Ok, first of all, I am currently living on the east coast but would love to relocate to New Mexico at some point in the near future. There is no job waiting for me out there or anything like that, so this is very much a preliminary sort of request for information, just to get the ball rolling.

Another thing...I have NOT had the privilege of visiting New Mexico yet. I certainly wouldn't want to move anywhere without seeing the place first, but from what I have learned about the state online, I don't think I'd have that much trouble acclimating. Small towns and plenty of open space very much appeal to me. I know there is much more to it than that, of course, but I'm ready for an adventure. I know NO ONE in the state or surrounding states at all, so this would be quite an exciting change for me. I'm eager to branch out on my own somewhere new. New Mexico is at the top of a list of places I am keeping in mind for job opportunities.

That being said, I'd like to get any information about New Mexico you all think would be good to keep in mind. From the natives: What do you love/hate about your state? BE HONEST. I'd really appreciate the sort of demographic sketch you WON'T find in any book. Firsthand accounts are essential. What should one keep in mind when moving there from a place that's so different--in my case, New Jersey? Are there any aspects of life in New Mexico you think one should be made VERY aware of before even considering relocating there? Those bits of information would surely help me.

From those who have already moved to New Mexico from other states...any advice you want to share? Any thoughts on the job market you have now joined? Anything you want to share, I'd love to hear.

Again, this is very much a preliminary request for information. I have set a goal for myself, to be out of NJ by December, 2008. Other than that, it's very much open. One other thing: I am looking to get into the library/information management field. If you want more information about my career aspirations, just ask.

Thank you all!
-Doug

Doug, welcome to the New Mexico forum!

Firstly, like you said, you really do need to visit New Mexico to see if you like it in person. Indeed, if you love desert and wide open spaces, you are going to love the Land of Enchantment.

May I ask? How old are you? I moved west from the Northeast at age 26 (and hardly knew anyone) and I am so happy I made the move!

One thing: I wasn't sure when to break this to you, but I will now. I am indeed the webmaster of http://newmexicoguy.com and I'm glad you enjoyed some of the photos. However, my largest web site is http://coloradoguy.com - I have lived in Colorado for over ten years now. About two years ago, I began thinking about the possibilities of moving south to New Mexico, and so I bought the domain with the hope that maybe someday, owning this domain would be an added inspiration to move there someday. The current NM photos of New Mexico Guy are from the few times I've visited the state in the past five years or so.

-Steve

"I always wonder what folks in frozen lands will think when they discover that hell is full of grass yards that need mowing every day and heaven is a blazing desert." - Joel Smith

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Welcome to Steve's NM website! I live in Farmington NM, the "Four corners" region where four states meet. I really enjoy traveling throughout New Mexico, with scenery to be experienced ranging from alpine mountains to lower-hot desert in the south. Alot of Southwest culture and art can be found here too. Where else in the USA can you find people still living in mud-adobe pueblos?

There are good aspects of living in NM. The climate is top-notch, the state having an average altitude of 5700 feet above the sea. Summer days in the high desert are usually in the 90s, and nights in the mid-upper 50s. Very dry air, and high humidity is almost non-existant. Lots of deep blue sky on 300 sunshine days year, and winters vary from mild in the south to serious cold/snow near the CO border. The northern mountain ranges-San Juan and Sangre De Christo are the southern extention of the Colorado Rockies, and receive significant amounts of snow. Sometimes more than CO.

New Mexico growth ranges from very slow, to rapid-paced in the Albuquerque region. The oil & gas industry is also in a boom, especially in the San Juan Basin-Four Corners area. Outside of major towns and cities, growth is spurred with tourism or local industry. Overall, New Mexico is essentially a rural state. Staying closer to larger urban areas will provide more readily available employment. In smaller areas, a person may have to be more creative. Housing costs as a rule are not as expensive as Colorado, but is steadily increasing. Where i live, the oil-gas boom has created a housing shortage and home prices have increased dramatically. About half the cost of nearby Durango, CO.

I like the locale where i live. It's high desert around the 6,000ft mark, and very close to recreation in Colorado. When the mtn snows arrive, i can still ride a bicycle down here, and travel one hour for winter sports to the north. Colorful sunsets are beautiful and common too. Take a trip sometime, and see if NM would be your state of residence in the future. You can also live in CO near the NM border, travel this direction too!

I just turned 28 a few weeks ago, and am rushing to get a full-time, benefited job (and therefore, my career) in place AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. The living at home thing is getting REALLY old.