Is Austin for me? (important life decision -- please help!) (Portland: house, safe area)

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by cebu077

WOW -- Am I ever glad I solicited all of your opinions! Austin definitely isn't for me; that said, I'm sure it is the perfect place for many people! Thanks, guys!

Why?

Your first post asked for:

vibrant young, single set and thriving downtown scene

and I think Austin more than fulfills this requirement.

Check out what's happening in Austin right now.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Why?

Your first post asked for:



and I think Austin more than fulfills this requirement.

Check out what's happening in Austin right now.

I think it's so funny when people can't just let it go. Why do you feel the need to convince her?? It's not for her.

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

I think it's so funny when people can't just let it go. Why do you feel the need to convince her?? It's not for her.

Well I for one am a little concerned how someone would make an absolute conclusion on an "important life decision" based on a few public forum posts.

The only two things that seem to be negatives from what I can tell are that Austin is hot (and often humid) and Austin isn't close to the ocean. Both of those things are easily found from a weather website and a map. I mean, come on, I'd hope you'd know simply where Austin is if you're seriously considering moving here.

Everything else is slightly more subjective/relative than temperature and geographic location. And I'd hope you wouldn't not consider moving here based on some informed/uninformed opinions on a public forum.

I'm not trying to convince anyone to move anywhere - just pointing out that maybe a little more thought and research should go into such a decision.

[texastrigirl]

She quite possibly has put in a lot more thought than her post reveals. CD could have been just one of the many avenues she was pursuing to get her information. It was one of several ways I gathered information when making a move.

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

She quite possibly has put in a lot more thought than her post reveals. CD could have been just one of the many avenues she was pursuing to get her information. It was one of several ways I gathered information when making a move.

That's not how it came across in this thread.

Anyways, good luck with your search, cebu077! And definitely visit the last few cities on your list to make sure your new home will be everything you want it to be.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Why?

Your first post asked for:



and I think Austin more than fulfills this requirement.

Check out what's happening in Austin right now.

What ever happened to the word of mouth of friends and family per cross country moves? After all, pre-internet, that was the way of the world per
major moves, including international ones(probably every Ellis Island immigrant who came during the 1890's-1910's came because of the urging of family members already "in country" sending back encouraging letters...)...

So now, if I read correctly, we are relying on the thumbs up/down of random strangers on the web to make these choices? Will random strangers primarily guide us through all of life's other hard decisions as well? That's beyond frightening, and seems to absolve us all of personal responsibility to make our own decisions/choices.........

Best of all, we can always blame those "others" when things don't work out, a sort-of spin on the Oprah/Dr. Phil blame/game ethos.......

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by inthecut

Best of all, we can always blame those "others" when things don't work out, a sort-of spin on the Oprah/Dr. Phil blame/game ethos.......

Clearly, you have never watched Dr. Phil. He is all about personal responsibility and not making excuses.

[cebu077]

No, OF COURSE I wouldn't rely solely on a message board to make my decision, HA HA! That would be ridiculous. The message board is just one of many factors. I came the board because I don't know anyone who lives in Austin, and I wanted to get some real, hardcore opinions on it versus the public relations slant of the city's government affiliated websites. Sure, I can read a map...But a map won't tell me exactly how many hours away the largest body of water is from Austin.

Honestly, San Diego needs to be my next stop; I think I already knew in my heart that I would always wonder "what if" if I moved to a different city now. It's just that my family is so adamently against it (again, it's drastically different from the direction in which they have all have chosen to take their own lives, and I think that scares them), I experienced a moment of panic and insecurity in my own ability.

But my gut instinct tells me, has told me for years, that I need to live there (for a little while at least, if not for the rest of my life) while I'm young and free. I'm perfectly content living in an apartment; in fact, I have NO desire to buy a house anytime soon. So it's not like I'd need to worry about the cost of buying a home in San Diego.

San Diego is the right decision for me; I already knew that, but then I lost faith in my own powers of perception.

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by cebu077

No, OF COURSE I wouldn't rely solely on a message board to make my decision, HA HA! That would be ridiculous. The message board is just one of many factors. I came the board because I don't know anyone who lives in Austin, and I wanted to get some real, hardcore opinions on it versus the public relations slant of the city's government affiliated websites. Sure, I can read a map...But a map won't tell me exactly how many hours away the largest body of water is from Austin.

Honestly, San Diego needs to be my next stop; I think I already knew in my heart that I would always wonder "what if" if I moved to a different city now. It's just that my family is so adamently against it (again, it's drastically different from the direction in which they have all have chosen to take their own lives, and I think that scares them), I experienced a moment of panic and insecurity in my own ability.

But my gut instinct tells me, has told me for years, that I need to live there (for a little while at least, if not for the rest of my life) while I'm young and free. I'm perfectly content living in an apartment; in fact, I have NO desire to buy a house anytime soon. So it's not like I'd need to worry about the cost of buying a home in San Diego.

San Diego is the right decision for me; I already knew that, but then I lost faith in my own powers of perception.

San Diego is beautiful. I'm not sure about the job market there and the cost of living is definitely higher than Austin and Ohio. But go visit and if it seems right, then do all you can to fulfill your 'gut instinct' - we have those for a reason.

[pjoseph2]

We thought the world of San Diego and bought our first home there. It had everything, including mountains and the golf course.

But we left 3 years later, disheartened. Much of So Cal has this superficial, hollywood culture that was simply appalling. If the beach scores over raising kids, it might be the place for you.

Every place we have lived since then has been increasingly better: Seattle, Madison, Austin.