Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
SperlingViews

Seasonal Allergies and Automobile Emissions - 8/16/2009

Seasonal allergies are bad in the Fall and Spring. We have it all here: trees, grasses, along with mold and pollen cycles. I-35 and I-40 Intersect at Oklahoma City and auto emissions could trigger asthma attacks. Especially in the winter, car and truck exhaust seems more dense when it is cold and the air seems thinner. Other wise, the people are friendly and there is a lot of community participation. Bio-technology is flourishing at OSU in Stillwater, OK. We have good Agri-tour business support in this state and a healthy farmer's Market network in our cities. A nice emphasis on the Arts and Theater.[more...]

Education is Good, Not the people - 7/26/2009

By the way, I forgot to mention how the people are in Oklahoma. I have lived in other states and I find irony here. Most whites, not all, are prejudice, poor, drug addicts, and low motivated. I have never seen so many people with bad teeth and hygiene, in my life. I even see Whites with shoes that talk, and they have enough nerve to put "blacks and other minorities" down. I have never met so many poor and trashy Caucasians here, who have attitude like they are it. I guess being racist is overcompensation for being a total loser. As a black, I have been called a greasy monkey by a guy in traffic. People drive very fast here all the time. I guess it is the meth and drugs that keep them up all night and in bad moods. The club nightlife is a joke. Yes, I been to a few strip clubs out of boredome. The women they have in there are so trashy and nasty looking. I am not impressed with this backwards, bad roads, no transportation, low wages, prejudice place they call Oklahoma. I advise not to come here even for a visit! It would be a waste of money and time![more...]

