I'm moving...but where to?

jflail2

I also can't say enough about the history around Charlottesville as well (if you're into that kind of thing.) TJ built UVA, and presidents 3, 4 and 5 (TJ, Madison and Monroe) all lived in the area. TJ's home, Monticello, is worth seeing a couple of times at least.

There's also a ton of rich folks here, so there are the associated niceties related to them being here. Tons of good vineyards and a few good breweries. I think all but 1 or 2 of the 30+ restaurants on our downtown pedestrian mall are local restaurants, most of which focus on locally grown food (the whole farm to table thing.)

There are more Civil War battlegrounds in a 2-3 hour drive than I've had time to visit in all my years here. And if you're into sports, nothing like having ACC sports 10 minutes away at UVA. Their baseball team made it to the finals in the CWS this year, and tickets are still dirt cheap.

In general, life is good round these parts.

steveinaz

GospelTruth wrote: »

What are your thoughts on Santa Fe? I hear good things about it, but have never been. It's close to Texas for the relatives and has mountains and such.

Northern New Mexico is nice, central/south...no thanks. Been thru that state MANY times. Add to that NM's political landscape doesn't work for me. Arizona is far better maintained, and in my opinion, far more beautiful. It's evident the instant you cross the state line.

steveinaz

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Keep in mind that a Texan's version of common sense is vastly different than some other places. All I can suggest is that you should first find a place that aligns with your values or you might just be wishing you stayed in Texas. I kick myself in the **** for allowing my wife to drag me back to Los Angeles.

Very true, there's only about 4-5 states I would live in anymore; Texas is one of them. Common sense, culture rich, low cost of living (relatively), friendly people, wide OPEN spaces.

GospelTruth

steveinaz wrote: »

Very true, there's only about 4-5 states I would live in anymore; Texas is one of them. Common sense, culture rich, low cost of living (relatively), friendly people, wide OPEN spaces.

I was surprised moving to Nevada that the gun laws here are probably even more liberal than in Texas. Las Vegas however is a city unto itself and doesn't really reflect the rest of the state politically or culturally. How Harry Reid stays in office is beyond me as most of the state is more conservative in nature with the exception of Vegas. Nevada has everything you mentioned, but "culture rich" is subjective so you may not think so. I like Arizona as well, just gets a little hot in the summer there for my liking - but at least it's a dry heat. If I were moving there, I would pick either Flagstaff or Tucson.

Erik Tracy

GospelTruth wrote: »

What are your thoughts on Santa Fe? I hear good things about it, but have never been. It's close to Texas for the relatives and has mountains and such.

My parents retired to Santa Fe.

We have gone every year to see them during Thanksgiving with my wife and kids for the last 8 years. We all look forward to the trip and the adventures we have when we get there.

Personally, I love New Mexico.

Santa Fe can touch the spirit and leave a lasting impression - can't really explain it - you have to see it and experience it for yourself.

I had a friend who went for the first time to visit a friend. When I asked him later how he liked it - he said it was amazing.

Worth at least a visit to see if you are touched or not.

Dennis Gardner

I was touched by the Totemoff Bar and Grill half way down the mountain.......not too many places you can ski into the bar, have a quick toddy and ski the rest of the way down the hill...nice touch. Of course I practiced moderation. Santa Fe is one of my favorite destinations.

tonyb

Btw....you guys who keep saying "but it's a dry heat"....B.S., heat is heat. Been to Arizona many times when it's 120. Like a blow dryer set on high heat in your face.

Erik Tracy

tonyb wrote: »

Btw....you guys who keep saying "but it's a dry heat"....B.S., heat is heat. Been to Arizona many times when it's 120. Like a blow dryer set on high heat in your face.

And you live in Chicago...the windy...freeze my **** off city during winter???

Pick your poison! :cheesygrin:

tonyb

Erik Tracy wrote: »

And you live in Chicago...the windy...freeze my **** off city during winter???

