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Takes all kinds, I guess. Uninterrupted sunny weather stresses me out. Sometimes when the sun is shining for the umpteenth time and even my xeriscape is shriveling under the blinding light I just want to stay inside. But I bike commute and often work outside so I rarely have the choice.
Also I hate squinting all the time in bright sunshine and there is always the fear of skin cancer. Since I hate slathering greasy creams (or any chemical compounds for that matter) on my skin, I often resort to wearing long sleeves and long pants when I go outside in summer.
Of course I've been in cloudy, rainy New York for the last couple of weeks and loving the weather.
Nevertheless, I look forward to getting back to Burque in a couple of days. There are a bunch of other things I miss :-)
Takes all kinds, I guess. Uninterrupted sunny weather stresses me out.
ABQConvict
Are you sure that you aren't just spoiled? I'd trade your perpetually sunny weather for our dreary, gray, cold, cloudy Ohio weather any day. I'd love to have to wear some sunscreen.
Are you sure that you aren't just spoiled? I'd trade your perpetually sunny weather for our dreary, gray, cold, cloudy Ohio weather any day. I'd love to have to wear some sunscreen.
Here is my (light-hearted ) take...
I am also from the Midwest. I lived in WI for much of my life, and as you can see in my headline, I am back in this area for now. When I was in Albuquerque for 4+ years, once in a blue moon (not often mind you) I kind of felt like ABQConvict. Probably not nearly to the same extreme, and generally I am a sun worshipper, but once in a while, after a few years of rather persistent sun, I felt like (especially in the hotter months) I missed some gray clouds. I missed rainy, drizzly days, etc. (Of course, I also felt like once in awhile I missed snow).
But now having returned to gray, I can attest...it grows old REAL fast!
I think somewhat it is one of those things - at least for me - where the grass can appear to be greener depending upon what you are getting in the region you are living. Yes yes, ABQeans actually can get sick of the sunshine. I think it is somewhat human nature...that desire, especially as it relates to weather, for a change. Heck, people here in WI sometimes get sick of the summer weather during a warmer stretch. I am like, "people, we have cold for 6 months...let's hang on to warm as long as possible! "...
Overall though, amidst my ramblings, the bottom-line moral of the story?? Sun - good. Clouds - good for a getaway trip somewhere north, but always nice to return to that New Mexican sunshine.
(But it is good we've got some cloud worshippers amongst us. Otherwise, who would live in Seattle??)
Tim Rankin looking wistfully to the North thought about:
> Ditto for the mtn range to the north at about the same distance, ....
That is the Jemez range with the high point - Redondo (round) Peak at 11,254 feet high (overlooks the Valle Grande).
Both Mt Taylor and Redondo are volcanos, BTW. The Jemez range, itself is also an enormous volcano. Redondo is a "rebound cone" within the greater Jemez volcano.
ABQConvict complains:
> ... I hate squinting all the time in bright sunshine ...
I find I squint less in direct bright sunshine than I do in diffuse light of a bright, overcast day. Back in Dayton (where penelopelp hails), I can remember it being so bright that I could not open my eyes at all.
The overcast causes the light to come at you in all directions. My huge neanderthal forehead blocks the direct light of the New Mexico sun (but a brimmed hat is more effective).
Traffic is not as bad as some other cities; worst is Paseo in morning and
evening
Worst
Gross Receipts Taxes and Personal Income Tax (more of a state issue).
Albuquerque residents who are self-employed or receive a 1099
Miscellaneous Form have to pay 6.875 percent gross receipts
taxes. All people who earn income, whether they get a 1099 or
W-2 have to pay state income taxes (NM Taxation and Revenue
Department)
PNM: They have a practical stranglehold on energy in New Mexico
and the PRC is seemingly too willing to accomodate them each time
they desire a rate hike: ABQ Journal
Education: While this is a state matter, Albuquerque constitutes the
biggest portion of students. According to the US Education Department,
only 17 percent of state students are proficient in 8th grade reading
and math; only 1 percent are advanced.
