Boy am I glad I escaped Texas. If you're from TX, this is your CW: you will not like what I say.

What a dirty, disgusting, run-down, smelly, moldy, humid, algae-ridden, animal-beating, backwards place. 🤮

Spent 4 yrs there (near Houston) against my own wishes, and I would absolutely never ever go back for any reason. Even if I wanted to visit the south for some reason, I'd skirt around the entire state of Texas before I'd drive through it.

Their police SUCK, their food SUCKS, and most of their citizens are the worst, most violent, backwoods, purposefully ignorant, born-in-the-mud, vile, rude, needlessly-hostile people you'd ever meet.

I'm watching Crime Scene: Texas Killing Fields, and it's bringing up very traumatic memories of being stuck in that God forsaken place for 4 years. Thank GOD or whatever is charge of the Universe that I finally made it out of there alive. I wanted to kiss the ground of Arizona when I got here, I was so happy to be rid of TX for good.

Rant over. I feel better.

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JoyfulSilence · 51-55, M

I grew up in OH, and went to college nearby in OH.

When I applied to graduate schools, I wanted more warmth, so applied to warmer places. I also was influenced by my college professors. My advisor went to the U of TX at Austin, so I applied there. Another professor had a recent student who was at Rice, so I applied there. I applied to the U of AZ in Tucson, someplace hot, and the U of UT (I do not recall where it is, maybe Salt Lake City), because Utah is scenic. Lastly, I applied the the U of VA in Charlottesville, to be closer to home and still near green trees.

Rice accepted me and flew me out to see it. That was nice of them. But it was very urban and I was a little scared of such a big change. I never got out to Austin or Utah, but I got accepted both places. Arizona flew me out, with a bunch of others, for a little math conference, and to interview us, etc. Tucson was a neat place. Yet also urban. I got sunburned! The sidewalks were so clean.

I ended up going to UVA since I still liked the Eastern Woodlands. But it could be moldy. Lots of buildings were old. The gardens were nice. After, I hopped a little north to the DC area for work, and have been there ever since.

I took a vacation once, where I drove to NM from MD, and had to cross the panhandle of TX. Wide open, treeless, and dry! In another vacation, I drove to WY then south into UT. I drove across a desert. Yet it rained, LOL! In another vacation, I flew to Phoenix, then drove to the Grand Canyon. Phoenix was 102 degrees but I did not pass out. The Canyon rim was cooler. So pretty!

During the pandemic we worked from home (in the DC area), yet some new people were allowed to work from anywhere rather than move to DC. After the pandemic they allowed anybody to work from home from anywhere in the lower 48. Someday I may move. I have already started researching warm places in the Southwest.

I also have contemplated going to Phoenix for a winter vacation, from time to time. Not sure what to do though, other than look at the desert and be warm.

DearAmbellina2113 · 41-45, F

@JoyfulSilence Phoenix and Scottsdale have everything you could possibly want. The only downside is the heat in summer and the traffic/aggressive driving. It's a problem no one anticipates but when they get here they're appalled.

JoyfulSilence · 51-55, M

@DearAmbellina2113

I do recall the hotel rooms were higher in Scottsdale. Lots of golf resorts.

I got stuck in rush hour traffic in Phoenix on my way from the Canyon to my hotel near the airport (I flew out the next day).

Fortunately, wherever I live, I will be working from home. Wherever I move, I want it to be low density suburban. Near rural, wild, or desolate places, yet also near some shopping.

I do worry about the AZ summer heat.