We are here!

[BradW]

Written well Sandy, especially about the wondering if this place was not an opportunity missed.

[notsoonenough]

the question is.... why is brad w still clocking in on a regular basis to this forum if he is living the good life far away from this dreaded place that he wishes he had never moved to? someone has an awful lot of time on their hands. be well and move on. you are not needed as a crossing guard.

[PaulW]

We're all clueless and need saving. We'd be so much better off shivering in the rain in the great PNW.
It's a hard sell.

[BradW]

Hey, I still like to read about your misery, and I was just trying to answer the lady's question. Give me a break.

[nana valley]

Brad, I lived in Baker City for 39 yrs. You are right on. Lived in mtns, had great neighbors (unofficial neighborhood watch), everyone had 5 or more acres with critters, we all watched each others homes when on vacation, fed each others critters. I loved it and always felt safe. BUT, as you know, winters are long, hard and cold there. I was retiring and knew I would not be able to manage the property anymore on limited income so I sold it. Daughter lives on Maui so I chose to come to the Big Island to be closer to her and to know I will NEVER have to own a snow shovel again..lol. Eastern Oregon was a wonderful place for me and my family. I'm glad you are happy there. As far as safety here? So far, I am blessed with quiet, good neighbors. Who knows down the road because many homes are rentals. So the environment can change month to month here in Nanawale.
Hmmm, noticed post basically telling you that you're not welcome here??? Ridiculous...post anytime you want!
Pat

[BradW]

Thanks Pat, Baker City is probably the best kept secret in that entire state, and you sound like you could be one of my lovely neighbors here. Fingers crossed for you and your continued safety and comfort there.

I put a plow blade on one of the quads so I've got the snow shovel thing covered. And I have to tell you that hiking the mile or so out to the mailbox in the snow is pretty wonderful.

[Hunt Stoddard]

Hawaii isn't for everyone, and Brad is spot on about the fact that vacationing here isn't living here. It's naive to think that the glow that surrounds you on vacation is going to endure forever, but so many people keep falling for that. That's why it's critical to keep reiterating the message from earlier in the post: rent at first, don't buy. There are so many upsides to that and only a few down sides. There is always going to be a culture shock for some moving from the mainland, and also the lingering feeling that they don't fit. For others it's love at first sight and no looking back.

I've heard it said: if you stay a year you'll stay forever, but that also seems to be the interval when people decide it's not for them.

Remember, Brad, you can still come back to vacation. The glow will be waiting.

[ericlp]

It truly is all about attitude ... If you think your kids are gonna be picked on because your white or black or whatever you are... your brain will find ways to manifest your thoughts to reality.

So if you come here thinking your gonna make it... Your gonna fit in and find all the right friends and people to help you out and you really truly believe it and feel it with in... It's going to happen. No question about it. If you come thinking that all the locals are going to judge you and your never going to find a job because well, your this or that (insert excuse here)... And your looking at the trash on the ground not the beauty of the ocean and clean water / air, Flowers and Rainbows....

It's the glass half full / half empty... You are going to see or experience what you want to experience... You make your own bed in Puna... Now it's time to sleep in it!

Don't forget to stop and have fun!

Life is too short for negativity. There are a lot of happy people here... And I'm determined to be one of them.

[BradW]

ericlp, perhaps you've openned the door to what it comes down to.

Up front, know that I lived there five full years, had many good experiences, and made many friends - some of which are still close today. We stay in touch on the phone. My attitude going in was as you describe in the positive - this was a wonderfull adventure, hopes high, did my homework and found an affordable home in a neighborhood that I could enjoy. I even drove down there the night before the papers were signed, and sat and listened and, soaked it all in for a long time and thought it was awesome.

Fast forward a year and I'm well established there and completely enjoying the experience. Working hard every day on my home and landscape, local neighbors were diggin' it. There even was a sort of friendly landscape competition among us which usually terminated in a lawnchair scotch in my driveway late in the afternoon. Everyone is enjoying each other and life is good.

Then, as if someone threw a switch, three neighborhood rentals flipped in about two months, and the entire experience went straight to hell. Now there was drugs and prostitution, partying 24/7, window rattle music, graffiti, litter, burn-outs in front of my house all day and all night, tresspass, threats, the finger. White boy go home was the theme.

Some of the original neighbors continued to get together and one told me at a gathering that she had asked for police intervention 17 times - with no change in offending neighbor's behavior or activities.

Prior to listing my house, another neighbor, I assume a lifelong local, put his house on the market. I asked him about it and he told me the neighborhood was now "too local, and I want better for my kids". A couple other neighbors told me they'd give anything to go but were upside down on their debt and broke.

eric, you can say it's about attitude going in, and you can even use the word "truly", but you're wrong. You, and Paul, and some others on punaweb, miss the point. Some places in Puna are ugly. I know, I know, so can anywhere else be. But I don't live in those places because I don't like the odds.

I'm sure you hate that I hate where you love, I get that. But trust me, had you lived through what I lived through while I finished the last years of my home remodel, you'd be at least a bit bitter.

But that's just me.

Enjoy Puna, my fingers are crossed for you. I honestly hope your experience there STAYS what you're looking for.

[missydog1]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ericlp

It truly is all about attitude ... If you think your kids are gonna be picked on because your white or black or whatever you are... your brain will find ways to manifest your thoughts to reality.

---

This is a way of asserting that whatever happens in the world happens because YOU made it happen -- that there is no objective reality or causation, and that you are the center of everything.

Human beings seem to find it unbearably uncomfortable to live life without some parental figure of great power making life safe and only good things happening. Either a religious power will take care of you or you start believing your own mind has the ability to control the universe (or your corner of it).

To think that other people can intrude on your world of positive thinking and behave negatively in spite of you is too frightening I guess.

If it does happen, you don't have to believe in reality that is out of your control. You just say that you slipped up and weren't positive enough. If you are religious, just say that your God wanted to test you.

When we are infants, we believe that our thoughts and wishes manifest reality. That's why psychologists have found terrible feelings of guilt in children for having unacceptable wishes, as they believe their wishes can cause harm.

As we mature, we learn that other people have a reality of their own that cannot be controlled by our thoughts and fantasies. That is the good and the bad news.