The Texpatriates Thread

[CooterBrown 18004]

[mention=995]CooterBrown[/mention] hooked me up and of course it'll come down to a complete change of lifestyle for us. We have a 3-year-old house here in Texas and our affordability in the Denver area looks like apartment life or buying somewhere far out like by the airport. I've always been in the "fuck that I'm going to help change Texas" person but as I age that becomes less and less realistic and summer is just annoying.  We have friends in the Denver area already and visit it often, but making the leap is the hardest part.

Don’t sleep on the small cities on the front range. They are mostly really great with educated populations and great amenities…Louisville, Longmont, etc. all are 30 minutes from Denver. Fort Collins is awesome but it’s mine in 8 years.

[StassneyHorn 6574]

I read somewhere that there’s been 200k+ net migration into North Carolina since COVID. 100k alone in 2022.  I wouldn’t be too worried about the politics, but the gerrymandering is extreme.
 

I just spent 4 months in downtown Denver. Wouldn’t do that again. Bar scene sucks, but that makes it easy to become a regular and make good friends with staff. Rained a lot this summer and always messed with plans. If you think Austin homeless is bad, Denver is on steroids in Lodo and RiNo. City literally dumps boulders in the sidewalk to prevent people from setting up tents. Can’t believe people would pay as much as they did to have urban campers in their front yard. 

 

[Celery Man 20933]

3 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

THis is high on my list, I'm banking on them getting more Blue. ALso, you can buy fucking like 80 acres in the Smokey Mountains with tremendous views for like 800k. I'll never understand why the fuck Texas is so expensive. 

[Neonmoon 38129]

3 hours ago, Post Oak said:

I think we've got about 10 years before we are out. Leaning toward western NC where it is currently 87.

 

3 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

THis is high on my list, I'm banking on them getting more Blue. ALso, you can buy fucking like 80 acres in the Smokey Mountains with tremendous views for like 800k. I'll never understand why the fuck Texas is so expensive. 

I live in WNC. It doesn’t suck. 


 

We are having a 3 day heat wave now. 87 sucks. But back to 70s next week

[bonnieblue 542]

5 hours ago, ohchaucer said:

Or Connecticut. On the coast, at least. We are NYC suburbanites but moved up here to Westport for the schools.

Very high on our list. We loved it.

[SimonBolivar 10957]

1 hour ago, CooterBrown said:

Don’t sleep on the small cities on the front range. They are mostly really great with educated populations and great amenities…Louisville, Longmont, etc. all are 30 minutes from Denver. Fort Collins is awesome but it’s mine in 8 years.

We like that area between Boulder and Denver a ton with a buddy living in Broomfield. Hell with our budget we might as well just buy something in Pueblo,  the Waco of Colorado.

[softlynow 1812]

4 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

A big part of the blame is on GM and the large auto makers of the early 20th century.  There's a documentary about it somewhere.

 

[Cacti 191]

5 hours ago, 'stache said:

... my wife just started working as a high school guidance counselor, and DC pays almost twice what Tulsa Public Schools pay. Kind of goes along with who values what in this country. 

nm

Edited August 25, 2023 by Cacti
wrong thread

[SydneyCarton 48063]

16 hours ago, softlynow said:

Unfortunately I'm tied to heavily to this state to consider moving, but NC would be my first choice, vith Virginia a very close second.

I just to have to hope that we can survive this Christofascist moment, and Texas government becomes simply mildly disappointing again.

My condolences. That being said I'm here for at least another 13 years, unless something goes really really bad.

16 hours ago, Post Oak said:

Yep. We are looking at the Asheville area but anywhere in that area would be great. Although from my limited research Asheville is the bluest.

We've also talked to our kids about going out of state for college. Theyre still in elementary so it's no big deal right now but Im ready to be done with Texas and don't want to have my kids are grandkids here either. Luckily there are plenty of good schools in NC.

Hell we might even adopt App State as our B team just so we can go to games here.