Oklahoma--For native Indians & Whites---Not for Bl - 7/26/2009

Hi, I have lived in Oklahoma City, since late summer of 2003. I consider myself a christian, but am a single black male. I have lived in Texas, and have visited many other states. Living here in Oklahoma City, OK, has been a little good, followed by an emotional "nightmare". I am only here because I am going to college and will graduate in December of 2009 with a bachelor's degree. I will be honest and fair in my experience here. Here are the following areas I find to be questionable causing me distress: People in OKC or OK in general: People here overly-religious, judgmental, prejudice, and are extremely unfriendly, in my opinion. Most everybody I met were unmotivated, lazy, fat, hateful, users, drug addicts (alcoholic drunks/meth./crack). It is very hard to make friends here because most everyone who lives here thinks the world of this place, and never leave. They consider moving away as, in moving to the suburb. It is a family oriented town, meaning everyone goes to the same church every sunday, for years, with the same people they grew up with in kindergarden school. I tried the male bonding thing. Every male friend I had, no matter where I met them, wanted to go to strip club seven days a week. Most of them have lots of kids by different women and refuse to "abstain" or use protection, which is not taught in school. Most people are unmotivated. When you tell them you are in school, they seem to not care, and do not offer support. Heavy smokers are here along with obesity; both are in style. Everywhere I go, I see morbid obese smokers that are somewhat over-confident. Most of these fake church goers are over-religious, but sin out of this world. They are raised to believe that being a Christian means to go to church and that you are automatically saved. However, their deeds are evil. They do more wild things than the people in Texas, namely Dallas do. Sports The OU football thing is OVERRATED. They talk about this school's sport as much, if not more, than religion. If a game is on, some will miss church for it. Even in the snow or dead of heat, they have their entire family at the games salivating over winning. Winning in Oklahoma if a must! These sore losers can't stand to lose a game, especially to TEXAS, a much better team. Now I never ever was a Texas LONGHORN fan, eventhough I lived there most of my life, but became one out of spite since Oklahomans tried to convert me over to a SOONER, literally almost every day during the football, basketball season. They all put Texas down with harsh words of cruelty, but are in Dallas shopping and clubbing (the church people/ministers) every weekend. Contradiction! Things to do: Everything this place has to offer, bricktown, clubs and restaurants are sub-standard. There are movie theaters, and basic places like in other major states, but to the extent of "second or third" best. Highways The highways and roads are "ragedy and worn" in need of major repair since the last 100 years. Many of the highways are breaking down, with holes in them, causing concrete to fall from the bridges, in both OKC and Tulsa. Thanks GOD for the stimulus money created by the Obama Administration. They are making the highways better. Before in 2002 to early 2009, each road would damage your tires because of the "uneven-ness" big speed bump-like obstructions, and heavy pot holes, that the Lazy city of Oklahoma refuses to repair. Bus system What bus system? Transportation is rediculous here. It stops early and runs semi-early, leaving people stranded to and from to work in many situation. Most people don't bother with the buses; instead they bum rides off of people and won't even offer gas reimbursement, despite the high gas prices. Racism There is so much racism here and people are not genuinely friendly. Some pretend to be nice even though they are racist. Like others have said, people here do not speak back to you, when you first speak to them. If you are from "TEXAS" this is not good. Becaus of the obsessive footbal thing (OU) most people say bad things about Texas and mean it. Remember, they are always up in Dallas, TX, shopping and clubbing, but they seem to forget that. Then when football time comes up again, they start referring to Texas in bad ways. One Texas fan was even critically injured because he wore a Texas (tan) shirt in the midst of OU (burgandy) sooner fans and was mauled. People have told me not to go to Norman, where OU is located, and wear anything but Sooner stuff. Even OSU's orange attire will get you into a fight and injured even when OSU is OKC's office state college. Progressiveness Everything about this place (OKC) is outdated, backwards, and behind, from the way it looks, the houses, Bricktown, the colleges, laws, the way people dress and act, racism, and rights for those who may be gay or homosexual. I am an open-minded person, and this town is considered a close-minded, conservative Republican place, which speaks for itself. Conclusion: Although there are good things about Oklahoma, such as the cheap cost of living, and a decent education system, there are many more bad things. I don't consider the fact there are churches on every corner a bad thing, because I am a Christian. I just think that people spend so much time judging and treating "difference" indifferently and in an unpleasant manner. It is ironic they claim being believers while the bible speaks in Mathew 7th Chapter against judging and talks all about love. They lack love. Most people here are hateful sinners who be in church several times a week. I tell you what will happen is that during the Judgement in the end of the world, they are going to be surprised and put in hell where they belong, with the other bad evil of the world. GOD is about love and not hate. I have not felt home here at all and have been most often lonely and sad because I have found alot better people in other places. I am very social and can meet friends anywhere and without a problem. Here was different because of the over-religious OU supposed- family oriented environment that close the door to outsiders who move from other states. Once I finish getting my Bachelor's and Master's degrees, I am gone. But I guess the sacrifice of not having fun and not meeting decent friends is the price you pay when you have a goal to go to college in OKC or anywhere else in the state. It has been like pure emotional hell to me. I don't reccommend anyone to move here, unless you are married with kids, have a good job, and is a white narrow minded person. If you are black, moved to Dallas, or Missouri. If you gay, don't even think about it. You will be beaten out of here! Stay far away from here! I am begging you![more...]

Summary of my first year in Oklahoma City (OKC) - 7/6/2009

In Aug 2008, I moved to OKC from Milwaukee, WI, specifically for my spouse's job and the warmer weather. People ------ The biggest difference I noted was the people were more religious - there are lot more churches, almost one or two in every major corner. But, I have not been frequented by evangelists inviting me to church, etc. People are more conservative and maybe more private. I am a non-White, non-Black, immigrant from southease Asia. There is defnitely lesser diversity than the Milwaukee-Chicago area, but it hasn't effected me in any way. Though genuinely nice, the folks here appear 'slower' than what we were used to. There were a lot of screw-ups with people who were behind the customer service desk - in hospitals, clinics, when ordering home phone service, home cleaning service, etc. The women are prettier ;-) Landscape --------- Defnitely hotter in but less humid than Milwaukee-Chicago. I actually enjoy the weather here all year round because the hot summer days are a small trade-off for the maneagable winters here...i've not really worn a jacket all winter. A lost dustier than Milwaukee-Chicago. Several dead animals, including dogs, on the roads every day. [more...]

