Austinist: The Stranger

guest

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:22:30 -0600

I can't wait for the day pretension hits NYC.

guest

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 09:48:24 -0600

It's the endless debates like this and the pretentious climate that encourage them that contributed to my move to New York City. And I was born in Austin. Get over yourselves people.

guest

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 22:02:39 -0600

How do you applaud over the internet?

guest

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 21:26:20 -0600

Thank you Silona. This is the main issue. People are not moving here for Austin, they are moving because they heard it was cool and they think that is their idea of cool and they have propogated a scene that promotes their scene and way of life, not Austin's way of life. I think this is the best argument; its not that we don't want anyone from outside of here, we just don't want people who move here and then want to chage it - if you really like Ausitn and that's why you moved here, then you wouldn't be trying to change things. I can honestly say its only been in the past couple of years that I've seen the Mercedes with Mexico or Cali plates and the frosted hair male driver cutting across 4 lanes of traffic to get in front of people. Those people didn't move here because of what Austin was, because we never did that. people move here because they liked Gingerman, but now they'll be living in the very place that displaced it and going to TGIFriday's instead.

Silona

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:00:09 -0600

Grackles are not native. Being native I remember a time without the damn things. When it was safe to stand under the trees looking for shade. And hey I go back 6 generations when my grandpappy married an Indian. I love to joke when someone talks about new immigrants leaving - that he can leave now too :-) But you know for me it is more about knowing Austin history. Like the Stokes building, Tips steel or my grandparents swimming in the springs and explaining my ties to things like that and why preserving it is important to me. And about encouraging those we WANT to move here. That is why I am totally thrilled about Maker Faire. Austin's chance to show off our nifty creative class and encourage more community participation in projects like that. We want cali folk we just want the nice interesting ones. We also ask that they truly make it home. That means help yourself but clean up the kitchen when you are done. And Help us protect the reasons you moved here. Growth happens .. we breed it's what we do. We have to figure out how to do it responsibly.

Benj

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:51:52 -0600

Like it or not, our current economic model relies heavily upon growth, specifically in forms of new revenue, and this is more and more true the more irresponsibly the budget is managed. The same people who manage our revenue are green-lighting these developments. Did it ever occur to you that this 'condo boom' might be the product of the democratic process? Do you think Will Wynn or Toby Futrell or the council woke up last week and said-- "Holy Shit! Where did all these condos come from!?" In a given space of land, you can have 10 houses, a strip mall, or a 200 unit condo tower. I wonder which brings in the most money? ...I'm just hoping this is Wynn-style brinkmanship to force the light rail issue. Which it probably isn't. Don't blame me, I voted for Leslie.

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:38:13 -0600

Essnetially they will create a scenario where everyone starts leveraging everything they have to own their pricy homes, just like Californians have been doing for years. Its not that that they're rich, its that the trend of leverging went on so long that everyone started doing it and allowing people to see their original homes for huge profits. After figuring out they couldn't afford to live there anymore and couldn't leverage anything else, they started heading east as mentioned above. It sort of like a path of destruction, New Mexico, Arizona, Las Vegas and soon to be here.

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:18:17 -0600

But please, read what 49 wrote. It's really smart and simple so it won't strain your brain.

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:17:29 -0600

It's not that it's so crowded that nobody can afford to live here. It's that Californians are so loaded they don't mind paying half a million dollars on a shitty 1 bedroom condo that Texans would balk at.

mdahmus

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:10:19 -0600

Dear guest #50: "It's so crowded that nobody can afford to live here" remains as convincing an argument as ever.

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:04:34 -0600

Condos are up to $4 million already? I've been telling people that about the condo boom and the special problems that Californians moving to Texas create for about a year now but nobody wants to listen to me. Just like they won't listen to you. All these assholes don't want to hear anything unless it's from some jerk with a doctorate or they've paid someone $5,000 to think it over a couple of minutes or the government tells it to them. You say, "Hey! Nobody can afford to live around here and all the creative people are going to leave!" and they all dismiss it. Some assmonkey makes a report talking about how nobody can live here and they all fawn over it. Sorry to bring it up, Bryan, if you're still around, but it's like that Spoon song. "Cause you don't talk to the water boy, and there's so much you could learn but you don't want to know." Unless they're paying you 5 figures to tell them Californians are wacking out our real estate, they don't want to hear it. And you're a xenophobe.

