OT: Moving to Arizona

[TheLegend]

Can vouch for the 16th Street area.

Wife works up at the northern end of 16th just south of Northern Ave. and there's a lot of construction/renovation going on in that corridor.

 

[Jagged Ice]

Don't dismiss downtown and midtown Phoenix (Arcadia / Biltmore). I've been living on 16th south of Bethany Home for 5 years, I love it. So many cool places nearby: Valley Bar, Crescent Ballroom, the Van Buren, the Rythm Room for live music, great neighborhood bars like the Whining Pig, Little Woody, Linger Longer Lounge, Undertow, lots of speakeasy type places, Bar Smith is a fun dance club, and the food scene is awesome - lots of small restaurants with character that don't break the bank: Taco Guild, St Francis, Dick's Hideaway are just a few examples. Old Town Scottsdale is just 15 min away, airport less than 10 minutes.

I live at 12th St and Maryland and love it for this very reason. The restaurants, bars, coffee shops are top notch and the closest thing to urban living the valley has to offer. I picked family up at the airport Tuesday night and was there in eight minutes. You mentioned some great restaurants but I'll add Rokerji, Richardson's, George Yangs (upper scale Chinese) La Grande Orange, Rehab Burger, Casa Corazon, Fuego Bistro, Cibo, Pizzaria Bianco, Federal Pizza, North Italia, and Chelseas's Kitchen just to add a few but there's so many more. Independent Coffee shops like Lux and Copper Star are everywhere in the corridor unlike the cookie cutter strip mall junk you find in the burbs all lacking character. 13 years in the valley living mostly in Phoenix and Scottsdale but I've lived in Chandler and Peoria as well. In my opinion nothing matches central Phoenix.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Hey guys, hope you all are doing well. It's been a couple of weeks, so I wanted to stop in and give an update.

The job search is going well. I have had about 7-8 phone interviews thus far with two more scheduled this week. I'm following up weekly on all of my conversations. Industries I'm targeting include SaaS, food, hospitality, tourism, education, the arts, or sports/entertainment. Job titles I'm targeting include Social Media Manager, Web Content Manager, or anything in SaaS CSM. I'm kind of a swiss army knife talent, but I hang my hat on my writing and my ability to connect with clients through storytelling (empathic listening). I know I need to be doing something with social and/or client retention based. I've got a Masters in Interpersonal Communication and Public Relations with about 4-5 years experience. Hopefully, these are things that prospective employers will find appealing.

Best case scenario: Accept a job offer by the end of June. This should give me enough time to fly out, snap up an apartment (definitely looking in Old Town Scottsdale), get back here and get packed. I'll get a PODS moving unit right after I get back from AZ.

Worst case scenario: Trying not to think about it. But I know I need to be prepared. My current lease in Chicago is up July 31st. God forbid I don't have an offer well before then, but even if I don't, I've given it some thought and decided that nothing changes. My mind is made up. This is what I want. This is what will make me happy, and I'm going for it. At that point, my plan is pack up the dog and whatever I can fit in my car, throw the rest in storage, and make the drive to Sedona to stay with my grandfather until I can get on my feet.

Still two months to go, but I'm feeling a nervous excitement with a little anticipation. I'm learning a lot from this experience - mainly, that life never comes at us at the pace we'd ideally prefer.

Again, thank you all so much for the amazing input. I'll keep you posted on any new developments. Wish me luck!

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Worst case scenario: My current lease in Chicago is up July 31st.

The good news is, if you get out here August 1 even with no position, you can take your time figuring out where you wanna live, because the hotel prices fall through the floor. No one comes here in August. (25 years ago, I arrived on August 5, but I came from Florida, so it was a lateral move. I had a job waiting for me when I got here, but I did have to wait 3 weeks for my apartment to open up, so I spent that August in the Holiday Inn at the 60 and SR 87.)

 

[ck26]

The good news is, if you get out here August 1 even with no position, you can take your time figuring out where you wanna live, because the hotel prices fall through the floor. No one comes here in August. (25 years ago, I arrived on August 5, but I came from Florida, so it was a lateral move. I had a job waiting for me when I got here, but I did have to wait 3 weeks for my apartment to open up, so I spent that August in the Holiday Inn at the 60 and SR 87.)

True that. I arrived in mid-March with the understanding that work had sorted out two weeks of temporary lodging for me.

I was wrong.

And I showered in the gym and slept in the car for three or four nights before finding a halfway decent place to crash. Spring Training is rough.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

True that. I arrived in mid-March with the understanding that work had sorted out two weeks of temporary lodging for me.

I was wrong.

And I showered in the gym and slept in the car for three or four nights before finding a halfway decent place to crash. Spring Training is rough.

That sounds gnarly. It kind of takes me back to my band days, out on tour and living on the road for weeks at a time in a Chevy Suburban with three other dudes and crashing on random hipster couches. Life was so much easier then haha.

My god you guys, I cannot wait to get there. I'm tired of being surrounded by complacency, settling for crappy paying temp jobs (like this gig I'm sitting at currently) and unaffordable costs of living, constantly being let down by company after company, by people I thought were my friends and the feeling of just running in place in life. I want happiness. I want to get married one day and start a family, maybe be lucky enough to give my mom grandkids while she's still around. I've worked too damn hard and come too damn far. I can't stay here and keep spinning my wheels resigning myself to believe that things will get better on their own.

