Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's just over 6 months now. I didn't miss shoveling snow, scraping ice, driving on the messed up streets and the cold. Last year today there was snow. Here it was in the 70's and sunny!
We haven't had any trouble with cridders as some here have stated. We saw 1 very small scorpion in November. We had a group of bobcats hanging out at our pool in August. I removed the overgrown bushes and they haven't been back. I haven't seen any Javelina although some knocked over our garbage cans when they were out to be picked up once. No bugs at all. We see some small lizzards around and lots of birds. We had a king snake by the pool in fall. Someone told me that this is a good thing. I was told that if you have king snakes you will not have rattle snakes. No problem with pack rats yet. I have been cleaning up the dead brush and lower branched on out property leaving a lack of hiding places. We see road runners often but none have had Wile E following them.
We found that finding doctors here is a challenge. In the Chicago area if you need a doctor you look one up, call and make an appointment usually within a week. Here for new patients it is more like 6 weeks or more and only after you get a list of questions about what meds you use. And if you use something that they consider addictive they will not see you period. They do not like to prescribe pain meds (my wife uses them at times) They even do a blood test before they will prescribe these. My wifes medical insurance is terrible. It doesn't cover much. I have paid more for medical bills already here that I did in Illinois for a year. Maybe it is just that here company has poor insurance? We had to pay for 100% of here mammogram. In Illinois this is preventative and is free.
Job hunting is definitely more difficult here. Job search agencies are completely useless. Yes I have a job but It isn't what I do so it is only temporary. (However, I am getting to know quickly what restaurants not to go to--some have very disgusting kitchens!) Nobody has any sense of urgency for hiring but they complain that they cannot find good people. Many places only accept online applications now and have job descriptions that are obviously written by someone that has no clue. Raytheon only will accept online applications. I had two people that brought my resume to work there and both were told that they do not accept then other than online. No wonder they can't find good people. From what I have learned the best way here (in Tucson) to find a job (professional) is networking. This is what I am beginning to do. We'll see how it works out.
I can't believe that there are no real discount food stores that have anything worth buying. They are all over in the Chicago area. I would think that one here would thrive.
My kids are doing very well in school. My daughter was failing everything but art in Illinois and all three of my kids were on the honor role first semester here. They are going to a private school, not Amphitheater for which we are in district.
We haven't found a good live rock band to see yet. (50's, 60's 70's 80's 90's) Also, here they spend more time setting up and taking breaks than actually playing--some more than others. We kind of like 80's and Gentlemen but out of three hours that they are suppose to play, they spend half setting up then play for about 20 minutes then take a 30 minute break and play for another 20 minutes. So about 40 minutes out of three hours. We are used to bands setting up before the time that they are suppose to start. Then actually play most of the time and take a few short breaks.
My kids are making friends. They had their 16th birthday party a couple of weeks ago and had a great time.
We haven't found a good live rock band to see yet. (50's, 60's 70's 80's 90's)
If by this you mean a cover band playing music from those decades ... well, yeah. This isn't a real "cover band" kind of town. Cover bands do well in larger cities where they can make more money, which is really the only reason anybody spends the time it takes to keep a good cover band operating. In Tucson the money isn't there, so the impetus to play other peoples' music is gone. The music scene here is actually thriving but it's new, original music. I lost count of how many local bands were being showcased at SXSW this year - it was impressive.
Glad to hear that everything else is going well - save for the job hunt, it sounds like, but that's part and parcel of Tucson these days ...
So when are you changing your name to "Sick of AZ"??
First, finding a doctor was not difficult for me. I came in September 2014 to locate doctors prior to my December move. What I did was to locate my specialist first. Since Tucson is a small city, There were only four large practices to choose from among the specialists that I needed to see. I called, set up an appointment to talk to one of the doctors in that practice and interviewed him. Then, I had my doctors in Illinois send all of my medical records.
When I got here in December, I asked my specialist to recommend a good internist that he respected and who he LIKED TO WORK WITH. He gave me three names and I saw the internist three weeks later three weeks later. My new internist was able to make other recommendations and get me in with the other specialties that I needed.
Maybe I was successful in that I have good insurance as opposed to a government plan, I don't know.
Second, as for low price grocery options, there are options out here that are available but you have to look for them and be willing to shop at several locations. I will freely admit that I underwent serious "Aldi withdrawal" the first year.
For inexpensive produce, you can generally find it at Food City and El Super. Their prices beat Sprouts, Frys and Safeway by a wide margin. You can get some phenomenal deals at 99 only (artisanal lettuce for $1 for four heads, sold at Aldi for $2.29) but you have to look at the quality as it can be hit or miss.
For meat, the best quality/value proposition is El Super, a Mexican market at 36th St. and 6th Ave. However, you can also do very well timing the ads and buying the Loss-leaders at Fry's. Some of the carnecerias in South Tucson offer good meats cut the way you want them (as opposed to prepackaged at the major chains).
