My Crappy Town on a Crappy Day

[runnah]

Nice set & like the black/white conversion. My favorite is the DeskRiver because of the composition of the tree reflections, rocks and of course an odd desk in the middle of a river.

Thanks.

 

[FanBoy]

I thought the town was 'Salem's Lot, Maine.

I like the shots of the town and the signage.

 

[Vautrin]

some very nice photos...

 

[jwbryson1]

Move to Texas where the economy is thriving! In all seriousness, I love these types of images, but what's the draw to stay there and how does one make a living in such a downtrodden area?

 

[runnah]

Move to Texas where the economy is thriving! In all seriousness, I love these types of images, but what's the draw to stay there and how does one make a living in such a downtrodden area?

Well certainly no one moves there...except for me. Funny enough I was recently in Texas and thought that it would be a good place to move for work and cost of living.

I think mostly it's due to having grown up there. Most locals I know their ENTIRE family lives within 30 mins of them. Most people don't make a living. The amount of people on state aid is staggering up here.

 

[pgriz]

I was going to say that "home" is a very strong pull. The lay of the land, the patterns of living, the way the seasons change... they all seep into you, become part of you, and that is the "normal" that you know. I have a daughter who couldn't wait to move away, far away from the small-minded place she grew up in. But when she comes visiting, nothing feels like the safe place she always knew she had, as when she comes "home". Objectively, it may not be a great place - but there is a pull that is hard to resist. I've traveled quite a bit, and there's something very satisfying and comforting to be back in a place where you know the pattern of speech and the rhythm of living, the back roads and the secret places.

 

[Mully]

I would take up drinking if I lived up there. I used to go to Maine quite often when I lived in Boston and there are many depressed areas but the country is so beautiful. In the 1980's i did 100 + miles of the Allagash river in July ....the bugs were something else. I also went to Monson Lake and camp on the islands away from the black flies

 

[runnah]

I would take up drinking if I lived up there. I used to go to Maine quite often when I lived in Boston and there are many depressed areas but the country is so beautiful. In the 1980's i did 100 + miles of the Allagash river in July ....the bugs were something else. I also went to Monson Lake and camp on the islands away from the black flies

Many do, I haven't even gone to some of the towns that are in worse shape.

Yeah that is the flip side of the coin. It is a beautiful place with every kind of outdoor activity you could imagine.

 

[mishele]

Come vacation in Reading, Pa. sometime!! Its been on every worst list out there.

 

[Mully]

^^^^^ Me too?

 

[jwbryson1]

Move to Texas where the economy is thriving! In all seriousness, I love these types of images, but what's the draw to stay there and how does one make a living in such a downtrodden area?

Well certainly no one moves there...except for me. Funny enough I was recently in Texas and thought that it would be a good place to move for work and cost of living.

I think mostly it's due to having grown up there. Most locals I know their ENTIRE family lives within 30 mins of them. Most people don't make a living. The amount of people on state aid is staggering up here.

So is tourism the biggest part of the economy?

 

[runnah]

Move to Texas where the economy is thriving! In all seriousness, I love these types of images, but what's the draw to stay there and how does one make a living in such a downtrodden area?

Well certainly no one moves there...except for me. Funny enough I was recently in Texas and thought that it would be a good place to move for work and cost of living.

I think mostly it's due to having grown up there. Most locals I know their ENTIRE family lives within 30 mins of them. Most people don't make a living. The amount of people on state aid is staggering up here.

So is tourism the biggest part of the economy?

Not as large as the anti-development crowd would have you think. Plus there are the eco-tourism and the regular tourists. The regular tourists hug the coast and spend all their money at shops and hotels. The eco-tourists are those that hunt/fish snowmobile etc... these are the ones that venture inland, but they don't bring tons of tourism dollars like the coast tourists do.

But like pgriz mentioned the tourism industry is mostly service based employment. These jobs are effected more greatly by economic shifts, poor weather and poor attendance. What Maine really needs is lots of manufacturing based jobs that pay more than state aid does.

 

[pgriz]

... and customers who pay more because they know that they are paying the salaries of their neighbours...

 

[mishele]

^^^^^ Me too?

Yes!! Just remember to wear your RED bandana, we will be hangin w/ the Bloods!!

 

[jwbryson1]

Well certainly no one moves there...except for me. Funny enough I was recently in Texas and thought that it would be a good place to move for work and cost of living.

I think mostly it's due to having grown up there. Most locals I know their ENTIRE family lives within 30 mins of them. Most people don't make a living. The amount of people on state aid is staggering up here.

So is tourism the biggest part of the economy?

Not as large as the anti-development crowd would have you think. Plus there are the eco-tourism and the regular tourists. The regular tourists hug the coast and spend all their money at shops and hotels. The eco-tourists are those that hunt/fish snowmobile etc... these are the ones that venture inland, but they don't bring tons of tourism dollars like the coast tourists do.

But like pgriz mentioned the tourism industry is mostly service based employment. These jobs are effected more greatly by economic shifts, poor weather and poor attendance. What Maine really needs is lots of manufacturing based jobs that pay more than state aid does.

I had no idea it was so bad up there. I'm dying to visit in the warmer months, but if you hadn't told me this, I would have imagined a booming economy due to hunting/outdoorsy type stuff. LL Bean doesn't pull the whole state up by it's boots it sounds like to me...