On the subject of the Duke City

OK, first of all, I committed the rookie mistake of composing this post in the blog editor and then trying to edit the html without saving a copy. As a result, this is the second version of this post and, accordingly, it will be 40% less impassioned and 28% less entertaining to read than the first iteration. Sorry about that.

Anyway, the trip was good and it was excellent to see the Prescotts. On the other hand, Albuquerque, itself, was... Fine. And not in the literal sense, but in the colloquial one. I think that I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised, but that didn't really happen. Oh well, we all know how useful expectations usually are.

Without further adieu, here are a few quick impressions.

Con Mexico:

1. Not only is it in the desert, it's in the ugly desert. There is little rain and there can't possibly be seasons in the sense that I like seasons.
2. Without a constant influx of water and power from outside sources, the region would almost immediately become only slightly less habitable than Mare Tranquillitatis.
3. The housing prices are ridiculously high -- It might not be the most objective opinion, but I sort of had the thought that Albuquerque should meet prospective homeowners halfway by cutting them a serious price break. I mean, it is Albuquerque. Right?
   
4. There is no kayaking.
5. It isn't a particularly pretty or interesting city.
   
6. The ocean is approximately 43,926 miles away.
7. The library school is rather small, and there isn't a doctoral program for IS or LS in the region.
   
8. There are no real trees in the Duke City, only plywood stage props left over from 1950s westerns.
   

Probuquerque:

1. Ryan helpfully pointed out that pending global climatic change may cause Albuquerque to transform from blasted wasteland into a verdant, tropical, eden.
   
2. Andi's potential job sounds really good.
3. There seem to be a lot more librarian job opportunities than I'd thought.
4. Santa Fe, Taos, and the NM mountains are really not very far from ABQ.
   
5. It is within a day's drive of Colorado, and also much closer to my families on the west coast.
6. It is a city, of sorts, and has all of the urban amenities that we might want.
7. It would be cool to live near Ryan and crew.
   
8. It is somewhat of a blank canvas for us.

So, at the end of the day (and it is the end of the day), this is all still somewhat academic, as we need to wait for a job offer and a few other variables to come into line before we can start making decisions about our moving strategy. On the other hand, we have both known unknowns and unknown unknowns due for delivery in a few short months, and Andi and I would both like to start getting a few ducks ready to row.

Well, that's the Cliff Notes version. Now you know, and, as they say, knowing is half the battle.