Many thanks to member, Out of AZ, for recently posting this invaluable, honest look at how life really is in Arizona. I wanted to be sure everyone got a chance to read it, so enjoy!
I lived in the Phoenix area of AZ for eight years and just moved back to CO this summer. There are definitely negatives about anywhere, but there seems to be more in Phoenix than most. I’ve lived in NY, CA, CO, and NE and AZ is definitely the worst of all the places I’ve been.
For the nation’s fifth biggest city, there is absolutely nothing to do. You can go to one of 1235 shopping malls around the valley to escape the heat or go watch a movie, but you can do that anywhere in the country. You can go to an indoor baseball game if you can afford it. If you don’t have a swimming pool, your time in Phoenix will be miserable. If you do have a pool, expect crazy APS/SRP electric bills due to the pool and 24-hour air conditioning your house will need to keep it livable.
Your car will take a beating, the heat notwithstanding, but also the AZ drivers that you’ll drive defensively to avoid slamming into. Constant road construction is also a negative. There is approximately 15 miles of valley freeway closed every weekend for construction.
The job scene isn’t all that great. Not only is this place a right-to-work (more like right-to-get-fired-for-no-reason) state, the economy is heavily dependent on construction, which has all but ceased to exist right now.
There are like 21236 strip malls in Phoenix that look exactly like the 21235 others in the area. Same stores, same restaurants, same landscaping. It’s pretty hellish. And now, roughly half of most of the strip malls stand empty because of Arizona’s economy (and the broader US economy as well).
There’s no culture here. I’m not kidding. The best Mexican food here comes from chain restaurants. Or at least that’s what most Phoenicians think. Most Phoenicians love spending long weekends in Mexico but look down on Mexicans, Mexican food, and Mexican culture. Any other culture? Forget it, the best Italian food in the valley is at Olive Garden, the best Chinese is at Panda Express. For a metro area with a population over 4 million, it’s pretty pathetic.
The homes/neighborhoods/cities all look the same. Stucco brown boxes with eight tons of crushed rock in the front yard. You don’t know if you are in Ahwatukee, Tempe, Peoria or Chandler. It’s all the same.
I don’t know about public schools, I don’t have kids. But I will say that if you really think you’re going to receive a world-class education in a college with 70,000 others like at ASU or by paying tens of thousands for a degree people may or may not take seriously like at University of Phoenix, this may be a good place.
Phoenix is a waste. Truly. They waste water for miles of grass for golf courses or huge resorts. There are fountains and fake lakes everywhere. It’s great if you want to live near a body of green water so you can be eaten alive by mosquitoes. They waste electricity. How else do you justify living in a town that can get upwards of 120 degrees?
Phoenix is a demonstration of human accomplishment and hubris all at once. The fact that you can take a desolate, uninhabitable desert and turn it into the nation’s fifth-largest city shows what we can accomplish as a society. But for what purpose? So your kids can stay indoors for six months watching tv and playing video games because it’s too hot to play outside. So you can drive in your air conditioned car to your air conditioned office and back to your air conditioned home. So you can earn less money than most people doing the same job in the rest of the country. All this, with fluctuating real estate values, increasing crime, decreasing job opportunities, it’s all reason to stay out of Phoenix.
OMG, do I agree with you! The funny thing is, I live in Tucson, which is just one big ghetto and have always thought Phoenix was the nicer, bigger city.
I was born and raised here (which is the reason why I think Phx is great) and until I hit 18, things were okay. Then I became a legal adult and realized this place sucks. ASU’s rival, U of A is here and you would think for a college town, there would be places for young adults. Not unless you’re in a frat. Downtown can be fairly interesting, as long as you aren’t by yourself and South Tucson has the best Mexican restaurants, which again, do not venture by yourself.
Tucson claims to be bike friendly, which we aren’t. We’re not like Denver, in which you literally don’t need a car (and this from friends who own cars). I don’t have a car and our bus system only goes so far, which is not far enough. Amazing for the number one rated bus system in the state (on the account that Phx and another one absolutely suck)
It’s so strange to me that people from all over come here and think it’s the best state ever. They obviously didn’t get the memo that we are the LOWEST paying state in the country, I believe. I mean, just one, two years ago we finally went from $5.15 to $6 as our minimum wage, when other places went from $6 to $8.
I’m so glad I’m not the only person to feel this way. My friends do, of course, but they have also lived in other cities; I’ve lived here for all the 30 years of my life and it literally is ‘the place people come to die’.
Thanks for proving me right.
Best article I have ever read about Arizona. SPOT ON!!!!
