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Location: In a perfect world winter does not exist
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Originally Posted by jackjackbadbad
I spent around 20 years of my life in San Diego, CA, then 20 mostly in San Antonio, TX, with a few years split between here, Tulsa, OK, and New Rochelle, NY. I will mildly disagree about not be able to get a feel for a place after about a year, esp. one as small as ABQ. (I realize ABQ is not small, per se, but we're not talking a Houston, LA, or NYC kind of size.)
It's interesting you mention Santa Fe. I honestly don't like it. We've been up there probably 15 or 20 times over the last year. It always feels cramped and crowded when we pass through. It seems like a much older population overall. A lot of the businesses to me look run down, while so many of the ABQ storefronts are cheery and interesting. I think ABQ is a much more attractive city. I love the way it's laid out. Easiest city I've ever lived in to get around. However my spouse got a job offer there yesterday, so who knows. Everything I'd heard about Santa Fe, and what I expected, were what I saw in Taos. Santa Fe has great food though, I will admit.
I also disagree that what I mentioned is 'the same everywhere'. Have I observed these kinds of rude behaviors before? Definitely. What is unusual here is the ratio...the amount of the behaviors/attitudes in relation to the population size. I find that worrisome.
What's made me think about this a lot is we are finally discussing having kids. And I worry about raising kids somewhere where it seems like so many of the ones from here do not like it. Nearly everyone I grew up with only left CA due to financial reasons. Most of the TX people I got to know, and my spouse's classmates...all love TX. When I was in NY, same thing. People crazy about their state. Oklahoma was only one similar to NM, but to a lesser extent. However Tulsa was dull as a doorknob compared to ABQ.
Serious question: what, to you, is the 'unique, authentic, culture' of ABQ? I know about the 'mañana attitude'. Not gonna lie. Not a huge fan of that. But speaking for TX for example. When I think of TX culture, I think of: gatherings mostly based on family, football, BBQ, smaller but tighter social circles, college pride, football, extreme hospitality, agreements with a handshake, etc.
What makes so many people from here want to move away? Why is the economy so stagnant compared to AZ, CO, UT, and TX? Why is the crime so much higher? History alone to me isn't a good answer. Boston, NYC, London, Mexico City...just being old doesn't mean you have a stagnating economy and prevalence of crime.
We have moved So Many Times over the last decade that I am sick and tired of moving. I want our next move to be our last for a good long time. That, with my spouse's starting a perm career, plus talk of kids, has made me give this thought of 'where do we want to be, long term', much more thought. I find NM to be the most beautiful place I have ever lived. My favorite part of living here is walking around North Baca Domingo Park at sunset. Watching the beautiful sky, the light on the Sandias, the volcanos...I just find ABQ/NM a land of more contradictions than any place I've ever been. (Except for maybe Japan, but that's neither here nor there...)
Driving around Albuquerque is a piece of cake compared to its bigger southern city El Paso. I detested as a visitor driving around. I10 is the major freeway east and west and its not for the faint of heart. The entry and exit ramps were designed by engineering dropouts with many dangerous short merges.
Santa Fe like you said did not cramp and crowded. I did not like it either. I felt ABQ is a nicer place to live.
Albuquerque is among the easiest cities in America for visitors to drive around with Milwaukee right behind.
I spent around 20 years of my life in San Diego, CA, then 20 mostly in San Antonio, TX, with a few years split between here, Tulsa, OK, and New Rochelle, NY. I will mildly disagree about not be able to get a feel for a place after about a year, esp. one as small as ABQ. (I realize ABQ is not small, per se, but we're not talking a Houston, LA, or NYC kind of size.)
It's interesting you mention Santa Fe. I honestly don't like it. We've been up there probably 15 or 20 times over the last year. It always feels cramped and crowded when we pass through. It seems like a much older population overall. A lot of the businesses to me look run down, while so many of the ABQ storefronts are cheery and interesting. I think ABQ is a much more attractive city. I love the way it's laid out. Easiest city I've ever lived in to get around. However my spouse got a job offer there yesterday, so who knows. Everything I'd heard about Santa Fe, and what I expected, were what I saw in Taos. Santa Fe has great food though, I will admit.