I lived on NW OKC for a year...and loved every min - 6/12/2009

Before I begin, I just want to preface that I lived in OKC from 2002-2003. I first went to visit OKC when a friend moved out there. I loved the NW Expressway with all the shops and restuarants. At the time, I didn't think the people were all that great, but thats didn't bother me too much. I am a renter and found LOTS of apartments that seemed well maintained and clean. I moved out there about 3 months later. Moved into an apartment that was around $430 a month. And it was perfect for me. Found a job in about 3 weeks, found another job 3 weeks later and then left that job after a month to go work at the university in Edmond.None of these jobs paid more than 9 dollars an hour. Now, that I have a degree and expect to be paid fairly for my skill set, I don't know if OKC has the type of employers to do that. It has been quite a while since living there, and I have not done any research. The more I lived there, the more I loved it. I found the people to be very good and kind. Yeah, there were rude ones but that's everywhere. I drove around every weekend to find places and along with a map I studied at home, I learned how to get around in about a month. I would the country roads in to work and the Kilpatrick Turnpike would get me home. Everything is huge in OKC. The hosipitals, the malls, the churches. I think most people would be surprised at the diversity. It's not all white bread and cowboys. I don't have kids so I can't really speak to school system, but I had heard complaints that it wasn't that great. I didn't date, but I don't think dating there is any easier or harder than any other place. The weather is nuts. The wind BLOWS every dang day of the year. If the wind ever stops blowing, run for cover. But there were 4 seasons. A brief and beautiful Spring, a fairly long summer with triple digits. Car maintenance is a must that time of year. Fall was lovely. Winter was cold and windy. Did not experience an ice storm. Car maintenance another must. Even in regards to its weather, OKC goes big. College football is very popular. THey show thier pride loud and proud. Just go visit, thats the best thing to do. Talk to realtors, go house hunting, visit schools, do a little shopping. do a little bit of everything you would in your every day life. Back in 2002, it was just the right amount of city:country. I think the city has crept in and taken over the country bits which is sad. I am considering relocating and NW OKC is back on my radar.[more...]

Area revues - 4/30/2009

I have lived in Oklahoma City for 20 years and have never been happy with the demographics, or the climate. This city will have maybe a 6 block neighborhood of very nice homes and then right in the middle will be a "section 8" group of apartments. The Northeast 1/4 of the city is mostly African American. Southwest 1/4 of Oklahoma City is mostly Hispanic. Nichols hills is lovely, Quail Springs,and Edmond are great paces to call home. If you are searching on the internet for property in Oklahoma City...be cautios, the crime rate is high, higher than the national average in vertially every catagory. There is a short period of time, weeks, in the spring when the weather is nice. The temperature is bitter in the winter and the wind howls. The summer is awful! At times there will be weeks of over 100', dangerous weather. April and May are thunderstorms and tornado watches nearly every night someplace in the state. Everyone has seen what our tornados do!!! "Indian Summer" is very pleasant. We have a period time in September and October that is just beautiful. I hope I have shared my feelings about Oklahoma City in an appropriate, easily understood way. Good Traveling! [more...]

Cursed State - 2/6/2009

I wouldn't recommend anyone to move here. It's hard to find employment. The most rude and ignorant people live in the Moore community which isn't far from the City. They are racist, miserable, and rude people. The nicest people you'll find will be in the north side of Oklahoma City. The best employment opportunties will be in the northside. The schools are terrible, so finding a school can be difficult. They'd rather pay a lot for fixing up convention centers, downtown, etc. instead of education.[more...]

