Buffalodaddy where are you? Alamogordo is HORRIBLE! (Holloman AFB, Hope: rental, insurance)

[caydriver]

Originally Posted by Cali-girl

I am sorry, but not only have I been warned many times against going to any local dentists (or any in NM) but that same warning extended to orthodontists.

One ortho in particular is known amongst other orthos in the Southwest for being a butcher (ie: unnecessarily removing teeth instead of doing his mechanical engineering - if he had any courses, which are required, btw).

As far as my sources, two in particular have family roots in southern NM going back to the 1800's and part of their families former properties is now HAFB and Lincoln National Forest. My sources have impeccable reputations.

Being that your spouse was a dentist, its understandable that you would choose to defend his colleagues.

Nonetheless, others, particularly patients, are not so inclined.

~Cali-girl

Sorry but you are very wrong and should not be giving out advice. As a matter of fact the president of the national ortho society, and known nation wide is from NM. My husband was know nation wide also until he died of cancer. So Cali, I do know what I'm speaking of and did not appreciate your comments. They orginate from ignorant people.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by Cali-girl

Hi new mommy!

You may want to consider living in Cloudcroft - its 20 mins out of Alamo and you will find it cooler there in the summertime, especially. Cloudcroft also has a nicer public library and is the headquarters for the Lincoln Nat'l Forest - the Forest Service has an office there. Cloudcroft has a new elementary/middle school and a high school all their own. The demographics are definitely different than Alamo which I think may give you some relief. The gangs don't go there because they'd stick out like a sore thumb, so to speak - I think you would definitely be safer.

There are also restaurants in Cloudcroft - there is the BEST Texas BBQ located on the main drag (Hwy 82) through town next to a real estate office. Very reasonable prices and great food. You will see all sorts of out-of-State license plates on the wall behind the fireplace. (The Ladies Room is off on your left of the order counter.)

Another great restaurant is the buffet at the Apache Casino located outside of Ruidoso and there's a really good pizza place in Ruidoso too as well as a Starbucks. You will love Ruidoso, a cute mtn town with lots of character and beautiful scenery and home to the famous Ruisoso Downs where there is championship thoroughbred racing

Sorry to go on and on about these towns, but I think you will find that there are more options for you than you think. In other words, there are ways you can insulate yourself and your family from destructive people, just have some looking and poking around to do.

Lastly, other than to order online (which is what I've done) not sure what to rec regarding stores, other than to rec that you edit your visits as much as possible. All I can say is that eBay is wonderful (no sales tax) and amazon.com can deliver anything you want really fast. www.amazon.com Amazon carries a lot more than books as you'll see. Drugstore.com is another alternative for ordering those items you'd go to some wacky store for. In all, you can be "in your town but not of it" by doing the online thing. Ordering online also has the benefit of forcing you to plan your purchases thereby budgeting more effectively in order to save more money for you and the kids.

The local health food store isn't a bad place to shop - may want to consider that alternative too. Every time I'm in Alamo I stop in - they have Bearitos Corn Chips which I really like

Take care,

~Cali-girl

I am wondering why you would advise someone who is having a hard time fitting in, in Alamogordo to move to Cloudcroft. From personal experience it can be hard to fit in there, much harder than in Alamogordo. While it is cooler there in the summer and they do have a new school buildings they have their issues just like others. While they may have no gang activity they do have drug issues. To insinuate that Alamogordo is a dangerous place to be is an interesting observation. I can't remember the last time I read the paper and saw that we had a gang fight or a drive-by-shooting. I have children in every school level here in Alamo and I make it a point to know what is going on with their lives and I don't hear any horror stories about gangs.

I also thought it was strange that you would offer the OP the advise of
"you can be in your town but not of it". I would think better advise would have been to hit on the positives of Alamogordo and yes, contrary to a few posters opinions there are positives, then to give her advise to go out of town for everything.

I also have to concur with the other posters on here that there are indeed good dentists in NM. I have lived in 3 different cities in NM and each has had at least one good dentist.


One final note if Alamogordo is so bad please explain to me why we have numerous air force families who come here, retire and then chose to stay? Not to mention the families that move here from CA and stay.

[caydriver]

One more little reply. As far as family is concerned, I have deeper rancher roots in the SW than your friends. So don't use that as a back up. And as far as your make-up and beauty tips were concerned I find them laughable! Best of luck to you and you may be better off going back to California.

[caydriver]

Originally Posted by rybert

I've actually heard VERY good things about Dr. Brad Aday down in LC.

Yes I have also heard of Dr. Aday and think he gives presentations. My grandson is now at NMSU and may transfer my records to him. Thanks for the referral.

[Cali-girl]

Originally Posted by ajzjmsmom

I am wondering why you would advise someone who is having a hard time fitting in, in Alamogordo to move to Cloudcroft.