We found that finding doctors here is a challenge. In the Chicago area if you need a doctor you look one up, call and make an appointment usually within a week. Here for new patients it is more like 6 weeks or more and only after you get a list of questions about what meds you use. And if you use something that they consider addictive they will not see you period. They do not like to prescribe pain meds (my wife uses them at times) They even do a blood test before they will prescribe these. My wifes medical insurance is terrible. It doesn't cover much. I have paid more for medical bills already here that I did in Illinois for a year. Maybe it is just that here company has poor insurance? We had to pay for 100% of here mammogram. In Illinois this is preventative and is free.
Same here. Extremely long waits to see a doctor here. And healthcare is much more expensive. Where I lived before, you could go to a walk-in clinic (the kind where you don't need an appointment, not the ER) for $90. Here a walk-in clinic visit cost me $600. That was just to look at my ears, nose and throat, tell me I probably had a sinus infection and write a prescription. No tests or anything.
It's just over 6 months now. I didn't miss shoveling snow, scraping ice, driving on the messed up streets and the cold. Last year today there was snow. Here it was in the 70's and sunny!
We haven't had any trouble with cridders as some here have stated. We saw 1 very small scorpion in November. We had a group of bobcats hanging out at our pool in August. I removed the overgrown bushes and they haven't been back. I haven't seen any Javelina although some knocked over our garbage cans when they were out to be picked up once. No bugs at all. We see some small lizzards around and lots of birds. We had a king snake by the pool in fall. Someone told me that this is a good thing. I was told that if you have king snakes you will not have rattle snakes. No problem with pack rats yet. I have been cleaning up the dead brush and lower branched on out property leaving a lack of hiding places. We see road runners often but none have had Wile E following them.
We found that finding doctors here is a challenge. In the Chicago area if you need a doctor you look one up, call and make an appointment usually within a week. Here for new patients it is more like 6 weeks or more and only after you get a list of questions about what meds you use. And if you use something that they consider addictive they will not see you period. They do not like to prescribe pain meds (my wife uses them at times) They even do a blood test before they will prescribe these. My wifes medical insurance is terrible. It doesn't cover much. I have paid more for medical bills already here that I did in Illinois for a year. Maybe it is just that here company has poor insurance? We had to pay for 100% of here mammogram. In Illinois this is preventative and is free.
Job hunting is definitely more difficult here. Job search agencies are completely useless. Yes I have a job but It isn't what I do so it is only temporary. (However, I am getting to know quickly what restaurants not to go to--some have very disgusting kitchens!) Nobody has any sense of urgency for hiring but they complain that they cannot find good people. Many places only accept online applications now and have job descriptions that are obviously written by someone that has no clue. Raytheon only will accept online applications. I had two people that brought my resume to work there and both were told that they do not accept then other than online. No wonder they can't find good people. From what I have learned the best way here (in Tucson) to find a job (professional) is networking. This is what I am beginning to do. We'll see how it works out.
I can't believe that there are no real discount food stores that have anything worth buying. They are all over in the Chicago area. I would think that one here would thrive.
My kids are doing very well in school. My daughter was failing everything but art in Illinois and all three of my kids were on the honor role first semester here. They are going to a private school, not Amphitheater for which we are in district.
We haven't found a good live rock band to see yet. (50's, 60's 70's 80's 90's) Also, here they spend more time setting up and taking breaks than actually playing--some more than others. We kind of like 80's and Gentlemen but out of three hours that they are suppose to play, they spend half setting up then play for about 20 minutes then take a 30 minute break and play for another 20 minutes. So about 40 minutes out of three hours. We are used to bands setting up before the time that they are suppose to start. Then actually play most of the time and take a few short breaks.
My kids are making friends. They had their 16th birthday party a couple of weeks ago and had a great time.
Some of the carnecerias in South Tucson offer good meats cut the way you want them (as opposed to prepackaged at the major chains).
This is vital information to the meat lovers in Tucson - the carnicerias are generally fantastic and very well priced - and luckily they are no longer limited to South Tucson - one of my favorites is at First and Prince!!
Same here. Extremely long waits to see a doctor here. And healthcare is much more expensive. Where I lived before, you could go to a walk-in clinic (the kind where you don't need an appointment, not the ER) for $90. Here a walk-in clinic visit cost me $600. That was just to look at my ears, nose and throat, tell me I probably had a sinus infection and write a prescription. No tests or anything.
Look for my tragic post on Mental Health care in Tucson. should be posted in a little while...
This is vital information to the meat lovers in Tucson - the carnicerias are generally fantastic and very well priced - and luckily they are no longer limited to South Tucson - one of my favorites is at First and Prince!!
My wife has banned me from any more carnicerias until I use up all the meat in the freezer ... maybe May 1st. I bought a couple of Kroger's spiral hams after Christmas at Fry's and a number of skirt steaks that need to be used first.
If anyone is interested in receiving 60# of produce for $10, check out the POW-WOW distribution sites for this week. Buy the produce, use what you need, and pass on the rest to friends, neighbors and the local food bank.
Location: West of the Catalinas East of the Tortolitas
4,922 posts, read 8,582,900 times
Reputation: 8044
Have you gone down to 4th St.? There is a place called The Hut, and they have the Randy Clammons and Top Dead Center band that covers Grateful Dead. They're great!
re: My wife has banned me from any more carnicerias until I use up all the meat in the freezer ...
----------------
I'd rather you have a bar b que and invite us.....
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
