If you're planning to move to Austin (especially from a bigger city)... (Houston: houses, school)

[AK123]

Originally Posted by truckin54321

Did anyone put a gun to your head forcing you to take that cut? Of course Houston pays more....you also have to breath in the fumes wafting over from the refineries and ship canal each day.....and deal with the post-katrina crime rate.........I can walk around in DT Austin at 2 in the morning and feel 100% safe..In Houston, you'd have to have eyes in the back of your head doing the same......Houston = 24/7 highway sprawl as well........Austin is so much better than that pollution spewing hellhole than words can describe.....safe, ambiant, intelligent, friendly, scenic,
tree-filled, etc.......and now that oil is below 40 bucks a gallon, and looks that way for a LONG time,
you can kiss Houston's energy sector bye-bye...........Houston HAS to pay more, per all the crime, traffic, and filth......

Are you joking? And what is this photo you posted? I suppose I can go somewhere in east Austin, take a photo of some crappy block and then generalize that to the entire city? Yeah, that's fair. But that's pretty much what you're doing.

I've never understood why so many other Texans generalize the east-side, industrial area or the high-crime areas of Houston to the entire city. How is that fair? There are not refineries spread randomly around the city. Most of that's not even in Houston; it's in places like Baytown and Channelview, which are suburb cities to the east. And I'm sorry, but Austin has just as much sprawl with cookie-cutter homes and strip malls these days. To pretend otherwise is a mistruth. Urban Dictionary: austitude How come every time Houston comes up, there's always at least one person from Austin who has to do this?

It's like deja-vu of when I moved from Austin to Houston, and everyone was saying "don't do it, Houston is so awful!" I asked how do you know? "Oh, I heard" or "I was there 20 years ago" or "I drove through the freeways one time". Well, they were all wrong. Way wrong. We've had the best time living in Houston.

Oh yeah, here are some photos of the so-called pollution-spewing hellhole. Thanks. http://www.city-data.com/forum/6246710-post34.html

Okay, I'll try to stop my rant now. I'm just so sick of hearing ignorant, stupid stuff like this.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by truckin54321

http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/images/ghetto.jpg

Oh, and another thing - this isn't even a picture of Houston. At least not according to name page of the link, which implies it's some "ghetto" in Canada.

I didn't think it looked like anything I've seen in Houston. Nice try.

[readymade]

Yeah, I'm not into sports, so I don't care about that. I used to live about 3 miles from the ocean AND I NEVER WENT! I've never lived so far away from an ocean before (as I do now), and I'm actually surprised by how little I miss it.

I, too, like to get dressed up and go out for dinner once in a while. My husband took me out on my birthday, and we DID dress up. And had an AMAZING meal. MOST of the other people (not all) weren't as dressy as we were. I definitely dressed up more in Boston than I do here. But I'm more comfortable here.

I'm with you on the space center. There's no space center or (that I know of) aquarium in Austin. I loved going to those in Boston. And the Museum of Science ("where it's fun to find out").

A part of me does miss the fast-paced energy of a bigger city (LA didn't have it, though). But with "fast-paced" often comes rudeness, higher prices, etc... I like the balance here. It's certainly not "slow" (especially for me coming from Ventura, CA... now THAT'S slow!).

Anyway, as many other people have said... Austin just isn't for you. Doesn't make Austin a bad place to live or you a bad person for not liking it. It is what it is. And BELIEVE ME, I know what it's like to be trapped living somewhere you don't want to be. I was in your shoes a year ago. It's not easy to just pack up and move to a completely different city or state. Not everyone has the cash to move, especially in this economy.

Hang in there dldupuy. You'll manage to get out of here somehow, some day. And it'll make you appreciate, that much more, the city you move to.

[Mdlx]

What word did Houstonians come up with first, Austitude, or Dallitude?

[TrackJakobs]

Dude, you had me laughing my ass off. Very entertaining. I personally love Austin and can't wait to move there but your conversational style of writing makes for a great read.

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by readymade

Yeah, I'm not into sports, so I don't care about that. I used to live about 3 miles from the ocean AND I NEVER WENT! I've never lived so far away from an ocean before (as I do now), and I'm actually surprised by how little I miss it.

I, too, like to get dressed up and go out for dinner once in a while. My husband took me out on my birthday, and we DID dress up. And had an AMAZING meal. MOST of the other people (not all) weren't as dressy as we were. I definitely dressed up more in Boston than I do here. But I'm more comfortable here.

I'm with you on the space center. There's no space center or (that I know of) aquarium in Austin. I loved going to those in Boston. And the Museum of Science ("where it's fun to find out").