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:41:21 -0600

I think it's interesting that no one is talking about the only real problem with Californians, or anyone else for that matter (but mostly, honestly, Californians) moving here is the incoming condo bubble that they so lovingly have created for us here in A-town. We simply do not have the infrastructure to fill up those extremely over priced condos nor do we have the public transit necessary to sustain this sort of growth even if WE DO have enough people flocking here. Not only that, but Californian Real-estate, stemming from the Reagan Era has allowed them to sell 1 bedroom houses for 400k, leaving them with this huge surplus with which they can buy multiple houses at the same time here in Austin. Which is creating this weird bubble with property where we have 4 MILLION DOLLAR CONDOS. The idea that you could live anywhere in the world but choose to live in Austin for that price is absurd, you'll never make your money back! So I don't really care about "keeping it weird" or "local" because we're not doing that regardless of what we like to say. I'm not trying to be pro-Austin, so much as realistic. Californians have been moving to Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico, they've finally gotten here. Be prepared to pay more for land taxes, real-estate and the like because of it. TA DA.

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:41:21 -0600

Born and raised in Austin, left when I was 18 to go to college and the big city. It was fun, but now I'm trying to get back to Austin...Houston sucks! It lacks nightlife and it's all flat and concrete.

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:33:39 -0600

Git a room, you two.

truecraig

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:12:20 -0600

I've certainly collected my share of detractors since I started writing here, guest, but I doubt Misprint cares enough about what I do to be amongst that group. Even if they were, it wouldn't curb my appreciation for what THEY do. Yo Bryon, I just finished spelling Bob Dylan's name "Dylon", repeatedly. Isn't that awesome, Bryon?

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:35:33 -0600

truecraig, if it makes you feel any better i misspelled ronald reagan's name too in this issue. -bryan/misprint

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:32:41 -0600

Misprint is indeed awesome. But I think they hate you, dudebrah.

truecraig

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:20:39 -0600

Misprint is awesome! Talented, talented motherf*ckers! And yes, their entire catalog overfloweth with snarkasm. That's kind of their gig.

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 09:56:21 -0600

Is it true what Misprint says that you guys have to pay to publish on this site or are they just being snarky again?

Benj

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 08:24:39 -0600

The funny thing is, if you felt compelled to comment, I'm sure you were very conscientious and read the WHOLE thing before opening your mouth. So, I'm wondering, if you hate it so much, why spend your time reading it? Go play outside. Trust me, you need it. Maybe you dislike what I do, sure, but I'm not going to stop. And if you think what you're doing is a public service you're wrong. Maybe I'm a guy on a soap box, okay. But you're just some other guy who comes along later and bitches about a guy standing on a soapbox.

Benj

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 08:16:13 -0600

I'll sure try.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:34:13 -0600

"Benj" it's good to see that you continue doing what you get called out for and then don't even know you're doing it. Pot meet kettle. Your reply to #26 is interesting to say the least. It would appear that he or she hit the nail on the head. And the "intelligence" you portray with you "Back to Africa" comment is stunning. Nonthing but pure class and tolerance. I'm sure people are holding their breath in anticipation of another ill willed article. Maybe you can throw in some other racist and insensitive comments next time?

oh steph

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:48:56 -0600

I'm so glad that I grew up in the outskirts of town, aka Round Rock, and that I got the chance to drive into town on Burnet road to go see shows at places like Liberty Lunch when I was just a wee adolescent. However, I can honestly say that the only thing that made any of those places or things remarkable was that I was a wide eyed kid experiencing and exploring the closest thing that I had to a "big city." It's the very reason why I still live here, not because I was simply dropped out of my mom's hoo-ha at Seton Hospital, but because Austin is my home, and where I became the person I am today. And I am more than happy to share that home and all of the new super-exciting things that will come along with people from any place in the world. Perhaps more tenured residents just aren't exploring enough to find the new and interesting things Ausin has to offer, and that's why they think it used to be so much cooler? I mean, I took a Hula dancing class yesterday at Ballet Austin for FREE. And last week, I discovered the best Al Pastor Taco that I have ever had on east Riverside. Golly-gee, I could just kiss all of you square on the lips, that's how excited I am to still be in Austin!

