Latestarter's ramblings/musings/gripes and grumbles.

[Latestarter]

Well... it's kinda like you trying to explain to DD1 about her issues with animals and meat/dairy products... she's kinda got it locked in her head that this is what she wants to do and no amount of rational/reasoning/facts/analysis is going to sway her. I mean I sent her links to info on just about all of that stuff. She's working on finishing her Masters and wants to teach where the salaries are highest. From her searches, she comes up with Houston. She did ask about Arlington Heights as well, but that's like right square between Dallas and Fort Worth... I mean you can't get much more big city (and all its negatives) squeeze than that.

There are some rather large towns (suburbs) surrounded by country just outside the metroplex to the east and SE that have newer school systems, state of the art equipment, high school grades (quality), very good pay... maybe not the highest in the state (Houston) but very close (like within less than a grand/yr), and these are basically "bedroom communities" for the folks who commute into Dallas every day but don't want to live in the big city. So they want their kids to have good schools.

Rockwall (city/county) is growing at a rapid rate and their school district is rated 39th out of the top 100 in the state. I'm located in the Chapel Hill ISD and it's rated as #80 out of the top 100. This according to nisch.com, and their 2017 best school districts in TX. Starting at #1 and going down, they virtually all are located in and around Dallas/Fort Worth then moving out from there.

I'll show her some of this data while she's here. I'm hoping next summer they come stay for a while and I can watch the kids while they tour around and see what's available and what will work best for them.

 

[AClark]

I can sure see the sandblasting issue with big wind. We don't have that problem. How do you keep paint on houses and vehicles?

It ruins vehicle paint. My house is brick, so no issues with house paint, but my poor truck has pits and stuff in the paint. Stucco is a popular house choice here, it tends to stay painted longer than most stuff.

My 84 dodge is almost literally stripped from spending all it's life out west, it's sandblasted off in most places (all the silver is primer now because it was bare metal)

 

[Devonviolet]

She's working on finishing her Masters and wants to teach where the salaries are highest.

Since money is the only important thing, for her, maybe if you work up a comparison chart showing the high cost of living & what is left over (from her salary) at the end of the month, compared to where the cost of living is less. Then, point out the benefits for the family, from living in a less surburban area. Maybe a comparison chart might help there as well.

 

[Bruce]

If she's all about money, why is she going into teaching? Much higher salaries in other fields like engineering

 

[Devonviolet]

Good point, Bruce!

 

[NH homesteader]

@Latestarter you see our team today?

 

[Baymule]

As someone who was raised in Houston I can tell her to STAY THE HELL OUTA THERE! The cost of housing is unreal. my niece bought an old house in an old neighborhood for over half a million. It was a nice neighborhood 40 years ago, then went downhill. She calls it a transitioning neighborhood, I just call it the hood. If a house in Houston doesn't have a cracked slab, it just got built and the slab will crack soon. Houston.

 

[Ferguson K]

I agree!

 

[SherryV]

@Latestarter you see our team today?

Yes, that means $0.89 Dunkin in the AM.

 

[Latestarter]

Yup, I watched it and was happy Not a high scoring game and there are still some issues that need cleaning up, but they did what they had to do.