This is very accurate. I have never seen a town that has so many lousy companies all on the edge of going under. Everyone I meet here has a job history of multiple companies for a few months at a time. My resume consisted of employment durations of 5 years and more until I moved here. I have had 3 jobs now in 2 years time. No job in Phoenix seems to last more than 6-9 months. The companies all go under or lay you off or are crooked. I have now run into all three. People I talk to that have lived here for years all say its just the way it is here. My last position consisted of interviewing hiring and training a staff. I saw so many dissillusioned jaded people show up to interview. They had this attitude like well what skeletons does this company have. Now I understand why they all feel this way. This place is nothing but scam artists and losers. Show me a company in Phoenix and most likely its got issues and wont be stable.
Just got offered another loser paying job in Arizona. Why does every job here pay 30K. per year. Doesnt this town realize that 30K isnt a living wage. Jesus my dad made 40K in the 1970’s with no college education. This place is retarded.
You have it pretty damn accurate! I am a proud New Yorker who, for some reason or another, decided to attend ASU for college. Now I’m in my final year and am eager to return back to the east coast. Over the past 4 years I have really come to realize how lacking of any real culture Arizona is. As you mentioned, people praise the weather, but the majority of people spend most of their time indoors. The food here is absolutely horrible! Even though I spent my first year in the dorms, I never had a meal plan so I always had to rely on either cooking or finding good restaurants. Didn’t take long before I found out that there are very few. Everyone here seriously think that the best food comes from massive chains like P.F. Changs and other crap. After much research and trial and error I have found a few places I have come to enjoy (if you want mexican, try Los Taquitos!), but I find myself eating them too frequently due to a lack of other options. Well, only a few more months until I can go back to enjoying 4 seasons, cultured people, and amazing food!
This is truly a great commentary on Arizona. I’ll add my experience about AZ public schools. First my father was a public school teacher, so I originally had no problems with the idea of putting my kid in a public school. However, when it came time, I started researching the schools in my area. Wow, what a mess! The schools were poorly rated, over-populated with students and understaffed with teachers, and generally underfunded, courtesy of the fundie Mormon-dominated legislature. I went to a couple of schools and checked them out, personally interviewed staff and watched the goings-on. At one I saw kids wandering around unattended in the parking lot after school. At the same school there was a school employee shrieking at the kids. At a school near my house I talked to the principal. I asked about the “no gang colors” rule at the school (this was an elementary school — my child was starting kindergarten). I said “do you really have an issue with kindergarteners in gangs?” (facetiously). She said, “it’s not the kids, it’s their parents we have problems with.” Yikes! I thought — no way my kid’s going to school with the kids of gang-bangers, no thank you! In addition to which, it was impossible to find a school that could afford to have all the 5 year olds in all-day kindergarten, which studies have shown to be the most beneficial. AZ so underprioritizes education it’s not funny. I would like to see some discussion on here about the legislature which is dominated by old-school Mormons who believe that the state shouldn’t be educating kids; this is one HUGE issue with educational funding in AZ.
Well, AZSUX, like most everything in this state. It all comes under the umbrella of a thing called APATHY!! People here are indifferent and really don’t care(take a good look at the graffitti in both Phoenix and Tucson!!)about their community. The state seems to want to cut corners. Even if it means cutting their own throat. As for education, it’s not what you learn, it is if you just attend. For example, I have a friend who was born and raised in Tucson. He told me there was a time not to long ago before AIMS was introduced into the system that you could actually go to a math class in high school and get credit for playing video games and playing guitar. The teacher made no effort to educate the students in the subject he was supposed to teach. In addition to this, there are many teachers in all the public schools who are emergency certified. This means that there is such a shortage of talented teachers due to the indifference of administrators and also the poor pay.(highest payed teacher in Tucson only makes 28,000 a year. Takes 8 years to earn 32,000) Emergency certified quite simply means one could have a culinary arts degree and this would qualify him to teach algebra. Scary, but true. Same rule applies to teachers as it does students: If you just show up, that’s all that matters.
I have also lived in AZ, CA, TX, NY, FL and now CO. I spent 11 years in AZ.
First, I will point out the good things about AZ:
1. The thunderstorms during the monsoons are very cool. And the smell of the desert after a rain storm is really amazing.
2. The mountains in Northern AZ are a great retreat. Flagstaff is kinda cool too.
3. Tucson is a fun place to go to college. You can be poor and it’s no big deal. Everyone else is poor too. LOL I did my undergrad, masters and doctorate there. Had a great time riding a bike everywhere and never wearing shoes. Good hippie vibe for the students. Good food in South Tucson too. You don’t have to worry about getting a good job while in school, because there are no good jobs. With expectations being so low you can just kick back and study and not participate in the rat race for many years.
