Need some help finding info on a city....... (& random kitten thoughts)

[happykitten]

Does anyone know of any website(s) where I can find the following info on the city of El Paso, TX?

[*]average income
[*]some sort of measurement of the average standard of living
[*]demographics
[*]any other useful info for someone who may be moving there next June/July

(the following info is just random blabber... I'm in a reflective/talkative mood right now )

I'm going to graduate this year, and I'm as scared as sh!t... the reality of having to cut it on my own in the "real world" is a bit of a shock. I'd like to get a few year's worth of work experience in before applying to grad school, and have been thinking about what I want to do after leaving university.

Basically, I'm free... to go anywhere, to do anything (that I'm qualified for, of course ). I'd like to try out a few things... I don't have my heart set on one particular occupation, but will be doing my research to see what's out there. I hope to find a job that I love... my parents are warning me that this idealistic notion is dangerous, but for now, I'm keeping my hopes high.

I got back together with my boyfriend... after being apart from him for awhile and dating other people, I've realized that he's special. Very special. And I couldn't imagine living the rest of my life without him. We'll probably go out and choose engagement rings together when I visit him in January (at which point, I'll also go job-hunting in El Paso). My family doesn't approve of him at all (I've spent holidays with his family, whereas he's never been allowed home to meet my parents), which is unfortunate. This means we'll probably get married in Las Vegas after I graduate... and then, 5 or 10 years down the road (hopefully my family will love/accept him then), we'll have a more formal church wedding.

Anyway... the point of the above paragraph was to explain my choice to move to El Paso next June/July. I'll be living with him at Ft. Bliss (having just graduated from West Point, he's an officer... air defense branch, specializing in patriot missiles). Kinda nice, because the army/US Government will be paying our rent, covering our insurance (do any of you military buffs out there know the extent of the coverage?), etc. Less bills = less worries = happier marriage.

So yes... in an attempt to stabilize my life and become a happy, productive citizen, I am probably going to get engaged in five months and married in less than a year. Am I terrified? Yes. Am I nervous? Yes. Am I sure this is what I want to do? Yes.

Some questions for anyone who might care to answer...

What did you do immediately after graduating from college?

Is there anything you regret doing, or something you wish you'd done differently? (got married too soon, chose the wrong job and didn't get out, etc.?)

Any advice/words of wisdom?

As for the whole modeling bit... it's fun, and I'll still accept any paid assignments that come my way... but it's something that will definitely stay a hobby. Here's a pic from a recent shoot that I had taken for my boyfriend... this is the dress I wore on our second date, the dress I wore to his sister's wedding, and it will probably be the dress I wear when we get married in Vegas.

That's all for now.

Feeling thoughtful,
~kitten >^.^<

 

[Tates]

How about here.

 

[happykitten]

Thank you, Tates. Still looking around for more numbers...

~kitten >^.^<

EDIT: Ouch... this one hurts.

Arts Index (100 is best; 0 is worst)
El Paso: 7
National average: 11.48
Rank: 214

 

[dafatha00]

ugh..el paso...my family is there and i hate going to visit them becase el paso is a very crappy place to live in....

i'll tell you this, the weather can get as high as 110 degrees...humid, sweltering heat...blech

its actually the 19th largest city in the united states. its also very very dirty. did you know that a drug cartel in mexico dug a hole in the ground all the way into el paso city hall so they could keep an eye on officials?

anyways...my advice is to convince your bf to move to sunny southern california... =)

 

[Tates]

Here's another site...

From the Northeast to the Southwest...Lot's of stuff to consider.



<< I got back together with my boyfriend... after being apart from him for awhile and dating other people, I've realized that he's special. Very special. >>



Seems to me that any place you two live will be just fine

 

[Imported]

Congrats on your boyfriend/engagement thing.

 

[happykitten]

dafatha00 ~ oh dear... Is it really that bad? I might be going to visit at the end of this month, just to get an initial feel of things. I know it's hot there, but apparently it's very dry heat... not humid at all. I don't deal well with humidity, but I can handle dry heat. Are there &quot;nice&quot; vs. &quot;not so nice&quot; parts of the city, as is the case in most cities in the US? Hopefully we'll settle down in one of the nicer areas... if they exist. As for sunny SoCal... in my dreams, maybe. Actually, I'd like to go to Stanford or UC-Berkely for grad school, so I may have my taste of sun and surf in a few years after all!

Tates ~ muchas gracias para the second link... I'm going to go check it out now. Thank you for the kind words... I think that beauty can be found in even the most destitute place... and as long as you're with the one you love, you'll be happy just about anywhere.

