Raise for relocation...

[dacrunkest]

My company is trying to fill its Oklahoma City office with in-house employees, and they are offering a decent raise for those people who take it...about $6000 extra per year. From all my research, Oklahoma City has a lower cost of living, but I am not sure I would like to relocate there. The job description would stay the same and my salary grade (job level) would remain the same, but there is a higher base salary. I am not sure if I should jump on it...

Is anyone here familiar with Oklahoma? I have only driven through it and didn't really stop in Oklahoma City. It would be a pretty big move for me - I am just not sure it's worth it...

[yankeeyosh]

The fact of the matter is, you're relocating from Minn. to Okla. It isn't exactly a hop, skip and jump away. I would expect a noticeable increase in pay if I have to move from one city to another, simply due to the moving expenses and the "intangibles" (i.e. starting over). But it's really a judgment call on your end.

[cheshrcarol]

No amount of money could make me move to OK city, but that's me. My impression (and I could be wrong) is that it's a very Red State, Bible belt, people in cowboy hats kinda place. Not really my scene. If that sounds like a fun place to live, then go for it.

[wordsmith]

If my company were moving me, I'd hope for some sort of compensation.

I do know that my company doesn't do this. They'll let you move around to other papers we own across the company if you want to, but there's no real financial compensation for doing so, unless you happen to be going for a higher position. There's no raise just for relocation, because ultimately, it's a choice, they don't force transfers.

As far as the city itself, you can't really determine whether or not you'll like a place without experiencing it yourself. Stereotypes abound.

I know I'd move to an armpit if it meant getting out of Minnesota in the winter, though. I lived through that stuff for four years of college.

[redsail]

No amount of money could make me move to OK city

Same for me. Of course I am a Longhorn alumn..

I've never been to OK, but be prepared for a slower pace of life, an obsession with football (at the high school and college level), and probably a lot of bible thumping.

[redav]

The typical relocation stipend is ~$2000, one-time. A raise of $6k/yr is quite a nice offer to relocate.

My next door neighbors are from OK. Believe it or not, they are very normal.

I've been through there frequently. It's not a bad place. There's not much to see, but that's the case for anywhere on the plains. The wind blows a lot, too. OK city isn't exactly a small town, but it feels like one to me. The people are more conservative than on the coasts, but the larger cities generally will be more liberal than the rural areas (that's pretty much true in every state). I think you would find the people to be very pleasant and friendly.

[dacrunkest]

I don't think I am going to do it anyway. I am kind of holding out for an SIU/investigations position in L.A. next year (where our home office is). They restructure salaries for cost of living out there, and I really like the area. After I get some designations/certifications I want to apply out there. The OKC thing is just not that attractive to me. I spoke with a friend who worked in Oklahoma before moving up here, and he says that if I like larger cities OKC may not be that exciting.

The idea of bumping my salary into the low 60s was somewhat enticing, but I think I can do better later on...

[dacrunkest]

No amount of money could make me move to OK city, but that's me. My impression (and I could be wrong) is that it's a very Red State, Bible belt, people in cowboy hats kinda place. Not really my scene. If that sounds like a fun place to live, then go for it.

I hear you, but I imagine many conservative cities have a healthy liberal or libertarian underbelly where you can meet some interesting people. Besides I have met plenty of rednecks in places you wouldn't expect...Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Northern Maine, even rural Pennsylvania have their share...

[cheshrcarol]

I hear you, but I imagine many conservative cities have a healthy liberal or libertarian underbelly where you can meet some interesting people. Besides I have met plenty of rednecks in places you wouldn't expect...Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Northern Maine, even rural Pennsylvania have their share...Well, I might find it interesting to visit these places, I prefer to live where I'm not at complete odds with the ideology of the majority.

[CTGirl]

Besides I have met plenty of rednecks in places you wouldn't expect...Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Northern Maine, even rural Pennsylvania have their share...

LOL, that's EXACTLY where I would expect rednecks to be. I agree with your point though, and we have rednecks here in CT as well, in places you might not expect them to be.

[yankeeyosh]

I hear you, but I imagine many conservative cities have a healthy liberal or libertarian underbelly where you can meet some interesting people. Besides I have met plenty of rednecks in places you wouldn't expect...Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Northern Maine, even rural Pennsylvania have their share...

There are N. Y. rednecks, and even in Mass. and Conn. rednecks.

[wordsmith]

I'm semi-interested in hearing you guys' definition of redneck.

[CTGirl]

I'm semi-interested in hearing you guys' definition of redneck.

I see the term "redneck" as pretty much the same as others like "hick" or "white trash"

Now dont get me wrong, I have no negative feelings about such people, as a good portion of my family is what I would consider "redneck" - lower/lower-middle class, white, rural, non-corporate workers, less educated, less cultured/well-rounded, etc.

[yankeeyosh]

My family lived across the street from a redneck on Long Island. He was a lowbrow, uncouth individual who showed great jealousy. He told my dad that he was a member of the Suffolk County Ku Klux Klan (even though he is partially Chinese), and he was highly suspected for some repeated vandalism that occurred at our house. The only reason he lived in our neighborhood was because he (and his family) lived with his mother. He moved out in 99 or 00, I think, so good riddance!

[dacrunkest]

redneck = mullets, NASCAR, George W. Bush, Pabst Blue Ribbon, confederate flags, gun racks, homophobia, anti-intellectual, general close-mindedness and Arkansas (just kidding on that one).

