The Texpatriates Thread

[Patricio Swayze 17,058]

Re: Colorado…

One of my closest friends lives in Durango. He seems to really like it there. He, and his wife, are liberal. But he has told me on more than a couple occasions that they are surrounded by right wing psycho militia types. That doesn’t sound cool.

[gmr548 16,580]

4 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Re: Colorado…

One of my closest friends lives in Durango. He seems to really like it there. He, and his wife, are liberal. But he has told me on more than a couple occasions that they are surrounded by right wing psycho militia types. That doesn’t sound cool.

La Plata County was Clinton +10 and Biden +17. But it would not surprise me if that 40% slice of the electorate that does vote GOP is similar to other noted western white nationalist nutjob constituencies like Idaho, Eastern Oregon, etc.

[troph 24,817]

You can’t live in a suburb or a rural area without being around GQP folks. It’s not possible. The goal is climate and blue states where rights are protected and the GQP can’t be effective. Not avoiding them altogether because living in a major city isn’t the goal.

[Degenerate Gardner 4,085]

2 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Re: Colorado…

One of my closest friends lives in Durango. He seems to really like it there. He, and his wife, are liberal. But he has told me on more than a couple occasions that they are surrounded by right wing psycho militia types. That doesn’t sound cool.

The West is still wild. Eastern Oregon wants to join Idaho and go full GQP. Colorado, Washington, etc definitely harbor racist anti-non-Trump government nutters in their less populated reaches. You can’t escape it, only try to manage it.

Edited June 30, 2022 by Degenerate Gardner

[troph 24,817]

revised: 6 year plan (coincides with youngest high school graduation): Texas to Colorado/California mountains (wolverines!!!) within the next 2 years (could still live in Texas but it needs to be easy to pack up and go, hire movers and go to our place in the mountains) and then work on the plan to bounce to Vancouver Canada or Europe depending on how close we want to stay to my kids. Can't deal with fascism in the US and cartels in Mexico. total time from today, 6 years to be gone.

But I am now of the mind that it's looney tunes time.

Edited July 1, 2022 by troph

[fattyflattie 4,639]

51 minutes ago, troph said:

bounce to Vancouver Canada

Vancouver seems nice af. 

[Goofyboy 3,293]

revised: 6 year plan (coincides with youngest high school graduation): Texas to Colorado/California mountains (wolverines!!!) within the next 2 years (could still live in Texas but it needs to be easy to pack up and go, hire movers and go to our place in the mountains) and then work on the plan to bounce to Vancouver Canada or Europe depending on how close we want to stay to my kids. Can't deal with fascism in the US and cartels in Mexico. total time from today, 6 years to be gone.
But I am now of the mind that it's looney tunes time.

You and I seem to have similar plans. I think we are moving up our time line some. Sell the wife’s business in the next 3-4 years - start the golden visa process in Europe - most likely Portugal. Canada is still an option as well, but they don’t have a buy your way in anymore.

Is anyone worried about the US freezing assets to keep people here?

[Biggus Duckus 88]

5 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

Is anyone worried about the US freezing assets to keep people here?

No, but nothing surprises me anymore.

[George Clooney 378]

9 hours ago, troph said:

revised: 6 year plan (coincides with youngest high school graduation): Texas to Colorado/California mountains (wolverines!!!) within the next 2 years (could still live in Texas but it needs to be easy to pack up and go, hire movers and go to our place in the mountains) and then work on the plan to bounce to Vancouver Canada or Europe depending on how close we want to stay to my kids. Can't deal with fascism in the US and cartels in Mexico. total time from today, 6 years to be gone.

But I am now of the mind that it's looney tunes time.

I only know a handful of Canadians, but they all say they'll never move back there. All but one of them are pretty liberal too. From what they've told me, the housing situation up there (specifically Toronto and Vancouver) is a house of cards held up by wealthy Asian immigrants and the children of oligarchs. I'm not sure if it's easy to gain residence in Costa Rica, but that'd easily be my first choice if I were looking to move and wanted to stay at least relatively close to the US.

[Beau Vine 54,246]

We are leaving tomorrow morning for Colorado.  We're only going for a month, but I cannot tell you how excited I am to get out of this hellhole for even that amount of time.  I have no idea how I'm going to survive the excitement of moving permanently.  

