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Old 08-18-2010, 09:45 PM
 
Location: A circle of Hell so insidious, infernal and odious, Dante dared not map it
623 posts, read 1,220,508 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flintysooner View Post
You may want to consider that the publishing industry is undergoing drastic changes right now.

It appears to me that we are at the beginning of the change rather than near the end so we probably don't really know what the future industry is going to look like. But it seems pretty certain that the old model is going to succumb to something new.

Technical writing is going to continue to require far more technical expertise than ever before while also requiring simpler and easier communication methods. Some have even wondered if the written technical manual will even survive.

And the entire concept of written communication is changing as well. There's been an article just recently floating around about how the Class of 2014 thinks e-mail is too slow and prefers texting with its notable abbreviated phrasing. And there is a lot of mixed media already and we're hardly away from the initial point of reference.

On the other hand content was and is still king and that is likely going to be even more important.

If you were to stay in Norman there are some notable nanotechnology companies and there is a large medical research effort associated with OU Health Sciences. And there is the entire energy industry. I'd probably lean to nanotechnology myself as that appears to be very significant for the future to me.

That's something else to keep in mind.
Oh, believe me I know publishing is changing

I actually just started a project today. It's freelance editing, which is fine. I can work from home, build up experience and earn money. Too bad these opportunities aren't always easy to come by.

I'd keep Norman in mind if it does come to that, but I'm still not sure what to do yet. I just got my lease renewal notification and rent is going up, unfortunately I just may not be able to afford to stay in Phoenix any longer... though I don't intend to stay in this city much longer. I feel so bad walking my puppy, because he has a short snout and has difficulty going on walks with this heat... but he's so hyperactive he has to go on walks so he'll sleep at night. I know, I want to have my cake and eat it too... but I want to leave by choice, not force.

In any case, mom brought it up again when I talked to her a few minutes ago saying something about the OU Press. I actually remember her bringing that up some time ago, when I was employed, but I dismissed it.
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Old 08-18-2010, 10:13 PM
 
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
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Well it has been really hot here, too; although, the last couple of days have been cooler.

I knew Savoie Lottinville who was the second director of OU Press just before he retired in 1967. He went on to teach at OU. He succeeded Joseph Brandt who went on to Princeton. Both were Rhodes Scholars by the way as is David Boren who is current president of OU.

I might pay myself for an opportunity to work at OU Press although I admit my feeling for it is more emotional and historical than current knowledge demands. It might be worth coming to Norman for a chance to work there.

Best wishes whatever you decide.

PS - just Google for OU Press and you'll find plenty of information on the history.

Last edited by flintysooner; 08-18-2010 at 10:15 PM.. Reason: added PS
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Old 08-18-2010, 10:32 PM
 
Location: OKIE-Ville
5,542 posts, read 9,434,510 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phxgreenfire View Post
Oh wow... thanks everyone for posting. I want to address some things that came up. There are lots of good points, but I'll try to keep it shorter:

-Mom's incentives would be a quick fix. She would help out more financially until I found a job there. She has connections there and could try to help find a job... I just don't know what it would be. I know I come off as a deadbeat saying that, but I'm really trying hard to get employed again, though I haven't really been looking at just anything, because I don't want to sabotage my resume with, say, customer service or retail jobs. In my experience, most jobs in my field are in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. To a lesser degree I've seen or heard of opportunities in other large Northeast cities and San Francisco. Seriously... for every three relevant jobs I find in LA, I find one in San Francisco, and that ratio is even worse looking in Phoenix. I'll admit, I haven't looked in OKC at all at this time. In any case, I can swing a move to LA or San Francisco on my own, but anything farther than that would be harder (though I think my family would spring for movers if I went to Oklahoma and I could stay with family until finding work.)


I really agree with this. I mean, OKC didn't really come to mind until mom brought it up... repeatedly. I will admit, moving to any city takes on the risk of hating it. Those other cities I mentioned are inviting and I love them... but living in them might not be as great as they seem.


-I would love to move to New York, but I don't think I have enough in savings to start off there... maybe one day. In any case, I've been looking at publishing companies, but corporate headquarters need communications and copywriting jobs, media companies have a lot of opportunities, etc. Unfortunately, those kinds of companies really seem to love clustering in the same aforementioned cities with sparser opportunities elsewhere.



Ha ha! That's awesome.

-I should've clarified the gay thing. Oops. I will give Phoenix that: it does have a decent scene with no shortage of activities. At least one bar is really busy every night per week. My birthday was Monday and we went out for drag bingo. Pride here attracts roughly 30,000 people, then Flagstaff and Tucson have their Pride events later. There's a mini-Pride/street festival in October and there are events throughout the year. There are GLBT restaurants, cafes, coffee bars, stores, social groups, etc. That being said, I'm not really huge into bars or most events though I like having the option if I decide to go. I'm totally comfortable with myself anywhere... same goes for atheism.