 

Boone is beautiful. Other than where our son goes to college, an autum with changing leaves is probably the #1 tool I have to tempt my wife out of state. 

13 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

 

I live in WNC. It doesn’t suck. 


 

We are having a 3 day heat wave now. 87 sucks. But back to 70s next week

See you in a decade or so, sir. 

[Post Oak 20208]

Surly 2036 Happy Hour.  RSVP now.

[Guest]

Count me in. Headed to Asheville in November just to get away. I think I'd want to be more in the Raleigh area so that I can also easily access the beach.

[G650 14244]

22 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Count me in. Headed to Asheville in November just to get away. I think I'd want to be more in the Raleigh area so that I can also easily access the beach.

It's a little closer, but I'm not sure it would trump everyday living. Both are a hike to the coast.

[Neonmoon 38129]

Closest beach to AVL is Folly Beach in South Carolina. 4 hours and 20 minutes. 

[Post Oak 20208]

41 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Count me in. Headed to Asheville in November just to get away. I think I'd want to be more in the Raleigh area so that I can also easily access the beach.

Same. We are going to try to go scout it out over the break if we can get away.  Looks like you can fly direct from DFW to AVL.

Good thing you RSVP'd now.

Edited August 25, 2023 by Post Oak

[safe sex 11698]

You parents overestimate the value of keeping your kids in one state until they graduate high school. Moving around every three or four years (military kid) was one of the best things that happened to me, and if you're planning on moving to an area better than Texas, well...

[G650 14244]

3 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

Closest beach to AVL is Folly Beach in South Carolina. 4 hours and 20 minutes. 

Yeah but Burts burned to the ground so whi wants to go to Folly anymore

[gmr548 16576]

On 6/22/2022 at 8:53 PM, Beau Vine said:

Got used to the rain.  Never got used to the clouds.   When they roll in, you seriously wonder if you're ever going to see the sun again.  

Necro-reply #1 but after this summer that is a positive.

On 7/13/2022 at 7:33 AM, midtown said:

He's not just talking about moving to a state or liberal/conservative city where politics lean one way or the other, which is what we've had for eons.  He's been talking about basically two United States with completely opposite laws and governments.  Something we have never seen like this and what looks like is coming.    

Necro-reply #2 but the SEC has fit this description, between slavery and Jim Crow for much of this country's history.

 

[Biff Tannen 45665]

Just landed in Nola and it’s like 96. Feels cold. Leaving Austin, inside the jetway was like an oven. 

[Gil Bang 25921]

5 hours ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Count me in. Headed to Asheville in November just to get away. I think I'd want to be more in the Raleigh area so that I can also easily access the beach.

Plus, Raleigh has shit that you can't get in Mt. Pilot.

[tx 3 putt 76873]

On 8/25/2023 at 4:50 PM, safe sex said:

You parents overestimate the value of keeping your kids in one state until they graduate high school. Moving around every three or four years (military kid) was one of the best things that happened to me, and if you're planning on moving to an area better than Texas, well...

 

hs is vastly over rated

[Brisketexan 105077]

Unless you’re looking for girls who stay the same age…

[Beau Vine 54208]

We just blew through our budget, cracked open one of our Roths, and made an offer on a place in Golden, CO.

GETMETHEFUCKOUTTAHERE!!!

[tx 3 putt 76873]

WoW, very generous of you offering me a free place to crash. Thanks 

[Chewbacca 7767]

4 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

We just blew through our budget, cracked open one of our Roths, and made an offer on a place in Golden, CO.

GETMETHEFUCKOUTTAHERE!!!

What part of Golden?

[Neonmoon 38129]

6 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

We just blew through our budget, cracked open one of our Roths, and made an offer on a place in Golden, CO.

GETMETHEFUCKOUTTAHERE!!!

Live look at Beau Vine

[Beau Vine 54208]

1 minute ago, Chewbacca said:

What part of Golden?

10th street, right across Clear Creek from the Mines football stadium.  If you've been to the farmer's market there, literally across the street from that area.  