[Goredho 17,408]

1 minute ago, Beau Vine said:

We are leaving tomorrow morning for Colorado.  We're only going for a month, but I cannot tell you how excited I am to get out of this hellhole for even that amount of time.  I have no idea how I'm going to survive the excitement of moving permanently.  

Where you headed to?

[Beau Vine 54,246]

1 minute ago, Goredho said:

Where you headed to?

Idaho Springs

[Fudge Nuggets 19,196]

If my company offered a transfer to our operations in Nigeria I would leave tomorrow (been there, done that, didn't want to come back to Texas to begin with).  That's how fed up I am with this shit.

[Pancho 44,856]

5 minutes ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

If my company offered a transfer to our operations in Nigeria I would leave tomorrow (been there, done that, didn't want to come back to Texas to begin with).  That's how fed up I am with this shit.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,196]

25 minutes ago, Pancho said:

My go to bar in the outskirts of Lagos had a cubby hole with about 4 PC's that quite a few of those "Nigerian Princes" used to run their scams.  They were actually pretty cool dudes and partied like maniacs.  Obviously they had some seriously bad ass coochie hanging around so I was intrigued.

[F250 28,777]

47 minutes ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

If my company offered a transfer to our operations in Nigeria I would leave tomorrow (been there, done that, didn't want to come back to Texas to begin with).  That's how fed up I am with this shit.

I was on a work meeting a couple of weeks ago when an opening for 3 positions in Switzerland were announced. The company would assist with the visas if a U.S. employee were to be selected. I didn't apply but from what I heard a shit ton of people from the U.S. applied.

The application process probably looked like this.

 

[dcbc 14,487]

On 6/29/2022 at 5:39 AM, South Austin said:

It’s not like I’m living in East Texas

Sigh

[Fudge Nuggets 19,196]

45 minutes ago, F250 said:

I was on a work meeting a couple of weeks ago when an opening for 3 positions in Switzerland were announced. The company would assist with the visas if a U.S. employee were to be selected. I didn't apply but from what I heard a shit ton of people from the U.S. applied.

The application process probably looked like this.

 

I'm this guy:

[Chewbacca 7,780]

@SmokeyTheBear are you driving around in a white Tundra with Texas plates? If so, I've seen you twice in the past 24 hours.

[safe sex 11,735]

At this point I'm hoping to apply for asylum in Canada or Scandinavia. 

[Zonahorn 8,079]

On 6/22/2022 at 10:06 AM, SydneyCarton said:

Gonna bold this, because this dynamic exists in more states than it doesn't. California having the most Trump Voters in the entire US, as one example. People need to understand that this is just the dynamic that exists everywhere now, because that's what Fox News has made them believe. The Colorado Water rights disaster currently waiting to explode in slow motion is only going to exacerbate this shit in multiple states that are very purple as well. 

I'm extremely unhappy with what I'm seeing everywhere, not just Texas, although Texas is laughably horrible. But few places are safe, regardless of which side of the political coin you prefer. 

Personally, our son is at a school in Houston it will be difficult to move on from, so we're probably here through High School. It would take more seismic changes to prompt a change. So...great. 

Oh hai

EDIT: for those wondering; https://www.kunc.org/environment/2022-06-17/under-federal-pressure-colorado-river-water-managers-face-unprecedented-call-for-conservation

Spoiler

Colorado River water managers are facing a monumental task. Federal officials have given leaders in seven Western states a new charge — to commit to an unprecedented amount of conservation and do it before an August deadline.

Without major cutbacks in water use, the nation’s two largest reservoirs — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — are in danger of reaching critically low levels.

On June 14, Bureau of Reclamation commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton came to a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing with a prognosis, a goal and a threat.

First came the prognosis for the beleaguered river that supplies 40 million people in the Southwest and has seen its flows reduced due to 22 years of higher temperatures.

“There’s so much to this that is unprecedented, and that is true. But unprecedented is now the reality and a normal in which Reclamation must manage our systems,” Touton told the committee. “A warmer, drier West is what we are seeing today.”

