Hi! What Brings You Here?
Hello, readers! If you’re reading this, thank you. There is a reason you’re on this website. Perhaps you need to know you’re not the only one feeling the way you feel about Arizona. Do you feel stuck in the desert? Do you miss home? Are you born and raised in Arizona, wondering what the world outside of the desert is like? Are people rude to you everywhere you go? Do you miss seasons? Is the heat unbearable?
A Message For Arizonans
On the rare occasion, you love Arizona with every fiber in your body and you will post very nasty, negative, personal comments. Well, I’m glad you love Arizona because someone needs to keep that place running. Unfortunately, this website is not for you. These are not the droids you’re looking for. Move along.
Let’s Talk About You
Are you still here and reading? Ok, good. This website is for you. Please read through the articles on this website. Some are dated, as I’ve moved out of Arizona a few years ago. But, the user comments are the most valuable resource on this website. There are always people leaving their sentiment, giving more evidence that you’re not alone in how you feel. Remember, you’re here for a reason. This website will help you get out of the desert and enjoy life. Hurry! You are losing valuable time!
Let’s Talk About Me
I keep my identity private on purpose. There are people in my life who would really get upset if they knew I was behind this blog. I will always wear the mask, helping people like you get out of the desert.
I will share some details about me, although I will keep my identity private. I am from the South, born and raised. Southern hospitality is not just a concept, it’s REAL! In the South, you can find yourself getting into conversations with complete strangers as though you knew each other. As a matter of fact, when I visited home with my family I struck up a conversation with a woman at the baggage claim. My daughter asked if I knew that woman. I told her, “No, that’s just how people are in the South.”
God knows I missed the South living in Arizona. I had seen other Southerners come and go, after realizing they also didn’t like the desert. I tried to convince myself that Arizona was a fine place to live for the first few years. Then, I found myself becoming angry. People would not wave back at me, nor would they acknowledge me when I held the door open for them. Heck, I could complete a transaction at the gas station with the clerk without a word being said!
Besides the poor Arizona attitudes, I missed having four seasons. I really love seeing leaves change colors and fall. As I write this, it’s Spring. Flowers, trees and bushes are blooming. There are pinks, whites, reds, yellows…colors. The only brown or tan colors are in the ground underneath the green, green grass. It’s a nice 70 degrees outside and it’s the end of April. I don’t even know what you’re dealing with there, but I’m sure it’s starting to heat up!
Just Checking In
The purpose of this post is just to show signs of life. I’ve left Arizona far behind, and I hope to never go back. I still read the comments you leave behind, and I understand you. I have to moderate the comments for the fact that Arizonans come across here every once in a while with very nasty comments.
As I read through the comments, I get it. I understand you. I was you. But, I got out. I’m much happier now. I have returned to the South, and I live close to a lake. I enjoy fishing in the summertime, and taking the dogs out on the boat for a swim. I don’t have to hide inside during the summer anymore.
What Are You Going To Do?
If you’ve read this far, then I’m definitely speaking to you! You have found NoArizona because you did some kind of web search that brought you here. I’m glad you’re here! Please, read through this website for some ideas. I can even show you how I escaped the desert!
Do you remember trees? REAL trees? Yep, they’re still out there. You just have to make it happen, and I know you can do this! I was you. It can be done. Life is too short, so you need to start the process now. Your soul will thank you!
Again, your comments are the most valuable resources for this website. I encourage you to leave your mark for others to see. Help someone else out, let them know they’re not alone. I’m not asking for me, I’m asking for people like you who feel trapped.
Thank you for reading. Let’s get started….
No Arizona! 
It’s so nice to see this site, I have been following it for a few years now. I am from the east coast and I too am still astounded by the unfriendly behavior 8 years later. Back East always gets a reputation of not being friendly but it is nothing compared to this. At least if you wave or say hi, you usually get a friendly response in return.
Thanks, Kat! Are you back on the east coast?
I live on the east coast as well, and the “friendly response in return” that one usually gets is a middle finger. Some areas in the south east coast are better, but as a whole, I would say people all over are becoming less friendly.
https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.jsI lived in Phoenix for 33years then moved to Denver after my wife accepted a great job offer. We couldn’t wait to leave it truly is one giant shithole and the people were getting meaner by the day. After 10 years in Denver we moved back due to some family issues. I hated every day I was there, the people are ruder and meaner than ever. I was offered a management position at my former employer in Denver so we moved back.Colorado puts Arizona to shame in every way imaginable. Don’t get me wrong the desert is pretty as is the mogollon rim, Grand Canyon and Sedona but the people suck and it’s entrry level jobs everywhere. I will only go back to visit and see family but I’m always happy when I leave. At has some of the most shallow and rude people you will ever meet. Yet people keep moving there making it worse by the day, good riddance to that giant brown shithole that sits on top of hell itself
I appreciate the new post after what must have been a few years.
I must comment on another city which I feel is overrated to the max, especially as a single person in his 40s. Chicago and most of the surrounding suburbs is such a MISERABLE existence and it bores me to tears. A caveat to that, you must be wealthy to enjoy yourself and have many things to do. Not as culturally devoid as Phoenix and the ‘burbs which IMHO is what this blog is really about. I’d personally rag on Flagstaff as the absolute worst in about every way except skiing of course LOL yet much of the bad experiences people have living in AZ happen in the good old county of Maricopa.