The location is so absurdly amazing that I have no problem paying Roth penalties if the sellers take our offer.  

 

[Chewbacca 7767]

7 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

10th street, right across Clear Creek from the Mines football stadium.  If you've been to the farmer's market there, literally across the street from that area.  

The location is so absurdly amazing that I have no problem paying Roth penalties if the sellers take our offer.  

 

Very nice.  I'm quite familiar with Golden. Worked there for several years, although it's been a while since I've been there.  That's a great location.  Enjoy!  

Are you not teaching in San Marcos anymore?  Mines co-eds don't look like the ones you're used to...

[Beau Vine 54208]

4 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Very nice.  I'm quite familiar with Golden. Worked there for several years, although it's been a while since I've been there.  That's a great location.  Enjoy!  

Are you not teaching in San Marcos anymore?  Mines co-eds don't look like the ones you're used to...

I'm teaching 100% online in SM and officially retire next summer.  

[Guest]

That townhome?

Dude, don't go. We have buoys. Don't you like buoys? And heat? 

[CooterBrown 18004]

[RDCanecutter 26398]

1 hour ago, Beau Vine said:

10th street, right across Clear Creek from the Mines football stadium.  If you've been to the farmer's market there, literally across the street from that area.  

The location is so absurdly amazing that I have no problem paying Roth penalties if the sellers take our offer.  

 

I'm gonna find that farmer's market, pull up a stool, and sit on that stool, play banjo, and stare at your house.

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

Glad you found an area that will for you Beau.  I know you've been seriously searching from some time.  Cheers from  Central Oregon.

[Goredho 17397]

2 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

We just blew through our budget, cracked open one of our Roths, and made an offer on a place in Golden, CO.

GETMETHEFUCKOUTTAHERE!!!

Congrats!  We’re gonna have to get a Surly ski day set up this winter.

[StassneyHorn 6574]

Boulder farmer’s market drum circle > Golden farmer’s market drum circle

[Beau Vine 54208]

43 minutes ago, StassneyHorn said:

Boulder farmer’s market drum circle > Golden farmer’s market drum circle

I have no idea what this means, but now that we're under contract (FUUUUUCK YEEEEESSSS!!!), I feel the need to tell you that you wouldn't know a good farmer's market drum circle if it massaged your taint and sandpapered your bunghole.

[StassneyHorn 6574]

That’s a very non-drum circle thing to say.

[SydneyCarton 48063]

20 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

We just blew through our budget, cracked open one of our Roths, and made an offer on a place in Golden, CO.

GETMETHEFUCKOUTTAHERE!!!

Congrats, man. 

[Willfully Horn 8002]

Purposely chose this thread, because I believe it belongs here, as the things discussed in this thread take a fucking toll on those who have love this land, whose families have loved this land, before it was a nation or a state:

RIP Charlie.

[Hefeweizen 5310]

Out of curiosity, how many states do we have representing on surly now?  A lot of Colorado and SoCal folks from what I’ve seen, plus I know we have a few New Mexico and NY people.  
 

Some very close friends of mine just sold their house in Westlake and are moving to Rhode Island.  Beautiful place but not my kind of place, way too crowded.  When we visited Yale and Brown (now that is a weird school) I thought Providence was beautiful.

 

 One friend of mine will never move out of Texas due to family and his wife’s work, but all my other friends are looking for exits.  It’s crazy.

[956 Worldwide 34703]

I’m in Northern Virginia for a while and to be frank it sucks shit through a straw.  The GQP has the governorship and the House and is going to try and take the Senate with a good chance of doing it. They are doing the same shit here, porn laws and the like but they aren’t quite as far along as Texas.  The hillbillies in the hinterlands really make things suck. 
 

I am also not as apocalyptic at the state of the district but it’s not great. COVID did a number on it and people aren’t back yet. There are homeless encampments all over and it’s unpleasant to be around, lots of these folks are volatile.  A lot of the area around Capitol Hill that got cleaned up in the 90s and 00s is slowly sliding back down. Been here about a month and see shoplifting in the open, lots of retailers just saying “fuck it.”  
 

