Austin, Texas

trnwrcks
Lived in Austin
Edited 1y ago
✭✭

I miss the things.

When I was a kid, the UT shuttle was free, and there were eggroll carts all over the city.

Granted, the legal imbroglio that did away with the eggroll carts was kind of hilarious and ended up as well as you could hope without anyone doing any jail time, but it's a thing I miss.

I miss the Nighthawk on north Burnet, I miss Rainey street being a wonderland of pot dealers and condemned houses, and I viscerally hate the hipster theme park it's become.

I remember the POW housing on Lake Austin being a rickety mass of married student housing and free range children instead of a shithole of impossible millionaire condos.

I genuinely feel a loss at the Magnolia disappearing. I took my divorced parents there. I took my (somewhat) FOB Chinese grad student friends there. I miss them all and I miss that place.

There's probably a lot to like in this town still. I have a hard time getting out to see it, though.

LeBaiserDuDragon
Living in Austin
1y ago
✭✭✭

I married someone who grew up and went to college here and then had to move away for a decade for work, so when he had a chance to relocate back to Austin, he jumped at the chance and we got here just before the devil's butthole that is called summer here opened up. I find that my husband sees this city more as what it used to be 10-20 years ago whereas I see it more as it is now, and there's a disconnect. I've lived in a bunch of places, in different countries and states and every place has its pros and cons but at the moment I'm feeling like Austin is a bit overhyped.

Between the traffic and the heat, I feel like my quality of life has actually gone down since moving here since going anywhere or doing anything either takes a fuckton of time and planning, or is just physically unberable. I'm really hoping that cooler weather will enable me to see more of the positive things Austin has to offer. Someone in the comments here said that they were never planning to live in the 10th biggest city and I feel the same way - especially when infrastructure is not keeping up with the growth.

fahhko
Living in Austin
1y ago
✭✭✭

I like it here. People are by and large real friendly, but maybe that’s something I’ve been manifesting because I’m an enormous goofball who will talk with anybody.

Thing is, I moved from Denver 4 years ago (lived there 30 years), and a similar conversation is happening there - things aren’t as awesome as they used to be. They’re right, but that’s not something tied to any other particular place but the one the observer is in at the moment. Shit is definitely not as fun as it was 20 years ago, life costs more, there’s less connection, more isolation. But that’s not tied to a place, it’s tied to a cultural sea change that can’t be circumvented. The shit everyone dislikes about Austin is happening part and parcel all around us. Let’s get a frosty marg and try to enjoy the day.

Is Austin worth it anymore?
ruler_gurl
Living in Austin
3y ago
✭✭✭

I'm going on 25 years. Austin as a city still has plenty of charms, and as a musician, plenty to keep me here. But you mention more than just social and demographic changes which people can either choose to be bothered by or not.

You also mention the weather. I do believe it has changed since I got here and not for the better. It's not exactly surprising if you believe in the general pattern of climate change. It is unlikely to become utterly unlivable in my natural life, but there is no doubt that the south will gradually continue to become harder to live in.

The other thing you mention is state politics and IMO there is little debate that our state house has become stupider and more reactionary year after year. Until and unless they start losing statewide elections it's going to continue. I've waited for the predicted bluing for my entire time here. It still hasn't happened. As you say, they let 111 Texans die from utter negligence over grid problems they knew about for an entire decade. Then they tried to blame it on windmills. But look at them go this year, they have more anti transgender bills submitted than any other red state, 12 of them. Slow clap.

I'm looking for other places to live and when Covid is in the rear view mirror I hope to be traveling to other places and living and working from there for long enough to really know if it's a place I can put down roots.

What Nobody Will Tell You About Living in Austin Texas