Moving to Phoenix! Tips and suggestions please

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vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
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Originally posted by: EvilYoda
Originally posted by: OdiN
From Troy, MI to Phoenix, AZ?

You're going to melt.

:D Yes, this is entirely possible. But I'll do my best to get used to it...otherwise I'll just stay inside when it's light out and play with my toys.

It'll be a nice place to work. :)

That's the really frustrating part about Phoenix. Even at 10:00PM it's still 100+ in July & August. That really was hard to get used to. In the Midwest you'd get some sort of a reprieve when the sun whent down and it would get more comfortable to sit out on the patio or porch. But in the valley of the sun...you step out into an oven even when the sun isn't around.
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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Originally posted by: vi edit
Originally posted by: EvilYoda
Originally posted by: OdiN
From Troy, MI to Phoenix, AZ?

You're going to melt.

:D Yes, this is entirely possible. But I'll do my best to get used to it...otherwise I'll just stay inside when it's light out and play with my toys.

It'll be a nice place to work. :)

That's the really frustrating part about Phoenix. Even at 10:00PM it's still 100+ in July & August. That really was hard to get used to. In the Midwest you'd get some sort of a reprieve when the sun whent down and it would get more comfortable to sit out on the patio or porch. But in the valley of the sun...you step out into an oven even when the sun isn't around.

So then I'll just go to a movie theater every night or something :p hehe...I'll deal somehow!
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
21,198
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Question, about cars and Phoenix: I'll be leasing a new vehicle before I move down there (more than likely) - do cars delivered to Phoenix come with any sort of tinting or is that completely up to me? Any other possible differences between getting the car here (Michigan) and there?
 

tboo

Diamond Member
Jun 25, 2000
7,626
1
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Originally posted by: vi edit
Originally posted by: EvilYoda
Originally posted by: OdiN
From Troy, MI to Phoenix, AZ?

You're going to melt.

:D Yes, this is entirely possible. But I'll do my best to get used to it...otherwise I'll just stay inside when it's light out and play with my toys.

It'll be a nice place to work. :)

That's the really frustrating part about Phoenix. Even at 10:00PM it's still 100+ in July & August. That really was hard to get used to. In the Midwest you'd get some sort of a reprieve when the sun whent down and it would get more comfortable to sit out on the patio or porch. But in the valley of the sun...you step out into an oven even when the sun isn't around.

I disagree. I moved from Wisconsin to Tucson & think the summer nights in Tucson are much more comfortable than in Wisconsin. There is nothing worse than a hot muggy night with mosquitos swarming your body. Ill take a dry heat anytime over muggy.
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
21,198
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Here's a random question...having never lived on the west coast, how are TV shows done? Like, they air at 8PM EST, so when would say, Lost show in Phoenix? Totally n00b question, I know :p
 

newb111

Diamond Member
Oct 8, 2003
6,991
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Originally posted by: EvilYoda
Here's a random question...having never lived on the west coast, how are TV shows done? Like, they air at 8PM EST, so when would say, Lost show in Phoenix? Totally n00b question, I know :p

Network shows are almost always aired at the same time on each coast. If a show is on at 8PM EST, it will be on at 8PM PST. Adjust PST to get MST and you have the time of the show in AZ.
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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Ah, okay...I remember being in LA or Phoenix one time and the Simpsons was on at 7PM and I was almost sure that it was a new ep...good to know. I'll just have to tell my friends to shut up about Lost and Heroes for 2-3 hours :)
 

uli2000

Golden Member
Jul 28, 2006
1,257
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Elliot and the 101, so you going to be in the ASU research park? Personally, having lived there for 25 years untill I had enough sense to leave, dont live too far. Look at Tempe south of the 60, or Chandler. Buying or renting? Single, attached, married, kids? If its just you, there are a lot of decent apt complexs all along baseline between McClintock and Mill, mostly catering to students or young proffesionals. You would only be a few miles from work, and real close to Tempe nightlife. I grew up near the Fiesta Mall/Dobson Ranch area in Mesa, not too far from your office. It hasnt been a great area for a few years, but they are changing things around in West Mesa. Fiesta's getting a big condo project pretty soon, the area around MCC/Banner Desert is being revitalized, and up the road you have Riverview and Tempe Marketplace. And dont worry too much about the heat unless you work outside. You will go from your air conditioned apt/house, to your air conditioned car, to you air conditioned office or stores. But come November when everyone back home is bitching about how cold its getting, you say say something like, geez, it got down to 73 today. It was so cold I almost had to take the shorts off and start wearing pants. But then again, you will laugh at those who think a 60 day in January is a blizzard and wear gigantic coats.
 

uli2000

Golden Member
Jul 28, 2006
1,257
1
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Originally posted by: newb111
Originally posted by: EvilYoda
Here's a random question...having never lived on the west coast, how are TV shows done? Like, they air at 8PM EST, so when would say, Lost show in Phoenix? Totally n00b question, I know :p

Network shows are almost always aired at the same time on each coast. If a show is on at 8PM EST, it will be on at 8PM PST. Adjust PST to get MST and you have the time of the show in AZ.