There has to be a balance brought back between “fuck all the homeless and lock up petty criminals for life” and “do whatever y’all want.”  Makes me ragey when I see a fare-jumper and I’m dutifully paying my $5.90 for the metro. And the jumpers are folks who are clearly going to work, college, etc…..there’s just no deterrence or penalty for anti-social behavior.  One day at GWU metro there were dudes throwing trash at people riding the escalator down, and the metro cop just watching as they cracked up. Fuck that. 
 

In NOVA— taxes are worse, cost of living is higher, general social order is better than the district but not awesome. Everything is more expensive. Schools are better but not as amazing as NOVA schools have the reputation for, parks are better, county services and community stuff is better. Roads are shit and traffic is shit. 
 

No lie, if I could find a job in my field— on balance I’d go back to the RGV. But then again the lack of jobs is the rub. 

[Bullneck 19073]

20 hours ago, Hefeweizen said:

When we visited Yale and Brown (now that is a weird school) I thought Providence was beautiful.

Ha, Bullneck, Jr. is applying ED to Brown this Fall.  The rest of R.I. l is beautiful, too.  

Edited September 17, 2023 by Bullneck

[Bullneck 19073]

2 minutes ago, Bullneck said:

Ha, Bullneck, Jr. is applying ED to Brown this Fall.  The rest of R.I. l is beautiful, too.  

 

34 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

There are homeless encampments all over and it’s unpleasant to be around, lots of these folks are volatile.  A lot of the area around Capitol Hill that got cleaned up in the 90s and 00s is slowly sliding back down. Been here about a month and see shoplifting in the open, lots of retailers just saying “fuck it.”  
 

There has to be a balance brought back between “fuck all the homeless and lock up petty criminals for life” and “do whatever y’all want.”  Makes me ragey when I see a fare-jumper and I’m dutifully paying my $5.90 for the metro. And the jumpers are folks who are clearly going to work, college, etc…..there’s just no deterrence or penalty for anti-social behavior.  One day at GWU metro there were dudes throwing trash at people riding the escalator down, and the metro cop just watching as they cracked up. Fuck that. 

^^^ I believe that a broken system of mental health care and affordable housing is a lot of the issue.  The two attitudes you described ("lock them up for life for stealing a loaf of bread" versus "The mega-corporation won't notice a little theft") are a direct result of Republicans having half the power in this country but not being willing to work on solutions.  Instead they spend their time smearing those working at governing solely to get re-elected.  

 

[956 Worldwide 34703]

1 hour ago, Bullneck said:

 

^^^ I believe that a broken system of mental health care and affordable housing is a lot of the issue.  The two attitudes you described ("lock them up for life for stealing a loaf of bread" versus "The mega-corporation won't notice a little theft") are a direct result of Republicans having half the power in this country but not being willing to work on solutions.  Instead they spend their time smearing those working at governing solely to get re-elected.  

 

I fully point the finger at the GOP for the homeless and mental health crisis, going back to Reagan. That’s part of the general social breakdown but not all of it. And trust me, there’s plenty of blame to go around on the crime side.

The U.S. Attorney that pursues criminal cases in the district declined to prosecute 2/3 of arrests. They say it allows them to focus on violent offenders but the fact is that nearly all those violent offenders are committing lower level offenses before they carjack and kill, and plenty of violent crime like assaults and beatings just gets ignored. And the cops have stopped making arrests. 
 

I’ve seen two big blatant shoplifting events in a month and both times it was several young men in COVID masks carrying out cases of beer. This isn’t Jean Valjean and it isn’t related to mental health, it’s organized retail theft for profit.  And it won’t stop so long as no consequences come with it. 

[Bullneck 19073]

3 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I see a fare-jumper and I’m dutifully paying my $5.90 for the metro.