Inhospitable - 7/31/2008

I have a lot of good things to say about OKC, but none of them justify moving there or wanting to stay there. My post is a little dated. I left in 2005. I have lived a lot of places (IL, MI, WI, SC, GA, NC, MO, OK) Oklahoma City is the least friendly place that I have ever lived. I can distinctly remember my first day of work; I came in and said "Hi how are you doing." To everyone that I encountered and no one said anything back. It wasn't just work. My neighbors were the same, and it was the more typical response to general friendliness to have someone just not respond. If you think that it was me, I have never had this happen anywhere else that I have lived or worked. My friends all ended up being transplants from IN, SD, OH or somewhere else. There just seemed to be a general meanness to the place. It isn't just the people. It is just inhospitable country, few trees, red clay dirt. There is a reason that it was one of the last states that the Europeans took over. Lots of wagon trains past and very few stopped. The summers are HOT (that can be a plus or minus depending on your tastes). Positives: There are some good local places to eat, Teds (before it franchised) was worth the wait. There is a lot of potential, Bricktown is promissing (I don't know if Deep Deuce ever really florished), art museum, the Asian community inbetween OKC Univ. and the Med center. The highway system is pretty good. You can get from one part of town to another fairly easily. If you like sports talk radio (which is often terrible), the Sports Animal is the best regional sports radio station that I have ever encountered (especially Al and Steely). Negatives: The public school system, partly systemic (Oklahoma doesn't pay teachers anything and lets anyone with a BA teach) there is a reason there are so many big private schools in OKC. (Norman on the other hand has very good school, especially for autistic children. Moore and Edmond are national average to slightly better.) The lack of hospitality. There isn't a lot to do, but things seemed to be moving in the right direction (sonics?). If it snows 1/4 of an inch than everything that I said about the highways is meaningless. Ditto for ice which is more common. Lots of Mega churches (they are country clubs), lots of divorce, lots of teen pregnancy. This was my experience for what it is worth.[more...]

Oklahoma City is a Wonderful Place to Live! - 3/28/2008

I've lived all over the world: Cuba, Israel, Japan, Germany, and several other states. Oklahoma City is the easiest, most affordable and comfortable place I've ever lived. Traffic problems are minimal. You can usually get from one end of the city to the other in 20 minutes or less and it takes very little longer in rush hour. The cost of living is the best in the nation, people are very friendly and helpful, jobs are plentiful, and homes are very affordable and appreciating even during this bad housing era. Oklahoma City is SO UNDERRATED by most of the world. We are thought of as cowboys and Indians; and we are, but we are much, much more. This city has set the example of building for the future by voting in a MAPS program not once, but three times, to upgrade downtown Bricktown, schools, build arenas and other facilities and beautify the city. All this required was a one cent sales tax. The most recent MAPS vote will allow the upgrade of the Ford Center which will accommodate our first permanent pro basketball team. About 62% of voters approved the measure, which is amazing since it was the third time they were asked to do so. We successfully hosted the New Orleans Hornets on short notice while they recovered from the hurricane, and OKC enthusiastically supported them from business leaders on down to spectators. The Hornets were blown away by our hospitality and many said they were sorry to leave when they went back home. We will get our own team as soon as Seattle releases the Sonics. Our former and present mayor and leaders are visionaries and work tirelessly to make our city one of which to be proud. Mayor Cornett introduced an initiative in January to address obesity in our residents. He challenged Oklahoman's to lose weight and become healthier and served as the example by losing 30 lbs himself in the previous year. To see the website: http://www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com/default.aspx. Oklahoma invests heavily in cultural activities, and ranks 17th nationally in per capita spending on the arts. We have a wonderful symphony, ballet, civic center, and art museum with the most comprehensive collection of Dale Chihuly glass in the world. We have a new baseball stadium, convention center, and many new hotels and businesses. We have over 77,000 acres of parks and recreational areas, and the State's numerous lakes provide more miles of shoreline than the east and west coasts combined. We have excellent shopping, restaurants and things to do. Church attendance is very high and Christian values are apparent. Due to our diversification in energy, technology, medical research and facilities, and government employment, we offer a wide range of employment opportunities. Our medical facilities are second to none. The unique values and characteristics of Oklahomans have spawned several Miss America’s, numerous musicians, including: Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, Jimmy Webb, the Flaming Lips, Anita Bryant, Patti Page and actors such as James Garner, Megan Mullaley, Kristin Chenoweth, and Dale Robertson. As for the weather, we do have extremes at times. But we are a Sunbelt state and enjoy over 300 days of sunshine per year. Oklahoma offers a pleasant four-season climate with short, mild winters. It’s not unusual to see people in shorts in January and I rarely wear a coat; I just carry it in my car. On the downside, there are those times when a tornado comes through, but we have plenty of warning. And I won’t deny it’s cold when wind chill conditions lower temperatures and very hot in August and September. But the change of seasons is refreshing and most of us have air conditioning and heat. If you find yourself in an awkward position, you will be glad to be in Oklahoma. People are friendly and will not hesitate to help a stranger. I recently parked downtown and while fumbling for coins to put in the meter, I realized I left my cell phone in the car. As I got out of the car after retrieving it, a stranger across the street called over and asked if I needed change for the meter! People often volunteer help to someone in a store or just simply speak to someone they don’t know in a neighborly fashion. I have been helped many times by the side of the road when I had car trouble. Sure, we have crime, but it is isolated and we have an excellent police force and a new district attorney who is doing a great job. [more...]

