I left Las Vegas yesterday for a drive back to Tucson. I spent my final night at the extended stay on Tropicana Avenue Wednesday night, which is obviously part of that giant traschcan that Bob Self was referring to.
The drive from there to here or vice versa is about 8 hours. There is some of the most beautiful desert scenery between Wickenburg and Wikieup along US93. Between Kingman and the Colorado River, it's rather desolate. Between Phoenix metro and Wickenburg it ain't the greatest but it ain't the worst either.
Anyway, it's really nice to be home again. Although in a few weeks I'll be an official Nevada resident, I think in my heart Tucson will always be my home. I can see living in Las Vegas for the next few years, but the more I think about the real estate market both there and here, the more I think I'll be keeping the house in Tucson to come back here to retire. In the meantime I've signed a lease on an apartment in North Las Vegas that is ten minutes away from where I am now working, and I might end up liking it there a whole lot more since I won't have to deal with I-15 anymore on a daily basis.
I will leave Tucson early Sunday morning and try to make it back to my new digs while there's still some daylight left. I need to get the air mattress set up (which will do for a bed until I buy one) and there are some things I will need, like food and supplies.
As for my new job............it really is the neatest thing I've ever done in my life. Already I am wearing more than one hat in my job. Last week I was playing mechanical engineer one task for a day, and the next day I was playing materials science engineer on another. I've been researching history on some stainless steel items that will fly in space next year, and I had to sift through reports making sure that the steel was properly treated and processed for spaceflight. When I return on Monday I'll be helping out with electrical verification.
Meantime, I am enjoying time with Sheila. We met with the Pastor to plan our wedding. We're trying to keep it as simple as possible, but there's still some work that has to be done for this.
The honeymoon will come some time later. I can see where we might get a suite one night at one of the Strip hotels, and then drive US66 from Kingman to Flagstaff. We've been wanting to do that for some time but life's events keep getting in the way.
I'd like to think that things will settle down a lot once the wedding is behind us.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Back to the Workforce
I returned to the workforce last Monday, reporting at 8:00 AM. I immediately was taken to the executive office area (ultra modern looking, like you see in the movies!) for clear-in processing by Human Resources. There were a lot of documents to sign, including benefits and 401k authorizations. The HR lady commented that it was like trying to buy a house. I don't remember clear-in taking as long as it did since the last time I had to do it was in 1999, and I'm sure more laws regarding employment have been passed since then so there's more that a company has to make you sign.
After that I was then taken for some briefings on some internal procedures. That was rather painless as that my previous employer had this way of over-engineering the presentation to where it took longer to go thru all of that. Then it was a visit to the company cafeteria, as that the coffee and cookies are free and it's customary for people there to take a coffee break.......I'll say that it's encouraged by management, and hey, if they want me to grab some coffee on their nickel then I'll take it.
At that point it was time to start my new assignment. I was given some reading material on one of our hot projects and ten minutes into reading this I knew that I had made the right choice in accepting their offer. Well, it was the offer I most wanted to get out of the existing possibilities, but it was nice to have that feeling re-confirmed.
I could write a few pages on what we are doing, but company policy will not allow that. No, it's not classified or anything like that; it's that what we're doing is proprietary and the potential for industrial espionage is there. I could name this employer and direct you to their website, but I'm not going to do that. Those family and friends who need to know already know.
I will say this: I am doing the neatest job that I've ever gotten to do in my life! Mark back in San Jose was right when he predicted this. He admitted being tempted to send in a resume to this firm.
There is naturally a collection of concerns that one has when undergoing a transition like this. I'm not worried about losing this job or anything like that, even though the industry can be brutal. I think we're the best at what we do so I have confidence in this company.
The concern though is whether or not I will be able to afford a house in the Las Vegas valley. The market here is taking off and the market in Tucson is not. I have heard some chatter that it is picking up in Tucson, but people who want to leave the People's Republic of California are more likely to land in Las Vegas than they are in Tucson. There is no state income tax here and the climate is business-friendly. In Tucson, the city council is doing all they can to discourage business, no doubt a consequence of their left-wing leanings.........meaning that they view all for-profit businesses and corporations as evil, and thus these enterprises must be punished with taxes, fees, and bureaucracy.
The upshot of that means that Tucson is on its way to becoming a retirement community, with only service-oriented industries. The high tech jobs are disappearing. They're going to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, Orlando, Huntsville and other places. So, that translates into a dismal housing market in Tucson.
Now I could sell and get some money out of my house. Not as much as I'd like, of course. The value was nearly doubled in 2004 but when the foreclosure wave emerged prices dropped to 2000 levels....the year that I bought my house.
Las Vegas was hit harder by the bubble burst than most other cities. I think the typical house ran up to $400k and a lot of people moved here from southern California. Then the bubble burst, with Vegas having one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation and those who kept their houses found out that they owed more money on their house than what it was worth (this hit Phoenix metro as well).
The crash here has since happened, but it's picking up again. This new wave started in California, and quickly migrated to over here, and it might be picking up some in Phoenix.
So the big concern here is, will I be able to afford a house here should I sell in Tucson?