4. The Southern part of the state, such as Sonoita, Bisbee, Tombstone, etc…, has some cool places to check out. The vineyards are kinda neat. $5 will get you a pass that will allow you to sample wine from several vineyards. Bring a driver!
5. The old Barrio in Southern Tucson and the central areas of Phoenix have a few old beautiful buildings. Definitely worth checking out. San Xavier Del Bac South of Tucson is definitely one of the more interesting historical buildings in North America. I think it was built in the 1600’s.
Now for the bad:
1. The economy. Many people have pointed out the problems with Arizona’s economy on this board. I hate to beat a dead horse, but the fact is that this is one area where the State of Arizona really deserves to be kicked around a little. I can tell you from first hand experience that the economy in Arizona is seriously, seriously bad. The number of high-paying, professional jobs are extraordinarily limited for a city the size of Phoenix. And because there are so few good jobs available, the wages are ALWAYS going to be significantly lower compared to similar positions in other cities. And it doesn’t really matter if you happen to be one of the fortunate few who manages to land a great job… you still have to live in a place that is very poor compared to most places in the US. This lack of community wealth will effect your quality of life overall. It has to. Your choices for everything from shopping to entertainment will be negatively impacted because so few people in AZ have enough personal wealth to sustain companies that offer higher-end goods and services.
2. The arts. The lack of culture is truly stunning, especially considering the size of Phoenix. If you like the arts, forget about AZ. The options are limited to say the least and the few venues that exist often run second-rate shows and concerts. Once in a while something decent comes to town, but the people in AZ and particularly Phoenix simply don’t support the arts. That’s why there are no world-class museums or galleries there. The people in PHX always talk about the “Native American” art galleries in Scottsdale, but honestly, compared Santa Fe for example, Phoenix has very little to offer. And if your interest in the arts extends beyond Native American art, you can completely forget about it.
3. Transportation. AZ has adopted the model of building more roads to encourage people to drive EVERYWHERE! If you don’t absolutely love sitting in your car for hours while it’s 110 degrees outside, you will be miserable in AZ. They finally built a very limited light-rail system in Phoenix, but it was met with considerable resistance and the plans to expand it are so conservative that it will be decades, if ever, before it could actually function as an alternative to driving. The State Senator in charge of transportation funding for AZ was quoted as saying that “Light-rail is a plan by rich people to get the poor people out of their cars so that they can have the roads all to themselves.” That should give you some idea of the AZ legislature’s position on public transportation. They revile it and it’s practically non-existent.
4. Politics. Jesus Christ, the leadership in AZ at the state and local levels is criminally incompetent. The legislature can’t pass a viable budget to save their lives, and even facing a 41% shortfall in 2010 they refuse to raise taxes even one penny. Now I understand that nobody likes paying taxes, but when you can’t pay for essential infrastructure and public services you need to raise taxes! Their response has been to slash and burn everything from education to infrastructure, leaving no area of government services unmarred, save prisons. That’s right, the only thing they are increasing funding for is their prisons. I guess that makes sense… I suppose when you don’t fund education, you probably should fund prisons.
5. Education. With the proposed cuts to the 2010 budget, AZ will be ranked #50 for per-pupil education spending at the K-12 level. This translates into AZ having some of the worst school systems in the United States. Even the best schools in AZ would be considered marginal to fair in a state that actually cares about funding education. I personally have experienced a noticeable difference in the quality of the facilities, teachers and curriculum between my daughters previous school in AZ and her current school here in CO. There simply is no comparison. AZ schools are terrible. Simply terrible. Even at the university level, AZ’s crazy legislature is managing to tear down 100 years of tradition by dramatically underfunding and overextending the state’s university system. All three major universities are experiencing draconian cuts and subsequently losing talented professors and graduate students. The “brain drain” that is currently underway will take decades to repair if it ever is.
6. Weather. I’m sorry, but anyone who tells you that AZ has great weather has spent too much time in the sun. 110 degrees is not nice weather. Anything above 90 degrees is not nice weather. It’s HOT! And AZ has nearly 8 months out of the year that are entirely too hot. The summers are the antithesis of pleasant. They are excruciatingly miserable and extraordinarily long. Plan on spending 5-6 months out of the year locked in your house with the AC pumping full blast 24 hours a day. In Phoenix in July, it can be 102 degrees at midnight. It’s awful. The lack of seasons becomes oppressive over time and you will learn to long for rain. People in AZ get excited when they see rain. It’s an event! The oppressive heat and dry, dusty winds will wear you down. It’s just awful.
