Ping: Georgia residents

mrskippy · 05-08-2003, 04:00 PM

OK. You all know I'm in a job hunt right now after being laid off last week. I am open to relocation.

With that it seems many of the jobs are outside California: Florida, Washington, and ... Georgia.

The most appealing job right now appears to be Athens, Georgia.

What can you tell me about Athens? How big is it? Cost of living? Etc.? How far is Athens from Atlanta?

Skippy

GrantDawg · 05-08-2003, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrskippy
OK. You all know I'm in a job hunt right now after being laid off last week. I am open to relocation.

With that it seems many of the jobs are outside California: Florida, Washington, and ... Georgia.

The most appealing job right now appears to be Athens, Georgia.

What can you tell me about Athens? How big is it? Cost of living? Etc.? How far is Athens from Atlanta?

Skippy

Athens is about an easy one hour drive from Atlanta. It is a nice town and a very cheap town to live in. Of course, it is also home to the states largest university, and the birth-place of many great bands.

GrantDawg · 05-08-2003, 04:05 PM

Oh, as for size. I'd say a medium size city.

mrskippy · 05-08-2003, 04:16 PM

Of the papers I'm sending resumes to, I'm trying to come up with a list with the ones I actually want to make a phone call on. I've sent to a good mix of papers, but really want to have something that would be at the same level I was at or a step up.

The most appealing right now seem to be Athens, Palm Springs, Yakima (Wash.) Herald-Republic, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, Calif.), Visalia (Calif.) Times-Delta, Fort Myers (Florida) News-Press, Naples (Florida) Daily News, Warren (Ohio) Tribune-Chronicle, Fresno (Calif.) Bee, Modesto (Calif.) Bee, The (Stockton, Calif.) Record, and the Bakersfield Californian.

There are others I've applied to, but these seem to be the most appealing. Modesto and Stockton papers keep me from moving. The other California papers keep me close to home.

But the keys for me are a decent wage, cheap rent, and a good-sized community (with easy access to the big city). Of course, I'm not sure what most of these papers even pay.

It's funny ... but if I make what I made before at some of these out of state papers ... I could have a nice living.

Ben E Lou · 05-08-2003, 04:21 PM

Athens (also known to many in Bulldog Nation as The Holy City, Shangri-La, or Utopia), is the home of the University of Georgia, but it is a bit more than a college town. I'd call it a small-to-medium sized city (except on 5 or 6 Saturday afternoons every fall, when the population often suddently increases by about 90,000 people on their Great Pilgrimage.

) The cost-of-living is fairly low, and in normal circumstances, it is an easy 1-hour drive to the eastern and northeastern suburbs of the A-T-L. However, on certain Saturday evenings in the fall, when the Exodus from Athens happens after the Holy Event ends, it can be VERY difficult to get to Atlanta, due to the traffic from those returning home from the Great Pilgrimage.

JonInMiddleGA · 05-08-2003, 05:39 PM

I go with how SD describes it pretty much. Except for that whole Shangri-La thing

And I might also question the "easy 1-hour drive" to the Atlanta 'burbs. I still know a good many people who refer to Athens as a city that "there's no good way to go into or out of".

On a more positive note, depending upon whether you prefer in-town vs suburban living, some of the surrounding counties have becoming pretty appealing for the "close-enough-but-not-in-the-middle-of- town" folks who work in Athens proper. Oconee County in particular, with above average homes & schools, plus some pretty good quality of life stuff just a short drive away in Athens.

GrantDawg · 05-08-2003, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JonInMiddleGA
I go with how SD describes it pretty much. Except for that whole Shangri-La thing

And I might also question the "easy 1-hour drive" to the Atlanta 'burbs. I still know a good many people who refer to Athens as a city that "there's no good way to go into or out of".

On a more positive note, depending upon whether you prefer in-town vs suburban living, some of the surrounding counties have becoming pretty appealing for the "close-enough-but-not-in-the-middle-of- town" folks who work in Athens proper. Oconee County in particular, with above average homes & schools, plus some pretty good quality of life stuff just a short drive away in Athens.

What was wrong with my discription?

I would suggest Walton, too. A short drive to Athens and Atlanta, and the schools are decent (depending on the school district).

Tekneek · 05-08-2003, 06:16 PM

Walton County? I live in Bethlehem, part of Barrow County, and Walton County is about a mile or two down the road from me. We are approximately in the middle between Athens and Atlanta. It is about 45 minutes to Atlanta (Midtown) for work 4 days a week. It's a nice drive down 316 to Athens any hour of the day. It is true that the road back to Atlanta is a mess after UGA football games, but it is easy enough to plan for not going in that direction at those times.