One option is to keep the house in Tucson and rent it out. I could easily clear a good chunk more in rent than what I'm paying on my mortgage. That scenario of course would mean returning in Tucson when I'm really ready to retire. Sheila loves the house, and I do too. The lot sizes in Vegas though are small....you have to wonder why they don't build rowhouses like you see in Philadelphia and cram 'em in. I personally wish my back yard in Tucson was bigger than it is, but it would be even smaller in Vegas. I might have room for a BBQ grill and a few lounge chairs and that's it.
So the second concern here is, the quality of house I could get here if I could get one.
The third concern is the school situation. I had a good chat with the chief of security at my new employer. He said that if kids are in the mix, live either in Henderson or in Summerlin. If kids are not in the mix, then any good neighborhood would do.
We've already been looking at Henderson. It would mean for a longer commute for me, but we're talking 20 minutes. My boss lives in Henderson and loves it. Henderson is also among the top five safest cities in the country, as reported by the FBI.
The kids of course, are a little apprehensive about the move. I won't interrupt a school year and I need to know that we'll be able to make it here as a family before I commit to a move.
However, I'm also prepared for the possibility that I'll be making frequent visits to Tucson for two years. That is not to my liking nor is it to Sheila's, but if there's another boom here in housing prices that is not reflected in Tucson then we'll definitely have to hang on to the house.
Fourth concern.
I'm living in a state with legalized gambling. As related in the previous post, there was a time in my life when I thought gambling was great as hot buttered popcorn and bottled beer, but I don't think that way now. After coming up here for a BTO concert in 2002, I found myself being against legalized gambling for the first time in my life.
What had happened was that I had stayed Downtown, where BTO was playing on a stage set up at Fremont Street between the then Fitzgerald's and the Four Queens. During my time there, I was constantly hit up on by panhandlers. I got tired of it. After the concert, Bob Self made the pronouncement that "The whole town is a trashcan!" and although I was laughing at it, I realized where he was coming from.
That Sunday morning, after gassing up for the return home, I saw this destitute guy walking around in a daze. I'm thinking, this town sure has sure destroyed a lot of people. When I got back to Arizona there was an election later on with three ballot measures seeking to expand Indian gaming in the state.
In the past I would have voted yes on these.
I voted no on all three, since I'm thinking about what I saw in Vegas and also thinking, not in my state.
I do have something of a libertarian streak in me and I believe that a state has the right to legalize gambling. I've done some research as to why Nevada legalized it in 1931, and I want to do a little more reading on this.
As for gambling itself.......I did discover one minor benefit.
I was Downtown yesterday for people-watching, and I stopped off at the Four Queens for a Coors Light. The bartender informed me that if I put ten dollars into the video poker machine that was embedded into the counter right in front of me, he could "comp" me the beer....meaning that it's "free" if you gamble. Otherwise, he'd have to charge me $4.50.
I got to thinking, what's to stop me from leaving the bar before I gamble away the ten dollars? What are they gonna do about it? So I fed ten smackers into the machine and went at it......slowly playing a quarter a hand. I was slow and deliberative in playing my hand. Once I was down to $7.50 in the machine I quit playing, although I pretended to be carefully studying the cards every time the bartender looked over at me.
When I was done, I cashed out.
By my reckoning I paid $2.50 for that beer instead of $4.50, and had a little entertainment along the way.
That is going to be it for now.
After that I was then taken for some briefings on some internal procedures. That was rather painless as that my previous employer had this way of over-engineering the presentation to where it took longer to go thru all of that. Then it was a visit to the company cafeteria, as that the coffee and cookies are free and it's customary for people there to take a coffee break.......I'll say that it's encouraged by management, and hey, if they want me to grab some coffee on their nickel then I'll take it.
At that point it was time to start my new assignment. I was given some reading material on one of our hot projects and ten minutes into reading this I knew that I had made the right choice in accepting their offer. Well, it was the offer I most wanted to get out of the existing possibilities, but it was nice to have that feeling re-confirmed.
I could write a few pages on what we are doing, but company policy will not allow that. No, it's not classified or anything like that; it's that what we're doing is proprietary and the potential for industrial espionage is there. I could name this employer and direct you to their website, but I'm not going to do that. Those family and friends who need to know already know.
I will say this: I am doing the neatest job that I've ever gotten to do in my life! Mark back in San Jose was right when he predicted this. He admitted being tempted to send in a resume to this firm.
* * * * * * *
There is naturally a collection of concerns that one has when undergoing a transition like this. I'm not worried about losing this job or anything like that, even though the industry can be brutal. I think we're the best at what we do so I have confidence in this company.
The concern though is whether or not I will be able to afford a house in the Las Vegas valley. The market here is taking off and the market in Tucson is not. I have heard some chatter that it is picking up in Tucson, but people who want to leave the People's Republic of California are more likely to land in Las Vegas than they are in Tucson. There is no state income tax here and the climate is business-friendly. In Tucson, the city council is doing all they can to discourage business, no doubt a consequence of their left-wing leanings.........meaning that they view all for-profit businesses and corporations as evil, and thus these enterprises must be punished with taxes, fees, and bureaucracy.