Not quite true. The mountain time zone, like the central time zone, shows primetime at 7, 8, and 9 as opposed to 8, 9, and 10 on the coasts. Az stations do the 7, 8, 9 for primetime. The strange thing is, cable feeds are usually from the west coast, so if it says a show comes on at 7 on HBO, TNT, or any other national cable network, it will come on at 8, since AZ is in the mountain time zone, 1 hr ahead of the pacific time zone. Of corse, that changes in the summer because Az doesnt recognize daylight savings time, so then during DST, we have the same time as the pacific time zone.
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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Originally posted by: uli2000
Elliot and the 101, so you going to be in the ASU research park? Personally, having lived there for 25 years untill I had enough sense to leave, dont live too far. Look at Tempe south of the 60, or Chandler. Buying or renting? Single, attached, married, kids? If its just you, there are a lot of decent apt complexs all along baseline between McClintock and Mill, mostly catering to students or young proffesionals. You would only be a few miles from work, and real close to Tempe nightlife. I grew up near the Fiesta Mall/Dobson Ranch area in Mesa, not too far from your office. It hasnt been a great area for a few years, but they are changing things around in West Mesa. Fiesta's getting a big condo project pretty soon, the area around MCC/Banner Desert is being revitalized, and up the road you have Riverview and Tempe Marketplace. And dont worry too much about the heat unless you work outside. You will go from your air conditioned apt/house, to your air conditioned car, to you air conditioned office or stores. But come November when everyone back home is bitching about how cold its getting, you say say something like, geez, it got down to 73 today. It was so cold I almost had to take the shorts off and start wearing pants. But then again, you will laugh at those who think a 60 day in January is a blizzard and wear gigantic coats.

Thanks! Yeah, I'm going to stick close to work for my first place...after I know the area better, I'll see about moving farther out.

As for the weather...I'm one of the odd few who loves the cold and the snow. I'll miss it, yeah, but I don't think I'll be complaining. I also don't like shorts, but I won't have much of a choice...not much in terms of fashion choices when wearing shorts :p (I'll still wear a suit every now and then just for the hell of it)
 

J3anyus

Platinum Member
Mar 30, 2001
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As far as TV shows go, I think (not positive - I don't watch much TV) that the timing gets all screwed up when Daylight Saving Time goes into effect. Arizona doesn't observe DST, which means half the year we're the same time as Colorado, and the other half we're the same time as California. Like I said, I *think* this has some effect on what time TV shows air here, but I'm not 100% sure.

If you're going to be working in Tempe, you might want to check out Chandler and Ahwatukee as places to live. They're both great areas and pretty close to Tempe. I work in Tempe and live in Chandler, and I can get to the office in about 12-15 minutes without traffic or 20-30 minutes when traffic gets really bad. I lived in Tempe right next to ASU for 4 years and I'm glad to be out of there. Chandler and Ahwatukee tend to be safer, quieter areas with lots of families. But if you're looking for nightlife, bars, etc., then Tempe and Scottsdale are the right places to be.

Feel free to PM or email me with any questions. I moved down to the Phoenix area after living in Alaska for 19 years, so I've done the really cold to really hot transition :)
 

vailr

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,365
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Originally posted by: J3anyus
Arizona doesn't observe DST, which means half the year we're the same time as Colorado, and the other half we're the same time as California.

Actually, NE Arizona, the portion where the Navajo lands are located, DO observe DST.
Local time there is always the same as neighboring New Mexico and Colorado, year 'round.

 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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I've gathered as much...but I won't be up there, so I'll enjoy lovely DST limbo land.
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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I'm back in Phoenix looking for a place to live! FuzzyBabyBunny's here...the Chinese are invading!

That said...off to In 'n' Out Burger. Then more apartment hunting!
 

mesthead21

Platinum Member
Jun 5, 2004
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Originally posted by: EvilYoda
I'm back in Phoenix looking for a place to live! FuzzyBabyBunny's here...the Chinese are invading!

That said...off to In 'n' Out Burger. Then more apartment hunting!

Nice man! good luck finding something!
 

Blunc

Senior member
Oct 4, 2007
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re: car

IMHO you're better off getting a car here that was most likely equipped for dealing with Arizona temps.

There are legal regs regarding window tint also.
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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day 1 down...first 3 places were rather meh, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the 4th, Alexan MetroPointe. Brand new construction, beautiful interiors, good equipment...I'm going to try a few more in the morning but I highly doubt I'll find something that can compare based on price, size and location.

Then, FuzzyBabyBunny and I met up, grabbed dinner, mini-ATOT meet. My job this summer will be to find him an alcoholic drink that he can stand. :thumbsup:
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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Just applied for and got accepted at my new apartment! Brand new construction, Alexan MetroPointe like I mentioned in the last post. I'm at some sports bar called Stan and Jan's, which happens to be right next to my office...and they have a full pool hall! I think I'm in heaven...happy hour, pool hall, good stuff.

 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
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Originally posted by: ranmaniac
Also be aware, native Arizonans are some of the most unfriendly people you'll encounter, but fortunately there are a lot of people from other states who live in Arizona, so you can avoid the native riff raff. There's a lot of 30k millionaires in their leased
BMW/Lexus/Mercedes trying to one up each other in Scottsdale.

Are you kidding me? Most jerks I find aren't locals. The locals are just as nice as you'd find anyplace in the country.
 

erub

Diamond Member
Jun 21, 2000
5,481
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Sounds like you got everything all straightened out. I decided on a place in Scottsdale for my desert move in a month :)
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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So much for Tempe Lake area, erub!! :p

I still hope to find a roommate to move into a house with in the next year...I was only going to sign a 6-month lease originally, but ended up going with a full year. oh well. I could possibly move into one of the 2BR units 6-months in if a manager lets me...the layout is perfect for my system and there's much more usable space.

Headed back to Michigan, posting from the airport (yay free wifi!)...be back for good in 1.5 weeks!
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
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Now that I'm back in Michigan, I have a good idea of the difference between a hot humid day and high dry heat in Phoenix...maybe things won't be that bad after all.