Quality of Life - 12/8/2007

Oklahoma is America's best kept secret! Spring brings bright flowers and lots of green trees. It's not a dust bowl. There are thousands of lakes & ponds, The OKC and Tulsa areas have a lot of trees. Small mountains in the south by Lawton and the east toward MO. People are friendly & dependable, like in the 50's. If you get a flat tire [etc], you know someone will soon stop to help you - with no expectation of reward. The bombing memorial is fantastic, lots of museums - cowboy/baseball/firemen/softball etc. Close to other states & historic sites. Will Rogers was right & OK even has a terrific museum for him. & you can still buy a used home 3+1 home for $50K or a new one for $100,000. Very patriotic & VET friendly. Good place to be.[more...]

Weather - 11/28/2007

OKC has some of the worst severe weather in the country come Spring. Come Summer the severe weather tapers off, but triple digit days kick in.[more...]

Oklahoma City, A wonderful Place to work, live and - 10/27/2007

As anywhere; if you look for the bad you will find it "A. Lincoln". Oklahoma is a great place. I have read a post that states quite the contrary. To this my post is placed. One Ada is not on the 1-40 corridor, some driving around smoking your green. If you are unhappy here, you are not going to be happy anywhere. As far as being filthy, I can show you the same silly filth everywhere!! I do not see the racism that you point out, another total fabrication. Oklahoma & Oklahoma City welcomes a very diverse crowd of people. Having lived the first part of my life in NE Ohio, Los Angeles, Portland, OR, Dallas, and Oklahoma, I find Oklahoma City the best place out of all them. Sure, there are plenty of fabricated stories and some true stories which are not good. I am only going to focus on the good things in the OKC, like a true okie does. We have an awesome park system which is never crowded. We have family values which are seldom found in other big cities (we have divorce rates only because we are still free to make our own choices here). We have police who are not as oppressive as any other city I have lived in. We have public officials who are not snobs and love the opportunity to sit and talk with you about your own personal issues. With that said I will tell you my own personal issue which brought me to Oklahoma and will forever keep me here. Business people in Oklahoma are the best. We have great capital sources for small businesses, low taxes and friendly people who still believe in supporting local businesses over the big guys. We have small towns right in the middle of our thriving city. We have culture events nearly everyday if you know how to look. We have 30+ airports within 30 miles of our major airport. We hold onto our roots while exploring our future. We have not shortage on nice housing in great neighborhoods. I could go on with the list all day. I want to let everyone who is thinking about relocating here that we are a great and wonderful place who will welcome you with open arms. When visiting us for your first time, stop by the mayors office, goto the local chamber and just have a cup of coffee and chat (the coffee is on them). If that is not your speed, head down to Brick Town, call a Realtor and check out our high rise condos downtown, or find a house with 20 acres in the city. Go visit our schools and see out wonderful children. If you do not feel like you can call this place home, no one will force you to stay, yet the whole time you are here you will be treated with a kindness you will find nowhere else.[more...]