The upshot of that means that Tucson is on its way to becoming a retirement community, with only service-oriented industries. The high tech jobs are disappearing. They're going to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, Orlando, Huntsville and other places. So, that translates into a dismal housing market in Tucson.
Now I could sell and get some money out of my house. Not as much as I'd like, of course. The value was nearly doubled in 2004 but when the foreclosure wave emerged prices dropped to 2000 levels....the year that I bought my house.
Las Vegas was hit harder by the bubble burst than most other cities. I think the typical house ran up to $400k and a lot of people moved here from southern California. Then the bubble burst, with Vegas having one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation and those who kept their houses found out that they owed more money on their house than what it was worth (this hit Phoenix metro as well).
The crash here has since happened, but it's picking up again. This new wave started in California, and quickly migrated to over here, and it might be picking up some in Phoenix.
So the big concern here is, will I be able to afford a house here should I sell in Tucson?
* * * * * * *
One option is to keep the house in Tucson and rent it out. I could easily clear a good chunk more in rent than what I'm paying on my mortgage. That scenario of course would mean returning in Tucson when I'm really ready to retire. Sheila loves the house, and I do too. The lot sizes in Vegas though are small....you have to wonder why they don't build rowhouses like you see in Philadelphia and cram 'em in. I personally wish my back yard in Tucson was bigger than it is, but it would be even smaller in Vegas. I might have room for a BBQ grill and a few lounge chairs and that's it.
So the second concern here is, the quality of house I could get here if I could get one.
* * * * * * *
The third concern is the school situation. I had a good chat with the chief of security at my new employer. He said that if kids are in the mix, live either in Henderson or in Summerlin. If kids are not in the mix, then any good neighborhood would do.
We've already been looking at Henderson. It would mean for a longer commute for me, but we're talking 20 minutes. My boss lives in Henderson and loves it. Henderson is also among the top five safest cities in the country, as reported by the FBI.
The kids of course, are a little apprehensive about the move. I won't interrupt a school year and I need to know that we'll be able to make it here as a family before I commit to a move.
However, I'm also prepared for the possibility that I'll be making frequent visits to Tucson for two years. That is not to my liking nor is it to Sheila's, but if there's another boom here in housing prices that is not reflected in Tucson then we'll definitely have to hang on to the house.
* * * * * * *
Fourth concern.
I'm living in a state with legalized gambling. As related in the previous post, there was a time in my life when I thought gambling was great as hot buttered popcorn and bottled beer, but I don't think that way now. After coming up here for a BTO concert in 2002, I found myself being against legalized gambling for the first time in my life.
What had happened was that I had stayed Downtown, where BTO was playing on a stage set up at Fremont Street between the then Fitzgerald's and the Four Queens. During my time there, I was constantly hit up on by panhandlers. I got tired of it. After the concert, Bob Self made the pronouncement that "The whole town is a trashcan!" and although I was laughing at it, I realized where he was coming from.
That Sunday morning, after gassing up for the return home, I saw this destitute guy walking around in a daze. I'm thinking, this town sure has sure destroyed a lot of people. When I got back to Arizona there was an election later on with three ballot measures seeking to expand Indian gaming in the state.
In the past I would have voted yes on these.
I voted no on all three, since I'm thinking about what I saw in Vegas and also thinking, not in my state.
I do have something of a libertarian streak in me and I believe that a state has the right to legalize gambling. I've done some research as to why Nevada legalized it in 1931, and I want to do a little more reading on this.
As for gambling itself.......I did discover one minor benefit.
I was Downtown yesterday for people-watching, and I stopped off at the Four Queens for a Coors Light. The bartender informed me that if I put ten dollars into the video poker machine that was embedded into the counter right in front of me, he could "comp" me the beer....meaning that it's "free" if you gamble. Otherwise, he'd have to charge me $4.50.
I got to thinking, what's to stop me from leaving the bar before I gamble away the ten dollars? What are they gonna do about it? So I fed ten smackers into the machine and went at it......slowly playing a quarter a hand. I was slow and deliberative in playing my hand. Once I was down to $7.50 in the machine I quit playing, although I pretended to be carefully studying the cards every time the bartender looked over at me.
When I was done, I cashed out.
By my reckoning I paid $2.50 for that beer instead of $4.50, and had a little entertainment along the way.
* * * * * * *
That is going to be it for now.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
No.....Not the Whole Town
Yesterday Sheila and I did some driving around and we saw some neighborhoods west of here that we liked. They looked a lot like my neighborhood in Tucson, with the only drawback that I could think of was that it would take me some time to get to work since I'd be further away from the freeway. I'll need to explore a little more of North Las Vegas and Henderson. There's plenty of time for that later on, as that my next few days will be spent making sure that my new digs will have the utilities turned on effective my move-in date of 11/24. I may rent where I'm at now for that whole week in the event that something goes wrong. I'm thinking it might take two trips from "here" to "there" to move the things I've acquired since I arrived here.
Sheila is back in Tucson, and me, I feel like I'm away from home on a business trip, like I've been so many times before. I spent several weeks in San Diego once when I was managing a satellite tracking facility that was set up at Qualcomm. I spent three weeks in the Waco area of Texas providing launch support. I've had three trips to Japan, the middle one being five weeks. I've had more trips to Los Angeles than I can remember. I am no stranger to hotel rooms or long term residence inns, but there is no place like home, and I look forward to being in my own bed Thanksgiving weekend.
