The Official El Paso Chattin' Thread (Alamo, West: invest, move, flooding)

[Muhnay]

Originally Posted by malamute

What I think is very nice about El Paso weather is that we actually have 4 seasons -- you get just enough of winter to know it is winter -- but you can't really predict which DAY that's going to be. Most years it will even snow at least just a little -- sometimes a decent amount.

It's cold enough that you can grow apples here -- most years because apples require 28 nights of below freezing weather or they don't have a long enough dormancy to produce but it only has to be freeze at night.

Once in a while it helps to have a winter coat and gloves but you can easily survive without them -- depending on how well you like cold. But for those who like seasons, El Paso is a good place.

4 Seasons.. you have to be kidding me.. we have 2 Summer and Not Summer.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by el borracho

our neighbor just brought a bag full of oranges grown here ,i had forgotten that lemon and orange trees do ok here

Yep, just like Phoenix, Tucson, and Vegas, you can actually get away with citrus trees in EP...just another awesome part of EP's climate. They don't necessarily do extremely well like Phoenix every winter if there were some harsher / longer overnight freezes...I know my wife's grandma's citrus trees seem to do well every other year or so. But even if the fruit production is lower one year, it is worth it just for the smell of orange blossoms in the air in the spring. You cannot successfully grow citrus is many climates in this country.

[Muhnay]

We used to have a Lemon Tree in the backyard here when I was a baby. We have pictures of the fruit on the trees, oh and an Apricot tree.

Las Cruces has huge groves of trees off the free way. I think they are Pecan trees.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

I'm having a hard time as to who is more positive.....EnjoyEP or Synopsis....

If City Data let us elect the most positive posters you 2 would get my vote ....although there other good one's on here also......

I always appreciate reading you guys thoughts on here and on other city threads on different states......

6/3

Thanks for the very kind words, 6/3...my friend, as you know, you are also one of my favorite posters and I think provide a ton of insight on the various forums. I really appreciate it mi amigo!

Overall, my positivity about El Paso comes for no other reason than that I personally genuinely really feel very positively about EP...for myself, my tastes, and my interests, it is just a great city.

I do have to say though I probably should take some lengths here to demonstrate that I don't think El Paso is all rosy and positive. Some posters here have sometimes thought I was way too unrealistic or overly positive...I thoroughly disagree with that, but what the heck, since we are on the topic, I am again going to demonstrate that I thoroughly acknowledge flaws in El Paso (like there are flaws in every area of this world). Here are my personal "negatives" of El Paso as I see them, as a regular long-stay visitor with family who has lived in EP for decades, and is actively pursuing relocation to EP:

---The job market / job economy:
While I think that this is taking baby steps to improve, the lack of decent paying, middle class white-collar and/or professional jobs is nearly astonishing for a city of its size. I have a four-year BA degree...kind of a regular joe business guy...could get a fairly respectable-but-not-spectacular job in almost any city of 400,000+ people in the US fairly easily I think...however, in EP, it is just a tougher chore, especially one that pays somewhat competitively.

For a city of 600,000+, that is a problem. And to either retain young, bright professionals, or to attract new professionals to the area - both which are critical to a local city's vibrancy - that is a major, major issue...one which EP needs to address strongly. I think that the city is taking steps...baby steps though, and needs local elected officials to really foster and encourage real economic industry and growth of business.

---The lack of diversity:
While I love the unique culture and Mexican-American flavor that makes EP what it is, certainly many English-only speaking Americans are - for right or for wrong - scared off by El Paso due to the lack of diversity. Up here in the Milwaukee area, a huge influx of Mexican-Americans have moved in, and I think adding their presence to the large anglo and black populations has been very positive. While I am so, so, so opposed to forced diversity or for people to shun an area just because they perceive it as "not diverse enough", surely making a push by local leaders in El Paso to bolster other segments of our American cultural population - the anglo, African American, Asian American, etc., populations, could only bolster EP as a viable and thriving American city into the future.

---The local "big government" ideology:
I am not going to get into a Republican v. Democratic thing. Truly, I am talking about leaders - any leaders of any party - that are elected. EP has a history of - somewhat like up here in Milwaukee - electing local leaders that are very big government, which automatically results in high taxes and fees for the general public (and in turn stifles their economic inputs) and, even more importantly, results in a general anti-business kind of feel, which is the absolute opposite of where El Paso needs to be. El Paso needs to be PRO-business, not anti business. The local government hurts this overall in what I know of EP's history.

---EP's "inferiority complex":
Surely this isn't as true for many El Pasoans themselves. Many El Pasoans are very proud of their city, as well as they should be. But I feel that El Paso sells itself short often times and settles for mediocrity. I see no reason that El Paso cannot niche itself in the national marketplace for aspects like tourism, attracting snowbirds, etc., like Albuquerque successfully has. Albuquerque has things like the Balloon Fiesta and Old Town which helps really attract tourists. El Paso has really neat things too, and could strive to create even more neat things, but they just don't really promote them nearly as openly or effectively in my opinion. They just haven't effectively "niched" themselves in a positive way nearly as effectively as a place like ABQ has, where they have in my opinion a chance to do so.

These are the main negatives I have for the El Paso area. There are other, smaller negatives of course. To me, the positives far outweigh the negatives, as I have posted at lengths in many other threads. But yes, EP like all cities, towns, etc., across the world, does have its drawbacks, even for EP-lovers such as myself.

