According to CNN this morning, Oklahoma City is THRIVING during this recession

[sasafras]

I moved here from Florida. 6 figure job - not in government.

[TheTravellers]

Originally Posted by cobolt

I consider myself a Texan (although I'm currently in PacNW hell) and I love OK. In fact, I'm trying to move back to TX, but I would easily move to either OKC or TUL if I had the right job offer, and I have been looking at both those cities, along with others in Texas. I love both states and her people. So---stay away from those bad Texans! Plus, you don't have to share your pretty state with them. Share it with those who appreciate it!

Dude, I feel for you. Keep the faith. We just finished a short stint in the Pubic Sound ourselves. I suppose you have heard about this:

From KTUL Channel 8: Tacoma, WA - State Troopers in the State of Washington say a man and woman are in a lot of trouble after a stripping game turned into a game of tossing rocks at cars, resulting in 14 cars being damaged and at least one person being injured.

It happened near Tacoma. Drivers called 911 after they claimed a couple of kids were tossing rocks off a railroad bridge. When troopers arrived, they discovered it wasn't kids, but 23-year-old Joshua Sizemore and 18-year-old Amanda Madison. Investigators say Madison was down to her underwear when they showed up.

Video from above showed Madison running for her clothes. She told police it started as a game -- if they saw a car without a left headlight, she took off a piece of clothing. If a right headlight was out, it was Sizemore who stripped. But, for some reason, it turned into a game of toss the rock at unsuspecting cars.

More than a dozen cars were hit by the rocks, including the un-marked vehicle of a state patrol assistant chief. A passenger in a taxi cab suffered minor injuries when one of the rocks busted the cab's window.

Both Madison and Sizemore were taken to jail and prosecutors plan to file assault charges.

[cobolt]

Originally Posted by TheTravellers

Dude, I feel for you. Keep the faith. We just finished a short stint in the Pubic Sound ourselves. I suppose you have heard about this:

From KTUL Channel 8: Tacoma, WA - State Troopers in the State of Washington say a man and woman are in a lot of trouble after a stripping game turned into a game of tossing rocks at cars, resulting in 14 cars being damaged and at least one person being injured.

It happened near Tacoma. Drivers called 911 after they claimed a couple of kids were tossing rocks off a railroad bridge. When troopers arrived, they discovered it wasn't kids, but 23-year-old Joshua Sizemore and 18-year-old Amanda Madison. Investigators say Madison was down to her underwear when they showed up.

Video from above showed Madison running for her clothes. She told police it started as a game -- if they saw a car without a left headlight, she took off a piece of clothing. If a right headlight was out, it was Sizemore who stripped. But, for some reason, it turned into a game of toss the rock at unsuspecting cars.

More than a dozen cars were hit by the rocks, including the un-marked vehicle of a state patrol assistant chief. A passenger in a taxi cab suffered minor injuries when one of the rocks busted the cab's window.

Both Madison and Sizemore were taken to jail and prosecutors plan to file assault charges.

I'm a dudette.

Yes, we have all sorts of idiots standing on overpasses and dropping rocks or bricks. A while back an older gentleman was killed when a brick, dropped from the overpass, hit his car. He was on his way home on Christmas Eve from Boeing, where he was an engineer, and was going to spend time with his grandson. I avoid I-5 at all costs and the finest day in my life will be when I'm driving it to get out of the Pubic Sound and it's in my rear view mirror!

[Casper27]

Thriving may be a bit strong. I think that OKC is doing okay during this recession due to the fact the we seem to stay at a pretty steady pace, no matter how other states and cities are doing around us. We have some of, if not THE, largest suppliers of natural gas and energy headquartered in our metro, a prime location for transportation services and have one of the lowest costs of living in the country.

I don't think that we were ever doing really great, as our city is still really only a few industries strong as compared to others with lots of bustling industries. However, since the few industries that we do have are necessary goods and services that people will need no matter what, we would never be hit as hard as other cities. And, no matter your feelings on it, our wages are horrible low in this state, to the point that some people have told me that the idea to get married right out of high school is driven by the necessity of a being part of a two-income household. On a scale of 1-10, lets say that OKC keeps between 4 and 6, while places like NYC and other business centers sway from 2 to 9...

OKC is really a pretty decent place, but to me it is somewhere to settle when you are ready to have a family, roots and a cold iced tea during a hot summer day. As a nomadic 25 year old musician, I'm getting ready to move up north to try and get into a town with colder weather, more industries and a better music scene.

[TulsaArtist]

Originally Posted by Casper27

Thriving may be a bit strong. I think that OKC is doing okay during this recession due to the fact the we seem to stay at a pretty steady pace, no matter how other states and cities are doing around us. We have some of, if not THE, largest suppliers of natural gas and energy headquartered in our metro, a prime location for transportation services and have one of the lowest costs of living in the country.

I don't think that we were ever doing really great, as our city is still really only a few industries strong as compared to others with lots of bustling industries. However, since the few industries that we do have are necessary goods and services that people will need no matter what, we would never be hit as hard as other cities. And, no matter your feelings on it, our wages are horrible low in this state, to the point that some people have told me that the idea to get married right out of high school is driven by the necessity of a being part of a two-income household. On a scale of 1-10, lets say that OKC keeps between 4 and 6, while places like NYC and other business centers sway from 2 to 9...

OKC is really a pretty decent place, but to me it is somewhere to settle when you are ready to have a family, roots and a cold iced tea during a hot summer day. As a nomadic 25 year old musician, I'm getting ready to move up north to try and get into a town with colder weather, more industries and a better music scene.

Aaah moving to Tulsa are ya?

[briansgi]

Originally Posted by okcpulse

I believe both cities are kicking ass, and I want this to keep happening. While it is true that OKC relies heavily on government jobs, high-paying private sector jobs has been outpacing the public sector since 2001.

Tulsa may want to consider pushing harder for public sector jobs. They don't pay as well as the private sector, but Tulsa really needs a cushion to weather the down times.

Right now, Oklahoma is making me proud. Unfortunately, I cannot get Oklahoma's success past Texas arrogance. I get the same response a lot from Texans when I brag about OKC and Tulsa... "it's easy to be successful when there are only 5 people and a few million head of cattle". Bite the big one, Texas.

All you have to say to your Texas friends is "how is your spanish classes coming along"?? That will shut them up!

[Casper27]

TulsaArtist,

I don't really know anything about Tulsa, so probably not! I'm thinking a bit further north, like Chicago, or if I can get a couple of friends on board, NYC or Boston. I just feel like I'm too young to not be experiencing life in other places, regardless of the recession.