Pick your poison! :cheesygrin:

Agreed, but we don't justify the cold by saying "it's just a dry snow". My take on heat versus cold....when your cold you can always get warm, but when your boiling hot it's hard to cool down.

That said, I hate the cold....and the excessive heat. Give me a place in the middle year round. I think anywhere in the foothills of Colorado would suit the man just fine though.

AsSiMiLaTeD

steveinaz wrote: »

Very true, there's only about 4-5 states I would live in anymore; Texas is one of them. Common sense, culture rich, low cost of living (relatively), friendly people, wide OPEN spaces.

Is there a place in AZ that has the climate of Flagstaff that's a little less expensive?

rooftop59

Prescott. It's smaller but also very quaint and closer to Phoenix which I think is a plus.

schwarcw

Ashville, North Carolina. Vanderbilt thought it was the most beautiful place he'd ever seen. You go skiing in the Winter, drive about three hours and be at the beach or playing golf. Smokey Mountains, reasonable short Winters, low crime, low taxes.

txcoastal1

You ever thought about just getting an RV and getting out of town for a couple months a year. Could change locations every year during the TX hot months.

voltz

Every time I hear somebody call Chicago the windy city, I'm thinking they have never spent time in Kansas, its normally 25+ with guts to 30-40.

It took people a long time to figure why were so windy, but it turns out it was just because Oklahoma sucks & Nebraska blows!!

Nightfall

There is definitely a difference between heat in low humidity vs high humidity. When it gets hot here, of course its still hot but it's a lot better than the midwest where it's extremely "muggy" AND hot.

tonyb

voltz wrote: »

Every time I hear somebody call Chicago the windy city, I'm thinking they have never spent time in Kansas, its normally 25+ with guts to 30-40.

It took people a long time to figure why were so windy, but it turns out it was just because Oklahoma sucks & Nebraska blows!!

That's a good one....and yes, lived in KC for awhile.

It's not the whole city that garners the windy title here in Chicago, just the downtown area. The wind picks up speed around the tall buildings blowing skirts up and empty Frito lay bags in your face.

I know the OP is trying to work off a Texas salary, which is going to be hard to translate to other parts of the country, maybe except Florida. Kinda doing it in reverse, most move to Texas from higher income paying states to make that coin stretch. Moving from Texas to a higher cost state isn't going to do much for that.

Depends also on how big a place you need, can you get by in a townhouse ? Every area of the country has trade offs, you just have to list priorities first. If that's weather and cost as the top priorities, then Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Colorado,Nashville area, maybe the Carolina's should be on your radar, anything else will cost you some.

[Deleted User]

Cleveland. We got the RNC and Lebron.

tonyb

rednedtugent wrote: »

Cleveland. We got the RNC and Lebron.

If memory serves, you guys didn't exactly give Lebron a good send off when he left.

[Deleted User]

Tough love. :cheesygrin:

tonyb wrote: »

If memory serves, you guys didn't exactly give Lebron a good send off when he left.

voltz

what was its Smirnoff said about Cleveland?

"In every country, they make fun of a city. In U.S. you make fun of Cleveland. In Russia, we make fun of Cleveland."

nooshinjohn

rednedtugent wrote: »

Cleveland. We got the RNC and Lebron.

You also have those racist "Cleveland Indians"... for shame.

mhardy6647

voltz wrote: »

what was its Smirnoff said about Cleveland?

"In every country, they make fun of a city. In U.S. you make fun of Cleveland. In Russia, we make fun of Cleveland."

Reminds me of a Cold War era, corollary joke:

[A Soviet Russian is speaking of his country, in the usual comical Rooshian accent, of course] Soviet Union is not so different to the United States of America. In the United States, you are free to criticize your President, your Congress, and your Supreme Court. In Soviet Russia, we, too, are free to criticize your President, your Congress, and your Supreme Court!

;-)

Dennis Gardner

I think that it should be mentioned that even though you may find some discontent with where you currently live, you must consider yourself extremely fortunate to be able to relocate at will to anywhere in this great land that you can afford to live and maintain job security. In these trying times for many, this alone would be enough to make them appreciate life.