A lot of people who know me are somewhat on the envious side that I have a job in Las Vegas and they don't. I know of some people here who really enjoy living here. If I could have one of those houses in a nice neighborhood like I saw yesterday, I could enjoy it here, and not miss my house in Tucson since I would have an equivalent or better one here.
I can understand why someone who doesn't live here would love to vacation here. Las Vegas is famous all the world over; I'm sure due to legalized gambling and the movies that feature this city. In the mid 80s I really wanted to come here bad for a trip to see what it was all about. I got to do that in 1986 and again in 1993, and although I enjoyed it, the reality is that three days in a casino district is enough and you want to be somewhere else.
I might be in the minority here, but I'm thinking that the Las Vegas of the 50s and 60s was in some ways a lot better. The slot machines were mechanical and paid out in coins. I've read where silver dollars circulated here. I'm sure Glitter Gulch, a nickname for Downtown, was quite the exciting place to be. All of that's changed now. In some ways I like the change and in other ways I don't.
I'm sure that Sheila and I will be having lots of date nights Downtown. There are a few places on the Strip that she still wants to check out. She hasn't yet been inside the "Pyramid" (Luxor Hotel). There's still Venice and the Bellagio to check out (I've been to the real ones in Italy). I plan to take her there on her future visits. When the kids come for the weekend, I want them to see the saxophone player Downtown, Carl Ferris, who performs there almost every night. I might just end up being one of the few residents who vacations here from time to time.
As for gambling........a few words here.
There was a time in my life, such as in my early college years, that I thought gambling was great. I wasn't yet 21 but I couldn't wait until I was so that I could go to Nevada and gamble. I saw Nevada as a quick means to make a lot of money real quickly, and to have fun doing it.
At the age of 19 we went to Nebraska, in the summer of 1978, and I remember begging my dad to try out a slot machine since there was this chance of getting a whole lot of free money out of it (we had stopped in Reno for gas). He relented and put in a quarter, or maybe it was a dollar bill, came up empty, and then asked me if I was happy. We were then on our way to Nebraska.
On the return leg of that trip, we had stopped in Winnemucca. I knew that I wasn't old enough, but I really wanted to try out some slot machines that were across the street from where we were staying. I announced my plans.......my dad was going to go ahead and let me learn the lesson while my mom cautioned me to be safe since Nevada has a higher crime rate.
I walked into that casino, acting like I owned the place. I went to the cashier and asked to buy a roll of nickels. She said "good luck to you" as she handed me the roll, and I went on my way to make some free money.....or so I thought.
I went at it with a nickel slot machine. At one point the security guard was looking at me, like maybe I wasn't really old enough to be playing the machine......which I wasn't. I glared back at him with a "you leave me the **** alone!" look and he never came over to challenge me. I continued at it, getting small payouts here and there.
Then I ran out of nickels. They were all gone. After the course of ten minutes or fifteen minutes or whatever it was, I had lost $2.00. I then decided to walk back across to the motel. I felt like I was cheated. The casino was rigged. They cheated me out of two dollars, and I was somewhat torqued over that. The bastards stole that money off of me, and I wasn't going to get it back.
It wasn't until some years later that I gambled again in Nevada, although legally. I probably should tell you some more gambling stories in the posts ahead.
As for whether or not I'm gambling now.........let's just say that as a soon to be resident, I tend to view casinos more for their dining and buffets and people watching more than for anything else.
I can't see the point in gambling, as that it's a good way to be separated from your money.
Sheila is back in Tucson, and me, I feel like I'm away from home on a business trip, like I've been so many times before. I spent several weeks in San Diego once when I was managing a satellite tracking facility that was set up at Qualcomm. I spent three weeks in the Waco area of Texas providing launch support. I've had three trips to Japan, the middle one being five weeks. I've had more trips to Los Angeles than I can remember. I am no stranger to hotel rooms or long term residence inns, but there is no place like home, and I look forward to being in my own bed Thanksgiving weekend.
A lot of people who know me are somewhat on the envious side that I have a job in Las Vegas and they don't. I know of some people here who really enjoy living here. If I could have one of those houses in a nice neighborhood like I saw yesterday, I could enjoy it here, and not miss my house in Tucson since I would have an equivalent or better one here.
I can understand why someone who doesn't live here would love to vacation here. Las Vegas is famous all the world over; I'm sure due to legalized gambling and the movies that feature this city. In the mid 80s I really wanted to come here bad for a trip to see what it was all about. I got to do that in 1986 and again in 1993, and although I enjoyed it, the reality is that three days in a casino district is enough and you want to be somewhere else.
I might be in the minority here, but I'm thinking that the Las Vegas of the 50s and 60s was in some ways a lot better. The slot machines were mechanical and paid out in coins. I've read where silver dollars circulated here. I'm sure Glitter Gulch, a nickname for Downtown, was quite the exciting place to be. All of that's changed now. In some ways I like the change and in other ways I don't.