I also disagree that what I mentioned is 'the same everywhere'. Have I observed these kinds of rude behaviors before? Definitely. What is unusual here is the ratio...the amount of the behaviors/attitudes in relation to the population size. I find that worrisome.
What's made me think about this a lot is we are finally discussing having kids. And I worry about raising kids somewhere where it seems like so many of the ones from here do not like it. Nearly everyone I grew up with only left CA due to financial reasons. Most of the TX people I got to know, and my spouse's classmates...all love TX. When I was in NY, same thing. People crazy about their state. Oklahoma was only one similar to NM, but to a lesser extent. However Tulsa was dull as a doorknob compared to ABQ.
Serious question: what, to you, is the 'unique, authentic, culture' of ABQ? I know about the 'mañana attitude'. Not gonna lie. Not a huge fan of that. But speaking for TX for example. When I think of TX culture, I think of: gatherings mostly based on family, football, BBQ, smaller but tighter social circles, college pride, football, extreme hospitality, agreements with a handshake, etc.
What makes so many people from here want to move away? Why is the economy so stagnant compared to AZ, CO, UT, and TX? Why is the crime so much higher? History alone to me isn't a good answer. Boston, NYC, London, Mexico City...just being old doesn't mean you have a stagnating economy and prevalence of crime.
We have moved So Many Times over the last decade that I am sick and tired of moving. I want our next move to be our last for a good long time. That, with my spouse's starting a perm career, plus talk of kids, has made me give this thought of 'where do we want to be, long term, much more thought. I find NM to be the most beautiful place I have ever lived. My favorite part of living here is walking around North Baca Domingo Park at sunset. Watching the beautiful sky, the light on the Sandias, the volcanos...I just find ABQ/NM a land of more contradictions than any place I've ever been. (Except for maybe Japan, but that's neither here nor there...)
To speak to the bolded, I will re-state what I have written here many times regarding New Mexico's economy. New Mexico has something called the gross receipts tax, which requires not only a sales tax on products but on services as well. This is a big albatross that is immediately slung onto all businesses. The public sector, the feds, which have by far and away, the highest gainfully employable jobs market, can withstand this tax. Private sector companies, in contrast, have the flexibility to move their businesses to more business-friendly states. In 1975 Bill Gates chose Albuquerque to locate his company. He initially chose Albuquerque, but 4 years later moved his company to Bellevue. Washington State has no income tax whatsoever. Nevada has no income tax, neither does Texas. Arizona, Colorado, and Utah have a sales tax, but on products. New Mexico dings the services as well. It's an onerous tax. Until New Mexico elects officials that promote small local private industries and is much less generous with free daycare, you are going to see a pattern of mediocrity continue.
I spent around 20 years of my life in San Diego, CA, then 20 mostly in San Antonio, TX, with a few years split between here, Tulsa, OK, and New Rochelle, NY.
It's interesting you mention Santa Fe. I honestly don't like it.
But speaking for TX for example. When I think of TX culture, I think of: gatherings mostly based on family, football, BBQ, smaller but tighter social circles, college pride, football, extreme hospitality, agreements with a handshake, etc.
I just find ABQ/NM a land of more contradictions than any place I've ever been. (Except for maybe Japan, but that's neither here nor there...)
Once gain a newbie joins C-D simply to vent.
Our OP has apparently discovered one of the secret inner truths about New Mexico: it isn't for everyone. It is as unique as a place can be in the US and that does not appeal to everyone. Try to compare it to other places or measure it against your expectations drawn from places you have lived before and you might be very confused.