The Colorado River’s big reservoirs are at record lows. Lake Mead sits at 28% of its capacity, and Lake Powell is at 27% capacity. They’re both projected to drop further as the year progresses.

Touton set the goal to keep them from dropping to levels where hydropower production ceases and where it becomes physically impossible to move water through the dams.

“Between 2 and 4 million acre-feet of additional conservation is needed just to protect critical levels in 2023,” Touton said.

To compare, the entire state of Colorado uses about 2.2 million acre-feet from the river each year.

Touton finished her remarks with the threat. If the seven states that rely on the Colorado River can’t cut their own use, the federal government is prepared to do it for them, Touton said. She gave a 60-day deadline to craft a deal.

The announcement sent shockwaves across the watershed.

“I think this call is to everyone,” said Colby Pellegrino, deputy general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which supplies water to the Las Vegas metro area. “If you're using Colorado River water in any way, you should be internalizing how you can help solve the problem.”

Agriculture uses the vast majority of the Southwest’s scarce water supplies. Between 75% and 80% of the Colorado River’s water flows to romaine lettuce, alfalfa hay and fruit orchards from Colorado to Mexico. Cities like Las Vegas have been able to grow in population while keeping their water use in check, Pellegrino said. Even if spigots to her city, Phoenix, and Los Angeles are turned off, the river still has a supply-demand problem, she said.

“You can get rid of all of the municipal use and you still don't get to 2 to 4 million acre feet. So it's going to require all sectors to participate,” she said.

Cajoling all the basin’s big water users to participate is no small feat. Many still feel like their water rights are legally protected, and doubt that the federal government really has the authority to force conservation on the states. But recently the Bureau of Reclamation has shown itself ready to take matters into their own hands with minimal consultation with the states. In July 2021 the agency began emergency releases of water upstream of Lake Powell to boost its levels. Some state leaders say federal officials gave them little warning.

A familiar tension between the river’s two basins has cropped up as Commissioner Touton’s announcement rippled through the complex web of Colorado River decision makers. Thirsty cities and irrigated farmland in the river’s Lower Basin, made up of Nevada, California and Arizona, use the majority of its flow. Meanwhile Upper Basin leaders in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico have kept water use well below their entitlement and complained that they bear the full risk that climate change poses to the basin.

“What we have observed as the deep risk is now no longer on the horizon, no longer at the curb. It is now at the front door,” said Chuck Cullom, executive director of the Upper Colorado River Commission.

States in that group – Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Utah – have a history of struggling to commit to specific conservation goals when it comes to the river’s management. Cullom said he would not speculate on whether Upper Basin states would be willing to come up with specific volumes of conservation following Touton’s announcement. Several Upper Basin states have projects in the works that would end up increasing their reliance on Colorado River water.

“We should manage everyone's expectations on where the solutions can come from,” Cullom said. “Since the Lower Basin has the most significant volume of uses, then it makes sense that that's where most of the solution comes from.”

States in the Colorado River basin have taken longer to come up with plans to conserve less water. So a plan to save millions of acre-feet, and just 60 days to put it together, stands out as a challenge.

“I expect that there will just have to be action by the Department of Interior as was essentially threatened,” said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy. “It's hard for me to see how the seven states could come up with that much water in a couple of months.”

Even though the amount of water is tremendous, Porter said this announcement should not come as a surprise. Hotter and drier conditions have plagued the basin for more than two decades. If water managers had started cutting their use earlier, as scientists cautioned they should, this summer’s heavy lift might have been avoided.

“It might have been easier in years past to hope, ‘Yeah, it's been terrible for the last two years, but maybe next year it will be better,’” Porter said. “Now, it's been terrible for three years. Maybe next year will be better. Well, we're finally at a point where we can't say that.”

It will be hard for states to make plans without more clarity on the actual amount of water they need to conserve, Porter said of the “very large spread” between 2 and 4 million acre feet. What is clear, she said, is that demands for the Colorado River’s water need to shrink. Figuring out who gets less and when is up for intense debate this summer.

 

 

Edited July 2, 2022 by Zonahorn

[SmokeyTheBear 5,562]

8 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

@SmokeyTheBear are you driving around in a white Tundra with Texas plates? If so, I've seen you twice in the past 24 hours.

