Mildred Said:

Why Can't I Learn to Love Salt Lake City?

We Answered:

Yeah, and what's wrong with being Mormon? LOL!

I'm one myself, I just moved here from the South and I can't stand it, either. . .except for the excellent hiking trails. It's a big change, I know. Takes getting used to. You are probably just used to being in Seattle and have good memories of it--I don't doubt it, I loved it there myself. I was stationed at Ft Lewis while I was in the army and out of all the places I have ever lived, I enjoyed it the most.

Scared huddled masses of liberals?????? I take the SLC Tribune and from the immense voice these scared huddled masses have, you would think that they were the majority. All the columnists brazenly mock the LDS church right there all over the newpaper, everyday, you know? Why can't we all be friends??!! It takes a lot of tolerance and understanding on the part of both--an no stereotyping!!

You're wrong about the transit authority--it's a very good one, it's just expensive now (I lived in SLC 20 years ago when I was just a young college kid, it was cheap and I went everywhere on it--I never even owned a car until I went into the army and moved a Monterey--now, there's the kind of town you are looking for!)

As for all the old businesses closing--honey, that's everywhere!!! It sucks, and it's so sad! Corporate America owns us. I watched my hometown get raped over a few short years, starting when walmart moved in, and the old farmers started dying off and developers scrambled over themselves buying up their lands to build malls. . .and Applebees, and Olive Gardens. . .and Target, Ross, Pet Smart, Best Buy, blah blah blah blah blah blah. Our town's historical societies and small business owners tried so hard to stand their ground, but it did not work because, sad to say, folks are just gonna patronize walmart. I saw businesses that had been thriving for 100+ years have to go under, all the neat little shops where I went had to file bankruptcy and close. It's where ever the people go, and the dollar goes, you know? All I can say, do you what can to resist and fight against that. It takes numbers to do so.

As for SLC itself, I always thought it was a pretty liberal town, myself, LOL!! In fact, when I lived there 20 years ago (I went to UofU) it pretty much freaked me out at first.I ended up sharing an apartment with a male gay couple and the three of us went everywhere together downtown--and there were some good places to go then. I don't know what it's like now, though--maybe you're right, maybe it has changed.

Like I mentioned before, I was in the military and I have traveled all over the world and had to live in some places that I didn't like. I learned over time that you just have to happy where ever you are or you are going to dissolve in misery--who wants to do that? Just bloom where you are planted. It's the friends that you make in the places that you are that bring you happiness. You need friends, a support network, that's all. It doesn't matter where. And when you have the means, you can move on.

But at any rate, please don't become a stepford wife!! I am a Latter Day Saint I dearly love my church with all my heart, I follow all of it's precepts and understand all the doctrines, but I sure don't fit in with the culture! I am not going to say anything mean now. . .it's just that I don't clique with my peeps and I had to adjust to that after moving here. I am not a size-2 blondie pushing that shopping card followed by at least 5 kids while hubby it at the office wearing a tie. . .I'm a vegetarian and I own a pack of dogs, lol! You don't have to be a stepford wife while living in Utah--just be YOU! We need diversity here!