My Question of the Day for 30 July 2010 – UPDATED
| Listen to the question here:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. |
My Question of the Day: Our sense of community has changed over the generations. With that in mind, do you know and/or spend time your neighbors, the people who live around you?
My 2 Cents: I’m friendly with my neighbors, but I can’t say I really know and/or interact with them.
I’ve lived in my current neighborhood for seven years, and it’s the people who moved in not too long ago that I have a relationship with. They were there to help me when we got snowed in and I was horribly ill. They brought me fruit, juice and medicine and even cleaned my walkway. That was nice.
———-
The commentary doesn’t have to end!
Please feel free to continue to add your comments below.
———–
RULES FOR COMMENTS
1. DO NOT include links in your post. There is a place for you to include one link when you’re filling out the Name/Email/Website information. Comments that include links will be deleted.
2. If your post is obviously irrelevant to the question at hand, it will be deleted. This is a tactic spammers use to simply show up on blogs.
3. Please keep your comments respectful. We can agree to disagree without attacking each other.
| NEW! Don’t feel like typing? Driving and can’t type? No worries! Call 904-4MY-QOTD (904-469-7683) and leave your comment by voicemail! Yes, that’s right! You can now call in your comment to My Question of the Day. Your audio comment will be posted to the blog just like a written comment. Please refrain from profanity or hate-filled, derogatory talk. Such comments will not be included on the My Question of the Day blog. I reserve the right NOT to include your voicemail comment if it happens to be irrelevant to the subject at hand. |
Faydra, that was really nice of your neighbors to help you out when you needed them most. Our neighbors usually keep an eyes on things or walk our dog when we’re out of town, but I can’t imagine them taking care of me if I’m sick.
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislikeYes, it was. I was sick as all get-out.
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislikeYeah, I remember. You were sick for at least a month. I’m glad you’re much better now!
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislikeSome things have definitely changed. When I was a kid, there was virtually no problem with a child running around the neighborhood outside all day. Nowadays, there’s no way I would let my child do that. Too many predators stalking kids out there.
Still, I like my neighborhood. I know all of my neighbors but don’t spend a lot of time with all of them. We have one family in our neighborhood who I thought was extra nosy and “trashy” when we first moved in. But I’ve come to actually enjoy their company. They usually throw a big party for the neighborhood on the holidays. And they also know what’s going on with everyone in the neighborhood so they let us know if there have been any break-ins or any thing else that we should be concerned about.
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislikeI know all my neighbours, although we don’t socialize often. We invite each other to our parties and we usually stop and talk for awhile when we see each other outside. They’re all nice people, but we don’t really have enough in common to actually hang out on a regular basis.
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislikeHow funny this question would arise as my neighbors and I will gather tomorrow for a block party. I’ll be in a conference for most of the day but I am looking forward to returning home so I can fellowship with my neighbors.
We have lived in our home for nearly 9 years and have never had a block party. Over the 9 years there have only been 3 new families to move in, so it’s safe to say we’ve been neighbors for a long time but short of an occasional wave while we walk our dogs or a nod as we drive past we don’t speak. I’m ashamed to say it but I only know the names of the neighbors directly across the street from us and on both sides of us.
Two years ago, a pastor moved into the house across the street from us and out of the blue he and my husband have developed a friendship. They started talking, soon they started getting together for prayer breakfast, next thing you know they started on an exercise regimen [side note: they've lost over 30 lbs. each]. Last weekend, they decided to have a bbq for all of our neighbors, made flyers and invited all of the neighbors. Tomorrow’s the big day! A lot of the neighbors have phoned and asked if they need to bring anything.
I say all that to say that no I don’t know my neighbors nor have I spent any time with them but I am looking forward to meeting most of them tomorrow.
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislikeHere in Arizona, I made a point to know everyone–the people on either side and both people across street. We know each other enough to see and wave, and ask for garbage help if one of us is gone. That seems reasonable enough for me. When we looked for a house, we did not say “find us a place with people just like us’ we said, “find us a place we can afford.” That left us with a mix of neighbors.
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislikeI don’t think it has changed. People still know their neighbors in small communities & suburban areas. In metropolitan areas, your neighbors are “strangers”. The living situation makes it hard to know people since there is a constant influx of tenants and most people live in apartments, not homes. You don’t exactly see them in the backyard or lawn, playing with kids etc. The situation does not provide a climate or give opportunities for interaction. At least not as much as a suburban area.
This is why I think social networks & meetup groups always take off in larger cities first. People are yearning for human interaction. Most social network startups are in big cities for a reason.
I live in NYC, and other than cordial greetings, I don’t have a relationship with my neighbors. This isn’t really the sort of place where you bring your neighbor an apple pie. They’ll probably think you poisoned it…lol.
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislikeI don’t know any of my neighbors but one. And I don’t spend any time with her, except for when we happen to see each other and exchange pleasantries over the fence for a few minutes. I have lived in my house for 11 yrs. The only people who haven’t changed are the really old folks who’ve lived there for more years than they can count. Nope…I don’t even have a desire to spend time with them. They are way different than me.
Was this answer helpful?
LikeDislike