7. The people. There are basically three types of people in AZ. There are those who were born there, never left, and think hell is normal. There are those who moved there from somewhere more pleasant, recognized it as hell and are trying to escape. And there are those who moved there because they hate other people and want to live in isolation from their communities and neighbors. The first group you kind of have to feel sorry for. They just don’t realize that poverty is not normal. They think nothing of wearing ratty clothes, driving ratty cars and living in run-down neighborhoods because that’s their norm. These are the people who wear tennis shoes with slacks and don’t tuck in their shirts when they have a tie on. They have my sympathy. The second group, well, you really have to feel sorry for them. They are stuck in that hellhole and trying desperately to get out. Many of them were attracted by the lies told by the state government about the wonderful “opportunities” in AZ. Many moved there because of job relocation and shortly thereafter found themselves unemployed and broke. Some went there for college and ended up getting stuck. No matter the reason, they all have the same desire to move someplace else and as fast as possible. I wish them luck. They don’t deserve to be trapped in that awful place. The final group is the group that we should all despise. These are the people who retired from their job and left their kids in Minnesota in order to move to AZ and get out of the “bad” weather. These people hate living. They hate taxes and everything that taxes pay for. Their kids went to school in the Midwest, so they have no use for funding schools in AZ. They don’t want to know their neighbors. They don’t want the government to serve any other function beyond building a road from their house to the Walgreens. They are a pathetic, miserable lot who are all waiting to die. But they vote! And so the government is mostly geared towards keeping these people happy. Hence the terrible… well… everything.
8. The “laid-back” mentality. Okay, it’s one thing to be “laid-back” about life. It’s another thing completely to be “living sloppy” as I like to call it. AZ is full of non-performers and lazy people who do shoddy work, live marginal lives and under-perform in everything they do. Anytime you ever have to interact with someone in AZ, just plan on getting frustrated and receiving lousy service. It’s the norm there. And it doesn’t matter if you are buying a soda at Circle K, hiring a plumber or paying an attorney. The service is going to suck and the quality of their work is going to be poor. Get used to it. It’s ubiquitous. In AZ, they take pride in this sort of thing. I know an attorney who wears flip-flops and shorts to the office. He says he is “relaxed.” I think he’s just a classless, under-performing, typical Arizonan. His clients seem to think it’s normal to have an attorney that respects them so little that he shows up to meetings in flip flops. Like I said, it’s the norm.
9. Crime. Arizona has serious issues with crime. Particularly now that the Mexican Drug Cartels are operating openly throughout the state. Phoenix is the #2 city in the world for kidnappings now. They must be proud. AZ leads the nation for property crime, drug violence, auto thefts, etc… And they have a crazy sheriff in Maricopa County who thinks it’s more important to round up Mexican Janitors at City Hall in the middle of the night than it is to serve warrants and catch serious criminals. That’s not to say that illegal immigration doesn’t contribute to the criminal activity, it does. But the illegals who find jobs as janitors aren’t the problem. And Sheriff “Joe” as they like to call him in AZ is so focused on the media attention and self-glorification that he fails miserably at protecting the citizens of his county. But the people in AZ love Sheriff “Joe.” They reelect that idiot time and time again. Like I said earlier, under-performing is the norm. No reason that law enforcement should be an exception…
10. It’s dirty. AZ is dirty. Really dirty. The cities are filthy places with garbage strewn streets and no community pride whatsoever. People there think it’s normal to pile trash in the streets. It’s actually disgusting in some cities. Tucson stopped picking up street trash altogether citing funding problems as the reason. I guess that the people there would rather live in piles of garbage than pay a couple bucks more in taxes. You can’t drive down the road anywhere in AZ without seeing trash on both sides of the street. It’s everywhere and by all indications the people there are perfectly fine with it.
In sum, let me say that if you are thinking about moving to AZ for any reason, reconsider your plans. If you are in AZ and you think it’s too hot, the politicians are crazy and you are too smart to work in a call center, consider CO. I love it here! And if you are in AZ and think life is great there, please for God’s sake don’t move to CO because we don’t want people like you voting in our elections. Good luck!
Weather. You get about a month of good weather. There are roughly two weeks in spring, two weeks in fall unless you’re up north. Otherwise you’ve been baked to shit for so long 50 degrees is freezing cold. Plus people get cranky in the winter months, you go to work it’s dark- you come back it’s dark- at work there are few windows in order to keep the AC cost down in the summer. The ungodly amount of sun we get during the summer is just enough vitamin D to keep us all from blowing our brains out. In the winter we’re all too cold to be able to pull the trigger. Plus we can’t afford the ammo after filling up our quads, lifting our trucks and getting drunk every night. Or buying some queer ass $6000 road bike. Why are road bikes so popular in AZ? Pedro wants to know.