Some people just don't "get" it and that is okay, Chalk it up as an experience. Albuquerque is experiencing growing pains and probably much of what seems out of kilter is related to that. The economy is changing. The metro is at about one-million people -- up from about 40,000 in 1940. That places pressure on a lot of community systems and services. Albuquerque is trying hard to diversify after being very focused on government contracts and projects. We learned that the hard way and are making progress. Comments about the state's Gross Receipts Tax are on target. Hopefully we will move away from that.
I personally am not gaga over Santa Fe and Taos is quite dysfunctional as a community. As a one-time city planner they drive me nuts -- but they are what they are. Many people like those places and people flock to visit them.
If the OP longs for Texas, I can think of a solution for that. Wild horses could not drag me there but some people seem to like it. I don't "get" that either.
No kidding. I've had to travel I-40 from west to east and back a few times. I-40 west of ABQ is one of the worst in my memories. The kind that sticks in your mind years later. The truckers are homicidal. Don't tangle with them.
New Mexico has something called the gross receipts tax, which requires not only a sales tax on products but on services as well. This is a big albatross that is immediately slung onto all businesses.
Thank you! That is the first time I've seen an actual real answer to my question about NM's economic stagnation. Now that I have something to Google, already seeing this as a defined issue. Interesting.
I've seen cars going 100 mph+ during rush hour on the I40. I've seen that a lot of times.
NM has the fastest drivers I've ever seen in my life. They seem to be good drivers though, which I'm glad of.
My wife and I were returning from Santa Fe one morning. It was a weekday, at probably 11 AM or so. The flow of traffic overall was 95. I was stunned. At one point, we hit 106! That was the fastest I'd ever gone in the US. (I'm no speed freak. I prefer to keep my insurance low.)
The entry and exit ramps were designed by engineering dropouts with many dangerous short merges.
That is a Texas thing overall. I hate it. I'm originally from CA and there most of the on/off ramps are excellent, with a few glaring exceptions in LA. (Glaring!)
Austin, too, especially, has some exits around downtown off of I-35 that are totally blind and if traffic is backed up, it would be extremely easy to rear-end stopped cars at a high speed. I almost did it a couple times.
While I don't like the roads themselves (poorly maintained...guessing due to low tax revenue overall) I do like the roads in NM. I do wish that there were more yield signs though, as getting off a freeway during rush hour on some exits can be difficult, if you have to merge over.
Last edited by jackjackbadbad; 05-10-2021 at 04:19 PM..
Sound like you lived in Texas long enough to catch on to the Texas state pastime. And that is bashing other states.
Actually that seems to be the NM past time, or at least the /newmexico subreddit's past time. All they do is bash TX (mostly), California, Arizona, and Colorado. It's quite amusing.
Maybe you should try OKC. Why did you leave SATX? Why not live in Austin or DFW?
Agreed that San Antonio was definitely anti-progress for many years. ("Keep San Antonio Lame" is/was the unofficial slogan of the city. Twist on the "Keep Austin Weird" slogan there.) I believe that changed with mayor Phil Hardberger. In addition to really working to get business to come to San Antonio, he did wonders to expand the park system.
The difference between SATX and ABQ is that SATX economy went ballistic. I moved there in 99, and it was pretty status quo through I'd say 2010-ish. And then, boom, never stopped. Seemed to start with Toyota moving in with their plant, and then it just kept going. Still ongoing.
I will never live in Tornado Alley ever again. Hell no on OKC. I did Tulsa. That was enough. We left SATX for my wife's residency here in NM. (Her faculty is urging her to leave the state post-residency, as apparently the liability laws in NM are very bad, from the standpoint of doctors. I find it stunning that in a program apparently intended to attract more medical professionals to the state, faculty are advising residents against staying in the state.)
While I love Austin TX, I'm afraid what I love about that city is soon to be gone. It is becoming a tech hub and the cost of living and real estate have exploded. It is California-level expensive now. I don't really like DFW, but realize it does have a good economy, and reasonable cost of living. However...tornados.
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