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New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

Kepler

Si certus es dubita
Among sites "where to retire in 10-15 years," we are considering Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Does anyone have any personal experience living in New Mexico and any opinions about the pros and cons? Thank you for your comments in advance.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

Among sites "where to retire in 10-15 years," we are considering Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Does anyone have any personal experience living in New Mexico and any opinions about the pros and cons? Thank you for your comments in advance.
I saw on TV that they have really good crystal meth.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

I saw on TV that they have really good crystal meth.

There are meth tours in Albuquerque. They took their most pernicious thing and turned it into pure tourist exploitation, like what Boston* did with their crappy Cheers! bar.

(* Obviously, the most pernicious thing about Boston is not Cheers!, but Bostonians.)
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

I've never lived in New Mexico, but you seem like a Taos kind of guy. It's an art town in the northern part of the state where D.H. Lawrence lived for a spell during his self-imposed European exile. If you want more of a "city" though, Santa Fe would probably strike a better balance between culture and size. ABQ is little more than a smaller version of Phoenix.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

ABQ is little more than a smaller version of Phoenix.
I haven't spent extensive time in ABQ, but even so I think this is pretty harsh - Phoenix is pure Generica, whereas ABQ has some quirkiness and spirit. To me, your analogy would be something like saying "Austin is just a smaller version of Dallas," or maybe even "Madison is just a smaller version of Milwaukee."
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

I haven't spent extensive time in ABQ, but even so I think this is pretty harsh - Phoenix is pure Generica, whereas ABQ has some quirkiness and spirit. To me, your analogy would be something like saying "Austin is just a smaller version of Dallas," or maybe even "Madison is just a smaller version of Milwaukee."

Yeah, OK that was harsh.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

I've never lived in New Mexico, but you seem like a Taos kind of guy. It's an art town in the northern part of the state where D.H. Lawrence lived for a spell during his self-imposed European exile. If you want more of a "city" though, Santa Fe would probably strike a better balance between culture and size. ABQ is little more than a smaller version of Phoenix.
The thing about Taos is sometimes it feels like a place people live just so they can say they are from Taos. Kind of like Vail.

I've always thought Santa Fe is a prettier city than ABQ, but that's probably just personal bias. I'm a Las Cruces guy myself. A little warmer, not likely to have the big snowfall, and well, sometimes you just gotta go to Mexico.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

I've visited relatives in ABQ a number of times. Not a bad town, though I've heard more than once it's been compared to Phoenix as being a smaller and dirtier/more run down version of Phoenix. Of course Phoenix is a much bigger metro area, so there are a lot of differences, but I can understand the comparison. Been to Santa Fe before and it seems like a great setting, though I believe the cost of living is higher. I have to say, I've been driving through ABQ off and on for over two decades now, and I've never gone through without there being major construction on I-40 coming through town. Not sure why they seem to have perpetual major construction on I-40.

Sure you don't want to go a little further west and join me? You too could have Jan Brewer as your governor, though you'd need to hurry, as she's term limiting out at the end of this year. :)
 
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Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

Sure you don't want to go a little further west and join me? You too could have Jan Brewer as your governor, though you'd need to hurry, as she's term limiting out at the end of this year. :)

I didn't really like Tucson. I wanted to, but just too much -- too hot, too brown (flora, not fauna).

If I were going to try AZ it would probably be Mrs. Kepler's hometown, Flagstaff, but she firmly believes in "you can't go home again." She misses the desert a lot, though, so we're trying to find a place that gives her her desert and me my mountains.

Santa Fe looks very expensive, but goodness it looks lovely, too. We're going to visit there sometime in 2015. Colorado Springs was another choice (the local economy is perfect for my work) but it's just too Stepford for me. I really need a place where people can get through a description of meteorology or biology without invoking Ephesians.
 
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Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

I didn't really like Tucson. I wanted to, but just too much -- too hot, too brown (flora, not fauna).

If I were going to try AZ it would probably be Mrs. Kepler's hometown, Flagstaff, but she firmly believes in "you can't go home again." She misses the desert a lot, though, so we're trying to find a place that gives her her desert and me my mountains.

Santa Fe looks very expensive, but goodness it looks lovely, too. We're going to visit there sometime in 2015. Colorado Springs was another choice (the local economy is perfect for my work) but it's just too Stepford for me. I really need a place where people can get through a description of meteorology or biology without invoking Ephesians.