I digress. Six and a half years back in the Shitcago metro area have very much worn thin on me. Rudest people, worst jobs (and almost all IT jobs are temporary contracts even if they CLAIM to be “temp to hire”), horrible traffic, fucking Rahm with his gentrification of ghettos, skyrocketing cost of living, devilish and unfriendly neighbors, horrendously liberal leaning, fat and/or ugly single women, I can go on and on. I cannot claim to regret for even a moment that I left Arizona, however, I really wish I took the time to look into other cities and states. I hear many good things about Denver as Mike has pointed out, although the IT job market seems as bad as here. Yes, the third largest city everyone here brags & boasts about, well fourth if the rumors about Houston are true, is one of the worst for IT job creation and most certainly salary range.
Anyway, Phoenix is still a decent place to visit after learning where everything is over about an 11 year stint living there.
Hi, I posted here back in the day and ran into this site again while unsubscribing to another WordPress site.
IMHO this website title is OK yet misleading. It should be “say no to Phoenix metro” or as I spell it, Peenix. LOL I fled, I mean moved away in 2011.
Update: my brother moved from Peenix to the Dewey / Prescott area several years ago. He’s had, from the little I know about it, very positive experiences with people there. There is an actual mix of conservatives and liberals! When I lived in the Peenix area, I’d hear from people all the time how it’s filled with conservatives, to which I’d reply “Where are they hiding?”. I don’t consider a person who is Republican and loves #noname McStain to be conservative at all. Nevertheless, I RARELY MET THEM EITHER.
There is so much mythology about the Peenix area other than that, I won’t bother going into. Unless you’re totally self sufficient, have an established business and yes, friends with MANY Mormons, you’re not getting anywhere here. That’s the biggest “secret” of all, you’re either a native Peenician with local connections up the wazoo, or another nobody transplant from the Midwest or Texas or New York that doesn’t count. Anyone with half a brain from California avoids AZ like an oozing infected boil.
Anyway, I hope this message finds you well. I’m in the Shitcago area, which I hate for different reasons, but one day I wish to move back west. Sorry but I LOVE the desert climate and looking at Nevada. Yep, it has problems too like anywhere else but not as extreme as Peenix metro (or Shitcago and Hellinois)!
PS I see I made comments about Denver and Houston as possible landing spots. Denver is Shitcago level bad as well. Houston is way too humid, and the job prospects dried up for me quickly. Long story on the latter. Lori AKA Groot / Betelgeus almost makes Rahm look good. Welcome to the post COVID era of history all!
First off — there’s a massive protest going on across the state today cuz AZ won’t pay teachers a living wage. Ed is not best paying job anyway but here, it’s one of the worst.
I just returned from a trip back east. I got back at night, temps were in the 90s.
No Arizona, it’s good to hear from you! I like the updated column and am sure it will help others. I am one of the rare posters in that I don’t hate Arizona, but have struggled to call it “home”. One poster (Ash) recently shared how their family finally moved out of the state and how happy they all were. She said it was nice to get back to “normal” living with seasons, water, trees, etc. What struck me was the word “normal”. Arizona is an amazing state in terms of scenery and, while I have come across my share of unpleasant individuals, I have been fortunate to have met many great people here. However, I’m still trying to find and feel “normal” again. After living in AZ for nearly 20 years…I am not myself and my wife also noticed it.
Even though I like aspects of AZ, I still envision moving away one day and regaining my “normal”. In the meantime, I will continue to be inspired by those who made it out.
Thank you for your comment! Not all Arizona people are rude, and you’re proof of that. Unfortunately, many are! I hope you discover normal. Arizona is beautiful, especially the sun set. But I traded that for seasons and normal weather. Hop a flight and check it out!
Sounds like you’re somewhere in the Carolinas. I have fond memories of our time we lived in North Carolina.
H.E.L.P!
I was raised in the South. Hate it here, can’t decide where to go. I’m single with no family to speak of, I can go ANYWHERE! Paralyzed with too many options…
Saving money, hopefully I’ll figure out where to go soon. I want this to be my last year in purgatory. I want to get back to living and enjoying life again! Having friends and a social life. Seasons…
Come back to the South!
Arizona would actually be okay if it wasn’t ridiculously hot 9 out of 12 months of the year, all the drivers weren’t terrible, and had less racists, IMHO. Not all of the people are rude, but a lot of them are. People will just walk past you and not even make eye contact. It’s hard to make friends here. Lived here since I was 3 years old and haven’t made any real friends. Most of the kids I went through school with were mean and stuck up. And yes of course, the drivers are terrible! They run red lights, don’t yield, and tailgate dangerously close. I truly do blame all of this on the heat! The heat is soo depressing. Can’t do anything outdoors besides swimming past 8AM because its just too hot. I wouldn’t recommend moving here at all. Half of the people that live here come from the Midwest or California and the other half are natives. As people keep moving here, this place is becoming something it wasn’t meant to be. This state used to just be a sparsely populated desert wasteland adjacent to California, now it really is just a wannabe California clone. I’m moving out of here after I graduate from college.