Is New Mexico nice?

[Ninja Jordan]

I want to move there after law school for some reason. I'm currently in the mid-atlantic-Ohio River Valley area of the US. I grew up out west though. I want a desert/mountain type climate (but not brutal and unfomfortable like Arizona) or siberia like Colorado. My problem is the lack of industry there, esp. for a lawyer.

[NMDemDist2]

1. i like it but it's a far cry from Ohio

look into the southern part of the state, ALB and Sante Fe can get pretty cold

[Ninja Jordan]

2. It's like 15 degrees where I am

:P

[Beartracks]

3. I used to live there, and would move back in a heartbeat.

NM is beautiful. Santa Fe isn't all that bad in terms of winter weather; like when they say "it's a dry heat" -- well, it's also a dry cold. :) Snow almost always falls like powder, rather than ice, and the sun at that altitude will melt it off the streets pretty quick, usually the following day. You will sometimes see temps getting down to the teens, occasionally single digits, for a nighttime low, but daytime highs usually are pretty pleasant -- not biting, blowing, and frigid. Summers are great. In addition to the dry heat thing, the air in the shade is almost always cool, and summer nights in Santa Fe are often cool, except for maybe 2-3 weeks in late July / early August. There are definitely 4 seasons in Santa Fe, but I never found any of them to be "brutal."

There *is* that lack of industry thing, though, especially in the Santa Fe area. Government jobs are plentiful, however, in both state and Federal sectors.

Cost of living in Albuquerque (read: "real estate" mainly) is cheaper than Santa Fe, and ABQ has more city amenities and industry. It's at a lower altitude (Santa Fe is over 7000 feet) and averages 10 degrees warmer on most days. The cities are about a 45-60 minute drive apart (and not bumper-to-bumper). Many people live in ABQ and work in Santa Fe.

Aaah... I love NM. Unfortunately, I had to move away for family reasons... :(

Hope that helps ya!

[Ninja Jordan]

4. Wow, Santa Fe is at 7000 feet?

That has to be one of the highest altitudes for a US city. I bet it is hard to breathe.

[Taoschick]

5. If you're coming from about sea level

You might feel a little "off" for the first week or so. Nothing major, just headaches and tiredness. many people never notice the change until they engage in physical activity. About two weeks after I moved here, I went on a 5 mile bike ride that kicked my ass. You get used to it though.

Sunshine is plentiful but it's also something you really have to protect yourself against. The sun here can be brutal.

[Cybergata]

8. You know, I grew up in Santa Fe...

and even here in Albuquerque where I live at 2000 feet lower, I find all the air rather oppressive. I want to sleep all the time. There is nothing like having to really suck in the air to keep you exhilarated. I always feel better when I'm back to breathing thin air!

[Singular73]

6. Its ok, but it gets old

Beautiful scenery, but you get tired of the poverty, lack of culture, and being landlocked after a while.

I think its a decent place to raise your family, but having lived in Chicago, LA, DC, NYC, and Albuquerque, I'd probably choose somewhere on the east coast or Pacific NW instead.

[TygrBright]

7. Santa Fe is the state capital and there are LOTS of lawyers here.

I dunno what-all they do to keep themselves in skittles and beer, but none of them look to be starving, so there must be work around for them.

And yes. New Mexico is nice. Very nice. Very, VERY nice.

But don't tell anyone. There's already enough riffraff a-movin' here...


riffraffily,
Bright

[Gloria]

9. Ex-Mid-Atlantic-er here...from New Jersey...Trust me, NM is heaven

compared to NJ. I can breathe here. Had to leave NJ because I was getting bronchitis that wouldn't leave. I'm in the Southern part of the state--Las Cruces. Unfortunately, Las Cruces has been "discovered" thanks to various magazine article ranking it no. 1 for this or that.....but it's still a good place to be. Plenty of art, books, etc.

We're at about 4000-4500 ft, depending on where you live.

[NavyDavy]

10. the states nice some of the people in certain parts of the

state are red state infiltrators (hehehe)......but not the part I am in more dems then pukes...