-The dining options might be harder. I think the dining scene in Phoenix is decent... but I like what I've seen in other cities better. Like I said about the family routine thing, there's a restaurant we always go to whenever I go called Johnnie's (sp?) but I'm a vegetarian and don't really like it. I'm one of those vegetarians that hates salads too. Really, I don't want to go out to eat just to eat lettuce.

-I don't like the car thing. I ideally would like to live somewhere I can walk to places. Unfortunately, those cities seem to be doing bad in this economy and that just might not be a reality, so I may have to take what I can get. Cars are pretty much mandatory in Phoenix, though I suppose you could get by without one if you live in the right areas and don't need to get to the wrong areas; i.e. I'm a 15 minute walk from the light rail, which I could take and transfer to a bus, and once my car broke down, but I couldn't get to my job because there was no public transit service to the office. I just like the option of public transit, but really love being able to walk places.

-I guess the shopping thing just is what it is, so is being invited to church. Out of curiosity, is it that offensive to reject a church offer? The last two time I went were by force: the most recent was after my friend died in a car accident and the pastor just gave her about 10 minutes of the sermon, though it was a regular service otherwise. Before that, the whole sermon was in Korean. I was uncomfortable at both, but the one in Korean really just made me bored.

-And about the weather... I'd just have to get over it, no matter where it is. The constant sun in Phoenix does get annoying though. I guess you could compare it to constant cloud cover in other cities. I'm tired of the heat too, so I'm ready for a change in that regard. Another ideal would be Southern California's weather: mild temperatures and more rain, but again... it's hard to find work there. San Francisco is still a bit chilly for me, but I'd get over it I'm sure. I know earthquakes are a part of life there, though I don't really like them. One hit Mexicali on Easter this year and it was strong enough to roll through Phoenix. Scary, but otherwise not too bad.
>>>>>
Out of curiosity, is it that offensive to reject a church offer?
<<<<<

Not at all. Politely decline and there should not be any problem whatsoever.
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Old 08-19-2010, 12:41 AM
 
Location: A circle of Hell so insidious, infernal and odious, Dante dared not map it
623 posts, read 1,220,508 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bass&Catfish2008 View Post
Not at all. Politely decline and there should not be any problem whatsoever.
Huh. Well, I'm going next week to my brother's wedding. Of course, that would be a good time to see more... but like I said before, I'll just be bound to family and wouldn't really be able to get away to do anything.
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Old 08-19-2010, 10:37 AM
 
Location: Oklahoma City
242 posts, read 761,651 times
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I disagree with those that say dining options aren't great in OKC. We have a lot of really great fine dining and local restaurants that are very much into the craft of making good food. We also have Kurt Fleischfresser of the Coach House and many Western Avenue restaurants, who won the French culinary award Medaille de Merite, and is one of only 4 Americans to ever do so (Julia Child was another). There is a pretty significant culinary movement around here in my opinion with a lot of great places opening recently, especially in the inner city area.

We also have a wide ethnic food variety, which is usually good news for vegetarians. There is a really good Ethiopian restaurant that is very popular with vegans and vegetarians in OKC.
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Old 08-20-2010, 04:14 AM
 
Location: A circle of Hell so insidious, infernal and odious, Dante dared not map it
623 posts, read 1,220,508 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ou_norman View Post
I disagree with those that say dining options aren't great in OKC. We have a lot of really great fine dining and local restaurants that are very much into the craft of making good food. We also have Kurt Fleischfresser of the Coach House and many Western Avenue restaurants, who won the French culinary award Medaille de Merite, and is one of only 4 Americans to ever do so (Julia Child was another). There is a pretty significant culinary movement around here in my opinion with a lot of great places opening recently, especially in the inner city area.

We also have a wide ethnic food variety, which is usually good news for vegetarians. There is a really good Ethiopian restaurant that is very popular with vegans and vegetarians in OKC.
That's cool... like I said I have to eat at the same places every time. I'm going next week and not looking forward to Johnnie's yet again. I don't eat anything there because I don't really see anything on the menu I can eat. I love Ethiopian! There are a couple on University here that are really good, though one is definitely better than the other. I wouldn't say I'm a really picky eater, just selective. I typically prefer Asian foods, especially Thai, Korean and Indian, but also Middle Eastern and Mexican. I'll admit, I had Mexican in OKC a few times, but wasn't too happy. It seems the farther away from the border you go, the worse the quality is. I've heard bad things about Mexican food in Minneapolis.

I guess in sum I can't focus on any one thing in a move: it has to be a variety of things. Dining options are definitely a consideration.