Hi ajzmsmom:

Reason is some susceptible people are negatively affected by certain kinds of high desert weather. For example, in the CA High Desert, which is at high elevation (similar to HAFB and WSMR), there tends to be higher numbers of suicides due to severe depression. Not saying that this is the OPs situation. Not at all, but I wanted to present Cloudcroft as an alternative should her experiences in Alamo be particularly unbearable. If she has a baby, she could also be experiencing the "baby blues" and combined with any depression due to any other causation, the combination could be deadly. All the more reason to be kind and thoughtful when responding to a young mom.

I hope I am being understood in a positive, purposeful way.

Its not mentioned in the California media, but depression leading to suicide is brought on by continuous (Spring and Fall) dry desert winds, dust in the air from the winds, elevation, and a beige landscape lacking in color.

Most can deal with this, such as myself - its no problem. But with some people its debilitating enough to precipitate problems that are best diagnosed by a physician.

As a Californian, I am also used to the idea of commuting long distances as a matter of course. I understand that may not be an option in OPs situation, but I wanted to raise that possibility anyway, since she mentioned Dallas. Many city people are used to the idea of long commutes and to us its not something out of the question.

As far as Alamogordo is concerned, I tried to talk my husband into moving to Alamo since I like it more than LC (if you're an LC fan, please don't think I'm slamming LC - I'm not - just a personal preference.) The reason I wanted to live in Alamo is simply I like living near Cloudcroft and I wanted to live off Scenic (I think that's the street).

Best to you,
~Cali-girl

[caydriver]

Good grief!!!!!!!! Go home where your more likely to adapt.

[rybert]

Yeah, commuting is always the solution. Not.

[Cali-girl]

Originally Posted by caydriver

Good grief!!!!!!!! Go home where your more likely to adapt.

I have a policy of simply answering an Original Poster's question without commenting on any other member's post.

I tried to be helpful to her and to any other new mom/newcomer to Alamogordo by offering practical suggestions.

Instead of wasting bandwidth by flaming me, I hope that you will be able to offer helpful ideas to her too.

You and some of the others may wish to review the Terms of Service.

In any event, your mean-spirited posts probably will not help her nor assist her in any way - actually, your attitude, which comes through loud and clear, will probably make things worse and cement in her mind whatever negative thoughts she has about Alamo.

Thanks,

~Cali-girl

[gberry]

No matter where a person lives, if they are miserable, things won't change just because they are told to "have a positive attitude".

Personally, I have lived in Amarillo TX for two years now and it's a great town that I would recommend for anyone. However, I hate it here... Since moving here I have been scammed by a car dealership (the salesman/owner was nice as can be, even went to several auctions to get me the exact car I wanted at the price I wanted), hit a piece of lawn equipment that fell off the back of a trailer (the guy failed to tie it down), been the victim to a hit and run at a local cantina/concert hall, as well as had my windows broke in on my vehicle (and I live in a good neighborhood). The doctors are nice and very accomodating but very expensive, my chiropractor charged me $300 for the initial visit - that was WITH medical insurance, and the womens health care center is top notch but I have been passed off to 1 doc and three nurse practitioners since I moved here. The people are very friendly but I have a hard time trusting them because it's all about money here (maybe that's why the economy is doing so well comparably?!). I have kept my chin up, thought positively but my quality of life hasn't improved. I have a ton of friends here, and I will truley miss them all, but I am out of here asap.

In response to the comments of "if you don't like it, then move!" all I have to say is that some of us don't have the luxury of doing that. I have lived in three states, OK, NM, and now TX and do have to say that all three have thier benefits as well as faults but moving is very expensive and not all of us can just move on a whim. I don't like how people have gotten this attitude of "this is me, take it or leave it". What ever happened to being nice, and extending curtesy to a fellow human. Each poster comes on here for a reason, and there's no reason to be hateful, rude, or crude to someone who has a different opinion than you. Maybe if you really care you should extend a hand to those who are unhappy and personally show them why you like NM so much, that will earn you more points with the man upstairs than judging another because of a post on a net forum.

I too love NM and will defend it to the end, but I do know the ugly truth lurking in most (I said MOST not ALL) little towns... The lower class are most likely involved in drugs/theft/other crimes, the middle class is dieing of boredom and can't move away because they can't afford it, and the upper class is sitting on thier thrown in the clouds unwilling to look around and notice the real problems.

I agree that NM is a target for people who are wanting to retire (the scenery alone is breath-taking)but how long is that going to last if all the younger people are forced out and there's no-one around to work? We need to realize that a retirement community will not and cannot run if there is not people available to work (of all ages). We need to stop chastising people because of age, because we never know what someone may have gone through in thier lives, and they may be wise beyond thier years. Each person's opinion is thier own and it does matter, but I believe that the OP didn't get anything from city-data other than negative remarks because her kiddo was crying (I myself would rather let my kiddo cry when throwing a fit than give them everything they want and creating another number in the "all about me generation") in walmart. There was an opportunity to help this person see NM through our eyes, but that was lost in negativity.

I am not attacking anyone specifically but am truley dissappointment but most of the posts...

[rybert]

@ the girl: You're right. We should ignore the anti-NM jabs you dole-out so charitably. We're better for it, right?