Reply #26: I've lived in all three, too

[Lydia Leftcoast]

0-2: small town in Minnesota
2-6: Minneapolis
6-11: medium-sized town in Wisconsin
11-18: outer suburb of Minneapolis
18-22: college in Minneapolis
22-23: Cornell University, small town in upstate New York
23-27: Yale, in New Haven, Connecticut
27-28: Tokyo!
28-32: New Haven, again
32-34: inner suburb of Minneapolis
34-36: small town in Oregon
36-43: another small town in Oregon
43-53: Portland

My first preference is for the big city. I love the variety of people and institutions and the convenience of having things within walking distance and being able to take public transit (well, not so much in Minneapolis, but I can take the bus some places).

My second preference is for a small town, especially one that has everything within walking or biking distance.

If I were seriously into raising plants and animals, I would probably like the real country, and even though I'm not a natural Farmer Gal, I can understand why others might be.

My absolutely least favorite place to live or even visit is the suburbs. To me, they combine the inconvenience of the country with the crowds and pollution of the city. In addition, they all look alike, with the same chain stores and similar-looking trophy houses.