first of all…on the topic of weather compared to many places especially on the east side of the country..phoenix is the shit.if you think the weather here sucks try dealing with 300..yes 300 inches of snow a year and about 30 actual sunny days..then we will talk about being depressed and shooting yourself..who complains about too much sun? ive found that 120 degree days are pretty intense but you get acclimated to it..shoveling your car out of a ditch in 20 below zero isnt something to ever get used to..on other notes theirs actual jobs here unlike the deserted industrial town i was from and its extremely cheap living here..
it comes down to the fact that most people probably including you have nothing better to do then explain all the reasons you hate where you live..when in reality you might actually appreciate it more if you got off your ass and did something with yourself…theirs good and bad anywhere in the world..it doesnt matter where..its easy for us to point out the negative and disregard the positive things..so i suggest to my friend is to change your perspective and appreciate what you have..if this is trouble at no cost ill come punch you in the face and maybe that will help. cheers.
also..to the “exarizonian” we are glad you left..you sound like an extremely depressing and miserable person anyway.
Luke, you are an extremely ignorant person. You don’t understand the purpose of this blog. True, there are good and bad in every state, but a little more worse so in this state as opposed to other states. You might have a ton of snow where you are from, but is it a Right to Work state? Can your homestate fire anyone at any time for no reason like here in AZ? Is your homestate have emergency certified teachers and ranks at number 50 in education? Does your state have a law like here in AZ called HB2011, which states a teacher can be fired at anytime and have their wage reduced at anytime? And does your legislature continue to underfund everything in site? Sure, the weather is nice from October to April, but it is 100+ degrees in the summer time and there is a thing called the “monsoons” where it’s just as humid as hot, yeah, people do complain. You really need to live here to truly understand. So do your research Jack!!!!!
I don’t think he can probably acclimated by now which in Arizona means (Baked in Sun too long). Arizona does suck
I don’t understand why people complain about low pay job. I have lived here for almost 3 years and my annual income is over $100k. I also have bonus and stocks. Try Boeing, Honeywell, First Solar and Intel if you cannot find a decent job here.
May be you have poor education, that can explain why.
Didnt you just post the same broken English comment on a previous Blog?
Luke,
I am quite happy where I live now. Enjoy yourself there in AZ. It sounds like you are perfect for that place!
Where do people get this illusion that its extremely cheap to live here. That my have been the case in 1980 but not now. The only thing cheaper and not by much is gasoline, thats it. Groceries, the same.. Rent, the same.. Utilities…. more in some cases (dont run that air or you wont like the bill)… Entertainment, the same..
Now Salaries, thats another matter alltogether… Salaries are low, way low… Get low, way low.
The truth about Phoenix is the Rich control it all, the poor work for nothing and the people in between better just leave.
PHOENIX — State and university employees could wind up with IOUs in their pay envelopes instead of checks in February if the planned sale of state buildings hits a snag, state Treasurer Dean Martin warned Monday.
And that could leave worker with a piece of paper that won’t help them buy food for their families, pay the mortgage or heat their homes.
Martin told legislators that by the end of January the state will have borrowed about $1.1 billion to pay its bills. The total amount Martin has available, both internally and from Bank of America, is $1.2 billion.
But the state is obligated to make a payment of about $325 million to public schools on Feb. 1.
What’s supposed to happen around the third or fourth week of January, Martin said, is the state will sell off — at least in title only — a dozen state buildings in exchange for at least $737 million. Martin said that will provide enough operating capital to keep the state going and, more important, to ensure that the payroll checks and bill payments that are sent out are good.
“Should that not happen, should there be a hiccup, a sneeze, something, anything gets lost in the mail, we will not be able to make the February school payment,’’ Martin said.
“There’s just not enough cash,’’ he continued. “The credit cards are maxed out, you’re at your limit.’’
That leaves him only one legal option for paying those to whom the state owes money: IOUs.
“They’ll get a note saying, ‘We’ll give you the money on this date,’ up to 90 days’’ in the future.
Ok Peter North(isn’t that the pornstar who died of AIDS?). You have a specialized skill in a certain area. Not everyone can work for intel or boeing. Typical rude Californian. The rest of us need a decent living and how can education come to play in this when Arizona has the worst education system in the US?
I made the terrible mistake of moving to Tempe from Rhode Island in November 2007. I found a decent job easily (I’m in the hotel/resort industry) but got laid off in May and haven’t been able to find any kind of a job since. I can’t even get a ladscaping job because the landscaping company owners will only hire Mexicans because they can pay them $6/hour under the table, or a daily rate of $50 for 12 hours of work. If they get hurt on the job, they won’t sue because they’re illegal.
Forget bout driving. I got two bogus tickets in the course of a month from those ridiculous radar cameras. My already ridiculously high insurance rate ($135 per month with a perfect record) went up $110 per month and now I can’t afford to drive. I lost my apartment when the measly $265 per week unemployment check took 3 months to come.
