To CA from TX-where to live?..i have read (Los Angeles: credit, teaching jobs)

[Sizzln B1zzle]

I have gone through my fair share of posts so I have finally decided to post my situation and hopefully gain some helpful insight on where to relocate.


I currently live in Midland, Tx and was raised in Houston. I have lived all over Tx and I just need a change. There's a problem with the forum when people explain "hot" and "cold", it just doesn't make sense. I am used to working 48-60 hour shifts all week, yearly temp. ranges from 08-105 degrees, flat land (except working near New Mexico), and right now I am in the desert. I am also giving up my job here, 110k and I am 24. I am in a very tech savvy field as I calibrate machinery, troubleshoot software, and build computers for a Frac company (yes i know). Regardless of the money I am tired of chemicals, sand, constant life-threatening dangers, and the insane hours. My main goal is to finish my school career once started awhile back, so I will need to go to community college. I want to end up at UCB for computer science. At first you might think, well, you belong in SF/Bay Area because of tech BUT I do not like the idea of the cramped/cold. I will have around 25/30k saved, my wife is a teacher, and I will be looking for easygoing part-time jobs while I attend school (LA sounds better in this sense). I also own an SUV, truck, and a car.(We will be consolidating to one vehicle) which I take into account shared commuting, etc. (SF/Bay Area Public Transit sounds better here) On a random non-conceited note, I have been considered to be a "good" looking guy to the point where I receive crap for it day-in and day-out, I feel maybe I should try something where this is needed (just a thought while I am feeling everything out).(LA?) Another thing that worries me is the "segregation" of LA I hear about. I am puerto rican/italian and when I lived in Houston I was always too white to hang out with the brown kids and too brown to hang out with the white kids, feel me?

I know there is grammatical errors, confusion on what I am asking for, and so on. So please keep the trolling to a minimum. I could go on and on why each one sounds better for my wife and I but I can't visit either place before the move, which will be abrupt, because of work.

Thank you for your time.

[PureHapa]

Kid, please rethink this. California has much higher unemployment that the US average, among many other issues. It's expensive to live here. If you think you are going to get acting work, you are going to be competing with all the other most-beautiful-in-my-town kids who come out here and find they are not as pretty as they thought.

If you want a change why not move to Austin? Texas has a lot of jobs, fair weather, no tax, and cheap housing. If you and your wife are planning on kids, please don't move here unless you have money and means.

[NewToCA]

Kind of tough to advise based on your sentiments, but overall I'd say that you should start by looking around the Southern California area instead of Nothern California.

I know that doesn't narrow it down too much, but at least it is a starting point.

[Ceece]

I would get your schooling done, at least started, in Tx where you can afford it. Teaching jobs are hard to come buy everywhere in CA and I don't know what you would do to support yourself and pay OOS tuition. You need and ultimate goal. If that is UCB you need to plug yourself into a CC that offeres guarenteed transfer which will limit where you go. You aren't going to get anywhere on your looks "on the side", you have to fully committ to that kind of life so scratch it off your list of reasons to move to LA unless that is really your fantasy and you don't want to admit it. If computer science is what you ae into you have the job already, try to cut back or get a different job that doesn't overwhelm you.

On the other hand if you guys are bored and just want an adventure while you're young and have no obligations then move out for awhile, knowing it might be temporary. If you're willing to loose the money it's a no brainer.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by Sizzln B1zzle

My main goal is to finish my school career once started awhile back, so I will need to go to community college. I want to end up at UCB for computer science.

This is a very bad idea. California Community colleges have been devastated by budget cuts and many students cannot get classes. So basically you are thinking of trading a high paying job in a low cost,low tax state for a junky job or unemployment in a high cost,high tax state just on the hope that you might get a few credits at a community college?

"I talked to a former student who graduated just last year, and he said in the fall he could only get two classes" at a community college," Gen said. "I mean, it's going to take him four or five years just to get out of a two-year program. It's just a travesty what's going on."

Cuts to community college system a 'travesty,' says trustee | 89.3 KPCC

Enrollment Options Dwindle At Overcrowded Community Colleges « CBS Los Angeles

The AVC Examiner: NEWS: Budget cuts and college students

California community colleges: California community colleges to slash enrollment, classes - Los Angeles Times

Calif. College Students Brace For State Budget Cuts « CBS Los Angeles

State fiscal nightmare: deep cuts on horizon (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/16/BASO1LVO2M.DTL - broken link)

Big Changes Could Soon Be Coming to Community Colleges in CA - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

Community Colleges Face Further Budget Cuts (http://www.cccco.edu/ChancellorsOffice/IntheNews/PressReleases/CommunityCollegesFaceFurtherBudgetCuts/tabid/1152/Default.aspx - broken link)

Community colleges struggle with higher enrollment and fewer funds