Nope. Not headed up until next Saturday and plan to be up there for a month. 

[Biff Tannen 45,691]

7 hours ago, Zonahorn said:

Oh hai

EDIT: for those wondering; https://www.kunc.org/environment/2022-06-17/under-federal-pressure-colorado-river-water-managers-face-unprecedented-call-for-conservation

  Hide contents

Colorado River water managers are facing a monumental task. Federal officials have given leaders in seven Western states a new charge — to commit to an unprecedented amount of conservation and do it before an August deadline.

Without major cutbacks in water use, the nation’s two largest reservoirs — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — are in danger of reaching critically low levels.

On June 14, Bureau of Reclamation commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton came to a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing with a prognosis, a goal and a threat.

First came the prognosis for the beleaguered river that supplies 40 million people in the Southwest and has seen its flows reduced due to 22 years of higher temperatures.

“There’s so much to this that is unprecedented, and that is true. But unprecedented is now the reality and a normal in which Reclamation must manage our systems,” Touton told the committee. “A warmer, drier West is what we are seeing today.”

The Colorado River’s big reservoirs are at record lows. Lake Mead sits at 28% of its capacity, and Lake Powell is at 27% capacity. They’re both projected to drop further as the year progresses.

Touton set the goal to keep them from dropping to levels where hydropower production ceases and where it becomes physically impossible to move water through the dams.

“Between 2 and 4 million acre-feet of additional conservation is needed just to protect critical levels in 2023,” Touton said.

To compare, the entire state of Colorado uses about 2.2 million acre-feet from the river each year.

Touton finished her remarks with the threat. If the seven states that rely on the Colorado River can’t cut their own use, the federal government is prepared to do it for them, Touton said. She gave a 60-day deadline to craft a deal.

The announcement sent shockwaves across the watershed.

“I think this call is to everyone,” said Colby Pellegrino, deputy general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which supplies water to the Las Vegas metro area. “If you're using Colorado River water in any way, you should be internalizing how you can help solve the problem.”

Agriculture uses the vast majority of the Southwest’s scarce water supplies. Between 75% and 80% of the Colorado River’s water flows to romaine lettuce, alfalfa hay and fruit orchards from Colorado to Mexico. Cities like Las Vegas have been able to grow in population while keeping their water use in check, Pellegrino said. Even if spigots to her city, Phoenix, and Los Angeles are turned off, the river still has a supply-demand problem, she said.

“You can get rid of all of the municipal use and you still don't get to 2 to 4 million acre feet. So it's going to require all sectors to participate,” she said.

Cajoling all the basin’s big water users to participate is no small feat. Many still feel like their water rights are legally protected, and doubt that the federal government really has the authority to force conservation on the states. But recently the Bureau of Reclamation has shown itself ready to take matters into their own hands with minimal consultation with the states. In July 2021 the agency began emergency releases of water upstream of Lake Powell to boost its levels. Some state leaders say federal officials gave them little warning.

A familiar tension between the river’s two basins has cropped up as Commissioner Touton’s announcement rippled through the complex web of Colorado River decision makers. Thirsty cities and irrigated farmland in the river’s Lower Basin, made up of Nevada, California and Arizona, use the majority of its flow. Meanwhile Upper Basin leaders in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico have kept water use well below their entitlement and complained that they bear the full risk that climate change poses to the basin.

“What we have observed as the deep risk is now no longer on the horizon, no longer at the curb. It is now at the front door,” said Chuck Cullom, executive director of the Upper Colorado River Commission.

States in that group – Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Utah – have a history of struggling to commit to specific conservation goals when it comes to the river’s management. Cullom said he would not speculate on whether Upper Basin states would be willing to come up with specific volumes of conservation following Touton’s announcement. Several Upper Basin states have projects in the works that would end up increasing their reliance on Colorado River water.

“We should manage everyone's expectations on where the solutions can come from,” Cullom said. “Since the Lower Basin has the most significant volume of uses, then it makes sense that that's where most of the solution comes from.”

States in the Colorado River basin have taken longer to come up with plans to conserve less water. So a plan to save millions of acre-feet, and just 60 days to put it together, stands out as a challenge.