I'm sure that Sheila and I will be having lots of date nights Downtown. There are a few places on the Strip that she still wants to check out. She hasn't yet been inside the "Pyramid" (Luxor Hotel). There's still Venice and the Bellagio to check out (I've been to the real ones in Italy). I plan to take her there on her future visits. When the kids come for the weekend, I want them to see the saxophone player Downtown, Carl Ferris, who performs there almost every night. I might just end up being one of the few residents who vacations here from time to time.
As for gambling........a few words here.
There was a time in my life, such as in my early college years, that I thought gambling was great. I wasn't yet 21 but I couldn't wait until I was so that I could go to Nevada and gamble. I saw Nevada as a quick means to make a lot of money real quickly, and to have fun doing it.
At the age of 19 we went to Nebraska, in the summer of 1978, and I remember begging my dad to try out a slot machine since there was this chance of getting a whole lot of free money out of it (we had stopped in Reno for gas). He relented and put in a quarter, or maybe it was a dollar bill, came up empty, and then asked me if I was happy. We were then on our way to Nebraska.
On the return leg of that trip, we had stopped in Winnemucca. I knew that I wasn't old enough, but I really wanted to try out some slot machines that were across the street from where we were staying. I announced my plans.......my dad was going to go ahead and let me learn the lesson while my mom cautioned me to be safe since Nevada has a higher crime rate.
I walked into that casino, acting like I owned the place. I went to the cashier and asked to buy a roll of nickels. She said "good luck to you" as she handed me the roll, and I went on my way to make some free money.....or so I thought.
I went at it with a nickel slot machine. At one point the security guard was looking at me, like maybe I wasn't really old enough to be playing the machine......which I wasn't. I glared back at him with a "you leave me the **** alone!" look and he never came over to challenge me. I continued at it, getting small payouts here and there.
Then I ran out of nickels. They were all gone. After the course of ten minutes or fifteen minutes or whatever it was, I had lost $2.00. I then decided to walk back across to the motel. I felt like I was cheated. The casino was rigged. They cheated me out of two dollars, and I was somewhat torqued over that. The bastards stole that money off of me, and I wasn't going to get it back.
It wasn't until some years later that I gambled again in Nevada, although legally. I probably should tell you some more gambling stories in the posts ahead.
As for whether or not I'm gambling now.........let's just say that as a soon to be resident, I tend to view casinos more for their dining and buffets and people watching more than for anything else.
I can't see the point in gambling, as that it's a good way to be separated from your money.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
"The Whole Town's a Trashcan!"
Years ago at a BTO concert in Las Vegas, which is where I am at now, I got to hang around with the band during their meet & greet, and chit-chat with them and with their then merchandise manager, Bob Self. I've known Bob for several years. We knew each other in San Jose, we met again in Vegas, he's now in Colorado and I'm now here back in Vegas. We're still in touch, mainly via the forum on Randy Bachman's website, and we've spoken on the phone as well.
Anyway, this show was on Fremont Street, between the corners of what used to be the Fitzgerald and what is now still the Four Queens. After the show, at one point, Bob's wife asked "Honey, where's the trash can?". Ole Bob, crusty and loveable as he is (he looked like Danny DeVito 25 years ago) said "The whole town's a trashcan!". I still laugh at that; he doesn't remember saying that, and I was with Sheila along Fremont Street earlier this afternoon where I told her this was where Bob called the town a trashcan.
We have been here for two days, and in some ways Bob was right. We were in North Las Vegas apartment hunting yesterday morning and found the place, and we went to the Strip after that. I wanted her to see New York New York, which has that neat inside area with the bars and restaurants. Our being impressed with that area of North Las Vegas though was eclipsed with what else we saw on the Strip.
The Strip isn't anything like it used to be in the mid-80s when I first saw it, and it's changed from when I last saw it in 2008. It seems as if they're demolishing hotels and rebuilding new ones faster than Major League Baseball does with ballparks and as modern as it might look, I really don't like it. I don't like the sleaze factor that you see, and Bob's quote about the whole town being a trash can kept coming back. I told Sheila that too much more of that and I would be wanting to go back to Tucson to retire.
Today we went to Downtown. Both of us saw Fremont Street before they remodeled the whole thing. Both of us are glad in one way that they did it but sad in another way that they did. I've always liked Downtown; and it was nice to stroll up and down Fremont and people-watch. We had a nice buffet at Main Street Station although there's only so much of Fremont Street that you can take too. We figure on being back there from time to time when she comes up to visit. She'll be up for my birthday next month.
As for the move.....today we learned that we got the lease, and I move in on 11/24. The place where I'm at now is functional and will do, but the apartment will be much better and I'll be glad to be out of where I'm at now. There are eating places within walking distance, but once I'm in NLV I plan on eating home cooked meals again.
It will be a spartan existence. I'll be sleeping on an air mattress until I buy a bed and have it delivered. I have no furniture up here so I might be sitting in lawn chairs or a beanbag chair. We don't want to start moving things up here until we're really sure this is where we want to be. I figure that I'll be with this firm for some time, but I'll admit I'm going to see how it all works out with them. My previous employer has gotten worse with how they are treating their people, and I'm hearing similar stories with other companies. I did not sense that with the firm that I'm joining though I do expect that the job will be intense......in a good sort of way.