I love the Springs. Honestly, unless I made enough to live in downtown Denver, I'd choose the Springs if I ever relocated/moved (non-retirement; retirement is saved for Duluth MN). And I'm pretty much a xenophobe when it comes to intra-national things.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

I love the Springs. Honestly, unless I made enough to live in downtown Denver, I'd choose the Springs if I ever relocated/moved (non-retirement; retirement is saved for Duluth MN). And I'm pretty much a xenophobe when it comes to intra-national things.

We visited when we moved cross country in 2003. It was gorgeous, but the misses has never forgiven me for driving around for two hours at twilight trying to find the old Broadmoor Arena. :p
 
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Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

She misses the desert a lot, though, so we're trying to find a place that gives her her desert and me my mountains.
I would definitely check out Carson City, NV. A spectacular area, in my opinion.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

I didn't really like Tucson. I wanted to, but just too much -- too hot, too brown (flora, not fauna).

If I were going to try AZ it would probably be Mrs. Kepler's hometown, Flagstaff, but she firmly believes in "you can't go home again." She misses the desert a lot, though, so we're trying to find a place that gives her her desert and me my mountains.

Santa Fe looks very expensive, but goodness it looks lovely, too. We're going to visit there sometime in 2015. Colorado Springs was another choice (the local economy is perfect for my work) but it's just too Stepford for me. I really need a place where people can get through a description of meteorology or biology without invoking Ephesians.
Being an ASU fan, I can fully endorse your perspective on Tucson. If Flagstaff was on the table, I assume you're open to relatively small towns like that. If so, a couple towns we really like in Arizona that are big enough to have stores to shop at and some restaurants and other stuff, but are in the mountains, and not far off from desert areas are Payson or Prescott. If we ever get out of the big city Phoenix area, we'd look at those towns as options, as they are both nice areas within reach of a lot of beautiful outdoor areas.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

Interesting. Anything like Reno? That's also on the short list.
From a geographical standpoint, of course, it's very similar. I've always assumed Reno is where the Carson City residents go if they want to get in trouble somewhere other than their home town. :p

It's less "touristy" than Reno, and has less of the gambling feel.

But I'll admit, I have an incredible personal bias in favor of the Sierra Nevada's and especially the Lake Tahoe area.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

Being an ASU fan, I can fully endorse your perspective on Tucson. If Flagstaff was on the table, I assume you're open to relatively small towns like that. If so, a couple towns we really like in Arizona that are big enough to have stores to shop at and some restaurants and other stuff, but are in the mountains, and not far off from desert areas are Payson or Prescott. If we ever get out of the big city Phoenix area, we'd look at those towns as options, as they are both nice areas within reach of a lot of beautiful outdoor areas.

I'm cool with a small town if it has a university nearby. Quality of life is as much about interesting company as lovely scenery, and since this is going to be a "last house before the urn," we can be picky enough to demand both.
 
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Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

Well, no major colleges in Prescott or Payson. They both have community colleges. There's been talk about ASU building a branch campus in Payson, but that's pretty speculative at this point. Prescott has Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, but it's not a very big school.

I'm not as familiar with Santa Fe, but I can't think of any sizable universities there. I could be wrong. It does sound like Flagstaff would be be a good option if it wasn't for the no going home thing, as NAU is a sizable university and Flagstaff is a beautiful area.
 
Re: New Mexico: Crescit Eundo

Well, no major colleges in Prescott or Payson. They both have community colleges. There's been talk about ASU building a branch campus in Payson, but that's pretty speculative at this point. Prescott has Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, but it's not a very big school.

I'm not as familiar with Santa Fe, but I can't think of any sizable universities there. I could be wrong. It does sound like Flagstaff would be be a good option if it wasn't for the no going home thing, as NAU is a sizable university and Flagstaff is a beautiful area.

I'm actually fine with community colleges, too. I've done teaching and enjoy it and might like to hook on doing some CC teaching after I retire.

Santa Fe has a CC, and also (this is so Santa Fe) a College of Indian Arts and a graduate school in Art Therapy, which is just about the cutest thing I can imagine though I can't think why they aren't in Taos. Presumably the O'Keeffe Institute of Applied Vaginal Architecture is still in the planning stages.
 
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