“I expect that there will just have to be action by the Department of Interior as was essentially threatened,” said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy. “It's hard for me to see how the seven states could come up with that much water in a couple of months.”

Even though the amount of water is tremendous, Porter said this announcement should not come as a surprise. Hotter and drier conditions have plagued the basin for more than two decades. If water managers had started cutting their use earlier, as scientists cautioned they should, this summer’s heavy lift might have been avoided.

“It might have been easier in years past to hope, ‘Yeah, it's been terrible for the last two years, but maybe next year it will be better,’” Porter said. “Now, it's been terrible for three years. Maybe next year will be better. Well, we're finally at a point where we can't say that.”

It will be hard for states to make plans without more clarity on the actual amount of water they need to conserve, Porter said of the “very large spread” between 2 and 4 million acre feet. What is clear, she said, is that demands for the Colorado River’s water need to shrink. Figuring out who gets less and when is up for intense debate this summer.

 

 

Begun, the water wars have. 

[South Austin 52,518]

10 hours ago, dcbc said:

Sigh

Don’t mean to pick on you, amigo.  But my former in-laws are from those parts, so I have a strong frame of reference for how fucked up communities in that area can be.

[SydneyCarton 48,108]

22 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

You and I seem to have similar plans. I think we are moving up our time line some. Sell the wife’s business in the next 3-4 years - start the golden visa process in Europe - most likely Portugal. Canada is still an option as well, but they don’t have a buy your way in anymore.

Is anyone worried about the US freezing assets to keep people here?

Even if they did, and they won’t because there aren’t that many folks leaving, we aren’t Russia. They aren’t freezing bank assets at banks that do foreign business. But you should open an account at a foreign bank if you can. The process isn’t always fast and easy. 

14 hours ago, George Clooney said:

I only know a handful of Canadians, but they all say they'll never move back there. All but one of them are pretty liberal too. From what they've told me, the housing situation up there (specifically Toronto and Vancouver) is a house of cards held up by wealthy Asian immigrants and the children of oligarchs. I'm not sure if it's easy to gain residence in Costa Rica, but that'd easily be my first choice if I were looking to move and wanted to stay at least relatively close to the US.

I would not be moving closer to the equator. 

[SydneyCarton 48,108]

22 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

You and I seem to have similar plans. I think we are moving up our time line some. Sell the wife’s business in the next 3-4 years - start the golden visa process in Europe - most likely Portugal. Canada is still an option as well, but they don’t have a buy your way in anymore.

Is anyone worried about the US freezing assets to keep people here?

Even if they did, and they won’t because there aren’t that many folks leaving, we aren’t Russia. They aren’t freezing bank assets at banks that do foreign business. But you should open an account at a foreign bank if you can. The process isn’t always fast and easy. 

14 hours ago, George Clooney said:

I only know a handful of Canadians, but they all say they'll never move back there. All but one of them are pretty liberal too. From what they've told me, the housing situation up there (specifically Toronto and Vancouver) is a house of cards held up by wealthy Asian immigrants and the children of oligarchs. I'm not sure if it's easy to gain residence in Costa Rica, but that'd easily be my first choice if I were looking to move and wanted to stay at least relatively close to the US.

I would not be moving closer to the equator. 

[Zonahorn 8,079]

1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

Begun, the water wars have. 

Coming soon:

[justhookit 4,191]

16 hours ago, George Clooney said:

I only know a handful of Canadians, but they all say they'll never move back there. All but one of them are pretty liberal too. From what they've told me, the housing situation up there (specifically Toronto and Vancouver) is a house of cards held up by wealthy Asian immigrants and the children of oligarchs. I'm not sure if it's easy to gain residence in Costa Rica, but that'd easily be my first choice if I were looking to move and wanted to stay at least relatively close to the US.

Costa Rica is really easy. Basically if you are thinking of moving to a foreign country you can afford it. 60,000 deposit in a local bank is the easy way. But you won’t be able to legally work there.