Athens is not too busy most of the time, and when we are going out to eat we generally prefer to go in that direction rather than back towards Atlanta, just to get away from the craziness of Atlanta and the suburbs. Our son loves animals, and you get to see plenty of them here.

GrantDawg · 05-08-2003, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tekneek
Walton County? I live in Bethlehem, part of Barrow County, and Walton County is about a mile or two down the road from me. We are approximately in the middle between Athens and Atlanta. It is about 45 minutes to Atlanta (Midtown) for work 4 days a week. It's a nice drive down 316 to Athens any hour of the day. It is true that the road back to Atlanta is a mess after UGA football games, but it is easy enough to plan for not going in that direction at those times.

Athens is not too busy most of the time, and when we are going out to eat we generally prefer to go in that direction rather than back towards Atlanta, just to get away from the craziness of Atlanta and the suburbs. Our son loves animals, and you get to see plenty of them here.

My sister lives in Bethlehem, too. That is building up out there. Your not that far from the Mall of Georgia, are you?

JonInMiddleGA · 05-08-2003, 07:48 PM

Sorry GrantDawg, when I scrolled up to see who posted, SD was the first one I saw. ( Besides, I really just wanted to bust on the UGA reference

)

Tekneek · 05-09-2003, 07:58 AM

Well, not *that* far, but it isn't just down the street. To get to the Mall of Georgia we go down 316 West to SR 20 and take that right up to it. It's definitely the easiest of any malls to get to from here.

Yeah, this is a growing area, but it still has the 'touch of country in the city' that Gwinnett had when I was growing up. Both my wife and I work in Atlanta (Midtown / On Peachtree, no less), and love that when we are home we are away from the nonsense of the city. We used to live in Roswell, and this is way better. Almost never hear sirens, which was something you heard at least twice a day in Roswell. You don't have to go wandering down backroads to find horses, and cows, and so on like you did in Alpharetta/Roswell. Not a big deal to most, but my son loves them so it is sort of nice to see them alongside the main roads.

We're not country folk. Born and raised in the city, through and through, but we learned that city bustle 24/7 with small kids is not as much fun as some people pretend it is. We have the best of all worlds here. We can stay small town if we want to, we can go to Athens if we want to, and we can go back towards Atlanta if we want to. We have a lot of choices where we are, and they are all pretty convenient.

ctmason · 05-09-2003, 09:49 AM

I lived in Athens for three years while I got my degree at UGA, and would be happy to answer any specific questions you may have. You can PM me if you like. What the other guys have said is very true.

What hasn't been mentioned is that high speed rail line from Athens to Atlanta that is a done deal and will be popping up any day now.

I don't see much point in commuting to Athens from somewhere else, unless you just wanted to live in the Atlanta 'burbs. Athens-Clarke County doesn't have the best school system in Georgia, but they are not bad.

Athens Academy is a great private school there, if your budget allows.

I feel pretty confident that you won't make California-like wages at any newspaper in Georgia, I've known some people who worked for the Banner-Herald and the old Athens Star.

IME, rents in UGA apartments (which are mostly geared towards college students) are cheaper than what you would find almost anywhere in Metro Atlanta.

mrskippy · 05-09-2003, 11:46 AM

Well my now former paper in California paid well below the poverty level and about $200/week less than a direct competitor. And on average they paid about what most papers the same size back east pay. They never factored in a cost of living adjustment.

05-08-2003, 04:21 PM	#5
Ben E Lou Morgado's Favorite Forum Fascist Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Greensboro, NC	Athens (also known to many in Bulldog Nation as The Holy City, Shangri-La, or Utopia), is the home of the University of Georgia, but it is a bit more than a college town. I'd call it a small-to-medium sized city (except on 5 or 6 Saturday afternoons every fall, when the population often suddently increases by about 90,000 people on their Great Pilgrimage. ) The cost-of-living is fairly low, and in normal circumstances, it is an easy 1-hour drive to the eastern and northeastern suburbs of the A-T-L. However, on certain Saturday evenings in the fall, when the Exodus from Athens happens after the Holy Event ends, it can be VERY difficult to get to Atlanta, due to the traffic from those returning home from the Great Pilgrimage. __________________ The media don't understand the kinds of problems and pressures 54 million come wit'!

