Determining quality of life
Mar. 18th, 2008 05:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
urbpanThe choice I posed yesterday (Oakland or Buford county Texas or whatever it was) was an artificial one. Everyone answered sincerely and with a spirit of helpfulness which I happy to have come to expect from my friends list. Therefore, you deserve a look into the thought process which led to the question. I will pose it in the form most helpful to me: an internet quiz. In this case, however, you are supposed to think of the place first, and then answer the questions with that place in mind. You will end up with a point value which may be positive or negative--this should reflect whether I think it's a good place for Alexis and I to move or not.
If you are properly braced, please proceed to my
Completely biased and thoroughly subjective quality of life index:
Section 1: Weather and Environment
1. Cloudy days
Area is more often cloudy than sunny -20 points
Area is 50/50 cloudy and sunny -5 points
Area is more often sunny than cloudy +10 points
Area is almost always sunny -10 points
2. Snow
It snows sometimes, in the dead of winter 0 points
It snows regularly, December through February -5 points
It snows November through March -10 points
It even snows in October and April -20 points
It could snow in June for crying out loud -50 points
Barring nuclear winter, it never snows +10 points
3. Swimming
When you jump into the nearest body of water on a bright day in May, you
Bounce off of the ice -20 points
Jump right the hell out since it's so damn cold -10 points
Are refreshed +10 points
Expose yourself to coliform bacteria, or arsenic -15 points
What body of water? That's a mirage, you fool! -20 points
Section 2: Food
4. The best place around to get eggs is
Your own chickens! +20 points
The farmers' market +10 points
The Health food store / Food co-op +5 points
The supermarket 0 points
Wal-mart -20 points
5. The most exotic restaurant around is
Something you've never heard of +10 points
Indian or Thai +5 points
Mexican 0 points
Arby's -15 points
6. You can get avocados
From your own tree! +20 points
From the farmers' market +10 points
Fresh ones from Mexico, at the supermarket +5 points
Hard as a rock ones harvested a month ago in Peru, at the supermarket -5 points
Section 3: Arts and entertainment
7. You can see fine art
At your choice of world class museums +10 points
At local galleries or at least cafes +5 points
Sold along the side of the road (Mexican Jesus and dogs player poker our specialty) -10 points
8. You can see movies at
A number of privately owned cinemas and universities +15 points
A rowdy movie house that serves beer and snacks +25 points
The megaplex (Shrek sequels only) -20 points
9. When the local sports team wins a big game the fans
Riot -25 points
Cheer loudly and set off fireworks -10 points
Buy a round for the bar +5 points
Actually, sports aren't a big thing around here +20 points
Section 4: Culture and society
10. What's the general feeling about gays in the area?
No one thinks much one way or the other +5 points
They have their own neighborhood! +10 points
They have political clout +20 points
You seen any lately? We're organizin' a lynchin' -50 points
11. How close are the neighbors?
What neighbors? -5 points
I can see their house, way over there +10 points
They're right next door! 0 points
So close I can hear them throwing appliances at each other -15 points
12. What about creationists?
They are generally mocked as the ignorant flat-earthers they are +5 points
They are ignored--everyone's entitled to their opinion -5 points
They are on the school board -25 points
13. Is weirdness tolerated?
It's downright encouraged! +10 points
Let your freak flag fly! Or not, who cares +15 points
Those house decorations are not approved by The Association -10 points
You ain't from around here, are ya boy? -15 points
14. Breed specific legislation?
Constitutionally prohibited +10 points
Not in this town, but some others -10 points
Pit bulls banned -50 points
15. Animal facilities nearby?
Your choice of large and small zoos, some world-class +20 points
Zoos and wildlife sanctuaries +15 points
Animal shelters and vet hospitals only 0 points
Petco -15 points
16. As far as real estate goes, what will 300k get you?
A nice house and a whole mess of land +25 points
An acceptable house on a small lot + 5 points
A crack house in a bad neighborhood -10 points
A trailer -15 points
Derisive laughter -50 points
If you are properly braced, please proceed to my
Completely biased and thoroughly subjective quality of life index:
Section 1: Weather and Environment
1. Cloudy days
Area is more often cloudy than sunny -20 points
Area is 50/50 cloudy and sunny -5 points
Area is more often sunny than cloudy +10 points
Area is almost always sunny -10 points
2. Snow
It snows sometimes, in the dead of winter 0 points
It snows regularly, December through February -5 points
It snows November through March -10 points
It even snows in October and April -20 points
It could snow in June for crying out loud -50 points
Barring nuclear winter, it never snows +10 points
3. Swimming
When you jump into the nearest body of water on a bright day in May, you
Bounce off of the ice -20 points
Jump right the hell out since it's so damn cold -10 points
Are refreshed +10 points
Expose yourself to coliform bacteria, or arsenic -15 points
What body of water? That's a mirage, you fool! -20 points
Section 2: Food
4. The best place around to get eggs is
Your own chickens! +20 points
The farmers' market +10 points
The Health food store / Food co-op +5 points
The supermarket 0 points
Wal-mart -20 points
5. The most exotic restaurant around is
Something you've never heard of +10 points
Indian or Thai +5 points
Mexican 0 points
Arby's -15 points
6. You can get avocados
From your own tree! +20 points
From the farmers' market +10 points
Fresh ones from Mexico, at the supermarket +5 points
Hard as a rock ones harvested a month ago in Peru, at the supermarket -5 points
Section 3: Arts and entertainment
7. You can see fine art
At your choice of world class museums +10 points
At local galleries or at least cafes +5 points
Sold along the side of the road (Mexican Jesus and dogs player poker our specialty) -10 points
8. You can see movies at
A number of privately owned cinemas and universities +15 points
A rowdy movie house that serves beer and snacks +25 points
The megaplex (Shrek sequels only) -20 points
9. When the local sports team wins a big game the fans
Riot -25 points
Cheer loudly and set off fireworks -10 points
Buy a round for the bar +5 points
Actually, sports aren't a big thing around here +20 points
Section 4: Culture and society
10. What's the general feeling about gays in the area?
No one thinks much one way or the other +5 points
They have their own neighborhood! +10 points
They have political clout +20 points
You seen any lately? We're organizin' a lynchin' -50 points
11. How close are the neighbors?
What neighbors? -5 points
I can see their house, way over there +10 points
They're right next door! 0 points
So close I can hear them throwing appliances at each other -15 points
12. What about creationists?
They are generally mocked as the ignorant flat-earthers they are +5 points
They are ignored--everyone's entitled to their opinion -5 points
They are on the school board -25 points
13. Is weirdness tolerated?
It's downright encouraged! +10 points
Let your freak flag fly! Or not, who cares +15 points
Those house decorations are not approved by The Association -10 points
You ain't from around here, are ya boy? -15 points
14. Breed specific legislation?
Constitutionally prohibited +10 points
Not in this town, but some others -10 points
Pit bulls banned -50 points
15. Animal facilities nearby?
Your choice of large and small zoos, some world-class +20 points
Zoos and wildlife sanctuaries +15 points
Animal shelters and vet hospitals only 0 points
Petco -15 points
16. As far as real estate goes, what will 300k get you?
A nice house and a whole mess of land +25 points
An acceptable house on a small lot + 5 points
A crack house in a bad neighborhood -10 points
A trailer -15 points
Derisive laughter -50 points
