What's going on, Albuquerque?

Fear of commitment to Albuquerque

Are you actually staying here?
If you're new to Albuquerque, you've been asked the same thing a thousand times. I've lived here 4 years now and people are still asking me "So how long will you stick around?"

Admittedly, I've flirted with other cities. Last year we flew to Portland on reconnaissance and still I order Polish pickles and chocolate from Chicago. A couple months ago however, my partner and I took a hard look at our lives here and decided to commit.

We're staying in Albuquerque.

I'm letting down my guard, baby, and giving it all to the Duke City like a newlywed signing on for life. I'm switching to a 30 year mortgage and planting that apricot tree I never thought I'd be around to harvest. It's a relief, it's a deep breath, it's a line in the alluvial sand.

This morning I went for a hike in the foothills, high above the city where the wind howled like a hideous coyote. A couple hours later, I sat in an old church downtown listening to a sold-out and stellar performance of Handel's Messiah. As the sun set even later, I had mango tea with some people I ran into at the concert and we mused about our fine city's future. The promise of things like infill development, Predock architecture, philanthropists and leaders with long-range vision.

My tea-drinking compadres have lived here far longer than I, but we're asking the same question: What would happen if Albuquerque started to believe itself worthy of long-term investment? What would our city look like?

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Comment by Chris on December 3, 2007 at 4:56am: I desperately wish Albuquerque would invest in itself. As a college graduate with a technical degree, it's difficult to find technical jobs in the city. The draw of 24-hour cities just a few hundred miles away (still close enough for Christmas and Summers) both by social factors and economics is seriously inhibiting the Duke City's growth. I lived in Albuquerque for 18 years, and I would love to live there again, but some things would need to change.

Comment by Mary Schmidt on December 3, 2007 at 8:37am: I think Albuquerque is changing - and has made significant progress since I moved here seven years ago

I've gotten very tired of hearing (whine, whine) - "You can't do that here." "It's not possible here." "There just aren't any opportunities." Well, we do have a long way to go to compete with other cities to keep the creative class and build a truly diverse economy - but we can do it, if we choose. (Keep in touch Chris, you may yet be able to move back.)

I wouldn't live anywhere else - drought, drunk drivers, dicey politics and all ;-) New Mexico is magical and Albuquerque is unique. Whenever I'm out on the Sandia hiking trails, I marvel that I live here - and that there are so many people that never look up (or around.) As my friend and I are looking out on the magnificent views, eating our picnic lunch (we marvel, "How could anybody NOT love it here?" (Same goes for when we're having dinner at Zinc, a burrito at the Frontier, listening to the Gay Men's Chorus Holiday concert, walking along the Bosque, Salsa under the Stars in the summer, visiting the museums, etc. etc.)

(Yep, I'm prejudiced - since I'm a New Mexico native...but I was born in Hobbs. I've lived in big cities, and traveled extensively, so I can appreciate the good, the bad and the ugly about Albuquerque. Folks, we've got it much, much better than many places.)

Comment by akoolstik on December 3, 2007 at 8:54am: "Point me in the direction of Albuquerque. I want to go home." - The Partridge Family

Comment by SoyJames on December 3, 2007 at 8:55am: That's a damn fine song that is...

Comment by andrew on December 3, 2007 at 9:00am: Good call.

Comment by akoolstik on December 3, 2007 at 9:00am: bless youtube...

Comment by Patricia on December 3, 2007 at 9:12am: Being about to approach the 15 year mark that I've lived in Albuquerque, it makes my heart happy to hear of folks committing to Albuquerque. I hope more people have the insight that you do. Great post Chantal!

Comment by Diego on December 3, 2007 at 9:59am: I have lived here all my life, I have traveled to much, much bigger cities so I know there is no comparison. I just discovered they opened an Anthropoligie at ABQ Uptown... what more could you ask for?

Comment by killbox on December 3, 2007 at 10:33am: I'm mostly a NM native, and an Albuquerque native for nearly 20 years, and unlike many I love the place!

With arthritis i find the weather is nearly perfect, and the fact i live a mile up from most places i would want to visit gives me the advantage of going to higher air pressure destinations when I travel (arthritis tends to get worse when the pressure falls, which is why many rheumatics "can predect the weather") I feel better for most of my trip, sure i pay a price when i go home, but it beats not having that little advantage!

Even as I grow older and less fully nocturnal, I do wish there were more 24hour things/places in Albuquerque. that and less emphasis on sprawl and i think this town could grow into something i like even more!

Comment by the boy on December 3, 2007 at 10:36am: I find myself as something of an evangelist for Albuquerque out here, which is odd and my friends are starting to find irritating. But I love the city, and I may well just settle for a teachers salary to be able to live there.

Also - the video is awesome. I love how none of the homes are actually from the city. Yay.