What don't you like about New York?

TOO MANY TOURISTS!!! and loud neighbors - but hopefully I've fixed that problem too.

The cost of housing. That's my main reason for not wanting to live in NYC. Prices are absolutely outrageous!

Too many people. In the suburbs there are not as many people congregated in one area. Another factor is just what Ajadedidealist spoke about. The high price of housing. Of course, I agree with LesterQuirk that there are too many tourist. Another good reason is that NYC is too much of a pressure cooker. Everyone is under pressure to perform. Everyone is in a rush to get somewhere. Maybe that is why suicides are very high here compared to the rest of the country.

Tourists: completely agreed. That and the fact that it can be downright a pain in the ass. . . .walking 100 bags through the rain but you're sweating for some reason . . .

@JenMac: I hear ya and know what you mean. Man, I hate sweating, especially when I have a coat on.

Yeah, @hhusted - NYC can definitely be a pressure cooker - turning nice, ordinary people into snobby, crazed workaholics obsessed with power, money, and status. Far from ideal.

Strange smells are my big thing. I feel attacked by them-- why don't we have a decent garbage collection system in place in this city?

uraniumfish: I think one of the craziest things about New York is how you can be inundated with these amazing bakery smells and then 20 seconds later all you can smell is urine.

Hey, it's a fast-paced city, @JenMac. Although I've never particularly noticed any bad smells in NYC as opposed to any other city, except maybe on trash take-out day. Why do we always leave our rubbish out on the street - whose idea was that, anyway?

I guess it's kinda like . . . where else would you leave it . . . ?

That's a fair point, @JenMac. I suppose the good part about living in a brownstone/town house is that you can probably fit your trash into one of those sealed green plastic wheely bins and thus the bags aren't out stinking up the street, whereas with apartment buildings you cant exactly fit all that rubbish into a small bin...

@ajadedidealist that really is a unique NYC apartment living thing .. leaving mounds of garbage bags on the sidewalks havent really seen it in any other city. I also agree about the fast paced life in this city sometimes you just want to have a chance to kick back and relax no such luck in NYC unfortunately.

@Uptowngirl: This city does not give you the luxury of being at peace and relaxing. Why do you think so many people take drugs. Besides sleeping pills, anti-depressants are most common here.

I feel like you can kick back and relax . . . you just maybe have to go deep into Central park to do it. Or, on your roof.

@JenMac hmmm I am just imagine a warm summers day of doing nothing but laying on the grass in the park.. aha.. but I bet I will be surrounded by 10,000 other New Yorkers with the very same idea!!

@Uptowngirl: Yeah, and then a couple of minutes later you stare at your watch and think about another place you have to be. That is why people are always on the go and are stressed out. It seems not too many people have the luxury of getting relaxed for too long a time, unless they are knocked out on Valium. :)