I love it here (a biased native) - 9/10/2007

I looked at Sperling's Top Ten and can't say that I agree with their choices. I HAVE had residences in Dallas(Richardson), Portland OR, Vancouver WA, Philadelphia PA, and Newport RI, so I do have some basis for comparison. I love Oklahoma City. I was born here in 1950 and grew up in OKC, attended OU in Norman and have had jobs that have taken me to every state in the country except Maine. If you want the mountains or the seashore, it is true that you will not find them here. But if would like to live in a place with extremely friendly people, a very reasonable cost of living including great homes at low cost, easy to get around in, 4 seasons, access to cultural & recreational areas, & essentially low crime, you should consider the Greater OKC metro now approaching a million people. We have a brick 4 bed 3 bath house in a nice neighborhood with 2 lakes, trees, 20 min from downtown, 2650 sf, cost under $200k. Look at bricktownokc dot com to see our downtown. Yes, it's hot in the summer, but everyplace has A/C. I LIKE thunderstorms and have only SEEN 1 tornado all my life here. There are trees with golden leaves in mid/late Oct, mild winters, and flowers by March. Their top 10 seemed pricey to me and in places where getting across town can take a LONG time. I have been to those places and the addresses may SOUND more impressive, but I'd rather live and raise a family in a family-friendly place like OKC (Putnam City Schools), Edmond or Norman, thank you very much.[more...]

Move me back to Austin! - 8/23/2007

We have just moved here. We basically live on the Edmond border. So far, I've noticed a high crime rate in parts of the city. The quality of the roads is horrible. I must admit that there is more to do here than I anticipated.[more...]

What five things come to mind when you think of Ok - 7/17/2007

If you said any of the following:The Oklahoma City Bombing,The Dust Bowl,"Oklahoma!" the musical,The Land Rush,Tornadoes,Meth labs, The Panhandle,Cowboys,or Rednecks....You would of answered just as 200 weekly newspaper editors did in a January 8th ,2007 edition of the Oklahoma Gazette.(Take a look at http://aan.org/files/aan-editors-on-OK.pdf). Personally-I think that pretty well sums the state up.A native of Washington state,Oklahoma is to me "a bit off".From the ignorance of what is considered "news" on the local stations (lost dogs...etc.),to the ignorance of people interviewed for news stories (think "dumb hick"),the newscasters themselves (we joke that Oklahoma must be a training ground for sub-par newscasters...alot of "um,ah,uh,an..." (blank stares included...),the constant referance to "blacks","black people","mexicans","the mexicans" (quite racist here),from one end of the state to the other (we've been up and down the I40 corridor-from Bromide to Ada,to OKC and back) the city is filthy.Most towns are depressed(read dirty,trash everywhere,"trash farmers" (as my dad would call them).People pile up garbage out front of thier homes-some waiting for trash day,and some-I promise you-just to put it somewhere.In fact our neighbor owns two houses.Directly next to each other and directly next to ours.One house is a holding place for all his @%#**.Back yards full of garbage that the Oklahoma wind blows straight into ours.My poor kids have "garbage duty" added to thier list of chores.From what I can gather ,the school system sucks,state officials are all the time in the news for one crime or another (the police chief just recently...about what I failed to give a crap....as it's constant).The weather also sucks.Tornados,massive rain to the point of flooding,hail the size of golfballs,and heat that makes any outdoor activities non exhistant.I could go on...and on...and on.We're looking for another place to hang our hat...and you should to.[more...]

