Any Oppos in Albuquerque?

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
10/13/2017 at 14:20 • Filed to: None

Is it a decent place to live?

DISCUSSION (41)

Steve in Manhattan > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 14:25

I hear the meth is really good ...

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 14:26

song seems to think so

Wobbles the Mind > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 14:26

I enjoy it! But I also get to leave the area quite a bit for work so I can appreciate the weather, geography, and ease of expense.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 14:28

While I don’t live there currently as I’m in the Las Cruces/El Paso area, I’m from Abq and still spend considerable time up there (all the family is still up there). Yes, I think Albuquerque is a great place to live and I would do so again without hesitation. Central New Mexico is an interesting conglomeration of three cultures, and you can enjoy aspects of all three. It is becoming big enough to offer aspects of a bigger city without all of the downsides. The climate and terrain offer almost anything you could want to do outdoors all with a couple hours drive. What part of town are you looking at?

My biggest advice would be live on the same side of the river as you work on. Commuting across the river is no bueno, and it is never going to get any better, as Abq has built all the river crossings they are likely to ever have.

Also, Wobbles the mind is in Albuquerque.

PartyPooper2012 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 14:32

I heard there was a brief Methamphetamine infestation, but I think it’s been dealt with

Kinja'd!!!

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 14:32

Thinking of moving? There’s always Texas. Everybody else is moving here.

shop-teacher > Wobbles the Mind
10/13/2017 at 14:35

I don’t know how, but somehow I got it in my head movies that you where in Canadia.

Wobbles the Mind > shop-teacher
10/13/2017 at 14:39

Probably because I’m weird. Canada is Oppo’s Florida.

shop-teacher > Wobbles the Mind
10/13/2017 at 14:42

Yeah, that’s probably it :)

Nibbles > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 14:46

Guess I’ll be the dissenter here. I lived in ABQ for four years. Started in the NE Heights where my cars were vandalized and/or broken into multiple times. Moved a bit south (my own fault I know) and ended up with a bullet-riddled Jetta. Spent the last 8 months or so in Rio Rancho which, although was ‘safer’ comparably, was incredibly boring.

They do have good weather and the food is better than anywhere else I’ve been (probably because I wholly subscribe to the pain is a flavor adage). I still like to visit from time to time (Balloon Fiesta is neato and LANL is right up the street) but I had enough bad experiences in my time living there that I couldn’t go back for anything but a few days at a time.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Steve in Manhattan
10/13/2017 at 14:50

Is there some humor in that remark that I have missed?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Wobbles the Mind
10/13/2017 at 14:51

Ooh: that’s probably funny, but can you tell me how so?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
10/13/2017 at 14:53

Would you consider trading an email or two offline? oliphant.chuckerbutty@gmail.com

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PartyPooper2012
10/13/2017 at 14:58

Traded, perhaps, for opioids? But it does not surprise me.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn
10/13/2017 at 14:59

Looking at whether it could make sense. Family there. Prefer the desert to humid climes. Just a curiosity at this point, but $1800/mo for basic health insurance...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Nibbles
10/13/2017 at 15:04

It’s Taos I’m more curious about, as I have family there, but I figured Abuquerque would be a good place to begin asking about.

What’s the diversity like in ABQ?

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 15:07

That’s insane. You don’t get coverage through your job?

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 15:14

I haven’t LIVED in Abq, but as Southern New Mexican, I’ve spent a lot of time in the Duke City.

Pros - it has many of the things that I like in a small metropolis: commerce, diversity, education (although booooo Lobos), actual SEASONS, live music, and it’s New Mexico! (I seriously love my home state.)

Cons - law enforcement works like this: APD will fire a minimum of 200 rounds of ammunition at anyone suspected of jaywalking, and it seems they get annual bonuses for emptying their weapons into vehicles that have children in the backseat. APD is currently waiting on the state senate to approve their requisition order of RPG launchers because school truancy is occasionally an issue.

(As a law abiding citizen, I generally have no qualms with law enforcement. But if you encounter Albuquerque PD, you’re going to be shot at by at least three officers before any of them ask each other why the first one even pulled you over.)

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 15:17

Sure. Email sent.

Klaus Schmoll > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 15:17

Kinja'd!!!

You claim to be a HS teacher, but don’t know your collegues?

Nibbles > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 15:21

Reasonably diverse. White and Hispanic make up the bulk, with a good amount of Native Americans as well. Asian and African Americans I think total somewhere around 5-6% combined. Depending on the area, your majority is either white or Hispanic.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Klaus Schmoll
10/13/2017 at 15:27

I am really missing something here.

Klaus Schmoll > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 15:32

Breaking Bad, google it. Also, 1.8K a month! That’s insane! US medical costs are through the roof, yay for lobbying gone horribly well/wrong (depending on which side you are on).