[Taylorcraftbc65]

As my screen name implies, I own a 1940 Taylorcraft BC65, Tee and I also own a 1946 Cessna 140, which is kept out at our place. (The Taylorcraft is kept in a hanger at T-27, along with my Avenger Ultralight).
Also out at our place is an HM293 Flying Flea Experimental. I use a small electric transfer pump to move the fuel into the 55 gallon drum, which is used to gravity feed visiting pilots airplanes, my planes, I fuel with a ladder, and the 5 gallon cans. Brie

[el borracho]

taylorcraft: you've been to the war eagles air museum right

[Taylorcraftbc65]

Originally Posted by el borracho

taylorcraft: you've been to the war eagles air museum right

As a matter of fact, no I have not. I keep saying that I'll go, but I just never have gotten around to it yet. It's not that I think it is an inferior
museum, I lived 80 miles west of Phoenix for ten years, and NEVER made it out to the Chandler museun either.
The only museums that I have been to are the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian, and the museum and Lindner Regional, which is where Sun-N-Fun is held. I better have been there, I was a member of the EAA chapter that puts on Sun-N-Fun when I lived in Green Swamp, Fla. during the mid to late eighties. Brie

[Taylorcraftbc65]

Originally Posted by Taylorcraftbc65

As my screen name implies, I own a 1940 Taylorcraft BC65, Tee and I also own a 1946 Cessna 140, which is kept out at our place. (The Taylorcraft is kept in a hanger at T-27, along with my Avenger Ultralight).
Also out at our place is an HM293 Flying Flea Experimental. I use a small electric transfer pump to move the fuel into the 55 gallon drum, which is used to gravity feed visiting pilots airplanes, my planes, I fuel with a ladder, and the 5 gallon cans. Brie

OK guys, I'm going to try and load some photos of one of my planes, let's see what happens. Brie

[Bilingual white dude]

I have a question about jobs in El Paso. I have searched a lot of web sites and it looks to be so so. I have some college studies and basically a sales background. What is your opinion from you guys in El Paso? Thanks ahead of time!

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Bilingual white dude

I have a question about jobs in El Paso. I have searched a lot of web sites and it looks to be so so. I have some college studies and basically a sales background. What is your opinion from you guys in El Paso? Thanks ahead of time!

In my opinion, the general term "jobs" ecompasses a general weakness of the El Paso area. Speaking in generalities now, there overall is quite a smaller amount of professional, white collar, decent paying jobs in the El Paso market for a city of its size (over 600K in the city and over 700K metro area). When I initially was interested in El Paso and picked up an EP Times Employment section just for kicks, I was shocked at how skinny it was.

For example, I see you are in Minneapolis? Well, the job market in Minneapolis is golf for professionals compared to El Paso...it is almost night and day - in general.

Having said that, here are a few thoughts I have:

1 - You said you are in sales. Well, I don't care where you are, in any town over 100K, organizations and companies are ALWAYS looking for good, qualified sales forces. Seriously, you can make money in sales in Springfield MO, in Reno NV, in Billings MT, in Duluth MN, etc., etc., etc.; if you are a talented salesperson, there is an organization that will be in need of your skills, El Paso certainly is included. Especially with your bilingual skills - a great commodity to have in El Paso (one I really don't) - that will be a huge, huge selling point on your resume.

2 - The above "negative" observation of the EP job is only a general one. Remember, as a professional, you don't need to get a citywide quantity of good jobs, just a good one for yourself. This can be accomplished. I am currently in a job search of my own, and while I am not in sales, I too am not finding the glut of jobs I would be qualified for like I would here in the Midwest or even in Albuquerque, but I am finding more good fits than I would have anticipated...even in El Paso good ones are out there, but you certainly do have to dig, research, explore, etc., a bit more. Some on this forum actually make MORE money in El Paso due to their being a niche in their respective field or profession...it just depends.

3 - While very likely you'll find salaries (or commissions in your case) to be lower in El Paso, and the job market not nearly as glutted with good jobs, the other real plus side is remember, the cost of living in El Paso is just so much lower than it is in a place like Minneapolis. Thus, you may not make quite as much, but that which you do make will take you so much farther. Seriously, I was doing some house hunting online yesterday and you will be amazed at the type of house you can get in the EP metro area for dirt-cheap prices like $130K and $140K...those prices up here - even moreso in Minneapolis - would maybe get you 1/2 of a nice house!

4 - If you are committed to the quality of life aspects of EP over a place like Minneapolis (far less time in traffic, far lower cost of living, far...far...far more mild weather and sun, etc.), then the annoying aspects of the job search are more doable. Winters in Minneapolis are even worse than here in Milwaukee...they start in end of October and don't end until April with some doses of frigid in there; El Paso, all of those months you can still be enjoying.

5 - Suggestions: Try job search means other than just sites like Monster. If you can, go directly to firms' websites [eg: Helen of Troy's site, etc.] that is helpful, as sometimes those companies don't post. Also, I believe going through the El Paso Times, they utilize CareerBuilder.com Jobs - The Largest Job Search, Employment & Careers Site and that might be a worthwhile endeavor. Finally, keep in mind the television stations and radio stations in the EP market and maybe peruse their sights...certainly TV/radio is always a strong industry for salespeople in all major markets, and one that EP has just as many as as other cities.

Good luck on this, bilingualdude...you are in the same boat as me (long-distance job hunt in EP) so I can feel your pain. I am certain though being in sales, you may find a prosperous result sooner than I, so that is good news for you!