Glad I left DC - 5/11/2007

I moved to Oklahoma City in 2004 from the DC Metro area. It was a MAJOR change but I am so glad I made a change. I am an Information Technology worker with some Federal Experience and I got offered over 35 jobs before taking one. Some of the people on here have posted saying that wages are too low...yes, you won't likely make $300,000 a year here, but YOU DON'T NEED TO! The cost of everything is so cheap that if you are making $50-$75K you will be able to afford a really nice house in a good neighborhood. The weather here is a bit scary at times with the tornado and all but I found out that Oklahoma City has some of the best radars and warning systems in the world; people come from all over the world to the National Weather Center in Norman, OK (just south of here) because it boasts some of the best technology of the sort. If a tornado is coming, you will know well ahead of time. Commutes here are a breeze, the best in any place I have ever lived, after living in DC for years and riding on the Metro Line everywhere and spending 45 minutes to an hour driving into DC on the Beltway, I hated going to work but not now. I can drive to work in less than 20 minutes and unless you drive on some of the main veins like I-237 or I-40, you likely won't encounter many slow downs. It's wonderful to drive again! All in all, I consider it a great thing that I ended up here and now I don't want to leave![more...]

too hot - 4/8/2007

I lived in OKC for 4 years, moved away in 2002. It is a developing place (slowly) and it is (as the Okie's say) "OK". Real estate is cheap, if you plan to spend the rest of your life there, because it won't appreciate, so if you sell it, you won't get much back either. The summer's are so hot, you can't even enjoy a swimming pool. You just simply can't go outside between June and September. Winters are sunny, but everything dies in July, the grass turns yellow and dry, the trees are small, very depressing. There is NOTHING close by, you have to fly (with at least 1 connection) to everywhere. People are friendly and the southern accent is mild. Downtown is actually not bad, Bricktown is developing and there are a lot of bars and restaurants in town. So if you don't mind the heat (hot oven-like) and the remoteness, you can consider moving there. It is not for me though.[more...]

a comfortable place to live - 3/28/2007

Home purchases are still within reach for middle class! Clean air, but can be troublesome for allergies... Friendly people, growing cultural diversity, with vietnamese population and thriving commercial district... The city is another victime of white flight, so urban area schools are rife with poor kids from struggling families... Getting hotter and drier generally in last ten years... [more...]

OKC Great Place to live - 2/28/2007

I was born and raised in Oklahoma. I moved to OKC after graduating from college and like a lot of people who live there I just wanted to move....get out...be in a bigger place. Get out of the time warp! Well...my fam and I had an opp to move to Dallas. Teaching in Dallas (North Dallas) touts big pay....lots of business booming...better place to live. We have been here for 3 years. Yes...there are some big differences...but I have missed OKC on a reg basis. OKC is big enough to be a "city" and have an Urban feel...but...small enough you can live there in the city. As far as teaching in Texas...watch out. I hated it....can you say "RED TAPE"...I spent so much of my time just doing paper work it was hard to find time to teach...well they have that problem solved too!! My district spells out EXACTLY what you are allowed to teach on a daily basis!!!! Literally...and had the principal walking by the doors to listen in to see if teachers were doing it! O you may make more....but child care costs more...the freakn toll way costs more...property taxes are more....I miss OKC and we are considering a move back!!! Also...competition..and this is a big thing...kids..as little as 5 and 6 are driven to be the best at everything..and if your kid isn't in at least 2 sporting events...you are not on the right track. Aghh...it's a great place( N Dallas) if you can hang and are making enough to keep up....enough meaning 100K ++ min. We are in the bracket and we are the "entry" level people. So.....just keep that in mind.[more...]

Some economic news for Okies!! - 1/27/2007

The cost of living is about 40% less then the Los Angeles area (sorry, no beaches here but quite a few lakes!!). The Oklahoma City area is experiencing a housing appreciation of almost 5% per year. Tulsa is slightly less. Dell Computers has built a three-phase campus for an inbound call center. Many reps start at around $16.00 per hr. Housing is still very affordable here. New houses 1800-2500 sq ft start in the $120,000 to $160,000 range. Gas prices are among the lowest in the country. As of this writing(Jan./'07) unleaded is $1.76-1.89 a gal.[more...]