Edited July 2, 2022 by justhookit

[troph 24,817]

2 hours ago, justhookit said:

Costa Rica is really easy. Basically if you are thinking of moving to a foreign country you can afford it. 60,000 deposit in a local bank is the easy way. But you won’t be able to legally work there.

under that scenario can you work "in the US" from Costa Rica?  asking for a lawyer friend of mine.

[troph 24,817]

4 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

Even if they did, and they won’t because there aren’t that many folks leaving, we aren’t Russia. They aren’t freezing bank assets at banks that do foreign business. But you should open an account at a foreign bank if you can. The process isn’t always fast and easy. 

I would not be moving closer to the equator. 

not moving closer to the equator is my thinking for moving up in latitude and elevation and to a place with some water.

Edited July 2, 2022 by troph

[justhookit 4,191]

7 minutes ago, troph said:

under that scenario can you work "in the US" from Costa Rica?  asking for a lawyer friend of mine.

Yes that’s fine. Just no job that is physically in Costa Rica.

[troph 24,817]

1 minute ago, justhookit said:

Yes that’s fine. Just no job that is physically in Costa Rica.

I ain't digging ditches in CR. 

[dcbc 14,487]

7 hours ago, South Austin said:

Don’t mean to pick on you, amigo.  But my former in-laws are from those parts, so I have a strong frame of reference for how fucked up communities in that area can be.

No, I get it.  I'm a transplant here from Houston, and it's taken a good bit of looking to find good groups.  You think you have one, then some crazy pops up in someone where you wouldn't have suspected it.  There are good people here, but it's a mine field. 

[chainsaw 9,870]

2 hours ago, troph said:

I ain't digging ditches in CR. 

Not yet.

[troph 24,817]

10 minutes ago, chainsaw said:

Not yet.

Not ever. 

[washparkhorn 9,939]

I left Texas for the Peninsula (SF) the day after my last class. I thought I might return one day, but never did and probably never will. The State is an embarrassment now - but it wasn’t always that way. I lived Chicago and Colorado since leaving the Bay Area. Now I find myself in the southern Piedmonts and enjoying Southern folks with their manners and grace. Many Texans have lost those manners and proudly behave like Gooner Sooners.
 

The politics in Texas are worse than Mississippi or Alabama. It’s become more like Florida mixing with Oklahoma.

I have no regrets leaving and never coming back. I feel for the blueberries trapped in a bloody Texas soup.

The good thing for people leaving Texas is those who left before them generally had good manners and grace. The Texans I have worked with and become friends with in California, Colorado and Chicago painted a good image of Texas and her people. The Texans I know represent the State well - far better than the dirtbag political leaders who call themselves Texans. 

 

Best wishes to those leaving. For the ones staying, good luck. When Texans act like Okies - nothing good comes from that shift. 

[South Austin 52,518]

3 hours ago, troph said:

I ain't digging ditches in CR. 

[troph 24,817]

Portugal golden visa is 300k euros and Spanish golden visa is 500k euros. France doesn’t have one. Italy does but buying real estate won’t get you there.  Barcelona real estate looks sexy as hell. Austin prices. Might just say fuck it summers there. Dope apartment with amazing architecture, tapas, hot Spanish women, amazing weather and a sailboat at the marina. Fuck you Ken Paxton the homos and queers keep winning even when you do you. Best decision I EVER made was coming out queer the world is amazing when your acknowledge there isn’t a dress rehearsal and just fucking go for it.

Edited July 2, 2022 by troph

[GenXer 2,882]

45 minutes ago, troph said:

Portugal golden visa is 300k euros and Spanish golden visa is 500k euros. France doesn’t have one. Italy does but buying real estate won’t get you there.  Barcelona real estate looks sexy as hell. Austin prices. Might just say fuck it summers there. Dope apartment with amazing architecture, tapas, hot Spanish women, amazing weather and a sailboat at the marina. Fuck you Ken Paxton the homos and queers keep winning even when you do you. Best decision I EVER made was coming out queer the world is amazing when your acknowledge there isn’t a dress rehearsal and just fucking go for it.

Don’t forget to mention the topless beaches. 

[troph 24,817]

12 minutes ago, GenXer said:

Don’t forget to mention the topless beaches. 

My 20 year old titties on a 46 year old body will be grateful for the sunlight. 