Thanks to Arizona, I’m 34 years old and living with my parents. I’m broke, unemployed, and my girlfriend dumped me because she thinks I’m a loser.
Thanks, Arizona.
You talk about under-performing on the job in Arizona. I’m in the hotel/hospitality industry. I’m a food and beverage manager by trade. I’m currently unemployed. (Who isn’t?)
I’m originally from Rhode Island. We appreciate our tourists and guests and treat them like gold. When I got a job in an Scottsdale resort, I was appalled at how the employees behave. They treat their guests like shit, shirk their job duties, and generally just don’t give a shit.
What’s worse, they get rewarded and promoted for doing a shitty job. I came in and showed I cared and wanred to do a great job, and I was ostracized and told by many of the loser employees to stop “showboating” because then the owners would expect all of the employees to work that hard.
Well, how dare I do my job? The competition is so fierce in Rhode Island for these jobs, you have to be good at what you do. The attitude here is lackadaisical and uncaring. No wonder people travel here once for vacation and never come back!
Very true Chris. And not only that, but waiting at the drive thru to get a burger and fries can take up to an hour just to get served. Then you get the wrong order. If you complain to the cashier. All you get is attitude. I hate it. Why is it here in AZ if you complain about service, you are the one who is a liar and a cheat? Pretty weird. Customer service is rock bottom.
Alright, well, I’m 14 so I can’t say much about the whole economy thing, but, I’ve lived in Arizona for 9 years. I hate it! I would do anything to move back to California! But now, we can’t afford it because my dad has a lower paying job and we can barley even make ends meet. And, he’s been working for Boeing for over 14 years for Christ’s sake! I can say something about the schooling though, I’m in the Amphitheater school district, which is claimed to be one of the “best” in Arizona. Alright, if it’s one of the “best” why is more then half all the schools I go to, why are the students…FAILING? Yes, my teachers don’t even care what we do in class! We sit there and talk, listen to our iPods & text! And, don’t blame this all on the students, but, the teacher doesn’t even know what the heck she’s teaching! You ask a question and she can’t give you the answer! It’s ridiculous. Truley. The teachers don’t care what we do, I really would rather move and get a better education. Arizona is such a joke. Also, oh God, the SUMMERS. It’s Feb. 1st today and I’m sitting in my Air Conditioned office, SWEATING. Okay, WTF? Really? I thought winter was supposed to end around… April? This is crazy! Also, there is NOTHING to do in the summers except stay in doors, and if you’re like me and love the out doors, you’re going to burn like crazy if you’re outside for over 10 minutes.
Don’t move to Arizona, it’s full of old, angry, underpreformers. Just, don’t do it. I really despise my parents for ever moving here.
Well, Cali, I commend you for being so smart for a 14 year old. I don’t think too much of your state of California, all the Californians I have seen look they are spaced out, tweaked out, or just plain rude. The reason why your teachers don’t know anything is because they are EMERGENCY CERTIFIED!!! You see they are not equiped to be teachers to begin with. Only trained to be. God, I feel sorry for any kid who is raised in this hell!!!!
I will agree with that, and some/most of the people in California can be quite rude. But, if you really think about it, how is that any different from Arizona? Most (not all) of the people here are either tweaks or alcoholics. & most people in Arizona can be quite bitchy as well from the heat and just the plain lack of atmosphere & culture. Yeah, I had an argument with my math teacher about this today because she never knows what she’s teaching. It’s ridiculous. & my parents don’t get how horrible it is to grow up here because they were raised in Florida, Indiana (which still isn’t that great) & places like that. At least in Florida you have amusement parks & a beach. What is there to do in AZ other then swimming in public pools (if you don’t have one at your house, like me), hiking in 115 degree weather or staying home playing video games?? I could get a job, and be more underpaid then any other teenager with a job in other states. My parents call me lazy during the summer because all I do is sleep. Well, what am I supposed to do when they won’t drive me to the public pools? I’d rather not go there anyways, you end up swimming in other people’s feces . . . . But what do I know? I’m only 14.
True, your only fourteen, but you also fail to realize that many of the onery cranky people come from your homestate to set up shop here. Seems like no matter where you go, there you are, California plates all over. And most from the Southern half. No arguments that there is nothing to do in this state. I just made mention that Californians are no different and in fact exacerbate the problem rather than to cure it. In addition, don’t you see my dear boy wonder that most people here immulate the California lifestyle i.e the movie star mentality, the gang gesture and most of all RAIDER NATION???
I am going out to AZ for a job interview. I currently live in SC. I am unemployed here for 3 years. This is the 2nd real job interview that I’ve had in 3 years.
