Find Your Spot

February 9, 2005 in Personal,Quizzes/Tests with 34 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I’ve often wondered where the best place in the country for me to live would be. I’m more suburb than city, prefer the fall weather over summer or winter, with conservative culture and moderate cost of living, among other things.

I stumbled across a site the other day that helps out with my wondering. Check out FindYourSpot.com. Answer a series of question about climate, education, religion, geography, etc and you get a list of 24 cities that match that your selections.

Here’s my list:

Seems that I’m mainly clustered in three areas of the country – northwest Washington state, the Mid-Atlantic region (Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee) and Alaska.

Alaska?!? Never would have imagined living there, but maybe I should check it out sometime. (I say that like it’s a quick weekend trip…) I’ve been to the other regions, though, and actually thought about them as potential places to live. Glad to see that my initial impressions of the areas match what I’m looking for. If only I had enough savings to pack up and live in these places for a few months to see what it’s really like. Takin’ road trips with Smokey, blogging about my travels, seeing the sights, meeting new people… What a life that would be!

I need to get a job… :-)

Anyone know of a mapping service on the web where I can plot all these places on one map? Can’t seem to do it with Google’s new mapping service, or some of the others that I’ve tried.

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About Chris: Thirty-something, knowledge seeking, information devouring, Christian technophile living in Northern KY seeking to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with my God.


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34 Responses to “Find Your Spot”

  1. Emily C. February 9, 2005 at 07:35 #

    Cincinnati was my #3 city…guess I’m in a good spot :-)

  2. Jeff February 9, 2005 at 08:08 #

    Bowling Green would fit you well.

  3. Ashlee February 9, 2005 at 11:04 #

    I find it interesting that Berea, KY is in the mix.

  4. Paul C. February 9, 2005 at 11:21 #

    I’ve been to Paris, TN many times when I was at Murray State. Nice little town.

  5. Paul C. February 9, 2005 at 12:02 #

    I got
    cincinnati (live currently)
    Hampton VA (grandmother lives there)
    Seattle, WA (twin brother lives here)
    Tacoma, WA (twin brother lives near there)
    Norfolk, VA (right near Hampton)

    And some other places in TN and VA. Interesting site.

  6. Chris February 9, 2005 at 12:37 #

    That’s interesting, Paul and Emily, that Cincinnati was on your list. Looks like you’re in the right spot.

    I’m actually surprised that I didn’t get more results from the northeast. I guess it’s more liberal/democratic up there, though.

    Anyone else care to share their results?

  7. Jeff February 9, 2005 at 13:00 #

    I’ve got mine at home, I’ll share them when I get home.

    Some of us have to work, or at least sit at a desk and pretend.

  8. Leslie H. February 9, 2005 at 13:47 #

    I had Louisville and Bowling Green, KY, which is comforting. I think Bowling Green was my number one city. Chattanooga, Memphis, and Nashville, Tennessee. Then a few places in Georgia and Oklahoma, and one in Florida. I guess the South is the place to be for me.

  9. Scott February 9, 2005 at 13:52 #

    Mine are: Norfolk, Virginia – Louisville, Kentucky – Chattanooga, Tennessee – Hampton, Virginia – Clarksville, Tennessee – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Tulsa, Oklahoma – Knoxville, Tennessee – Springfield, Missouri – Nashville, Tennessee – Hickory, North Carolina – Evansville, Indiana – Johnson City-Kingsport, Tennessee – Richmond, Virginia – Charlotte, North Carolina – Bowling Green, Kentucky
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania – Cincinnati, Ohio
    Greenville, South Carolina – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Columbia, Missouri – Roanoke, Virginia – St. Louis, Missouri – Paris, Tennessee

  10. Chris February 9, 2005 at 14:17 #

    It’s interesting that many of you that live close to Cincinnati actually have Cincy, or somewhere close, on your list.

    Anyone really shocked by their results so far, like I was with Alaska, or are they about what you suspected?

  11. Paul C. February 9, 2005 at 15:05 #

    I was surprised that i got so many in the midwest..but then again my mix was pretty well balanced between east coast, midwest, and northwest.

  12. Jeremy February 9, 2005 at 21:18 #

    I thought mine fit me pretty well. They are all close to a lot of outdoor recreation, such as lakes and mountains. They were:
    Maryvill, Tennessee
    Hattiesburg, Mississippi
    Deland, Florida
    Paris, Tennessee
    San Marcos, Texas
    Gainesville, Georgia
    Oxford, Mississippi
    Chattanooga, Tennessee
    Guntersville, Alabama
    Crystal River, Florida
    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
    Clayton, Georgia
    Alexander City, Alabama
    Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi
    Johnson City-Kingsport, Tennessee
    Clarksdale, Mississippi
    Kerrville, Texas
    Gainesville, Florida
    Tallahassee, Florida
    Hopkinsville, Kentucky
    Murray, Kentucky
    Mount Dora, Florida
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Conroe, Texas

  13. Chris February 9, 2005 at 23:08 #

    Hmm, Scott, Jeremy and I all have Paris, TN in our list. Let’s take a road trip and check it out. Paul says it’s a nice place, so it could be a fun trip.

  14. Paul C. February 9, 2005 at 23:17 #

    I had Paris as well. Murray and Paris are pretty close to LBL (Land Between the Lakes), which is an AWESOME park for camping and mountian biking.

  15. Jeff February 9, 2005 at 23:52 #

    Paris and Murray were on my list too. Not real familiar with Paris, TN, but I’ve been to Murray several times. I wasn’t impressed.

    I love Landy Between the Lakes though. I’ve been camping there before.

