Relo to Amarillo, Lubbock or Mid/Odessa (San Antonio, Austin: find a job, construction)

[Eliza08]

Hi out there to all you friendly West Texans! Will be moving to your part of the state in about two months. I'm leaving the heavily taxed, high unemployment state of Ohio. I'm not afraid of the cold, but do prefer warm sunny days, bare footin' is the best! But seriously in my 40's I worry about getting a job (I'm a bookkeeper) and medical care (I'm into the new age, preventitive, health nut thing). Ohio is very green and lush BUT it has also given me a lot of allergy problems, so I think the dry climate may be better. I lived in San Antonio for 16+ years (my daughter was born there) but after recent trips to SA and Austin they proved to be way too big. SA has become quite congested and Austin is expensive. I'm feelin' the area of Amarillo, but I know Lubbock has an appeal also. I know the MO area is booming and that's my daughters pick, for some reason she likes the barren look! Gotta have safe, affordable housing too. My spirit really fits in between blue and white collar, probably tipped a bit to the blue. I take life pretty simply, so I'm not looking for a cultural mecca. Think I'll fly down next month and drive from Amarillo through Lubbock to Midland/Odessa, get a real feel for all the areas, I've never been west of the hill country. So what do y'all think? I'm suffocating up here in yankee land, so I'll appreciate your input!

[Lucidus]

Originally Posted by Eliza08

Hi out there to all you friendly West Texans! Will be moving to your part of the state in about two months. I'm leaving the heavily taxed, high unemployment state of Ohio. I'm not afraid of the cold, but do prefer warm sunny days, bare footin' is the best! But seriously in my 40's I worry about getting a job (I'm a bookkeeper) and medical care (I'm into the new age, preventitive, health nut thing). Ohio is very green and lush BUT it has also given me a lot of allergy problems, so I think the dry climate may be better. I lived in San Antonio for 16+ years (my daughter was born there) but after recent trips to SA and Austin they proved to be way too big. SA has become quite congested and Austin is expensive. I'm feelin' the area of Amarillo, but I know Lubbock has an appeal also. I know the MO area is booming and that's my daughters pick, for some reason she likes the barren look! Gotta have safe, affordable housing too. My spirit really fits in between blue and white collar, probably tipped a bit to the blue. I take life pretty simply, so I'm not looking for a cultural mecca. Think I'll fly down next month and drive from Amarillo through Lubbock to Midland/Odessa, get a real feel for all the areas, I've never been west of the hill country. So what do y'all think? I'm suffocating up here in yankee land, so I'll appreciate your input!

I think you are on the right track with your plan for a visit. You can probably find work easier in Midland-Odessa, in fact, I think I know of a placement agent who is looking for someone with your experience right now. I will DM you some contact info if you are interested. But, I don't think you will have a problem finding work in Amarillo or Lubbock either.

P.S. When you do make the move, welcome to West Texas.

[GayleTX]

I've lived in Ama and Lubbock both and enjoyed both.....Ama has less dust , and my allergies were almost non-existant there. It is a large medical center and lots of medical office job opportunities.....but unless things has changed in the last 3 years, they don't cotton much to this 'new age' health food life stuff around there .....I can only think of one health food/vitamin/organic type place that was there...(remember Oprah and the beef trial? that was in Amarillo . ) Lubbock really is a little more progressive, probably because of the strong presence of the university (Texas Tech)...and it has a medical school. I loved working in the offices on campus there.

Best wishes to you!!

[Eliza08]

Thanks for the quick reply to both of you. I don't know where Ama Tx is Gayle, but I'm down for wherever my allergies are better! I also think once I leave the smoggy midwest I may have less need of the health food stuff too. There's alot of stress living up here in a depressed economy, you have no clue out there in Texas, and I'm glad you don't. I would definitely be interested in contact info for a placement agency Lucidus, whenever you have the time, I've gotta get myself out there first and take a look. But you never know, if I can roll the ball with a job I could be there sooner than later.

[NOTAM]

i am, by no means, an expert on West Texas, but if it is anything like most other areas of Texas, you wont be doin' much "bare footin" due to sticker burs...and ya definitely wont want to do that in the country-you will quickly realize that there is truly a good reason why cowboy boots are worn alot.
in terms of any "new age, holistic, naturopathic, alternative medicine"...Texas has not hopped on that bandwagon..perhaps if more Californians and West Coasters relocate here, it may. of course there are "small pockets" of Texas where you will find people interested in that, but those are likely to be in urban areas especially liberal Austin. Texans tend to be into traditional medicine, conservative.

[Eliza08]

I'm about as conservative as they come so no problem there. I've just had to resort to spending big bucks on alternative methods to control my allergies in all the lush landscape, Dayton is known as "sinus valley." I'm not bringing a high minded attitude with me back to Texas, just want to get out of the rat race and get back to living a modest, decent life. I'll make sure to bring my boots with me to avoid those sticker burs,thanks.

[GayleTX]

Eliz......I'm sorry for the misunderstanding........Ama is Amarillo - just the common local shorthand.

[karenew]

Eliza - Amarillo is located 2 hour (driving) north of Lubbock. The wind is constant here, there is rarely a day that the wind is under 20 mph. There are 4 seasons and summer usually doesn't have humidity. (although we have been humid lately.) Lubbock has a lot more dust blowing around, but that doesn't mean that Amarillo doesn't have any.

One of the previous posters is right, there is only one "health food/yoga studio/restaurant combo" type store. Most of the food is good ole' meat and potatoes. I think there is one accupuncturist in town, not sure where though.

You could probably find a job, but it won't pay anything what you are probably used to. (I have a Bachelor's and many job offers were willing to give me a whole quarter more an hour over those that had high school diploma. The other job I made $9.15 an hour, but I was "maxed out" and wouldn't be eligible for a raise after 90 days or in the next two years!) Most of the jobs are retail and don't pay squat.

There is a 4 year college in Canyon (which is the city just south of Amarillo- the two city boundaries are pretty blurry) which is part of the Texas A&M university system. (So, the kids get educated and move the heck away.)

I haven't seen a sticker here anywhere, at least not in my yard!

[Eliza08]

Thanks for the clarification Gayle. I had an OH MY GAWD! moment in church this morning when I realized what you were abbreviating, LOL! So are you still living in the area? I'm still leaning toward the Ama area opposed to the M/O area. If my daughter decides she likes it down that way she can move after school, she won't be that far from me. As long as we're in the same state. Yeah Karen I know the wages are going to be lower but didn't realize that much, thanks. Though in Ohio not only do we pay state income tax but also city and county. This is an amazing welfare state! The government and freeloaders are running it into the ground. The construction co I work for is about out of business due to all the taxation and high
work comp rates. So thanks for the help, take care out there in that big beautiful state!

[jsoto3]

There are several health food stores/restaurants in Lubbock:
lubbock health food - Google Search