We think some areas of North Las Vegas are great places to live. We also think the same thing of Henderson. The further you are from the casino districts, the better off you are, and it would be like living in Scottsdale. I'm not sure though if the move will be permanent. The Tucson housing market isn't the greatest right now for a seller, and the market here may pick up again (the bubble burst big here in 2009).
Sheila goes home tomorrow, and I've got four days on my hands where I'm going to have to get inventive on things to do until I start my new job. I might start writing lyrics again, though I also could see exploring the area some. I could do the dam tour, but I think I'll wait until Sheila comes back before I do that. I might drive out to Pahrump to see what's there, or I might go to Rhyolite...which I last saw in 1993.
Las Vegas is known for coin shows and perhaps I should go to one this weekend if there is one going on. There is always something going on here.
But I might also stay in and read, as that Bob's quote might come back to me again if I go out.
Anyway, this show was on Fremont Street, between the corners of what used to be the Fitzgerald and what is now still the Four Queens. After the show, at one point, Bob's wife asked "Honey, where's the trash can?". Ole Bob, crusty and loveable as he is (he looked like Danny DeVito 25 years ago) said "The whole town's a trashcan!". I still laugh at that; he doesn't remember saying that, and I was with Sheila along Fremont Street earlier this afternoon where I told her this was where Bob called the town a trashcan.
We have been here for two days, and in some ways Bob was right. We were in North Las Vegas apartment hunting yesterday morning and found the place, and we went to the Strip after that. I wanted her to see New York New York, which has that neat inside area with the bars and restaurants. Our being impressed with that area of North Las Vegas though was eclipsed with what else we saw on the Strip.
The Strip isn't anything like it used to be in the mid-80s when I first saw it, and it's changed from when I last saw it in 2008. It seems as if they're demolishing hotels and rebuilding new ones faster than Major League Baseball does with ballparks and as modern as it might look, I really don't like it. I don't like the sleaze factor that you see, and Bob's quote about the whole town being a trash can kept coming back. I told Sheila that too much more of that and I would be wanting to go back to Tucson to retire.
Today we went to Downtown. Both of us saw Fremont Street before they remodeled the whole thing. Both of us are glad in one way that they did it but sad in another way that they did. I've always liked Downtown; and it was nice to stroll up and down Fremont and people-watch. We had a nice buffet at Main Street Station although there's only so much of Fremont Street that you can take too. We figure on being back there from time to time when she comes up to visit. She'll be up for my birthday next month.
As for the move.....today we learned that we got the lease, and I move in on 11/24. The place where I'm at now is functional and will do, but the apartment will be much better and I'll be glad to be out of where I'm at now. There are eating places within walking distance, but once I'm in NLV I plan on eating home cooked meals again.
It will be a spartan existence. I'll be sleeping on an air mattress until I buy a bed and have it delivered. I have no furniture up here so I might be sitting in lawn chairs or a beanbag chair. We don't want to start moving things up here until we're really sure this is where we want to be. I figure that I'll be with this firm for some time, but I'll admit I'm going to see how it all works out with them. My previous employer has gotten worse with how they are treating their people, and I'm hearing similar stories with other companies. I did not sense that with the firm that I'm joining though I do expect that the job will be intense......in a good sort of way.
We think some areas of North Las Vegas are great places to live. We also think the same thing of Henderson. The further you are from the casino districts, the better off you are, and it would be like living in Scottsdale. I'm not sure though if the move will be permanent. The Tucson housing market isn't the greatest right now for a seller, and the market here may pick up again (the bubble burst big here in 2009).
Sheila goes home tomorrow, and I've got four days on my hands where I'm going to have to get inventive on things to do until I start my new job. I might start writing lyrics again, though I also could see exploring the area some. I could do the dam tour, but I think I'll wait until Sheila comes back before I do that. I might drive out to Pahrump to see what's there, or I might go to Rhyolite...which I last saw in 1993.
Las Vegas is known for coin shows and perhaps I should go to one this weekend if there is one going on. There is always something going on here.
But I might also stay in and read, as that Bob's quote might come back to me again if I go out.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
The Next Chapter in Life Starts Tomorrow!
It's been a frantic week.
I arrived home from San Jose Wednesday evening. I took I-40 back and drove US 66 in both Barstow and Needles. The stretch from Ludlow to Mountain Springs Road exit I-40 was closed, but I couldn't have driven that and made it back to Tucson that night. I was worn out something good, and immediately had to start preparations for a long stay in Las Vegas.
I have booked a month at a residence inn a mile or so off the Strip. Under Nevada law, if I stay 30 days there then I don't have to pay the 12% tax because then I'm considered a resident. I will be spending some time looking for an apartment and I'm either going to land somewhere near Nellis or I'm going to land in Henderson. Once an address is figured out, I'll apply for a Nevada driver license and get Nevada tags on the truck. I might wait though until early January before I declare myself a resident there.