A part of me does miss the fast-paced energy of a bigger city (LA didn't have it, though). But with "fast-paced" often comes rudeness, higher prices, etc... I like the balance here. It's certainly not "slow" (especially for me coming from Ventura, CA... now THAT'S slow!).

Anyway, as many other people have said... Austin just isn't for you. Doesn't make Austin a bad place to live or you a bad person for not liking it. It is what it is. And BELIEVE ME, I know what it's like to be trapped living somewhere you don't want to be. I was in your shoes a year ago. It's not easy to just pack up and move to a completely different city or state. Not everyone has the cash to move, especially in this economy.

Hang in there dldupuy. You'll manage to get out of here somehow, some day. And it'll make you appreciate, that much more, the city you move to.

Thank you for your reply. I am no longer suffering in Austin. I moved back to Houston in Octobler! I am so happy to be out of there!

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by Mdlx

dldupuy, It seems you love Houston very much. Why did you ever leave in the first place?

The love of my life had to relocate there for a job! Actually I did not love Houston when I left here but living in Austin gave me a much greater appreciation for Houston and I took for granted all of the many great things about this city! Ironic is it not!

[Vector28]

If I hadn't done it myself, I would think that strange, but it is fun isn't it?

Originally Posted by dldupuy

Riding my motorcycle downtown.

The wife really misses this part, specially at the theater. I got where I liked seeing the hot women all dressed up enough that I didn't mind doing it myself.

Originally Posted by dldupuy

Being able to dress up and go to many excellent restaurants. Not just one or two good ones but any ethnic taste bud you can imagine you can find here in Houston. It is a wonderful thing to go out meet up with good friends/family or your loved one and sit down in a very good restaurant and share an excellent meal.

Originally Posted by dldupuy

Walking around in downtown Houston in the theater district and just feeling the energy of the surroundings and looking at the wonderful architecture.

[Mdlx]

Originally Posted by dldupuy

The love of my life had to relocate there for a job! Actually I did not love Houston when I left here but living in Austin gave me a much greater appreciation for Houston and I took for granted all of the many great things about this city! Ironic is it not!

Yep its true sometimes people take things for granted and only truly appreciate what they have when those things are taken away.

I'm glad you're happy back in Houston!

[twange]

Originally Posted by AK123

Are you joking? And what is this photo you posted? I suppose I can go somewhere in east Austin, take a photo of some crappy block and then generalize that to the entire city? Yeah, that's fair. But that's pretty much what you're doing.

I've never understood why so many other Texans generalize the east-side, industrial area or the high-crime areas of Houston to the entire city. How is that fair? There are not refineries spread randomly around the city. Most of that's not even in Houston; it's in places like Baytown and Channelview, which are suburb cities to the east. And I'm sorry, but Austin has just as much sprawl with cookie-cutter homes and strip malls these days. To pretend otherwise is a mistruth. Urban Dictionary: austitude How come every time Houston comes up, there's always at least one person from Austin who has to do this?

It's like deja-vu of when I moved from Austin to Houston, and everyone was saying "don't do it, Houston is so awful!" I asked how do you know? "Oh, I heard" or "I was there 20 years ago" or "I drove through the freeways one time". Well, they were all wrong. Way wrong. We've had the best time living in Houston.

Oh yeah, here are some photos of the so-called pollution-spewing hellhole. Thanks. http://www.city-data.com/forum/6246710-post34.html

Okay, I'll try to stop my rant now. I'm just so sick of hearing ignorant, stupid stuff like this.

Ya' know, a lot of this babbling about Austin vs Houston vs Dallas vs San Antonio is simply in-state one-upmanship between native Texans. As a transplant in Austin from Ohio, it's simply white noise to me. Same thing goes on in every state (in Ohio it was Cleveland, vs Columbus vs Cincinnati). Totally biased and subjective, emotional stuff. Not too relevant for someone without first-hand experience.

I've been to all of the Texas cities and find them all very different and interesting for different reasons. I have family in Houston and where they live is very beautiful. I've visited Houston's art museum and it's great. In fact their whole museum district is wonderful. They have a great symphony orchestra and theater district as well. I personally don't think I could handle the humidity there, but i like visiting a lot.

And for all of the ripping on Houston and Dallas that I read on this forum(dirty, soul-less, materialistic etc...), at least they've had the sense, political will and gumption to start long-term public transportation infrastructure. Austin can't seem to get this one right.

But while I do miss some of the bigger (and older) city amenities, I still think that Austin has a lot to do. Sometimes it's about trying new things and evolving as a person. At least for me. And I ain't no hayseed