[Tara_NM]

11. ABQ

The ABQ area is growing by leaps and bounds. New construction homes selling on a regular basis (in a bad national housing market, no less!) and even a Forbes mention show the local economy in a positive light. Plenty of varied culture and entertainment and a more mild than Santa Fe winter makes the ABQ area a contender for best places to live in the Southwestern USA.

[janx]

12. Great thunderstorms here tonight!

It's a beautiful place. The dryness takes some getting used to, but I think you'll love it.

[NMDemDist2]

13. dryness?? not this year!

everything is soaked and it doesn't even dry out enough to mow down the weeds before the next storm hits

:banghead:

[janx]

14. I hear ya.

But I was speaking relatively... It took me awhile to get used to the high desert--I love it now though, and I love the forested mountains.

Did you have to remind me to cut the weeds? This is supposed to be a HOLIDAY weekend! ;-) To hell with the housework! To hell with the weeds! I'm going swimming!

[YDogg]

15. I was in ABQ and Santa Fe at the end of May and things looked greener ...

... than usual to me. Also up toward Raton. I freakin' love New Mexico. And sopaipillas. But I digress.

[abq e streeter]

16. NM

Just joined DU...All these other posts about NM make good points, positive and negative...lots of creative people, but lots of ignorance too, for example...Also, I'm not a lawyer, but seems like about half my friends are, and not one of 'em is starving. Seems like after awhile, you feel like everyone knows everyone else too... cybergata and I work together...Overall, on balance, I like it here, but has its drawbacks too; can't hurt to try it, and bail if its not for you. The addition of another informed progressive to our state couldn't hurt. BTW, Silver City area in SW NM is really nice too; influx of aforementioned creative people etc. but a friend who just left there (for a job) said she ran into lotsa fundies there too...

[Cybergata]

17. Welcome to DU!

The thing about DU is that there is that there isn't one agreement on anything. People argue about things, which is good. If we don't have to defend our beliefs, then we never have a chance to question our beliefs. Not questioning beliefs is what makes a "fundie." Plus, there are plenty of "niches" here on DU to discuss about anything you want, and get news you might not otherwise get. In other words it is a great for having all the "trash" news that we get in the U.S. today swept aside so what funnels down through DU is the important stuff.

I'm guessing this is one of my favorite music men who I took to the DM concert! Which reminds me that one of the good aspects about N.M is all the fabulous music we have here. My husband and I went to the Taos Solar Musicfest a couple of week ends ago, and it was amazing. Los Lobos played as well as Robert Mirabal. There was an Irish/Punk band there that has one hot fiddler. Pretty amazing group with energy enough to electrify an entire city. ;-) Plus, there was an electric storm that hit a near by tree (far enough from the stage not to harm anyone, but close enough to give everyone a big thrill). I'll be going next year. It almost makes up for not having Blues in Madrid anymore. :-(

[abq e streeter]

18. reply tro reply

Hi cybergata----let's see, a Springsteen fan ( E Streeter) who you work with (JMS) who has a DU bumpersticker and plays the harmonica and sax ...

[Cybergata]

19. Oh another favorite Muscian

My first thought was you, but you've been a member of DU for years now. Plus your bio says you just joined, so I eliminated you from my list of usual suspects. Hope you are having a great summer. Politically, this summer has been very interesting so far, with hopefully more to come. I can spent hours looking through the YouTubes of this administrations blunders and the dissent that is finding its venue on YouTube.

Thirty-three years ago I was just out of a coma and in the hospital watching the congressional hearings on Richard Nixon. And here we are again with refusals to turn over evidence to the committee. I want more, MORE, MORE I say More. I hope the ball just keeps rolling. First goes Cheney, like Agnew. Although I can't imagine any of the evil b#st*rds in the Bush administration having enough of a conscience or morals to come forth and start spilling the beans. But we do have the sheer blatant misuse of power over and over again to rely on. AND FINALLY people are beginning to wake up to the truth.

And, Man has it been hot this summer. That's another reason not to live in New Mexico.