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Klaus Schmoll
10/13/2017 at 15:47

It’s crazy. I’m not sure what to do. Maybe just not pay it and hope for the best?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Nibbles
10/13/2017 at 15:48

Thank you. I can do some Googling as well.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious
10/13/2017 at 15:50

And extra points if you’re Black?

It sounds as if you and I may view law enforcement through a similar lens, but I would expect law enforcement in AZ or NM to behave like that. Personally, I like to keep all of the light bulbs on my cars in working order.

Do you know any teachers?

Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 16:19

Taos is fantastic, if you’re into the very rich hippy artist life. Amazing food, great skiing, beautiful landscape and not that far from Denver or Albuquerque if you need city stuff. I’ve never lived in Taos (grew up in Albuquerque), but visited a lot.

Kanaric > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 17:52

I work for the military so i’ve worked with people who have worked throughout the country, civilians, enlisted, and officers. The one place EVERYONE hates is New Mexico.

It’s funny i’m reading this because it just came up now at work. Basically the conclusion was that they can never hire people in that state anywhere but the pople they do hire wanted to be there and stay there, “because that’s what they like”. If you have to describe a place how people describe fetish porn “because that’s what they like” I would avoid it lmao.

Klaus Schmoll > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 18:03

Not having health insurance IS NOT AN OPTION! I tripped on some stairs a few years ago. Broken femur neck. Can happen to anyone on a bad day anytime. With surgery (2x, screws in, screws out), rehab, therapy and so on we are talking about a mid-level Camcord, money wise. In the US this little oopsie would have been McLaren money.

Kanaric > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 18:17

West texas isn’t humid, San Antonio isn’t bad.

Steve in Manhattan > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 18:26

Sorry - when you watch Breaking Bad you’ll get it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Nibbles
10/13/2017 at 18:34

Interesting. All of my experience has been in Title 1 schools with Brown and Black students. It’s where I’m the most comfortable, if I’m honest.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Kanaric
10/13/2017 at 18:46

My primary consideration is the weather. I’m 53, and my wife is 56, and my youngest is 16. Now that have of the North Bay has burned down, the value of my house is probably going to go up even more. I live in one of the HIGHEST cost medical insurance markets in the country. I need to find someplace to retrench before I’ve borrowed all my equity.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Klaus Schmoll
10/13/2017 at 18:47

Yup. You get bills from the doctors, from the hospital(s), from the ambulance company, et cetera.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Kanaric
10/13/2017 at 18:48

My brother lives in Austin. He’s known as Ttyymmnn here on Oppo. Austin gets roasting hot and very humid. Gotta find someplace. Living here is not sustainable.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Steve in Manhattan
10/13/2017 at 18:50

My rejoinder may have been a bit grumpy. I am sensitive to the politics and the social woes of the current moment and a wee bit defensive. I’d be surprised if there weren’t a meth problem in Taos and if it hadn’t been supplanted by an opioid problem. In truth, wherever I move, I want to bring a fleck of good with me.

Kanaric > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 18:55

I live in Las Vegas now, San Antonio is very much like Las Vegas in terms of climate. I’ve lived in both cities. There is a ton to do in both cities as well.

The fact you are 53 Las Vegas would probably be a good place btw.

Kanaric > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 18:59

So I live in Las Vegas idk how medical insurance costs are in Vegas relative to other places however the cost of living here is ridiculously low, there is no state income tax, the climate is good, houses are reasonable, and there is a lot to do here for locals, that is ASIDE the tourist stuff. I came here from Chicago, if you are just looking for a cheap place to live that is dry this city hits the marks.

The only thing is since you have a 16 year old son the public education here isn’t considered to be very good but by the time I was 16 the writing was already on the wall how I was going to do school wise after high school, lol. However it’s like this in pretty much all the south western desert states.

Steve in Manhattan > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/13/2017 at 20:17

I’ve learned to read comments on the internet without putting inflection on it one way or another ... no worries.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2017 at 12:28

Most of the people I studied with at NMSU ended up taking jobs in either AZ or TX (myself included). Music education is pretty specialized, and so jobs don’t open up that often...off the top of my head, I know one former classmate working in the greater ABQ area.

That’s not to say that there aren’t teaching jobs, or that APS is a bad place to work; NM has always been unable to match what we do in TX financially, so where a school at El Paso might hire two or three band directors, in NM, they can only hire one. But in NM, they’ll still hire the same number of core subject teachers as they would in TX. Good teachers in core subjects are ALWAYS in demand in NM...my father (in southern NM) retired in May ‘15, and ended up being coaxed back into teaching middle school math part time this year. I would wager that as long as you’re teaching a core subject, finding a gig shouldn’t be hard.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious
10/14/2017 at 13:19

A band teacher I knew a couple of years back went to school in New Mexico.