I checked this site out because I don’t want to move to AZ and find out it’s a living hell. I have a 9 year old son interested in Tennis, I enjoy horseback riding, and also train and show my dogs in Agility. The job site is in Deer Valley AZ… any feed back about that area, and suggestions? Do I stay in SC and remain unemployed? or think about this offer in AZ?
What type of job is it? How stable is the company? How much money do you need to live on. I can tell you this. If you can live on 12 bucks an hour then go for it. That way if you lose the job you can still survive. We have plenty of low paying gigs here in AZ. Problem is most people cant support a family on that wage. So make sure the job is a keeper and will last before coming here. Otherwise you may end up in a low wage call center gig like me. Also these call center gigs dont last long. They turn and burn you and you end up making the rounds to all the call centers in town. People all seem to know each other as well when you start a new job at one of these places. But they got so many of these call centers here that you will never run out of places to go suffer in.
Artist, what type of artist are you. Before moving here I was a high paid digital artist for motion pictures in Hollywood. I did that for ten years before my wife got the idea to move here and raise the kids in a nicer environment. Now I make the call center rounds. On my third call center job since coming here in may of 2007. If you got a digital animation or editing job I can tell you if it ends you will be following in my footsteps. They have just about nothing in film or video here. Its all just small loser companies doing local garbage for corporate videos and lame local commercials. good luck.
Artist. I guarantee if you take this job, you will unemployed again for sure. Why don’t you be like Forrest Gump and get on a shrimp boat. The fishings good in SC.
Hold on now: You must live here; and have lived in the East to properly make such judgments. I live in Scottsdale, and I am not wealthy. However, it is a remarkably beautiful city. I have lived up and down the East coast, and have loved it, but the cleanliness of Scottsdale, the ever blooming flowers, the tasteful arcitecture, and the friendliness of the people: it is not something you will find elsewhere. Try driving here from both North and South- the mountains will blow you away.
I totally get the angst about the heat- it is terrible in the summer. You develop the goal of having a northern home. But, I recall yearning for a break from the winters in other states. Bash Arizona- all the better for people like me who don’t want to many people to move here- but- I think Arizona is the nation’s greatest secret.
Buddy I lived in maryland before moving to los angeles and then moving here in shit az. I can tell you I would prefer a good job and snow to this loserville. Sure Scottsdale is clean and new. But every state has its nice areas. Most states have more then one nice area. AZ has Scottsdale and I wouldnt call it beautiful. Its crowded now. When I first moved here in 83 it was new and still had some appeal. Now its overgrown and generic. In fact the beauty of AZ is in the pine mountains and nowhere near Phoenix. Im so tired of east coast and chicago people moving here just for the sunshine. There is more to life then that. This place sucks for raising kids. Schools are at the bottom of the barrel. Kids here have no chance in hell for a future beyond hair dresser, plumber, call center loser or retail clothing folder. This place is only good for old people who want to play golf and go to the mall.
Your a number 1 idiot! Nothing to do in Phoenix? Are you crazy? You must not get out much! OMG! Get a life somewhere else, don’t breath our air~
Hey yearround sunshine, who would want to breath the air out there. The whole toxic brown cloud thing is nasty. I understand to each his own, but why does it offend you so if someone else doesn’t like that kind of living? Personally, I miss rainly cloudy snowy days where I can cuddle up with my family, The changing of the seasons, the leaves changing colors. Sitting on the beach while watching a thunderstorm roll in. Now that is heaven to me :)
Not only that, but people here ruin any kind of fun you may want to have. People here in this wonderland of a state are are so rude and impolite, it puts me in a bad mood anytime I want to go out. Aaahhh! Nothing like the feeling of small town midwest!!!!