This freedom of mobility and job security wasn't even remotely possible 20 years ago unless you were a hooker........


Keep things in perspective, enjoy your search as time seems to be on your side, you even live in a hub in the middle of it all to make the search easier!

zane77

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=aC0r3P1dB1M

Try this, definately 4 seasons though.

tonyb

Not one potato in that clip....what up with that ? LOL

[Deleted User]

So there wasn't any Indians in Cleveburg? I've been buffalo'd?

nooshinjohn wrote: »

You also have those racist "Cleveland Indians"... for shame.

GospelTruth

Nightfall wrote: »

There is definitely a difference between heat in low humidity vs high humidity. When it gets hot here, of course its still hot but it's a lot better than the midwest where it's extremely "muggy" AND hot.

Agreed on this one, although Phoenix can be dang hot in the summer and I understand the "blow dryer" comment. I'll still take 100 and dry vs. 80s and muggy ANY day. There's a difference in the winter as well with moisture in the air. On a day you that may be 0 degrees in the morning, dry and sunny will feel warmer than a temp in the 20's in the Midwest. Cold moisture in the air definitely makes thing colder as well - chills you to the bone literally.

cnh

Dennis Gardner wrote: »

I think that it should be mentioned that even though you may find some discontent with where you currently live, you must consider yourself extremely fortunate to be able to relocate at will to anywhere in this great land that you can afford to live and maintain job security. In these trying times for many, this alone would be enough to make them appreciate life.


This freedom of mobility and job security wasn't even remotely possible 20 years ago unless you were a hooker........


Keep things in perspective, enjoy your search as time seems to be on your side, you even live in a hub in the middle of it all to make the search easier!

Agreed. But with one proviso: very very very few can relocate to wherever they want. And such jobs are becoming more and more rare. In my work, you go where you can get a job. And that could be anywhere from Alaska to Mississippi, and you rarely have a choice because there are 100-200+ (or even twice that, in some cases) people applying/competing for that same job. To have any academic job is a boon, anywhere. The VAST majority of Ph.D.s are UNEMPLOYED! Some are driving Taxis, delivering your pizza, or thinking of going back to Law school so they can be "unemployed" in that field because there are already too many lawyers in the U.S. Ah, America and it's LACK of good jobs for the educated? Education? Don't let the rhetoric fool you. I know some of the BEST educated people in this country and at least 50 percent of them cannot be employed in their chosen profession. So do "we" really need MORE education? Do we or does Capital value education? Not really! What Capital wants are economic clones who will do its bidding and not be too critical or creative, and certainly not rebellious! lol Business as USUAL, put up those production quotas and quarterly profits and let's see how we can hike them even more, even though we're already making 'outrageous' profits and might crash the system through such hyperactivity?

That aside, it must be great to have such freedom of relocation. The standard refrain from the Captains of industry is that "you" are at their beck and call, "you" must move to where THEY put the jobs, if, in fact, there even are any in the U.S.? lol

And Tony is right about summer heat in Arizona, sorry guys. If you are an old person and decide to spend a bit of time outside in that dry heat of 120+ degrees, you WILL dehydrate in no time and possible even die!

So there you are in what is pretty nice country and your glued to your air-conditioned space? May as well go visit a Museum of Natural History, which at least has A/C in order to be outside in those months. lol

cnh

Stew

Small towns in central/western Wyoming, western South Dakota, western Montana, northern Colorado, etc work for me. But I love small towns and wide open spaces and don't like too much heat. Not for everyone but I love this part of the country.

sucks2beme

I too have a job in a group that home offices from all over.
I had a boss in Canada that I worked for 6 years before ever meeting him.
My current boss is also a voice on the phone.
The 1st time I saw Dallas was when I accepted a job here.
Same for upstate N.Y. I turned down a job for Colorado and Florida
in the last 20 years. I guess part of it is I'm ready for something different.