Am I crazy to move from the Pacific Northwest to Austin TX?|154038

We currently live in Washington state but are seriously considering moving to Austin. Our main reason for moving is to get away from the cold and rain. I love heat and humiditiy (have lived in Florida) so that is not an issue. We have researched schools, houses, etc and visited Austin so if we move, that is where we will go. My husband can keep his job and work from home. Everyone up here seems to think we are crazy for moving to Texas though! I love the outdoors (hiking, etc) but hate the cold so much that I can only be outside about 4 months a year up here. Has anyone made a similar move? Any advice our opinions? I dont_ want to regret this! Thanks.

I made this same move several years ago (Seattle to Austin) and it was a great move for me. I really just prefer sun and heat (I love the summers here in Austin) so Seattle was just not a good fit for me (I do not miss having to carry around coats in summer for the second the sun went down!), and I would never consider moving back. My quality of life increased so much just because of the climate change, that nothing else really mattered (like the fact that I make less money, job market is still a little tight, minimal public transportation, etc). People thought Texas was a weird choice for me as well, but that was just because none of them had ever been. I_ll admit I was a little nervous at first because of the Texan stereotypes, but I haven_t found any of them to really be true in Austin (except for people are friendlier here, that_s true).

Austin is great, i moved here from cali last november. it_s definatly different from the west coast... most people are alot nicer!! housing is great, not nearly as expensive as the west coast... theres alot of things to do and its very diverse.. you will run into alot of different people here... jobs are great cuz its the tech hub of the country.. i live around the corner from dell and samsung. so if your wanting to move to texas.. austin is the perfect choice~!

We moved from CT to 2 blocks outside of Dallas, Texas. That was over 20yrs ago, no regrets! We currently live about 24 miles from Dallas, just outside of McKinney, so we_re 6 miles from the nearest gas/groceries, not out in the sticks, but very pleasant. The only thing about your decision I would question is the city, Texas has a low cost of living, but Austin has the highest in the state. Why not McKinney, San Antonio or a hill country town like Fredericksburg? Depending on what you want to be near.
Below is some info I previously put togethe:r
If you want to be in the city then Dallas or Fort Worth, but there are small towns like Lucas within commuting range so you can have the best of both worlds. McKinney is less than 30 minutes from Dallas _ is growing but still real pleasant, Lowry Crossing or Princeton are real short hops from there but offer nice homes not double-wides, on land, for great prices, like 1,900 sq ft on 1 acre for around $155k. If you like the coast, consider Galveston or Corpus Christi. Avoid Houston, it is over-populated due to refugees from Katrina. Cost of living is much lower in TX and there is a huge range of terrain and climate.

One of the best things with Cities in Texas, if you can work a schedule that is a little off the normal hours, traffic isn_t bad. Living in the McKinney area gives us country living but short drives to all the amenities of the city. Dallas museums, opera, symphony, landmarks, restaurants, race tracks (dirt track, drag racing, TX Motorspeedway for NASCAR). Hospitals in McKinney, Allen, Plano, Richardson, Dallas: Healthsouth, Presbyterian, Baylor etc.
It is important to understand the difference between driving commutes in other states/TX; if I work late the I can make the 27 mile route home from Dallas, in 35 minutes, w/o breaking the speed limit, as there are only 2 lights _ 1 Stop sign. At rush hour I take back roads, 24 miles, yet still make the trip in under an hour, sometimes as quick as 45 minutes.
Real Estate:
Site w/home finding parameters including lot size:

http://www.ebby.com/properties/propertie��



http://www.mls.com/
you have to register to use this site, but it is useful.

Helpful Texas sites below, some of the places are a ways from Dallas, like Galveston at 300 miles, but due to open highways that_s only 5-6 hours, most folks think nothing of making a run like that for a 3 or 4 day weekend. Email me any questions:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/


http://www.galveston.com/


http://www.cctexas.com/
Corpus Christi

http://www.portaransas.org/


http://www.txtreasure.com/
Gambling boat

http://www.nps.gov/caha/


http://www.rockinr.com/
for tubing the Guadalupe river

http://www.hill-country-visitor.com/defa��


http://www.fossilrim.com/index.php


http://www.mesquiterodeo.com

No, you are not crazy. The weather_s great and so is the city. From a political standpoint, Austin is very much like the northwest and the entire west coast, so it won_t be very different from that aspect. Lots of people come here from California for many reasons, so you are not the only one to make a _drastic_ move to Texas. Not all of us are cowboys. lol

No, you are not crazy. I am native Texan and moved to Washington State. I lasted almost 2 years before I had to move. The sun never came out and it rained all the time. The cost of living was outrageous and you could not get any good Mexican food. After 2 years I moved to Florida and have never been sorry. I would prefer to be back in Texas (that_s where all the family is) but until I can transfer Florida is fine.

Sounds like a good idea to me, especially with your husband being able to keep his job. You definitely won_t be as cold! Good luck to you both in your move!!!!

I live in San Antonio. San Antonio could also be possibly a good move, although it is slightly more humid here. But, Austin is fantastic! The city in general is beautiful! The small epicenter of metropolitan area of downtown is clean, easy to maneuver (unlike San Antonio_s downtown area) and delightful to walk around in. The parks are fabulous and kept clean, the lakes and rivers are abundant and the view is spectacular. The culture is diverse, interesting, and is a mecca of musical diversity and variety. It is a perfect place to raise a family, has a great history of education (schooling and career choices), and plenty of activities for all age groups. The cost of living is affordable (in certain areas, as with any other place some places are higher) and choices abound.