Some of these elements need to be in combination to enhance one's redneckiness. Just because you are a NASCAR fan does not mean you are a redneck, but if you watch NASCAR and have a mullet and a gun rack, you probably are.

[wordsmith]

I see the term "redneck" as pretty much the same as others like "hick" or "white trash"

Now dont get me wrong, I have no negative feelings about such people, as a good portion of my family is what I would consider "redneck" - lower/lower-middle class, white, rural, non-corporate workers, less educated, less cultured/well-rounded, etc.

Interesting.

I personally fit all those with the exception of the last two. Wonder what that makes me. :rolleyes:

[redav]

It sounds like there's a need for some diversity training.

[wordsmith]

Didn't you get the memo? SOME stereotypes and slams are perfectly acceptable to people on here, it's only verboten to offend certain people. :neutral:

[yankeeyosh]

I think that a common trait among rednecks is that they are against those of different lifestyles or races. You can be a beer guzzling, small town, Nascar loving person, and not be a redneck, if you are tolerant.

[wordsmith]

I think that a common trait among rednecks is that they are against those of different lifestyles or races. You can be a beer guzzling, small town, Nascar loving person, and not be a redneck, if you are tolerant.

So, then, by that logic, wouldn't being against rurally-dwelling white people of lower socioeconomic status who don't work corporate jobs, enjoy racing, and/or lack college degrees make one a redneck, too, if one is not of that same lifestyle/race? If all being a redneck is is being against somebody of a different lifestyle or race? :p

[dacrunkest]

I don't equate it with being small town...i don't think that it has to do with place, race or educational status...it has more to do with attitudes towards race, religion, and intellectualism...

ie. I consider Jim Phelps a redneck. I consider the Savage dude from the radio (Michael Savage?) a redneck, and he is jewish and lives in San Francisco...I would almost consider Ann Coulter's views as rednecky, and I would certainly place Larry the Cable Guy in that catagory.

[CTGirl]

Interesting.

I personally fit all those with the exception of the last two. Wonder what that makes me. :rolleyes:

I hope you are not offended by my definition. As I said, I dont necessarily see it as a negative categorization, and I know many people who refer to themselves as "rednecks" or "white trash" and dont find it offensive at all.

Along the same lines, I could easily be considered a nerdy, snobby, suburban white chick, there's no categorical term for us that I am aware of, but if there were, I would have no problem using it to describe myself.

[caostotale]

To me redneck boils down to having a few of the following traits:

White (this is fundamental), hates change, lacks the intelligence to explain the 'change' they fear, distrusts minorities or is outright racist, wholesale support of the U.S. government's policy, support of war no matter who's the enemy, Republican no matter who the candidate, tons of bumper stickers proclaiming the above notions, guns (especially military-grade weaponry), spousal abuse, animal abuse, too many kids or pets, failure to properly use contraception, confederate flag (obviously), NASCAR, beer flags on the porch, excessive amounts of army surplus store clothing, excessive WWF fandom, people who like rotten.com and talk about it at dinner, cut school constantly, refuses to look for jobs, constantly f**king around with their car or pickup truck, people who trick out a car that doesn't really need it, excessive Walmart shoppers, people who stay at home and collect coupons, people who watch tons of daytime television (while unemployed), people who play the lottery excessively... The list goes on to infinity.

These are just some of the things that I see too much of in central NJ. South NJ is far worse...

[redav]

Didn't you get the memo? SOME stereotypes and slams are perfectly acceptable to people on here, it's only verboten to offend certain people. :neutral:
Indeed, it does seem that it is perfectly acceptable to characterize them in ways that no one would ever refer to a protected minority.

[wordsmith]

To me redneck boils down to having a few of the following traits:

White (this is fundamental), hates change, lacks the intelligence to explain the 'change' they fear, distrusts minorities or is outright racist, wholesale support of the U.S. government's policy, support of war no matter who's the enemy, Republican no matter who the candidate, tons of bumper stickers proclaiming the above notions, guns (especially military-grade weaponry), spousal abuse, animal abuse, too many kids or pets, failure to properly use contraception, confederate flag (obviously), NASCAR, beer flags on the porch, excessive amounts of army surplus store clothing, excessive WWF fandom, people who like rotten.com and talk about it at dinner, cut school constantly, refuses to look for jobs, constantly f**king around with their car or pickup truck, people who trick out a car that doesn't really need it, excessive Walmart shoppers, people who stay at home and collect coupons, people who watch tons of daytime television (while unemployed), people who play the lottery excessively... The list goes on to infinity.

These are just some of the things that I see too much of in central NJ. South NJ is far worse...


Oh, see, and I thought this was your definition:

Well, to be clear, my idea of "redneck" is more thrust at people who just seem to go along with whatever the environment dictates, in the case of central NJ, the dogged and soporific office lifestyle matched with evenings of shopping and parenting, shopping some more, eating at Friday's the same day every week, etc.. etc.. I actually like working with regular rednecks more (like at old warehouse jobs I had) because they are way more fun and are often willing to question a thing or two about life. I'm also doubly-disgusted by the social environment here because I spend tons of time hanging with people in the artsy-fartsy areas of NYC and Philly and the experiences and conversations are loads more rewarding and inspiring in those parts of my life.