Sorry for turning the thread into a personal journal. But it feels good to let it out sometimes, you know. Real talk - thank you guys for all the support. It seriously means a lot.

 

[Bondurant]

Welcome to Phoenix (soon). Is your handle, by chance, a Howard Stern Show reference? Is Record Breakers in HE still open?

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Welcome to Phoenix (soon). Is your handle, by chance, a Howard Stern Show reference? Is Record Breakers in HE still open?

Thanks! Can't wait to be in my new home.

My handle is actually a reference to former Sabre and Coyote great Brad May's 1993 OT winner against Boston. One of the greatest calls in hockey history by PBP guy Rick Jeanneret, and one of my most vivid childhood hockey memories (I was 7 and watching the game with a bunch of family). Look it up, it'll give you chills!

As for Record Breakers, unfortunately they're not. Moved into the city I believe.

 

[Sinurgy]

Change is often the way forward, good on you for making things happen while you're still in a flexible enough situation to make it happen. Oh and I appreciate the updates and of course welcome all further questions.

 

[rt]

Thanks! Can't wait to be in my new home.

My handle is actually a reference to former Sabre and Coyote great Brad May's 1993 OT winner against Boston. One of the greatest calls in hockey history by PBP guy Rick Jeanneret, and one of my most vivid childhood hockey memories (I was 7 and watching the game with a bunch of family). Look it up, it'll give you chills!

As for Record Breakers, unfortunately they're not. Moved into the city I believe.

Brad May is one of my all time favorite Coyotes. Him and Rick Tocchet, Danny Markov, Keith Ballard, Keith Yandle, and Max Domi. Probably chuck Dallas Drake in there too.

 

[Jamieh]

Brad May is one of my all time favorite Coyotes. Him and Rick Tocchet, Danny Markov, Keith Ballard, Keith Yandle, and Max Domi. Probably chuck Dallas Drake in there too.

Markov was a legend in St. John's with the Leafs in my University days. Bottle of wine in one hand and joint in the other on George Street on a very regular basis.

 

[Jakey53]

Markov was a legend in St. John's with the Leafs in my University days. Bottle of wine in one hand and joint in the other on George Street on a very regular basis.

You mean you or Markov?

 

[Jamieh]

You mean you or Markov?

I don't drink wine. Markov is a major drinker.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Brad May is one of my all time favorite Coyotes. Him and Rick Tocchet, Danny Markov, Keith Ballard, Keith Yandle, and Max Domi. Probably chuck Dallas Drake in there too.

I met May right around the time of that goal. The story goes that I asked him 3 questions: 1) if I could play in the NHL one day, 2) if he wanted to arm-wrestle (pretty sure he did and let me win), and 3) if he would sign my photo (my HF display pic).

 

[Sinurgy]

Brad May is one of my all time favorite Coyotes. Him and Rick Tocchet, Danny Markov, Keith Ballard, Keith Yandle, and Max Domi. Probably chuck Dallas Drake in there too.

I think there's a pattern here.

 

[rt]

I think there's a pattern here.

Are you calling me a racist? Or a sexist? Yes, they’re all white males! Yes, I’m a white male! It means nothing!

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Just confirmed an in person interview for next Thursday! I fly out Wednesday night and I'll be staying through the weekend. I've also got a third phone interview tomorrow with another company, so I'll likely try and push to meet with them too while I'm in town. Down to crunch time! So stoked!

 

[Jagged Ice]

Just confirmed an in person interview for next Thursday! I fly out Wednesday night and I'll be staying through the weekend. I've also got a third phone interview tomorrow with another company, so I'll likely try and push to meet with them too while I'm in town. Down to crunch time! So stoked!

You won't need a sweater so pack light. 110° midweek.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

You won't need a sweater so pack light. 110° midweek.

Heaviest thing I'm bringing is my suit - even though both companies are strict casual dress, jeans and t-shirt environments and have told me to dress accordingly. So there's a good chance I won't even wear it.

 

[OregonCanuck]

Yoo I’m moving there too! Can’t wait to purchase a kachina jersey most likely getting a Keller. If you play, there are surprisingly a lot of rinks

 

[Dirty Old Man]

^6, in fact. All with adult leagues that have been running for 10-20 years or more.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

12 sheets to include GRA, that also has a men's league.

 

[Imaravencawcaw]

One day we'll get a permanent sheet or two in Tucson...

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Yoo I’m moving there too! Can’t wait to purchase a kachina jersey most likely getting a Keller. If you play, there are surprisingly a lot of rinks

Awesome! What's your timetable for the move? I'd definitely like to find a league once Im there and get settled in.

And second that on the kachina jersey. I've already made up my mind that once I'm hooked up with the job, I'm celebrating with the GOAT:

John Scott 28.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Awesome! What's your timetable for the move? I'd definitely like to find a league once Im there and get settled in.

The beer leagues I know of are at:

AZ Ice Peoria- 2 sheets (1 Olympic, unless they've remodeled)
ICE Den Scottsdale - 3 sheets
AZ Ice Arcadia (E. Central Phoenix) - 1 sheet
Oceanside (n. Tempe) - 1 sheet
Ice Den Chandler - 2 sheets
AZ Ice Gilbert - 2 sheets.

All of these rinks have pickup, plus you can look into an organization called Puckheads Hockey Club, which would best be described as very organized pickup across multiple rinks.

If there is a league at GRA, I am unaware, although I do know of pickup games taking place on game days in the early afternoons. And have taken part in 2 of those.