Actually, I just realized another aspect I totally forgot to mention in my first post: culture. Yeah, the local scene in Phoenix is lackluster and somewhat underground. There are some museums, a symphony and an opera off the top of my head... but aside from the Phoenix Art Museum the rest are pretty bland. Aside from that there is the First Fridays event, which is more or less a big party plus art once a month. There are theater options, though it's definitely not New York here. I do enjoy a local troupe because they have an intimate setting and present a variety of plays. Okay, so to further this discussion: how is haute couture and cultural amenities in OKC?
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Old 08-20-2010, 10:51 AM
 
Location: Franklin Lakes, NJ
174 posts, read 448,365 times
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Frankly, I think your choice comes down to a city where you would love to live, say LA or NYC, and OKC, where you have family support. It seems to me that OKC is not the ideal fit for you but maybe you will learn to adjust while you build up your savings to go where you really want to be.
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Old 08-20-2010, 08:44 PM
 
Location: Tulsa, OK
2,572 posts, read 4,227,632 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ERISAjunkie View Post
Frankly, I think your choice comes down to a city where you would love to live, say LA or NYC, and OKC, where you have family support. It seems to me that OKC is not the ideal fit for you but maybe you will learn to adjust while you build up your savings to go where you really want to be.
Yeah, from reading some of your post I can tell you will be somehwhat disapointed in OKC. OKC Meto is 1.2 million where phoenix is like 4.5 million. There is going to be a lot more to do and more going on in Phoenix, and it seems those things are very important to you based on the questions you are asking. I don't even know if OKC or anywhere in Oklahoma has an Ethiopian restaurant? I maybe wrong though.

If it is that important for you to be with your family you may try talking them into moving back to AZ. I just don't think you will be happy here based on what you are looking for.
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Old 08-21-2010, 12:58 AM
 
Location: A circle of Hell so insidious, infernal and odious, Dante dared not map it
623 posts, read 1,220,508 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ERISAjunkie View Post
Frankly, I think your choice comes down to a city where you would love to live, say LA or NYC, and OKC, where you have family support. It seems to me that OKC is not the ideal fit for you but maybe you will learn to adjust while you build up your savings to go where you really want to be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by okie1962 View Post
Yeah, from reading some of your post I can tell you will be somehwhat disapointed in OKC. OKC Meto is 1.2 million where phoenix is like 4.5 million. There is going to be a lot more to do and more going on in Phoenix, and it seems those things are very important to you based on the questions you are asking. I don't even know if OKC or anywhere in Oklahoma has an Ethiopian restaurant? I maybe wrong though.

If it is that important for you to be with your family you may try talking them into moving back to AZ. I just don't think you will be happy here based on what you are looking for.
Both of these are similar, so I can address them. California is the easiest move for me, but pretty much anything bordering Arizona would be easy. One look at this corner of the country and it's pretty easy to see why I'm more set on California No thank you to those other surrounding states.

I will say to okie1962 that size doesn't matter quite that much all the time. Phoenix may have more to do than OKC, but metro Phoenix recently passed the Bay Area in population and there's much more to do in San Francisco than here. Ditto Seattle, San Diego, Las Vegas and -though I don't care for this city- Portland. Someone mentioned Ethiopian in central OKC, but not the name of the place. I'm too lazy to look on Yelp to find out right now.

I have family in Oklahoma City, Dallas, Atlanta and Upstate New York, but nowhere else that I can think of aside from Vienna, but I've never met them. I'd say I'm closest to my parents and my brother (all in Norman right now)... but don't really see or talk to the rest of the family that much. I won't lie, I want to move but I'm not totally sold on OKC. I guess if I were to push everything else aside: the number one concern for me is finding a job in my field and that can be hard to come by outside of a handful of cities. I'm doing a freelance project now and love it. It's what Confucius said: "A man who works doing what he loves never works a day." Everything else is more optional, I know, but I like having those amenities nearby.

My family is my safety net though. Mom has suggested I move there even before she moved. I think she'll try to help network if I said "yes." Anyway, my concern is I'm running out of time/money and I'm seeing what's available should this route happen.
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Old 08-21-2010, 08:08 AM
 
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
533 posts, read 1,703,819 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by okie1962 View Post
I don't even know if OKC or anywhere in Oklahoma has an Ethiopian restaurant?
It is Queen of Sheba - see page on UrbanSpoon.com: Queen of Sheba - Inner City Northside - Oklahoma City | Urbanspoon

In Norman there is an Indian restaurant called Misal of India that I love. Misal of India - West Norman - Norman | Urbanspoon

At Campus Corner in Norman there are several restaurants I like including Free Birds and Victoria's. Misal used to be at Campus Corner, too, and I liked it better there.

There really are a lot of great places to eat in the Oklahoma City area and for that matter all over Oklahoma. But I found that same thing to be true in the other cities I lived. It is an adventure to find them.

The moves I made were always because of work until I returned home to help care for my parents. Although I enjoyed living in those other places I really did miss my family and was very glad when we were all closer.

Work is pretty important though and if you can find something you really enjoy doing and get paid for it then that's pretty important.

But sometimes you find that work in the strangest places and the strangest times and under the oddest circumstances.

See http://www.visitnorman.com/vn-all-events.php for list of events

On Thursdays there used to (and may still) be an intimate little concert at the Rupel Jones Theater if you were anywhere near Campus Corner.

I love the Oklahoma City Symphony, too.

Last edited by flintysooner; 08-21-2010 at 08:16 AM.. Reason: added some stuff
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