This is a timely topic for me. I'm a born and bred Connecticut Yankee. Except for living 2 years in FL as a teenager, I've lived here all my life. Mornings like today I ask myself "why do I live here?" as I'm shoveling 8" of heavy crapola from my walkway at 7:00 in the morning.

It used to be that my family was here, my job was here, and we didn't want to uproot my step-son while he was in school. Now, only one of my sisters is still here, I telecommute to my new job, and my step-kids are grown and out of the house. So, why am I still here?

Well, the house is not ready to sell. I have some work to do to it before it will be ready. So, once the house is ready to sell, I'm outta here. (been saying that for 5 years now.)

Now where to move to? I'm getting very hooked on salt water fishing, so it has to be coastal or near the coast. My wife and I are anti-social and really don't like people much, so it have to be secluded (acreage). My wife is retired and we're not rich, so it has to be affordable. My wife can't stand flat land, so it has to be hilly or near mountains. She doesn't want it too hot or humid, but I don't want to ever shovel snow again. I'd rather not be in a regular path of hurricanes. So, where does that leave us? Hmmm, maybe CT isn't so bad.

I get tired of the over taxing and political BS in Connecticut, but there are a lot of advantages to living here that I would miss. Being 2 hours from Boston or NYC. Being 4-5 hours from the Adirondacks and the Green mountains. Being less than an hour from the coast. Fishing everything from the Great Lakes to the Maine coast, Cape Code, Long Island Sound, and all the lakes, streams, and ponds in between. Location, location, location. Yes, it's expensive but you get what you pay for. We do have some of the best goverment services of any state. Yes, it's corrupt but what place isn't? There is no place that is exempt from political corruption. Some places just hide it better than others.

Connecticut is a very picturesque state with a lot to offer. We have our issues, but every state does. If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, there's probably a septic tank under it!

New Englanders love to kvetch, this much I know since I am one. So, if they're blowing off some steam on a thread here, so be it. At least they have an opinion and are engaged in some way. I'd rather have that, then nobody complaining when things are wrong and nothing ever changing.

As my handle suggests, I'm from Maine. I started living in CT because my wife is from CT. I'm really starting to enjoy myself here and there are a lot of opportunities one would not have back in Maine. Such as many different types of clubs, sporting leagues, and to join one you don't have to travel a lot. There are a lot of different types of fishing opportunities as well . . . within an hour drive I can fish some pretty good spots to target just about any species that you could catch anywhere in the US. But, at this point I'd still move back to Maine if that was a possibility.

This thread brought back the idea I've had for changing my handle, since after 5 years, I consider myself a CT angler.

It's all relative though. You can buy a house there for $200,000, but your southern income won't compare to your CT one. So it's not the best plan to get a mortgage down there, but if you pay in full then more power to you. Just have to keep in mind that prices are relative to income and blah blah blah.

I was going to put a comment like this in my response but thought better of it...i change my mind...

Poeple in CT are generally pissed at the world. NOT ALL, but it the majority dont give a dammm about you. All of my buddies that i bring to NY say the same.."people are so nice around here" My family comes to CT to visit the first time they had been here...first thing out of their mouths "what the hell crawled up the people's a$$ around here???"

The money is good here Jonny, but its not the amount that is the trick..its the % you keep. Just because you make more doenst mean you take home more.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dusty:
[QB]

It is clearly eveident that no matter what the DEP says that not one word of it means anything to most people. I haven't been here long enough to warrant these feelings for myself. I know a large number of the DEP employees including many of the higher-ups and have nothing but the utmost respect for them. Most people feel the same, every DEP/CO they know they become friends with.

So why is there such a disconnect??? People post on a thread about how corrupt the dep is but at the same time are good friends with DEP employees.


You didn't just ask "Why do you live in CT." You also asked "Why is there such disconnect" What does that have to do with living in CT?
I answered that question as well!