I’m an African American woman who is from the suburbs of Michigan, I have always lived around many cultures as well as raise my two children to live and mingle with people from all walks of life. I really enjoy diversity. I had never lived anywhere other than back home in MI. I took a leap of faith, and moved here to Arizona, because I genually believed that I would really advance here. I’m in the medical field, and I’d worked in one of Michigan’s largest top hospitals for almost 10 years prior to moving here. I moved to Gilbert. I have been here 3 years now, and I’ve hit rock bottom. I blame myself too, There were signs from the very start, that this may not be the place for me, but it was too late to turn around after spending thousands relocating. I have not been able to land a hospital job period, have applied to all hospitals east and west valleys. I ended up taking clinic jobs, making way less $$. I do not like the work ethics here. My son, being the oldest of my two children has never liked it here, even though he has met great friends at school. I do not care for the quality of education here compared to where my kids came from. Before coming here, I was told Arizona was booming with oppertunities… I have had two jobs in the 3 years here, and I’ve been layed off now for 9 months, and cannot find work even out of my field. I recently applied for work back home. I just pray I can afford to move back. I won’t dog the state out, but I will say it surely has not been kind to me. I don’t want to leave my Mom out here alone, but I have no choice, her job is pretty secure for the most part, as she transfered out here with her same pay from MI. I have wasted 3 years of my life here, I just ask God why me? what was the purpose of me coming here to become a failure? It has been a learning lesson. I did all the school and neighborhood research, but failed to research the state laws ect… I did not know what a “Right To Work” state was, but I found out real fast here lol. Again, AZ did not work for me, but hey, maybe someone else will succeed here. Maybe my skin tone didn’t help much either just to keep it real. My neighbors were good to me though…whenever I saw them. Nobody comes outdoors here, even in the winter, it is devoid of culture here. The only bonus was traveling over to Cali & Nevada. My mom being a Jazz vocalist allowed me to see alot of the West, but it’s time for this chocolate chic to roll !!! Back to my 4 seasons, I will freeze my ass off in the snow, but atleast the pay back home will be worth it. I have the SRP Mpower and I have made over 7 trips this month to keep my electric going, These electric bills are insane!!
Michigangal I laughed so hard when I read about the SRP card, I had one of those. I learned early on with those, you must keep as much on them as possible, or if you let it get too low, for sure, those stupid machines will be shut down. That’s right – all 2 of them, Safeway and another Safeway in Chandler or Mesa, what a hassle. I am curious, are you married? The reason I ask is this. When I first got a job in Gilbert my co-workers assumed I was married, because I have a child. I have been living with my son’s dad for 12 years now because I was divorced once and can’t get myself to go that route again. Either way I consider myself married. Once they found out I wasn’t they shunned me. Most of my co-workers were Mormon, and I had no idea what that meant at first, but I quickly found out that the girls I worked with did NOT approve of my non-marital status. Luckily I met many other Mormon people who were wonderful and I consider friends and they never judged me; but my first experience shocked me. I am from Boston, and love the diversity there. Well my son made friends with a neighbor who was Mexican, I loved her and she was at my house all the time. Then my son made friends with an african-american kid who moved to our neighborhood from Louisiana, and his mexican friend casually said to us one day, “I don’t like him, my dad says to not trust black people”. I couldn’t believe my ears. After years of teaching my son, to not judge people – he had to hear this. I explained to her that I know many people of all race and religions and I have never had a problem. Long story short she moved away, and my son now hung out with Adam. Adams’ family was constantly terrorized by another neighbor. They couldn’t prove it but they knew it was them. This other neighbor poured acid on the seats of their car, spray painted their house. It went on and on. I wish my son didn’t have to see this kind of thing. Then later my son made a friend at school with a mormon kid and one day when I dropped him off for a playdate I noticed that the racist kid was dating a sister of the mormon kid. I was horrified. I gotta say, I will not miss that.
Hey guys, this good wook!
Nice work! great website
6 dead in AZ, hopefully more to come.
Come to Arizona all you single guys, hook up with a walrus, save yourselves a trip to the zoo.
The real truth about Arizona is that its full of rednecks, meth addicts and low quality people. Do not come here unless you want to live in misery.
Michigan gal, so sorry to hear your story, but not at all surprised. This is why I think the blog is terrific. If I’d read this years ago, I’d be living somewhere else. I feel bad for people like you learning too late. What sheer misery we suffer. The neighbors (if you want to call them that) hate my guts when I speak my mind and tell them what I think. Why ask if you don’t want the truth? Anyway, I’m on their list a Miss Negative. Screw them. Whatever they come up with about why AZ is soooo great, I can always come up with 10 other reasons why it’s not because I’ve seen, experienced and lived in better. How can they tell me how good it is here if they’ve only lived hear? Doesn’t that alone tell you just how stupid they are?
Sorry for the typo’s. Writing so fast. Anyway, forgot to mention one thing. Other neighbors who are from elswhere feel exactly the way I do, but their too afraid to say it around the AZ’s for fear of retaliation in some way. Can you believe that? I’m not afraid of anyone so I stand up and say it only to have revenge cast on me. Oh well, that only shows me that it’s as unfriendly as I’ve always felt it was. What kind of person is angry that someone else has an opinion? It’s because the opinion is TRUE that it upsets the other person so much. That’s why I just laugh every time some bozo AZ native climbs on the blog to tell us how very wrong we are. If what we’re writing is so wrong, if our opinions are so off, then why get so angry? BECAUSE IT’S ALL TRUE AND THE TRUTH HURTS YA WEIRDOS. If none of it were true, they’d simply ignore us. The end.