ESCAPE FROM MAINE - where to go?

[AllenLowe]

the wife and I have had it with this godforsaken state of provincial cultural retards - in three years my daughter will graduate high school, and we wanna be outta here - question is, where to? Gotta find jobs (getting old, both of us are post-55) gotta be able to afford housing (our own home is appreciating nicely, but depends where we wanna go) - I'm thinking I could donate my large American music collection somewhere and follow it (a tricky proposition, I know) -

have heard Philly is nice - thinking the Boston area, not sure if I can afford it - wouldn't mind teaching somewhere, but once again that could be difficult -

so whatta youse people think?

Edited May 18, 2008 by AllenLowe

[Chuck Nessa]

Slovenia seems nice and probably in need of tenor players.

[JSngry]

Slovenia seems nice and probably in need of tenor players.

There is no place in the world that is in need of tenor players. Trust me.

[GregK]

Ann Arbor

[Chuck Nessa]

Real answer: Do not look for an answer from a destination. Find an answer and go to the destination.

I made this mistake 25 years ago and am still paying the price.

[rachel]

Real answer: Do not look for an answer from a destination. Find an answer and go to the destination.

Truer words were never spoken.

[AllenLowe]

have the answer: Maine sucks; need a place to live out my remaining active years with people I like and a cultural scene that is hospitable - also have the other answer; I know what I like to do; need a place where I can do it -

Edited May 18, 2008 by AllenLowe

[Hot Ptah]

The Ann Arbor answer is actually not a bad one, in that if you may want to make a living from jazz in a university teaching position. If not Ann Arbor, another major university city.

Seriously, I would think that your Devilin' Tune series may be impressive on a resume to a University..

[Hot Ptah]

Real answer: Do not look for an answer from a destination. Find an answer and go to the destination.

I made this mistake 25 years ago and am still paying the price.

Was Madison, Wis. the mistake, if you don't mind telling us?

[Chuck Nessa]

Real answer: Do not look for an answer from a destination. Find an answer and go to the destination.

I made this mistake 25 years ago and am still paying the price.

Was Madison, Wis. the mistake, if you don't mind telling us?

Madison was not a mistake. Whitehall was.

Timing is everything when you have children. The change was probably good for them and bad for me. I will sort this stuff out 'til my death.

[Hot Ptah]

Real answer: Do not look for an answer from a destination. Find an answer and go to the destination.

I made this mistake 25 years ago and am still paying the price.

Was Madison, Wis. the mistake, if you don't mind telling us?

Madison was not a mistake. Whitehall was.

Timing is everything when you have children. The change was probably good for them and bad for me. I will sort this stuff out 'til my death.

It's all different with children who are not grown. I moved to Kansas City 25 years ago, "just to try it out for a short time." The birth of our child and his immersion into local disability programs kept us here forever. You just can't pack up and leave so easily with children.

Allen, Richard Davis is almost 80 and is still the jazz professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He's had the position since 1977. Madison is affordable, beautiful and a lively cultural place, and a do-able car ride to Chicago.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

I'd give this abandoned lighthouse in Puerto Penasco, Mexico a shot. Yeah, it's a bit remote & for sure a fixer-upper.......but I bet the price is right...the beer's cold....plus good fishin'!

.....and be sure to consult this thread! http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=26818

Edited May 19, 2008 by Son-of-a-Weizen

[AllenLowe]

some good ideas - like that ocean view, Weizen -

am also putting together a new resume with academic aims; it's still a long shot, absent a PHD and given some of my prior problems with academia. Will look into both Ann Arbor and Madison -

Edited May 19, 2008 by AllenLowe

[papsrus]

Check out Ashville, N.C. I've never been, but have toodled around the mountains near there and it's gorgeous. Ashville itself has a reputation as a pretty progressive arts town, I believe. As far as location, you're easy driving distance from Atlanta, the Atlantic coast, even Washington D.C. is not an unreasonable drive for a long weekend.

I believe housing prices should be still fairly reasonable.

Natural surroundings, relatively liberal attitude and location would put Ashville near the top of my list.

Negatives: You're coming from Maine, so summers might be a lot hotter than you're comfortable with; I'm sure it has a bit of a slow, Southern pace, which I personally prefer; and the city itself is not that large. But it does have something of a reputation as an arts community.

[medjuck]

Austin, Texas. But it's really not in Texas culturally. There's a university and I read somewhere that housing prices are falling there. Every place on the West Coast seems to have become insanely expensive.

[AllenLowe]

yes, both coasts are a problem - probably too hot for me in Texas, though -

[robviti]

it would be great to have you move south, closer to boston.

[Jazzmoose]

You could try Louisiana, but only if you want to develop an appreciation for Maine...

[Tom Storer]

Come to Paris and wing it. It would never work out and you'd end up going back, but you would always have Paris.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Check out Ashville, N.C. I've never been, but have toodled around the mountains near there and it's gorgeous. Ashville itself has a reputation as a pretty progressive arts town, I believe. As far as location, you're easy driving distance from Atlanta, the Atlantic coast, even Washington D.C. is not an unreasonable drive for a long weekend.

I believe housing prices should be still fairly reasonable.

Natural surroundings, relatively liberal attitude and location would put Ashville near the top of my list.

Negatives: You're coming from Maine, so summers might be a lot hotter than you're comfortable with; I'm sure it has a bit of a slow, Southern pace, which I personally prefer; and the city itself is not that large. But it does have something of a reputation as an arts community.

There's a sometime-poster here on the boards (who frequently posts on the Jazz Corner board) who goes by the name "Dr Dave" who recently relocated from South Boston to Ashville, NC. He loves it and recommends it highly. I may consider it as my working days start to dwindle. Great cultural scene. Relaxed atmosphere. Decent weather. I would definitely recommend checking out Ashville.

[AllenLowe]

interesting - and there are, of course, the famous Ashville Sessions, early country music recordings made by Victor - and yes, Jazzshrink, Boston is a leading contender, depending on price and jobs -

[AllenLowe]

might try Paris, but I hate those damn sauces - also, still pissed off that those damned French wouldn't come into Iraq with us -

Edited May 19, 2008 by AllenLowe

[Tom Storer]

If you're not interested in gut-level anti-Americanism coupled with starry-eyed idealization of America, all at the same time, you wouldn't like it.

[AllenLowe]

on the other hand I love French crullers and just saw "Breathless" -

[Hot Ptah]

some good ideas - like that ocean view, Weizen -

am also putting together a new resume with academic aims; it's still a long shot, absent a PHD and given some of my prior problems with academia. Will look into both Ann Arbor and Madison -

Is a PhD all that essential to get a job as a jazz university educator? Bobby Watson got hired to head up the University of Missouri-Kansas City jazz program, for example. If he has a PhD it has never been mentioned in the several years he has been here.