Edie

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:44:08 -0600

Even though Austin has changed a lot since I've moved here (11 yrs ago from Lubbock), I like it more the longer I live here. Austin is what you make of it. If you focus on the bad and constantly complain, you'll never enjoy it. Like the article says - everything does change. It was different before you were here - even if you were born here. And "what you’re nostalgic for isn’t a venue, but your youth" - captures it exactly. If you're really unhappy about Austin, move to Lubbock or an even more conservative Texas town. And you'll come back with a whole new outlook. And dirt in your teeth. And maybe a pet prairie dog.

wallcloud

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:52:18 -0600

I grew up in Austin for 18 years and my parents have been in Austin for 36 years and we like the "Keep Austin Weird" slogan. The only Austin that's dead is Stephen F. Austin himself. Pray he doesn't read this thread.

Joel Nihlean

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:40:07 -0600

Austin isn't what it used to be but since when has living in the past been cool? "Austin" was "Dead" as soon as Keep Austin Weird shirts were available. Who cares though? If you don't like the direction you see the town headed in, do something about it. Dose the city water supply with LSD or something.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:35:44 -0600

How is "If you don't like it, move" even on the same planet as "Go back to Africa"? It's not like slaves had choices as to where they wanted to live. Anytime you move to a town, if you don't like it, you always have the option to move. There are always cheaper places out there, better places out there, different jobs.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:32:28 -0600

Yes. Not only crowded but expensive.

shook

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:59:00 -0600

The funny part to me is all the levels of firstism. Local or not, you can't even move from one hood to another without someone telling you your a late douche bag, and they've been there since Stevie Ray Vaughn pissed in the gutter. Fuck it, is it really that crowded that people are getting so uptight?

Benj

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:54:42 -0600

Dear Anonymous #26, You found me out. I'm really, really sorry I ripped off Craig. I'm just glad somebody caught me in time, before it really got out of hand. I was about to make copies of his house keys right before I read your comment. Please don’t share the fruits of your amazing perception. (I don't see an enormous likeness, but I'll accept the compliment.) It's my 3rd post, actually. The 4th one's going to be about comics! And the 2nd one wasn't even about Austinites, per se. Sure, I'll admit that still puts me at 1/2 negative. Or 1/2 not completely positive. But I'm not really worried about it. Sometimes I actually lose time thinking about all the things I like and how much I like them. But I'm pretty sure that if I wrote that up, you'd hate it even more than my efforts thus far. At least you were kind enough to write something tamer than the average response to a post about Spoon or tacos. The ‘If You Don’t Like It, Move’ sentiment was tired by the time it was ‘Love It or Leave It,’ or ‘Go Back to Africa.’ And, by the way, just as intelligent.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:39:35 -0600

Craig's sarcasm radar is definitely busted if he thinks #3 was being serious.

truecraig

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:26:50 -0600

Totally. Now it's all Big Brother'd out. Paradise paved.

themo

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:10:00 -0600

craig, i think mike was employing our old friend sarcasm, but i could be wrong. tell me i'm not wrong, mike.

mdahmus

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:06:39 -0600

truecraig, You should have been here on austinist ten months ago, man.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:54:29 -0600

Wow, the second post you've had on here and its just about as selfishly designed as the first. Well done Ben, besides trying to rip off True Craig's style of humor you continue to distribute you dislike of Austinites in a public forum. Really, if YOU don't like the way people here are (which appears to be the case) why don't you just leave? I guess taking your own advice isn't something HDBs do? On top of that, why even bring it up if you're so above everyone else in you non-judging ways?