Dating/Singles Life: According to Sperling's Best Places to Live, the
city was ranked Number 65 in dating/mating.
Anti-Young person Mentality: Tying into above, this city is not very
friendly towards young singles. No one can go to a club or bar without
getting picked on by cops. Bars in Las Vegas and Dallas stay open
longer and have LESS problems with DWI and car wrecks than
Albuquerque. Just take a look at the bars that are no more:
Park Place
Zipperz
Metropolis/Millenium/Phoenix (now just another Walgreen's)
McGilvray's
Albuquerque Mining Company
Foxes Booze and Cruise
People in the bar and club industry cited stringent police
activity, along with overhead that emanated from taxes and
license costs as the reasons for bars having a short life span
in ABQ.
Crime and Misplaced Priorities: In 2007, the city had 54 murders,
a 59 percent increase from 34 homicides in 2006. The other
crime figures for 2007 are not out yet. But, based on the FBI
Crime Report for 2006, Albuquerque had:
286 rapes/sexual assaults
19,000 plus larcenies
Nearly 1200 armed robberies
Over 3,000 aggravated assaults
Yet, what are the cops doing in ABQ? Picking on young people trying to
get some at a bar/club and arresting people running a call girl ring
on Craig's List. Yet, what is being done about the 59 percent increase
in dropped bodies? What is being done about people who lose their
stuff due to thefts and break-ins? To paraphrase NWA, **** the
(Albuquerque) Police. They wanna leave for Aurora or Denver? Go ahead.
Useless parasitic tapeworms anyway.
Career Opportunities: This is my personal observation so don't get
hissy about source citations: It is difficult for college grads to
get jobs in ABQ without being a Lucky Sperm Clubber or part of
the clique. I have written on this before so no need to elaborate
on the matter.
One of the biggest things I have encountered is a defensiveness when
one offers a critical thesis on Albuquerque. Even when there is
evidence such as corruption in City Hall (the evidence room; the
Airport Observation Deck; the tax giveaways to SunCal and
Forest City Covington), the slow progress behind Tucson,
Las Vegas and San Antonio and the parochial, high-school
cliquish nature of ABQ, people get overtly hostile.
Dissent is the father of freedom and there has to be a dissenting voice
amidst the cheerleading and jingoism. There cannot be a frank and
open dialogue when the common response to criticism is "f-u" or
"get out if you do not like it." Sometimes it takes a critical voice
to try and improve things by being blunt and frank about what may
be wrong with a city or state or even a country. To say one must
love a city, state or country with no criticism or differing opinions
is un-American.
beautiful mountains, sky, and sunsets.
fairly reasonable weather.
Cons:
not the friendliest people on the planet.
rampant crime, even in the so called safe areas.
lack of education in a big group of the population.
health care, health care, health care.
not much to do unless you like Hispanic plays, Indian jewelry, etc...
corrupt government.
No, that's a good thing. It keeps the fortune hunters out. Same for low wages.
Yeah, this makes sense! Let's keep everyone in poverty. That way no one will come here who likes to earn a decent income!
Fortune hunters????? What a strange term. When I hear that I think California Gold Rush. Or maybe Silicon Valley at its peak. I don't think of teachers and nurses looking to make a decent wage!
I am going to be a CNA. When I searched a job site for CNA jobs in Alburcracky I came up with 67 hits. I looked at them and all but about 4 were from staffing agencies with no actual jobs. The ones who did have openings didn't pay much.
I searched Denver and they had 480 jobs. Most legit, not staffing co. and they paid much more. Pretty good for a place that costs about 1% more to live in then ABQ! Living in Denver will actually be less since I can use the light rail and go just about anywhere for $60 a month. I am paying about $200 a month now, just to get to work.
Some of us like to be able to afford health care and food! This poverty mentality is a big part of what is wrong with ABQ and NM as a whole!
Last edited by outtaheresoon; 01-03-2008 at 01:22 PM..
Reason: spelling
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) take...
Wow....