05-08-2003, 05:39 PM	#6
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	I go with how SD describes it pretty much. Except for that whole Shangri-La thing And I might also question the "easy 1-hour drive" to the Atlanta 'burbs. I still know a good many people who refer to Athens as a city that "there's no good way to go into or out of". On a more positive note, depending upon whether you prefer in-town vs suburban living, some of the surrounding counties have becoming pretty appealing for the "close-enough-but-not-in-the-middle-of- town" folks who work in Athens proper. Oconee County in particular, with above average homes & schools, plus some pretty good quality of life stuff just a short drive away in Athens. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

05-08-2003, 07:48 PM	#10
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Sorry GrantDawg, when I scrolled up to see who posted, SD was the first one I saw. ( Besides, I really just wanted to bust on the UGA reference ) __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

05-08-2003, 04:05 PM	#3
GrantDawg World Champion Mis-speller Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Covington, Ga.	Oh, as for size. I'd say a medium size city.

05-08-2003, 04:16 PM	#4
mrskippy Banned Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: California	Of the papers I'm sending resumes to, I'm trying to come up with a list with the ones I actually want to make a phone call on. I've sent to a good mix of papers, but really want to have something that would be at the same level I was at or a step up. The most appealing right now seem to be Athens, Palm Springs, Yakima (Wash.) Herald-Republic, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, Calif.), Visalia (Calif.) Times-Delta, Fort Myers (Florida) News-Press, Naples (Florida) Daily News, Warren (Ohio) Tribune-Chronicle, Fresno (Calif.) Bee, Modesto (Calif.) Bee, The (Stockton, Calif.) Record, and the Bakersfield Californian. There are others I've applied to, but these seem to be the most appealing. Modesto and Stockton papers keep me from moving. The other California papers keep me close to home. But the keys for me are a decent wage, cheap rent, and a good-sized community (with easy access to the big city). Of course, I'm not sure what most of these papers even pay. It's funny ... but if I make what I made before at some of these out of state papers ... I could have a nice living.

05-08-2003, 06:16 PM	#8
Tekneek Pro Rookie Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: USA	Walton County? I live in Bethlehem, part of Barrow County, and Walton County is about a mile or two down the road from me. We are approximately in the middle between Athens and Atlanta. It is about 45 minutes to Atlanta (Midtown) for work 4 days a week. It's a nice drive down 316 to Athens any hour of the day. It is true that the road back to Atlanta is a mess after UGA football games, but it is easy enough to plan for not going in that direction at those times. Athens is not too busy most of the time, and when we are going out to eat we generally prefer to go in that direction rather than back towards Atlanta, just to get away from the craziness of Atlanta and the suburbs. Our son loves animals, and you get to see plenty of them here.

05-09-2003, 07:58 AM	#11
Tekneek Pro Rookie Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: USA	Well, not that far, but it isn't just down the street. To get to the Mall of Georgia we go down 316 West to SR 20 and take that right up to it. It's definitely the easiest of any malls to get to from here. Yeah, this is a growing area, but it still has the 'touch of country in the city' that Gwinnett had when I was growing up. Both my wife and I work in Atlanta (Midtown / On Peachtree, no less), and love that when we are home we are away from the nonsense of the city. We used to live in Roswell, and this is way better. Almost never hear sirens, which was something you heard at least twice a day in Roswell. You don't have to go wandering down backroads to find horses, and cows, and so on like you did in Alpharetta/Roswell. Not a big deal to most, but my son loves them so it is sort of nice to see them alongside the main roads. We're not country folk. Born and raised in the city, through and through, but we learned that city bustle 24/7 with small kids is not as much fun as some people pretend it is. We have the best of all worlds here. We can stay small town if we want to, we can go to Athens if we want to, and we can go back towards Atlanta if we want to. We have a lot of choices where we are, and they are all pretty convenient.

05-09-2003, 09:49 AM	#12
ctmason High School JV Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Mesa, AZ	I lived in Athens for three years while I got my degree at UGA, and would be happy to answer any specific questions you may have. You can PM me if you like. What the other guys have said is very true. What hasn't been mentioned is that high speed rail line from Athens to Atlanta that is a done deal and will be popping up any day now. I don't see much point in commuting to Athens from somewhere else, unless you just wanted to live in the Atlanta 'burbs. Athens-Clarke County doesn't have the best school system in Georgia, but they are not bad. Athens Academy is a great private school there, if your budget allows. I feel pretty confident that you won't make California-like wages at any newspaper in Georgia, I've known some people who worked for the Banner-Herald and the old Athens Star. IME, rents in UGA apartments (which are mostly geared towards college students) are cheaper than what you would find almost anywhere in Metro Atlanta.

05-09-2003, 11:46 AM	#13
mrskippy Banned Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: California	Well my now former paper in California paid well below the poverty level and about $200/week less than a direct competitor. And on average they paid about what most papers the same size back east pay. They never factored in a cost of living adjustment.

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