EDIT: Imported ~ thank you...

Off to look at the second link,
~kitten >^.^<

 

[GL]

<< So yes... in an attempt to stabilize my life and become a happy, productive citizen, I am probably going to get engaged in five months and married in less than a year >>

.

Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think your goals are necessarily achieved through the means you specified. Take it from a single guy to tell you about marriage....but I'm not so sure marriage brings stability. I've always considered marriage to be what you aim for after stability has been reached personally and as a couple.

I'm no expert on marriages but I think the reason why so many of them fail (especially when they begin at early ages) is because people think the marriage itself possesses qualities such as being able to make somebody happy or bring stability. If your boyfriend doesn't bring you the happiness or stability you desire right now, what makes you think this will happen after you're married?

As I said, don't take it the wrong way. I don't want to sound harsh by any means but tying a particular emotion to a chapter in your life that has yet to occur is setting yourself up for failure.

Whatever you do, good luck. You seem to be several years ahead of me I plan to vegetate for a few years after college...make some money...travel...pamper myself...etc

 

[GhettoFob]

Berkeley would be a good choice, can't beat the weather in the bay area.

 

[happykitten]

GL ~ no offense taken at all... hmm. You bring up some interesting points... I'll have to think about them for awhile. My boyfriend offers me happiness and stability right now, but I think marriage takes things to a whole new level. Your insight is always appreciated... if any other ideas come up, please feel free to share. Oh, and... I plan on making some money, traveling, and pampering myself, too... all of which I feel would be enhanced with another.

EDIT: GhettoFob ~ give me a few more years... Then again, if I REALLY hate the city, I might look into going to grad school a little earlier than planned. We'll see what happens...

Off to eat dinner,
~kitten >^.^<

 

[Imported]

/rereads posts..

Nice modeling picture also.

 

[happykitten]

Imported ~ just your typical flat-chested Asian chick... Thanks, though!

Really off to dinner now (be back in a few),
~kitten >^.^<

 

[jhu]

What did you do immediately after graduating from college?

went abroad

Is there anything you regret doing, or something you wish you'd done differently? (got married too soon, chose the wrong job and didn't get out, etc.?)

should've gotten more play

Any advice/words of wisdom?

in the event of a nuclear holocaust, don't drink clear water found outdoors because it's probably radioactive.

 

[Imported]

/likes typical Asian chicks..

 

[Aquaman]

Hey HappyKitten,

Congrats on the engagement and your impending move to El Paso Can't comment on the marriage thing, being a single guy But after Uni I went to Australia for a year Then I came back and fought my way through two years of professional accounting classes to get by designation.

One piece of advice, travel while your young I've made a lot of great friend during my travels and the travelling bug has bitten me hard Once your career gets going and you have kids (don't get me wrong kids are great....... as long as they are not yours ) the only places you will be going are to your kids classes or Disneyland Also try to do it before your 30 because many countries won't give you travelling/working visas after your 30 (ie Australia).

Don't sweat the parenets........ they will come around. They have to understand it's your life. It's really hard for them because as my mom always says 'Even when I'm 90........ you'll still be my baby'. Hopefully I won't be in depends by then

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[happykitten]

Aquaman ~ thank you!!! How did you afford to go to Australia for a year? Did your parents still support you? Because my parents don't approve of my boyfriend, they plan on cutting off all financial ties after I graduate (no more insurance, no more support, no more nothing - I've even been cut from the will). I'm happy to hear you had such wonderful traveling experiences, and plan on doing as much of that as I can (while young!), too.

Oh, and... I don't have kids until I'm 28-34. Marriage =! kids.

> Don't sweat the parenets........ they will come around.

I certainly hope so. My case might be a bit more difficult than most, but... we'll live until then.

Hugs,
~kitten >^.^<

 

[jhu]

what's wrong with the guy? is it because he's not asian?

 

[happykitten]

jhu ~ no, they don't have a problem with the fact he's not Asian... they don't like the fact that he's in the military. They don't respect the school he went to (USMA), they don't understand his responsibilities now, and they're convinced he'll start beating me someday. All in all, they're very conservative Chinese parents who are brainwashed by the media and extreme stories of things such as cancer-causing M&amp;M's and wife-beating army officers. I know if they'd just give him a chance, things might be okay... but they're not even open to that.