[troph 24,817]

Any of y’all that are afraid to ask “what if” but are ground up in the doom scroll need to stop the doom scroll and start flipping that to optimism. There are places in this world that welcome you. Go down THAT rabbit hole. It’s amazing. I’ll never forget the Fourth of July I realized America isn’t for me anymore and I wondered out loud what it might be like to live in Spain. It really is amazing. Just follow the flow and go with it. Jesus said to sell it all and follow him, fuck that, sell it all and move to Mexico or Costa Rica or Portugal or Spain. Fear is all that is holding you back. 
 

top golden visas in Europe are Portugal, Spain and Greece. Look it up. 

Edited July 2, 2022 by troph

[Biff Tannen 45,691]

Quote

the world is amazing when you acknowledge there isn’t a dress rehearsal and just fucking go for it.

This is just good life advice overall @troph

 

[SmokeyTheBear 5,562]

On 7/1/2022 at 9:11 PM, Beau Vine said:

Idaho Springs

Heading up to Fraser next week for a month. Highly recommend Westbound and Down for beers. I'll find my way down there a couple times no doubt. 

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12,301]

I started an American Death Spiral thread for this. Those of you so fed up with Texas that you think another state is the solve are missing the forest for the trees.

[Chewbacca 7,780]

Heading up to Fraser next week for a month. Highly recommend Westbound and Down for beers. I'll find my way down there a couple times no doubt. 

New food truck alert. Next to the liquor store between Fraser and WP. Very tasty Al Pastor. Not necessarily better than Shreddy's (in front of Fraser River Brewing Co), but very solid.

What are you driving so I can honk at you on 50? I'm in a white Landcruiser.

[SmokeyTheBear 5,562]

6 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

New food truck alert. Next to the liquor store between Fraser and WP. Very tasty Al Pastor. Not necessarily better than Shreddy's (in front of Fraser River Brewing Co), but very solid.

What are you driving so I can honk at you on 50? I'm in a white Landcruiser.

Grey Highlander with a longhorn decal on back. 

[South Austin 52,518]

14 hours ago, troph said:

Portugal golden visa is 300k euros and Spanish golden visa is 500k euros. France doesn’t have one. Italy does but buying real estate won’t get you there.  Barcelona real estate looks sexy as hell. Austin prices. Might just say fuck it summers there. Dope apartment with amazing architecture, tapas, hot Spanish women, amazing weather and a sailboat at the marina. Fuck you Ken Paxton the homos and queers keep winning even when you do you. Best decision I EVER made was coming out queer the world is amazing when your acknowledge there isn’t a dress rehearsal and just fucking go for it.

Spain does not tolerate run-on sentences.

[troph 24,817]

3 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Spain does not tolerate run-on sentences.

I only use punctuation when I’m lawyering even then it’s commas and semi colons not periods.

Edited July 3, 2022 by troph

[SydneyCarton 48,108]

13 hours ago, troph said:

Any of y’all that are afraid to ask “what if” but are ground up in the doom scroll need to stop the doom scroll and start flipping that to optimism. There are places in this world that welcome you. Go down THAT rabbit hole. It’s amazing. I’ll never forget the Fourth of July I realized America isn’t for me anymore and I wondered out loud what it might be like to live in Spain. It really is amazing. Just follow the flow and go with it. Jesus said to sell it all and follow him, fuck that, sell it all and move to Mexico or Costa Rica or Portugal or Spain. Fear is all that is holding you back. 
 

top golden visas in Europe are Portugal, Spain and Greece. Look it up. 

My understanding is Greece is not all that friendly to LBGTQ. I have no idea about the level it exists their politically, but the Greek Orthodox Church isn’t very progressive. 

Edited July 3, 2022 by SydneyCarton

[troph 24,817]

17 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

My understanding is Greece is not all that friendly to LBGTQ. I have no idea about the level it exists their politically, but the Greek Orthodox Church isn’t very progressive. 

You very well may be right. Our experience in 2019 in Greece was great BUT we were mostly on islands. Mykonos is a gay Mecca and Athens was fine. I don’t know about their laws and culture for a permanent home.  Spain and Portugal are likely our first choices. We will probably take a look in person next summer.