Besides Texas What Other State Would You Live In? (San Antonio: apartment, credit)

[Soonhun]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

Not the state, per se, it's the cities. They aren't very interesting to me. They lack urban character.

That said, as a state, I don't like Texas weather and, outside of areas around Austin and San Antonio, I don't much like the scenery near the cities, either.

The people are generally kind and grounded--that's a big plus, but I don't find much difference in those qualities in people of Northern California, to tell you the truth. If anything, people seem less judgmental here and the values assigned to political ideas line up much more comfortably with my own (and even when they may not, I don't feel any overriding societal pressure to conform in CA). In Texas, it was subtle, but it was there.

I think Texas is a good place for an average person to have a very rewarding career. It doesn't challenge people to rise above the average like some east and west coast places do, though. Texas seems to value consumerism over innovation. I find it more "American" than California in this regard.

As a creative professional, I found Texas sorely lacking in opportunity or the environment that inspires creative people, at least in my field. I like California's more educated populace and the intellectual base here in SF, too. I talk to cable car grip men, waitresses, bartenders and service professionals all the time and am always impressed with how informed and articulate on social and political subjects people here of all walks of life seem to be.

In all, it's a better fit. SF is both a vibrant, exciting international city and the gateway to some of the most stunning nature on the planet--all within bicycling distance. It's a hub of innovation, enterprise and creativity, with a roaring economy, yet still preserves its natural setting. It is busy, bustling and vocally defiant and progressive in politics and nearly daily protests downtown, yet comfortably quirky, charming and human scaled at the neighborhood level. It generates it's own very appealing cultural identity.

I'm drawn to places like this, and have found Texas to be disappointingly lacking.

I do get the appeal of Texas for many-- and there are aspects that I miss, but really only in fleeting moments and mostly tied to family and friendships. What keeps me from considering going back is that Texas just doesn't fit my values and desires. Plus, there's nothing in Texas remotely close to the Bay Area.

As a service worker in Texas who travels extensively to California, we are just as informed on social and political topics, Texans are just generally much less vocal about politics outside of election signs in their front yards and general state pride. Another thing is, there is much less risk for a Democrat, Liberal, or Progressive service worker, a.k.a. the vast majority in the major cities of both states, in San Francisco to be vocal than it is for people of both ends of the spectrum in DFW or Houston. Unlike the Bay Area, where almost everyone identifies with the left moreso than the right, in DFW and Houston it is pretty even (iirc, both metros went very narrowly toTrump), so mentioning personal views on politics has a greater chance of being heard by customer with opposing view points.

As a former waiter and bartender, I try to appear mostly neutral on sensitive topics because I don't want to risk my income ( or maybe other feedback like a survey) on whether or not my views match that of the customer I am speaking to, or even a customer I am not speaking to who may overhear the conversation. And that is without even any proof on political views affecting tips, we just generally want to be on the good side with customers. And before someone says Texans just react more intensely to opposing political or social views than Californians, my conservative views have gotten just as much "intense" reactions in California as either my conservative or liberal/progressive views have in Texas, when adjusting for the fact I spnd like four times more time in Texas than I di in California.

[RJ312]

I would really like to say Wyoming or Montana, but I don't think I could make it work career wise in those states. I think I would also be socially challenged there as well.

Even within Texas, I would rather live in rural West Texas than Dallas. I just need to be in Dallas for the career and social options.

The answer is probably that I would live in Nashville, Tennessee.

[tcualum]

My husband co-owns an oil and gas service company so that limits our choices to places where I'd rather not work. If we lived elsewhere it would probably be Calgary so we could set up a Canadian subsidiary of his company. If his company wasn't an issue, probably in the Atlanta area near my sister. I'd also like to live in the DC area for the cultural and educational opportunities for my family.

[Beardown91737]

California, Nevada, or Arizona. Would also live in IL since my wife and I lived there until our early 30s.

[KathrynAragon]

Texas is my second favorite state. I do love living here. But I also really love Virginia and my favorite town in Virginia is Yorktown.

[MustermannBB]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

Not the state, per se, it's the cities. They aren't very interesting to me. They lack urban character.

That said, as a state, I don't like Texas weather and, outside of areas around Austin and San Antonio, I don't much like the scenery near the cities, either.

The people are generally kind and grounded--that's a big plus, but I don't find much difference in those qualities in people of Northern California, to tell you the truth. If anything, people seem less judgmental here and the values assigned to political ideas line up much more comfortably with my own (and even when they may not, I don't feel any overriding societal pressure to conform in CA). In Texas, it was subtle, but it was there.

I think Texas is a good place for an average person to have a very rewarding career. It doesn't challenge people to rise above the average like some east and west coast places do, though. Texas seems to value consumerism over innovation. I find it more "American" than California in this regard.

As a creative professional, I found Texas sorely lacking in opportunity or the environment that inspires creative people, at least in my field. I like California's more educated populace and the intellectual base here in SF, too. I talk to cable car grip men, waitresses, bartenders and service professionals all the time and am always impressed with how informed and articulate on social and political subjects people here of all walks of life seem to be.

In all, it's a better fit. SF is both a vibrant, exciting international city and the gateway to some of the most stunning nature on the planet--all within bicycling distance. It's a hub of innovation, enterprise and creativity, with a roaring economy, yet still preserves its natural setting. It is busy, bustling and vocally defiant and progressive in politics and nearly daily protests downtown, yet comfortably quirky, charming and human scaled at the neighborhood level. It generates it's own very appealing cultural identity.

I'm drawn to places like this, and have found Texas to be disappointingly lacking.

I do get the appeal of Texas for many-- and there are aspects that I miss, but really only in fleeting moments and mostly tied to family and friendships. What keeps me from considering going back is that Texas just doesn't fit my values and desires. Plus, there's nothing in Texas remotely close to the Bay Area.

Texas is a good place for average people to have a very rewarding career and doesn't challenge people to rise above said average?!?
How nice of you to say so, I suppose it is a good thing that all the average people of Texas don't bother with being informed on social or political subjects and revel in their mediocrity, lest they would see this backhanded compliment of yours for what it is.......

[Danbo1957]

New Mexico. That's it.

[JBAinTexas]

My heart is in Texas, and I hope I stay here forever, but if I had to choose from other states...

Montana
Wyoming
South Dakota
Idaho
Arizona
New Jersey/New York (just for New York City)

[MarshaBrady1968]

Anywhere from Santa Barbara CA to Vancouver BC if money were no object. If money were an object, I may be able to stretch the budget to possibly afford parts of Colorado, maybe even northern Arizona/Southern Utah
My answer includes Texas though, as I'm not sure it is my first choice, it's just where I happen to be

[CapitalCityTodd]

Oregon, Washington, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia all come to mind and I would leave for any of them if the wife would go with me, but she won't leave family so Austin is home for probably the rest of my life.