I was wrong about Austin - and overanalyzed it! (San Diego: living in, moving)

[scongress1234]

You folks probably have seen a fair share of my comments per Austin....its growth, its changes, and the confusion as to where it is headed, and what it is exactly.....a mecca for jobs? A live music capitol? A center of cool? A bastion for old and young hippies, and free-thinkers and livers? A place to reinvent the self?.......and my other questions.....how is Austin different from other cities that were once on the hip radar, like Seattle, San Diego, Denver, and the like? Will it go through the same fleeting zeitgiest of being on the hip radar, and slowly ebb in the regard, with another new "mecca", god knows where, taking its place?
Here is where my problem lies. I overanalyzed the city to the point of ridiculousness. For one, Austin means something different to everyone. While I myself try to get a line on the general aura of the place, it will always be filtered through my own biases and experiences. If it doesn't work through those filters, I reject it out of hand, rather than trying to see the city for what it is. That essentially renders my opinions meaningless. Again, Austin just is what it is. Just the result of hundreds of thousands of folks who brought their own dreams and biases together, and created a scene and way of life that indeed simply is what it is. It really isn't for me to judge what is right for Austin, as well meaning as I try to be. What one thinks is right, I may think is wrong, and its purely subjective on every level, with no right or wrong. Per the growth, that really shouldn't be my concern as well. It will grow according to the needs and collective mindset of the mass of people, new and old, that make those decisions every day, just by living there. I want to stop judging Austin, and just live and adapt with what is ready set there. I want to start accepting what the folks have decided is what Austin is all about, growth and all, bad and good. The wisest comment I have ever heard on here came from texas horse lady. She thought folks came here trying to change things to conform with where they came from, rather than accepting and adapting to what is already here. Isn't that the truth! Sometimes the hardest step, and maybe the greatest wisdom, comes from learning to accept what is.......and conform the best you can with it. That's what I have learned from posting on here, and reading all the wise comments.....so many...twange, THL, and so many others on here. So I'm going to stop analyzing, stop posting, and start adapting to Austin. I want to truly learn what this city is all about, and conform MYSELF to the area, rather than the other way around. And I know I'll enjoy the city infinitely more because of it.......thank you all for the wisdom....this is one guy who is going to stop complaining about what isn't, and start living in and relishing the Austin that is!
God bless all you regular folks on here, and I wish you the best!

-Scott

[AustinTexan]

Originally Posted by scongress1234

You folks probably have seen a fair share of my comments per Austin....its growth, its changes, and the confusion as to where it is headed, and what it is exactly.....a mecca for jobs? A live music capitol? A center of cool? A bastion for old and young hippies, and free-thinkers and livers? A place to reinvent the self?.......and my other questions.....how is Austin different from other cities that were once on the hip radar, like Seattle, San Diego, Denver, and the like? Will it go through the same fleeting zeitgiest of being on the hip radar, and slowly ebb in the regard, with another new "mecca", god knows where, taking its place?
Here is where my problem lies. I overanalyzed the city to the point of ridiculousness. For one, Austin means something different to everyone. While I myself try to get a line on the general aura of the place, it will always be filtered through my own biases and experiences. If it doesn't work through those filters, I reject it out of hand, rather than trying to see the city for what it is. That essentially renders my opinions meaningless. Again, Austin just is what it is. Just the result of hundreds of thousands of folks who brought their own dreams and biases together, and created a scene and way of life that indeed simply is what it is. It really isn't for me to judge what is right for Austin, as well meaning as I try to be. What one thinks is right, I may think is wrong, and its purely subjective on every level, with no right or wrong. Per the growth, that really shouldn't be my concern as well. It will grow according to the needs and collective mindset of the mass of people, new and old, that make those decisions every day, just by living there. I want to stop judging Austin, and just live and adapt with what is ready set there. I want to start accepting what the folks have decided is what Austin is all about, growth and all, bad and good. The wisest comment I have ever heard on here came from texas horse lady. She thought folks came here trying to change things to conform with where they came from, rather than accepting and adapting to what is already here. Isn't that the truth! Sometimes the hardest step, and maybe the greatest wisdom, comes from learning to accept what is.......and conform the best you can with it. That's what I have learned from posting on here, and reading all the wise comments.....so many...twange, THL, and so many others on here. So I'm going to stop analyzing, stop posting, and start adapting to Austin. I want to truly learn what this city is all about, and conform MYSELF to the area, rather than the other way around. And I know I'll enjoy the city infinitely more because of it.......thank you all for the wisdom....this is one guy who is going to stop complaining about what isn't, and start living in and relishing the Austin that is!
God bless all you regular folks on here, and I wish you the best!