Altogether I would say that it is an ideal move. San Antonio (a larger populated city with a larger Hispanic population and culture) is only an hour away (with Six Flags and Sea World), Houston 5 hours away, and Dallas/Ft. Worth only 3-4 hours drive. So, Austin is a great central base to operate out of as well.

Great choice in relocation consideration and we welcome you and see you soon!...lol

~jaz~

It_s true, I_m sure Hollywood has made it difficult for many to picture themselves living in Texas.

The skies are bigger in Texas....one advantage of smaller trees.

as for rainfall. We have more rain than LA...hope that helps.

almost all of the heavily populated areas voted dem. in the last election..

Austin has more book sales per ca pita than anywhere else in the country I hear.

economically it_s likely the best place to be right now.

at least people in WA have an opinion about us...

Where do you live in Washington? It_s not cold there.

Where is a great place for wildlife viewing and pictures in Pennsylvania?|131423

I would like answers to include this time of year as well as Spring and Summer. Websites would be best as well.

Winslow Hill - The most visited wildlife viewing site in Pennsylvania.
Winslow Hill Road, 3 miles from its intersection with Route 555 in Benezette. I don_t know if there is any websites about it.

Elk state park---only herd of elk east of the rockies (in theUS anyway).....i_m pretty sure elk state park is the exact name but i might be off a little, do some internet searching and it will pop up....

Moving to the west side of cleveland and looking for a great gym?|115377

We_re moving soon to the western side of cleveland. I used to be a member at the downtown Y in orlando, fl which had all the ammenities one could ask for in a gym (pool, sauna, steam room, computerized fitness equipment, exercise programs etc). Is there anything comparable up there for a decent price? I_m having a hard time finding ratings or recommendations for any of the gyms or health clubs.

What city on the west side? and what are your budget constraints? We have the YMCA system, but some of the buildings/equipment are run down. We have a great Bally_s in Westlake on Columbia Rd which has everything you are looking for. We also have several private clubs to join. Recently 1-2-3 Fit has opened several new gyms in the area, but I do not believe they have pools.
You can join any Y in Cuyahoga County and have access to all the locations in Cuyahoga County so you may be able to workout closer to your job.
If you give me a street or a city name I can be more specific with contact info! Welcome to the West Side of Cleveland. Its a great place to live and raise a family.

Westlake Rec. Center top notch facilities

E.M.H. in Avon

it has first-class service and facilities if you r will to fork out a little more dough

What are people wearing in Texas at this time of year?|114979

I am traveling to the Dallas area tomorrow and the weather is very different from NYC. Do I need a jacket? Is a dress and leggings and boots good enough?

Bring everything, the weather can change at any second. Can be hot one day and freezing the next.

Dress as though it were late fall in New York. The mornings are coldish around 32. In the afternoon it can get as warm as 78. I don_t think that will happen tomorrow though.

Layers, layers, layers.
It can go from 83 to near freezing in 24 hours! (3 January-4 January 2009).

bring a jacket.. some days it can get to 32 F

How do you submit someone to get into Disneyland for free on their birthday?|192828

I was a bit confused on trying to sign my friend up to go to Disneyland and I need some help. I can_t sign up an account for me because I_m not 18 yet but my friend is. Can anyone help me?

If you are not 18 you cannot register either yourself or a friend. However, if your friend goes to the ticket window on their birthday with appropriate documents (govt issued ID or certified birth certificate) they will be given a free ticket for entry. Pre-registration is recommended to save time filling out paperwork at the park but registration is not required for the free ticket.

OK- Here_s a few options.
Option 1: Ask your parents to sign her up for you, or another family friend
Option 2: Lie about your age
Option 3: Tell her about the site
Option 4: Since you have to go on YOUR birthday, get cheap tickets.
Option 5: Start a fundraiser for yourself and ask people to buy cheap handicrafts or buy a service for you and tell them it_s for a trip for you and your friend(s) to go to Disneyland!
Good Luck!
(P.S. If you are into shopping, go to Downtown Disney Shopping District!)

Since she is an adult she needs to go onto Disney website and register herself...it_s easy and it_s free...then Disney will send an e-mail so she can get a birthday printout confirmation. If she doesn_t have a printer, no worries, they can look it up once she gets to Disneyland (as long as she_s already pre-registered online). Since she_s over 18, she must show proof with either a government issued photo i.d. or a driver_s license...birth certificate is NOT acceptable for anyone over 18...if she does not have acceptable photo I.D. (school A.S.B. card is not accepted), maybe she can call Disneyland and see what they can do. Here_s the link to register...
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyp��


Okay...if you want to register for yourself and get a birthday pass for YOU, anyone may do so as long as they are over the age of 13 (but you may not register anyone else). ...AND...because you are still under age 18, a copy of birth certificate will be acceptable if you do not yet have a driver_s license.

the truth is you don_t even have to sign up to get in free on your birthday just show up with the correct documents.

How are the prices for tatoos in Denver?|105429

Was going to get my next piece done here in Vegas - but the tat rates are CRAZY! I was going to have some work done on my foot and a peace tatoo on the inside of my forearm -

I realize you can_t give a price - but I would like to know if they are decent, over priced, etc.

Just general information. Thanks :)

What_s your definition of crazy? I paid $120/hour for mine in Boulder. Our new artist in Longmont charges $100/hour. I believe that_s pretty standard. A cheap tattoo will cost you in the long run if it_s not done well. Shop by artist, not by price.
Since you are moving here I would recommend you wait - that way if you need touch up done you can go back to your artist and it won_t cost you anything.

Wize Guyz Tattoos in Denver. $100 per hour, $60 Min.

I DON_T LIKE TATOOS

it matters what one you get i got a falcon and a a cuplle other one but around $20 - $90