On Wisconsin?

I am not going to pretend to like living here, though it does have it's moments.  So let's start with those things I do like about Wisconsin.  Take our beautiful autumn days, these are priceless.  You do not have to be an avid photographer to capture the beauty of the crisp blue sky against burnt orange and red leaves.  Taking hikes is a very enjoyable activity for yourself or the entire family.  I strongly recommend this.  Where we live, you need a sticker to enter some of the parks.  If you search hard enough you're likely to find parks that do not charge admission and the fun is just as bountiful.  So, I would say for this reason that autumn is among my favorite seasons.

We have found a way to make the best of the Winters, and that is with our cross country skis.  We even skied to a neighbor's house when we couldn't get the car out of the driveway.  Nothing holds us back from a good party.  Keeping cars in the garage will definitely lessen the daily pain of winter.  And, I know for a fact having a reliable snow blower will save you aggravation beyond compare.  

Driving in Wisconsin, at least southeast Wisconsin is not always unbearable.  I have frequently been the victim of random acts of kindness where people will let you in or let you go first.  There are a few stretches of highway closer to the city that I dread and feel like I'm on the Indy 500.  What gives these people the right to speed, anyway?  There are so many accidents on this one stretch and it doesn't take a far stretch of the imagination to figure out why.  Most will just pass and be on their way and that is fine with me.  Traffic jams are also fairly predictable and there are widespread ways of obtaining traffic information at any given time.  I will take driving here over any other major city anytime.

 It is fairly easy to make friends and develop a network here.  I have built up a successful computer repair and training business http://www.yourcomputertutor.net

I have enjoyed many friendships, as this is rare in some parts of the country.  If you didn't grow up there, you are considered an outsider.  Here, it seems people are less likely to be cliquey and will let you in.

I enjoy the friendly, caring church-going communities of the area.  There are many churches to choose from.  It is good that people have not forgotten their roots.  People in our congregation were tripping over themselves, it seems, to help a few families in need this past fall, though they were non members.  One family had a tragic fire, another was faced with mounting medical bills.  I am glad we could show them we cared about what happened to them.

There are many clubs and organizations that donate their time and money to local communities in addition to churches.  Even our local grocery stores have stickers for the backs of receipts that will donate to local charities of your choosing.  People are willing to go the extra mile for someone they have never met, and I've seen this time after time.

I can't speak for the whole state, but crime rates are lower here than much of the country.  Though they are concentrated in certain cities and may be higher towards the major metropolitan areas.  Many people still do not lock their doors.  I don't have the gumption to do that.

We do have many things to do in this state.  With all the festivals, museums, major sports teams, stadiums, halls, tours, local fairs, concerts, parks, performing arts, events and more, you could be doing something every night of the week.   Many other states do not have this, there is simply nothing to do and no major sports teams.

Taxes are something that should be on the lips of everyone.  A positive about taxes here is that our groceries are not taxed (for most items).  And, we have a fairly low sales tax when you hold it up to the rest of the country.  

A negative, and one factor that may make myself and others leave the state is the property taxes.  I feel for the elderly who have their home paid off, yet still are liable for a $300-500+/month in taxes.  Many will get priced out of the state.  I don't see any relief in sight for the longer term, either.  There is a lot of wasted tax money that is collected, and that is an article for another time.  

So far, our user fees are to a minimum.  Our vehicle licensing and registration is about to explode, or so I'm told.  There is also mandatory vehicle emission testing in some parts of the state, another huge waste.  I notice this as I pull behind a bus or truck as it's spewing out thick, black smoke.  Not to get political, just pointing out something I absolutely hate.

Gas tax and pricing is also very high, although I believe this has been capped.  Some areas even fell victim to a mandatory 10% ethanol, which ruined lots of motors in the process!

I also noticed, generally speaking, that people don't take care of themselves that well.  They tend to dress poorly.  Of course, when you are buried under layers, who really sees your clothes anyway?  They are also overweight, again, probably due to being in a cold climate where you don't want to be active outdoors as much.

I do not like the winters or long springs.  I feel life is too short to be this cold.  I don't begrudge the people that do like it, and it is pretty after a snowfall decorates the trees.

So, love it or hate it, it's here to stay.  For now, I keep a good attitude, as the weather and taxes won't change, so I will have to.