In addition to all of that, some things around the house decided to start self-destructing. Sheila's pleased as punch with the new dishwasher, but it brought forth a problem that a needed a plumber to fix. Sheila knew the right one. We had to bring him back yesterday when the downstairs toilet started leaking, and while he was there we discovered roots returning to attack my cleanout line. This guy was good; he charged me less than I was prepared to pay, and I told Sheila from here on out he's our plumber.
This afternoon the latch mechanism failed in one of the downstairs doors. I've changed that lock a few times over the years I've owned the house, but this one defied every attempt at home repair. I had to call a locksmith.......and this one was good too! I got off with a $65 repair when I thought I was going to have to pony up two bills. So we have a new locksmith of choice, if we decide to keep the house. If.
The hot tub still needs fixing but that's a future repair.
I needed new tires on my truck, that was taken care of yesterday.
Ring shopping has wrapped up.
With all of the above and lodging stays in California, I am dreading what the credit card balances will be when the bill comes. Fortunately I've got a good pile of money in the bank. I can pay them off in full, but I'm thinking that I'm going to have to apply for a Southwest Airlines Visa to start racking up points. I'll be flying back to Tucson once a month and perhaps driving once a month as well.
I would be lying to you if I told you that all of this was easy. It isn't. The relocation to Tucson was a whole lot easier since I wasn't moving a whole lot of stuff. In fifteen years not only did I buy a house and live in it, I bought things to fill it up. That stuff now has to be moved up to Nevada if we decide later next year that's our new home, or we sell it so it doesn't have to be moved.
The job itself? That I'm not worried about. It literally is an area of engineering where I can make a difference that's going to benefit the planet. It is advanced technology, innovative, and it's something that not everyone gets to work on. It's better than being a satellite engineer, which I once was. I'll be working on spacecraft. It's going to be challenging. It's also going to be a great deal of fun. And, I'll be living in a city where most folks in the rest of the world want to visit. I will actually get to live there.
Yes, I'm going to miss Tucson. I'm going to miss a lot of the people here, even if over the next six months I'm back here. I'm going to miss some fabulous Mexican restaurants and the southern Arizona attractions.
But I'll tell you what is really great.
I have a fiancée who has literally surpassed every girl of my dreams that I could possibly have dreamt up. She's been a wonderful source of support. She's encouraging me to go forward with this venture. She's prepared for a relocation to Nevada. And she's going to become my wife early next year. I'm getting two wonderful kids as part of the package too.
I'm now going to sign.
Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat.
I arrived home from San Jose Wednesday evening. I took I-40 back and drove US 66 in both Barstow and Needles. The stretch from Ludlow to Mountain Springs Road exit I-40 was closed, but I couldn't have driven that and made it back to Tucson that night. I was worn out something good, and immediately had to start preparations for a long stay in Las Vegas.
I have booked a month at a residence inn a mile or so off the Strip. Under Nevada law, if I stay 30 days there then I don't have to pay the 12% tax because then I'm considered a resident. I will be spending some time looking for an apartment and I'm either going to land somewhere near Nellis or I'm going to land in Henderson. Once an address is figured out, I'll apply for a Nevada driver license and get Nevada tags on the truck. I might wait though until early January before I declare myself a resident there.
In addition to all of that, some things around the house decided to start self-destructing. Sheila's pleased as punch with the new dishwasher, but it brought forth a problem that a needed a plumber to fix. Sheila knew the right one. We had to bring him back yesterday when the downstairs toilet started leaking, and while he was there we discovered roots returning to attack my cleanout line. This guy was good; he charged me less than I was prepared to pay, and I told Sheila from here on out he's our plumber.
This afternoon the latch mechanism failed in one of the downstairs doors. I've changed that lock a few times over the years I've owned the house, but this one defied every attempt at home repair. I had to call a locksmith.......and this one was good too! I got off with a $65 repair when I thought I was going to have to pony up two bills. So we have a new locksmith of choice, if we decide to keep the house. If.
The hot tub still needs fixing but that's a future repair.
I needed new tires on my truck, that was taken care of yesterday.
Ring shopping has wrapped up.
With all of the above and lodging stays in California, I am dreading what the credit card balances will be when the bill comes. Fortunately I've got a good pile of money in the bank. I can pay them off in full, but I'm thinking that I'm going to have to apply for a Southwest Airlines Visa to start racking up points. I'll be flying back to Tucson once a month and perhaps driving once a month as well.
I would be lying to you if I told you that all of this was easy. It isn't. The relocation to Tucson was a whole lot easier since I wasn't moving a whole lot of stuff. In fifteen years not only did I buy a house and live in it, I bought things to fill it up. That stuff now has to be moved up to Nevada if we decide later next year that's our new home, or we sell it so it doesn't have to be moved.
The job itself? That I'm not worried about. It literally is an area of engineering where I can make a difference that's going to benefit the planet. It is advanced technology, innovative, and it's something that not everyone gets to work on. It's better than being a satellite engineer, which I once was. I'll be working on spacecraft. It's going to be challenging. It's also going to be a great deal of fun. And, I'll be living in a city where most folks in the rest of the world want to visit. I will actually get to live there.
Yes, I'm going to miss Tucson. I'm going to miss a lot of the people here, even if over the next six months I'm back here. I'm going to miss some fabulous Mexican restaurants and the southern Arizona attractions.
