I’ve lived on the beach nearly all my life, first in CT and for the last 40 years in southern CA. I can’t travel for more than two weeks at a time to a city not on the beach - after two weeks I go into panic mode.

I live in a small southern town with 4 traffic lights and like Cheers "everyone knows your name!!" The down side of that? Everyone knows all the juicy details when you go through a divorce. The upside? Everyone knows when your family has a need or when your children are sick. There were many times that I was at the Children’s Hospital 200 miles from home with one child and when I would get home for a brief respite, I would discover that "last" week was the last week to order yearbooks or sign up for soccer. Another mom would realize this and know that I was in Atlanta and order my other children a yearbook or sign them up for soccer. That’s my hometown.

After my divorce, my ex kept the house and farm in the country and I moved to "town" (my choice). Now my children enjoy the pleasures of both worlds. Mom’s house in town (a block from the Dairy Queen, Pizza delivery, and DSL!!) and the home they grew up in that allows them to still hunt, fish, and ride four-wheelers.

Like many of you that have posted, I have a big dose of wonderlust and have traveled to many places. I have yet to make it to Europe, but I may take a year and teach somewhere abroad in a year or two. We are going to New York in a few days to celebrate the graduation of my youngest from high school. I love to travel, but I always love to come home. Like Dorothy said "there’s no place like home".

I remember on my first trip to NY, that our driver was amazed that EVERYONE in our family had a car. He asked how close we were to a movie theatre and when we said we were about 30 minutes away, he commented "oh, it’s close enough to walk". We told him "no, that’s 30 minutes by car." We told him that nobody walks anywhere where we live. I told him we even drive the four-wheeler to the mailbox!! We are about a 3 hour drive from Savannah and about 3 hours from the world’s most beautiful beaches at Panama City Beach, FL. And it’s only about a 5-6 hour drive to see Mickey Mouse at Disney World!! The best of ALL worlds!

After being a military wife for 30 yrs., moving about every year or every other year…loving some places, hating others, we retired in southern Calif. Two years after we retired there our youngest son was killed.  So,not too long afterwards we sold our house and relocated to Arizona. Our oldest son and daughter and their families still live in CA. I love Arizona, and wish I had spent my life here in spite of the summer heat. We live in Tucson, surrounded by the beautiful mountains, and although it is a large city it still has a small town feeling. They don’t call it "the Old Pueblo" for nothing, yet the city is quite sophisticated.

I live SW of the Kansas City area, in a town I relocated to over 25 years ago, during the recession in Iowa at that time. At that time, the town was only about 35,000 strong, no really decent places to eat, or shop. Now we have at least 140,000 people, a mayor, every franchise you can think of, but here two blocks off the old town sqare you would think time has stood still. Three houses on the block on the National Historic Registrar, kids still play and walk to school, and going to the park is common for them to play. Yet only 30 minutes from KC, and about anything a city offers.

Might not be the big city or NY, but I’ll take it. We still have neighborhood schools, and all parts of the city are equally balanced, with good teachers and good people. I live in Olathe (O-lay-the), Kansas.

I live in suburbs of North West NJ, surrounded by mountains and lakes. I spent 15 years commuted to work in NYC and loved it. Working in the City was so exciting, the sights and sounds and so many people.

I read many of the stories here and we all do quite a bit of traveling, I hope Ray Lahood does a good job rebuilding or repairing our transportation system, to keep us moving.

i live in the city. The city has so many cultural and educational opportunities to experience. However, I do appreciate opportunities to get away to the country for quiet and relaxation .

I’ve always dreamed of living in the city and owning a property in the county.

I’ve lived in a big city for over 40 years.  I am ready to move to a quiet town.  I am assaulted by noise every day.  I wear ear plugs to drown out all the talking, honking, loud music, etc, etc.  As my body ages I find it harder to stand in the bus or walk down the street.   The city is great for the young.  They don’t seem to mind.  But I’ve had enough.

According to the pie chart nobody lives in the suburbs??  Well, I do anyway.  One side of me would love living in a bustling city - near museums, opera, etc….  The private side of me yearns to live in the countryside.  I guess the suburbs are a somewhat happy medium. 

I grew up with my mom dragging me all over the country to every hodunk place in the middle of nowhere that you can imagine. those included Paxson Lodge Alaska (we lived in the basement of the lodge as there is no housing there), Mt. City Nevada, Riggins Idaho… I developed a huge aversion to any kind of living in the country or in small towns. I now live right downtown in a small city that’s across a river from a big city.

I live in a suburb at the moment,  but our dream is to by some land in the middle of nowhere, build an off the grid home and greenhouse, and have no neighbors for miles and miles.  Just Me, Hubby and our animals.  Unfortunately due to the economy, I will probably be 95 when it happens.  I have hope though,  better late than never! :o)

I’ve lived in towns as small as 500 and as large as millions, in two different countries. I’ve decided to settle in Boise, ID because it’s perfect - large enough for culture, entertainment and educational opportunities, yet still quiet, peaceful, safe and gorgeous. There’s so much recreation here, and we can fly non-stop to a lot of great bigger cities. The valley area’s about 500,000 people, so it’s not as podunk as some might think.

Country mouse living in a city (temporarily, I hope…I miss wide open spaces, and rolling hills!). :P

I’m a country girl.  I’m originally from East TX, but have the suburbs of Dallas-Ft. Worth for quite some time.  Its funny, but I remember when a lot of our popular suburbs were cow pastures!

I live in a beautiful but small port town on the SE coast where I get to take the time to see the sun setting over marshes and can walk to my favorite coffee shop.  I have lived in one of the largest cities (Chicago) and one of the smallest towns (you’ve never heard of it) in this great country. I was happy in both places . . home is where the heart is!

Which life are we talking about? Presently I’m a country mouse but have been a city mouse also. Can’t decide, like both.