truecraig

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:48:23 -0600

Calm down Mikey, it's not like I'm advocating the Lady Bird's amoeba Lake be drained and filled to make room for eight new city-funded Walmarts. The point of my comment was that complaints on top of complaints (comment #3) cause me to lose faith in humanity (unless done so with sarcasm, #3, which would actually bolster my faith). Why? Because I feel that Ben's column wasn't a complaint on a complaint, by any definition. It's a stable, well-founded argument against a shaky, flimsy-based complaint. He's simply pointing out what he feels is an illogical (hypocritical) stance, commonly perpetrated here in Austin (and everywhere else, throughout all of written history): the "anti-them & anti-change" stance. Then, just to show some levity and humor, he whips it around on himself in the final words, thus bringing some good ol' fashioned self-mockery into play. Disneyland here I come!

brown acid

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:47:17 -0600

Being a transplant from the other LA or Louisiana, I totally agree with the idea of moving here to be here because I love Austin. Its the place I wanted to be a part of since the first time I visited almost 10 years ago. And when the chance to move here arrived I jumped on it immediately. I have made friends with Austinites, but even some of them are transplants from other areas, but grew up here at some point. Or claim this as there real home town after moving from somewhere else in Texas. Even when I was living in Louisiana I ran into people from other places that were trying to get out of where they were and they found something else they wanted. So they moved there. I would not choose to live in Louisiana if I were not from there, but to some it just fits. Austin WAS something else at one time and IS something else now. Just like New Orleans WAS and New Olreans IS. Times change, people change and opinions change. Austin is no different than any where else in that respect. But if Austin had 4 seasons, this place would have blown up a long time ago. Its just now catching the eye of everyone else that can deal with the heat year round. Long live Austin without the hate from the insiders...

kenneth1

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:22:20 -0600

Unless you’re Lipan Apache, or a grackle, you really can’t claim birthright. Actually, even the great-tailed grackle is a recent immigrant (from Mexico, though). Irony alert: They've recently invaded northern California. http://montereybay.com/creagrus/grackles.html

wallcloud

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:10:39 -0600

As a native Austinite who moved to Berkeley, I too feel the pain of the unwelcome transplant. (Try moving to a place where the oldest and loudest residents literally want the city to shrink and farms reinstalled. Yes, I'm serious.) "But I'm from Austin!" doesn't do much to convince these crunchy old hippies that I'm really not the devil. Be nice, Austinites! Better they come from California than almost anything else within 1000 miles.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:54:32 -0600

When I moved to Austin 10 years ago, everyone was talking about how I should have been there 10 years before, since Austin was so much cooler before (fill in the blank). I guess some things never change. I do miss Liberty Lunch, though.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:35:47 -0600

Well I think there's too much pointless whining about the pointless whining, the California Horse has been beaten to death, and bringing it up again and again thinking your words are going to change people's minds about being nice to strangers is just useless. How many Californians are getting verbally or physically assaulted in the streets everyday by virtue of them being Californians? Maybe 1. Maybe. All summer long. How many Californians are getting verbally beat up online everyday? All of them. All. Every day all summer long. How do you get people to back off the Californians that chose to live here? By bringing up the same tired old arguments about being nice to people and accepting them and trying to get along? No. By telling people that hate Californians that they're full of shit? No. You stop it by putting a city wide moritorium on all discussion of Californians at least until Christmas and by not goading people on.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:27:11 -0600

Oh, and this one bears repeating: Q - How many Austinites does it take to change a lightbulb? A - 1,000. 1 to change it, and the other 999 to complain about how cool the old light bulb used to be. ~ TO

