands, wherever. And quality of the high school isn't nearly as important as quality of the parenting.

And if I had my choice today, out of anywhere in the world, I'd move in with the old fogeys in Hot Springs Villiage.

Have you posted in the ARkansas forum yet?

[Changenow]

7. The Arkansas forum doesn't get much traffic.

But I did try it, it was a great starting point.

you're right that parenting is the most important thing, but peers are powerful also.

The 'burbs aren't interesting yet, but property prices in the cool neighborhoods are so far prohibitive, unless we've missed something. House shopping from afar isn't specific enough.

[Nevernose]

10. OK: Where is your new job?

(I'm assuming that's why you're moving there)

I really wish I could help more, but I honestly only know the more rural areas of the state. And to be honest, a lot of my friends -- such as those from Up North and especially those from California -- have nothing good to say about Arkansas, but I dream nightly, quite literally, of living there back in the hills. To anyone who loves the outdoors, nature, or an affordable cost-of-living, Arkansas is the place to go.

Good luck and God bless.

Also, if at all feasible, pick up a twang. It'll help.

[Changenow]

11. Downtown Little Rock

Thanks for your help.