Yeah, I saw that at a PATH station a week or so ago.  At first I was shocked, then pissed.

[CooterBrown 18004]

I’ve seen two big blatant shoplifting events in a month and both times it was several young men in COVID masks carrying out cases of beer. This isn’t Jean Valjean and it isn’t related to mental health, it’s organized retail theft for profit.  And it won’t stop so long as no consequences come with it. 

This was so common at H‑E‑B back in the day, it’s why in some stores they line up a row of carts at the exit after 10PM. It’s called Yahooing beer. You grab two 12 packs and yell YAHOO as you run out the store.

[956 Worldwide 34703]

1 hour ago, Bullneck said:

Yeah, I saw that at a PATH station a week or so ago.  At first I was shocked, then pissed.

The trash thing was what made me get ragey. I didn’t get hit but people in front of me did. 4-5 guys hanging out at the top of a metro station, toking and tossing fast food wrappers and leftover drink cups at people going down the escalator and laughing.  This is at a hospital/office stop at 5:30, it’s just people who wanna go home from work and they’re getting trash tossed at them. 
 

And there’s a cop outside the entrance not doing shit.  I don’t want these guys tossed in the clink but getting some fucking bracelets on and a citation and warning to GTFO the metro is absolutely in order for that kind of shit. 

[Biff Tannen 45665]

3 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

 

This was so common at H‑E‑B back in the day, it’s why in some stores they line up a row of carts at the exit after 10PM. It’s called Yahooing beer. You grab two 12 packs and yell YAHOO as you run out the store.

 

My bad.  

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

13 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

 

This was so common at H‑E‑B back in the day, it’s why in some stores they line up a row of carts at the exit after 10PM. It’s called Yahooing beer. You grab two 12 packs and yell YAHOO as you run out the store.

 

 

10 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

My bad.  

A friend told me the guy that worked at the Stop & Go at 45th and Duval would hold the door open for you if you left him a few out back. 

[G650 14244]

19 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I’m in Northern Virginia for a while and to be frank it sucks shit through a straw.  The GQP has the governorship and the House and is going to try and take the Senate with a good chance of doing it.

As a native Tidewaterean, I do think NOVA sucks, because fuck NOVA, that's why, but no our state is not remotely like the hellscape of Texas. We have become a democratic state, and it's not going to go back the other way.

Edited September 18, 2023 by G650

[SydneyCarton 48063]

21 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I’m in Northern Virginia for a while and to be frank it sucks shit through a straw.  The GQP has the governorship and the House and is going to try and take the Senate with a good chance of doing it. They are doing the same shit here, porn laws and the like but they aren’t quite as far along as Texas.  The hillbillies in the hinterlands really make things suck. 
 

I am also not as apocalyptic at the state of the district but it’s not great. COVID did a number on it and people aren’t back yet. There are homeless encampments all over and it’s unpleasant to be around, lots of these folks are volatile.  A lot of the area around Capitol Hill that got cleaned up in the 90s and 00s is slowly sliding back down. Been here about a month and see shoplifting in the open, lots of retailers just saying “fuck it.”  
 

There has to be a balance brought back between “fuck all the homeless and lock up petty criminals for life” and “do whatever y’all want.”  Makes me ragey when I see a fare-jumper and I’m dutifully paying my $5.90 for the metro. And the jumpers are folks who are clearly going to work, college, etc…..there’s just no deterrence or penalty for anti-social behavior.  One day at GWU metro there were dudes throwing trash at people riding the escalator down, and the metro cop just watching as they cracked up. Fuck that. 
 

In NOVA— taxes are worse, cost of living is higher, general social order is better than the district but not awesome. Everything is more expensive. Schools are better but not as amazing as NOVA schools have the reputation for, parks are better, county services and community stuff is better. Roads are shit and traffic is shit. 
 

No lie, if I could find a job in my field— on balance I’d go back to the RGV. But then again the lack of jobs is the rub. 

You should fucking go back to Europe. I would. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by SydneyCarton