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:21:13 -0600

Holy Buffalo! You just gave a shout out to Lipan Apaches? No one EVER remembers the Lipan Apaches! I've been an Austinite for 14 years, but I've been Lipan forever. I've got cred I never knew I had! Sweet! ~ Terry O

themo

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:20:36 -0600

i just think there's too much pointless whining, guest #15. at least ben is being constructive, and suggesting people just accept what is happening (change) and move on. if you think austin is changed, 15, and it, like, totally sucks and will never be the same, fine. but what will a bunch of complaining on a blog do about it? about as much as going into your garage and hitting a punching bag. or less. and i agree with Mike, Craig, move back to disneyland, you MEANY!

mdahmus

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:09:19 -0600

truecraig, your comment sucked. Go back to california.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:05:32 -0600

Well played, Ben. Stayed above the fray and all. And excellent closing line. I can't believe that it inspired more baying from the peanut gallery. actually, i guess i can. ...because your complaining is justified while other people's complaints are not. I guess it's that way because you've been on this website longer, huh?

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:03:41 -0600

My biggest pet peeve is the "You should have been here 5/10/15 etc. years ago when it was REALLY cool" crowd. That's the way Austin has ALWAYS been. EVERYONE has had to put up with it and now it's your turn. DEAL WITH IT OR MOVE.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:58:27 -0600

Just what a Californican would say!! (jk! I love everyone!)

unclebuc82

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:48:29 -0600

As a multi transplant (Ct,Fl,Ca,Ct,Japan,Fl,Va,Ak, and finally, Tx) courtesy of the military, I've had the fortune to live many places over the last 20-something years. My biggest pet peeve is the "You should have been here 5/10/15 etc. years ago when it was REALLY cool" crowd. Gee, sorry for moving here and fucking it up for you. Look, if you don't like it any more spare me the whining and piss off. It's a safe bet it was cool "back in the day" because of the people you hung with. If they're not hanging with you now maybe the problem is YOU.

themo

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:41:41 -0600

Well played, Ben. Stayed above the fray and all. And excellent closing line. I can't believe that it inspired more baying from the peanut gallery. actually, i guess i can.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:36:09 -0600

Exactly. If you're going to complain about people complaining, be set to be cast in the same light as the original complainers.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:28:48 -0600

I heard you, TrueCraig. The smurfs was ruined for me for a month. Well, half a month.

truecraig

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:21:05 -0600

Whenever I hear someone complaining about someone who complained about a complainer complaining about a complaint that others felt compelled to file complaints on, well, a slimy abortion of irony drops from my nose, my left eye loses the ability to discern the color blue, and I forget how to cry for a whole month. Anyone else ever experience this? It's crazy.

heyzeus

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:19:57 -0600

Good column; hopefully a lot of austinist readers will take it in.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:03:07 -0600

I think the point is that nobody wants to talk about this anymore, it gets us nowhere, and it changes nothing to rehash this same old shit all the fucking time.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:57:55 -0600

I've met plenty of native Austinites who are assholes. I've met plenty of so-called transplants who are assholes. Let's all just agree that we love Austin, and all the people who make it unique -- regardless of where they were when they fell out of a vagina -- and we can do without the assholes.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:56:34 -0600

As for the whole Californication thing, they already talked it out over here: http://www.yelp.com/topic/01vY6RAqlYtWTUWOgInsBw#BEiaXfXiddRzz8KKgpsbMQ Before you start spouting off that there's not an influx of Californians moving to Austin (not Texas, Austin) you need to either work in a condo development office so you can talk to the Californians every day or know somebody that works in a condo office that you can listen to complain about Californians all day or work as / for a realtor or try to sublet an apartment without subletting to a Californian. Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they're not out there. Hell, look at that yelp board. Every other thread is some Californian bitching about Tex Mex.

guest

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:51:22 -0600

What I say when I see someone complaining about native Austinites that want to keep living here complaining about people moving in is, "MOVE AWAY IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT". That's logical, is it not?

kenneth1

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:44:15 -0600

Here's my standard response whenever I hear some supercilious "native Texan" spewing that "Austin is too big. Go back to California" blather: If Austin stopped growing, it'd be Waco.

pd

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:44:08 -0600

uh oh...he said it...