But I'll tell you what is really great.
I have a fiancée who has literally surpassed every girl of my dreams that I could possibly have dreamt up. She's been a wonderful source of support. She's encouraging me to go forward with this venture. She's prepared for a relocation to Nevada. And she's going to become my wife early next year. I'm getting two wonderful kids as part of the package too.
I'm now going to sign.
Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Barstow, CA, 11/4/14
Greetings from Barstow, CA! I started my drive home to Tucson this morning and decided to take I-40 on the way back. I felt too tired to push on to Needles, so I stopped here while there was still some daylight left. I exited CA 58 at Main Street, which is the old 66, and I think I will do one more drive down Main Street before the Interstate again as that it's neat seeing these old motels dedicated to the 66 buff.
It is tempting to jump off of I-40 at Ludlow and to repeat that stretch between there and Needles, but that would make for a longer day......and besides, Sheila's not with me to help me enjoy it. I did feel a sense of joy taking Main Street in instead of I-15. I think the old 66 is a neat road, whether you're on the main drag of a small town or out in the middle of the desert.
The start date of my new job is 11/17. I will be in Tucson for just a few days, before leaving for Las Vegas on Sunday. Sheila is riding up with me and flying back to Tucson on Wednesday night. The hope is to have a new apartment located and rented, but I anticipate staying in an extended stay inn for two weeks or so while I wait for utilities to be turned on. I will drive home for Thanksgiving and for Christmas, and with each return to my new digs I'll haul more things up in my truck.
I will not be able to say very much about my new job. Although I could identify my new employer, what we're working on is of a proprietary nature. Yes, you could read about it on their website as well as in some trade publications, but you won't read about it here.
I'm watching election returns on Fox News as I type this. They are projecting that the Republicans will take control of the Senate, with at least 52 seats. This isn't really a surprise, and it's not a final number until the Louisiana runoff, but no matter how you slice this it's a reflection of voter anger.
Some eck-spurts are saying that it's a referendum on incumbency, but Republican incuments seem to be doing very well as I type this (with the exception of the Kansas Governor). I think voters are just plain angry at the White House.
Ebola's been deliberately imported into the country, and the President is refusing to follow the lead of several nations overseas who have closed their borders to the Ebola countries. Putin has invaded the Ukraine. ISIS terrorists are beheading American and British journalists. Health care coverage is being dropped for more people and those who still have it are facing stiffer premiums.
The Great Leader Messiah isn't leading, but is often seen smiling while riding his girlie bike and wearing mom jeans.
Yes, this is a referendum on Obama.
The big question here is, are the Republicans capable of recognizing it? Are they going to stop Obama? Or are they going to roll over for him, like they have done for the last six years?
The Democrats have demonstrated that they shouldn't be allowed to remain in charge and the Republicans have not demonstrated that they should be trusted to take their place.
In the meantime, look for an Imperial Presidency that hasn't been seen since the days of Nixon.
I'm now going to call it a night.
It is tempting to jump off of I-40 at Ludlow and to repeat that stretch between there and Needles, but that would make for a longer day......and besides, Sheila's not with me to help me enjoy it. I did feel a sense of joy taking Main Street in instead of I-15. I think the old 66 is a neat road, whether you're on the main drag of a small town or out in the middle of the desert.
* * * * * * *
The start date of my new job is 11/17. I will be in Tucson for just a few days, before leaving for Las Vegas on Sunday. Sheila is riding up with me and flying back to Tucson on Wednesday night. The hope is to have a new apartment located and rented, but I anticipate staying in an extended stay inn for two weeks or so while I wait for utilities to be turned on. I will drive home for Thanksgiving and for Christmas, and with each return to my new digs I'll haul more things up in my truck.
I will not be able to say very much about my new job. Although I could identify my new employer, what we're working on is of a proprietary nature. Yes, you could read about it on their website as well as in some trade publications, but you won't read about it here.
* * * * * * *
I'm watching election returns on Fox News as I type this. They are projecting that the Republicans will take control of the Senate, with at least 52 seats. This isn't really a surprise, and it's not a final number until the Louisiana runoff, but no matter how you slice this it's a reflection of voter anger.
Some eck-spurts are saying that it's a referendum on incumbency, but Republican incuments seem to be doing very well as I type this (with the exception of the Kansas Governor). I think voters are just plain angry at the White House.
Ebola's been deliberately imported into the country, and the President is refusing to follow the lead of several nations overseas who have closed their borders to the Ebola countries. Putin has invaded the Ukraine. ISIS terrorists are beheading American and British journalists. Health care coverage is being dropped for more people and those who still have it are facing stiffer premiums.
The Great Leader Messiah isn't leading, but is often seen smiling while riding his girlie bike and wearing mom jeans.
Yes, this is a referendum on Obama.
The big question here is, are the Republicans capable of recognizing it? Are they going to stop Obama? Or are they going to roll over for him, like they have done for the last six years?
The Democrats have demonstrated that they shouldn't be allowed to remain in charge and the Republicans have not demonstrated that they should be trusted to take their place.
In the meantime, look for an Imperial Presidency that hasn't been seen since the days of Nixon.
* * * * * * *
I'm now going to call it a night.
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