  16. Jeff February 9, 2005 at 23:52 #

    Actually my list was almost identical to Jeremy’s.

  17. Chris February 10, 2005 at 00:03 #

    I don’t think I’ve ever been to Land Between the Lakes before (if I have, it was when I was a little). Sounds like a worthwhile trip.

    I wonder if Paris, TN helped sponsor this site, since it’s on all our lists :-)

  18. Sean February 10, 2005 at 09:28 #

    I have never been to LBL but would love to go sometime. Is that where Dale Hollow is?
    Here is my list:
    Homer-Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
    Port Townsend, Washington
    Whidbey Island/Oak Harbor/Coupeville, Washington
    Salida, Colorado
    Payson, Arizona
    Palmer, Alaska
    Sequim, Washington
    Divide, Colorado
    Anacortes, Washington
    Bigfork, Montana
    Heber, Utah
    Livingston, Montana
    Camden, Maine
    Mount Vernon, Washington
    Seward, Alaska
    New York Mills, Minnesota
    Bremerton, Washington
    Dillon, Montana
    Leavenworth, Washington
    San Juan Islands, Washington
    Kalispell, Montana
    Whitefish, Montana
    Page, Arizona
    Hutchinson, Minnesota

    Chris you and I could be neighbors.

  19. Paul C. February 10, 2005 at 11:14 #

    Looks like Sean prefers the cold weather, eh?
    Murray in itself isn’t very impressive, but the surrounding area is nice. When I was there, (94-98), 1) it was a dry county 2) there were no big named restaraunts (except fast food and pizza places). The closest mall was 45 minutes away and it was small. Now the town is mostly wet (restaraunts only), the school has grown considerably in size. Its werid to go back there because it looks so different.

  20. david February 10, 2005 at 12:58 #

    How did Berea get on your list Chris if you are looking for a conservative place…..it’s definately a little liberal as much so as the northeast.

  21. Chris February 10, 2005 at 13:14 #

    You’re right Sean, we did have a lot of places in common. When you wanna move? ;-)

  22. Elizabeth February 10, 2005 at 15:20 #

    Whahoo! I got Nashville, my previous home and also future home on my top four places to live…I also got Chattanooga, TN

    Charleston, S.C
    Jacksonville, FL
    Louisville, KY
    Greenville, S.C.

    those top picks sound great to me!

  23. Elizabeth February 10, 2005 at 15:22 #

    Actually, I got six hits alone for my favorite state of Tennessee! I think that’s a pretty strong sign….

  24. Robin February 10, 2005 at 20:24 #

    Wow…what I have missed out since initially reading this post shortly after it being posted the other night.

    LBL is a wonderful place to go. All we need is a boat to ski/tube behind, lots and lots of sunscreen, skis, and a tube. I can probably score some skis, not sure on the boat. Oh definitely life jackets. I can show you a great skiing destination on Lake Barkley by the State Resort.

    Did any of you go to Jonathon Creek as a kid? I think they have some Baptist Church camps down there, if so thats in the Land Between the Lakes area.

    Paul…did you go to Paducah to the Kentucky Oaks Mall off of I-24? And no there isnt much in Murray though I have heard that it has grown up in the recent years because of going semi-wet in restaurants only.

  25. Paul C. February 10, 2005 at 23:34 #

    Yeah, Kentucky Oaks mall. You can practically see from Penny’s down to the other end :)

    Emily and I plan on going back to Murray this summer so we can nail our shoes to the Shoe Tree on campus. (If you meet your wife/husband at the school, you have nail “the shoes you met in” to the shoe tree). I still have my birkenstocks from back then. They sure aren’t pretty.

    Paul

  26. Chris February 10, 2005 at 23:43 #

    That sounds like an interesting tradition. Is it actually a real tree? Be sure to take pictures!

    Oh, and thanks for finally getting rid of your birkenstocks ;-) j/k!

  27. Paul C. February 11, 2005 at 09:17 #

    Yup, its a real tree.
    Hah! I have 4 pairs of birkenstocks..but i have to keep these in the garage ;)

  28. Sean February 11, 2005 at 14:34 #

    That tree thing sounds like a great tradition. I am with Chris, make sure you get a picture.
    Maybe we should all plan a “community blog” trip to Land Between the Lakes.

  29. Scott February 11, 2005 at 16:34 #

    A road trip sure sounds liek a good idea to me! Should we check for paintball feilds in the area?

  30. David February 12, 2005 at 09:48 #

    J creek is pretty awesome camp. I know a lot folks that have worked there over the last couple of summers. Rumor has it, the camp in Bagdad Kentucky (Cedarmore) is heading that route in the next couple of years to be just like J Creek.

  31. Chris February 12, 2005 at 13:34 #

    Road trip!!! I can’t believe, with all this time I’ve had off, that I haven’t gone anywhere (other than to my grandparents in Western KY). Once I know that I have a job lined up, off I go! I don’t care where, just somewhere. It’ll be a while before I get vacation days, so I really need to use this free time while I can.

  32. Paul C. February 15, 2005 at 13:48 #

    when you have a job lined up, take a singles cruise!! a nice 4 or 5 day cruise somewhere warm!

  33. Nick February 16, 2007 at 11:53 #

    did you re-do the list? my RSS feed showed hopkinsville at the top of the list. i was going to ask about it, but i don’t see it there now.

  34. Chris February 16, 2007 at 14:35 #

    Lol, you gotta keep up Nick :-) I did retake the quiz and posted my new results as a different post: http://kyblogger.com/2007/02/13/finding-my-spot-revisted/.

    Hop-town was at the top of the new list.