~kitten

 

[kassy]

<< in an attempt to stabilize my life and become a happy, productive citizen >>


No info on your city of choice...
but words of wisdom:
I am far from being wise but experience has taught me that you should stabilize your life and become a happy, productive citizen before you get married.
Its something I wish I had learnt before my first marriage.
If you really love this guy then it will be worth waiting until you feel 'happy and productive', marriage won't solve any of these feelings.
Don't rush into something that you may regret.
Actually to be honest, it does initially make you feel stable and then when the rose coloured glasses clear you are still left with all the feelings that you buried.
Face your demons first then commit to a life with someone else.
I wish you all the best and hope that the big wide world isn't as scary as it seems now.
I hope things work out with your man
Don't worry about the parents, its amazing what they accept given time.

 

[happykitten]

kassy ~ exellent and accurate words of wisdom... although in my case, my life will stabilize when I actually tie the knot. Because then, a whole barrage of other factors (family, mostly) will settle into place... whether they want to or not. Sorry for the poor wording... as for being productive, I meant in a working sense... Once I get to El Paso, I can start being productive job-wise.



<< Don't rush into something that you may regret. >>



I'll admit I'm rushing... but I don't think I'll regret it. I've never came across anyone else who loves me as much as he does, or who could ever care for me as well as he does. Plus, he still loves me without make up in the mornings, so that should earn him at least a couple of brownie points, right?



<< when the rose coloured glasses clear you are still left with all the feelings that you buried. >>



Oh dear... Is there anyway one can go about uncovering &quot;buried feelings&quot; before vows are exchanged?



<< I wish you all the best and hope that the big wide world isn't as scary as it seems now. >>



Thank you... I hope for the same, hopefully sooner rather than later. *hugs for kassy*



<< Don't worry about the parents, its amazing what they accept given time. >>



I certainly hope so... until then, I'll work hard and try to make them proud in other ways.

I'm sorry to hear things didn't work out with your first husband, but it sounds like it may have been for the best. It sounds like you're very confident and happy with who you're with and who you are right now, and that makes me glad... Now, if you'd only admit you're one hot chick instead of threatening to skewer me everytime I suggest it...

Always,
~kitten >^.^<

 

[Aquaman]

I used to have the 'Emperor' complex being the only son in the family (with 5 sisters) but I quickly grew out of that when I saw that it was not fair to my sisters (and they beat the snot out of me j/k )

My parents gave me and my sisters mucho financial support but eventhough they gave it without expecting anything back, my sisters and I always gave money to my parents when we lived in their house because we realised that raising 6 kids is not very easy.

The only way I could afford to go to Australia was because I could work and travel at the same time. Granted you don't get super great jobs (restaurant work, retail and manual labour) it was really a great experience, New Years in Sydney can't be beat .

Next stop Eygpt.......... I hope

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Fastball]

hk,

El Paso is a miserable place. Crime is high. Quality of living is low. Illegal immigrants are constantly trying to come across the border. It's basically a Mexican city that's in US borders. It's also in the middle of nowhere and resembles a desert. The only good thing is that you'll be able to say that you're a Texan.

 

[happykitten]

Aquaman ~ wow, five sisters... I have three younger sisters, so I can kind of empathize. As for work/travel... did you find that on your own, or did you manage to do that on your own? I agree, that would be absolutely incredible... stop tempting me!! My girlfriend lives in Egypt with her family right now... crrrrrrrrrrazy drivers, be careful on those roads!

Fastball ~ oh no... This is the fourth EXTREMELY negative view I've received, and I'll admit I'm becoming a bit more iffy about things (some research I did dug up the following stat: average yearly income of a person living in El Paso = $15,000. ARGH, $15K?! I would hope that after graduating from a college that cost over twice that much per year, that I'd be able to make at least $40-55k/year starting, as most of my friends have). One very kind person who I've been exchanging PMs with told me that things are much better/safer if I live on base, which I will be (at Fort Bliss). Aren't the sunsets beautiful, though...? *on the positive side* True, I will be able to say I'm Texan... And world-class skiing is available just a few hours' drive away in New Mexico!!

Gently oscillating,
~kitten >^.^<

 

[kassy]

HK - for some reason I think you will be just fine
Even after I skewer you !

All I meant by buried feelings is that if you marry someone because it seems like a solution, it very seldom is, but I think you already know that.
Some of us just take longer to figure it out.

 

[Aquaman]

Hi HK,

Actually a lot of places will give you a try out for a day and if they like you and you have a working visa then they give you a chance. I found it quite easy to find a job.

Thanks for the Eygptian drivers tips I've heard many stories about that.

Cheers,
Aquaman