-Scott

That's more like it Scott. Just stop and smell the roses every once in a while and it gives a different perspective on things. You've come such a long way and you've hit plenty of walls and speed bumps. You should be commended for a job well done.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Scott,
How long have you lived in Austin? Just wondering...

[twange]

Analysis is OK as long as it doesn't make you blind to what's right in front of you(beautiful and otherwise). One thing I am finally learning, is that sometimes it's OK to just float down stream. I'm not suggesting apathy or total capitulation of one's opinions and beliefs, but willingness to accept and admire some things for their surface alone.

I think it's good to think deeply about some things, but it's choosing the right material that's difficult. I'm an over-analyzer, for sure. I enjoy polemic and digging into the finer points of things. Some people find that to be annoying, confrontational and stubborn. In some tasks, it's been an advantage for me, in others, it freezes my decision making and leads me to frustration and disappointment. Moving away from our "mothership" was one of the hardest decisions my wife and I ever made. Torturous, really. Much harder than deciding to get married! So for us, we want Austin to be a good fit, even though there are some things we don't like about the city(there aren't many though!). So, I tend to see the city in two ways:

1.) Austin is amazing and everything here is great, beautiful and special.
2.) The few things I don't like are irreconcilable and might possibly spoil it for me.

Of course, this is fairly unproductive and somewhat insane, but as a human being, I accept that my emotions allow and force me to be irrational at times. Looking for balance here...

I also think that it's OK to voice your opinion if you don't like something or disagree with what someone else says, regardless of where you come from. People's perceptions and opinions are valid to them because we all see the world from our own eyes. All of us come from different backgrounds even when we're from the same city/region. These discussions can often lead you to re-evaluate or re-enforce your opinion.

Now this is a productive topic!

[jimmyjack]

Originally Posted by scongress1234

Will it go through the same fleeting zeitgiest of being on the hip radar, and slowly ebb in the regard, with another new "mecca", god knows where, taking its place?

Yes it will, and no it won't. Fashion will always come and go but the core will go on. The city is evolving and for the most part, the change is good. The parts that I don't like are more a matter of taste than anything else.

Here is where my problem lies. I overanalyzed the city to the point of ridiculousness. For one, Austin means something different to everyone. While I myself try to get a line on the general aura of the place, it will always be filtered through my own biases and experiences.

Now, this, is right funny. You go from overanalying the city to over analyzing yourself! I think you might need to get out there and tell it to Eeyore this weekend!

If it doesn't work through those filters, I reject it out of hand, rather than trying to see the city for what it is. That essentially renders my opinions meaningless. Again, Austin just is what it is. Just the result of hundreds of thousands of folks who brought their own dreams and biases together, and created a scene and way of life that indeed simply is what it is. It really isn't for me to judge what is right for Austin, as well meaning as I try to be. What one thinks is right, I may think is wrong, and its purely subjective on every level, with no right or wrong.

Here's the thing: That doesn't change no matter how long you have been here and you are one of those folks now. One of the strengths of Austin is that most folks here have come from somewhere else bringing with them unique ways of looking at things.

Per the growth, that really shouldn't be my concern as well. It will grow according to the needs and collective mindset of the mass of people, new and old, that make those decisions every day, just by living there. I want to stop judging Austin, and just live and adapt with what is ready set there. I want to start accepting what the folks have decided is what Austin is all about, growth and all, bad and good.

That's all well and good, but your one of those folks now, so buck up! You don't have to be judgemental to mix it up a little. We like a good dustup!

The wisest comment I have ever heard on here came from texas horse lady. She thought folks came here trying to change things to conform with where they came from, rather than accepting and adapting to what is already here. Isn't that the truth!

Listen. It's not about accepting and adapting to what is here. Lot's of folks have moved here from little towns all over because they didn't want to accept and adapt to the restrictions of that life. They stayed here for the freedoms that cities offer over little towns everywhere where everybody is in everybody elses business. Just be yourself, that's good enough.

What nobody wants to here is how great it is where you came from and how you had a much better time of it there. Same goes for folks who are always crying about how it was so much better way back when, like the way it was when they first got here.

We are having a great time of it right here, right now. If you think you can have a better time where you came from, you best hightail it back there. We can understand that. Austin is about having a time, get out and have yourself one and stop thinking so much.

You'll thank me in the morning after your head stops hurtin so much.

[xsloane]

And I know I'll enjoy the city infinitely more because of it.......thank you all for the wisdom....this is one guy who is going to stop complaining about what isn't, and start living in and relishing the Austin that is!
God bless all you regular folks on here, and I wish you the best!

-Scott[/quote]

Scott, I wanted to rate your comment possitively, but I wasn't allowed. So I will have to make it public ... Good for YOU!! I am glad you took a new perspective on things and made it public.