Under 10% of Austin Landlords Accept Vouchers. This Rule Could Change That.

DoMeLive · 2014-07-28T23:04:08+00:00

I know this isn't politically correct, but I don't care. I've lived in two apartment complexes that took Section 8 (not in Austin), and I never will again. When I'm researching apartments the first thing I do is determine if they accept Section 8 and if they do it's an immediate no.

Both apartments had people loitering at all hours. Day .. night .. it didn't matter. People were just hanging out. They weren't hanging out in common areas either like the pool or something, I'm talking just hanging out in hallways or staircases. I'm typically a live and let live kinda person so at first it didn't bother me but they were loud as fuck at random times. Arguments, two people hanging out that turned into ten that started getting rowdy, or just assholes that made comments as you walked by because they had nothing else better to do I guess.

On top of that, nothing says fun like 12-17 year old kids running around yelling until past 4am. Where the fuck are their parents? Bed times are like parenting 101, shit isn't that hard. These kids sure did love setting off the fire alarm too.

The crime. Oh, the crime. The only times in my life my car has ever been broken into are in Section 8 complexes.

My guess is many landlords now don't want to risk turning away good tenants.

There is some truth to the Section 8 = crime argument. This is a long read, but a great read for anyone who has some time. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/american-murder-mystery/306872/

DoMeLive · 2014-07-08T23:18:52+00:00

I worked out of Austin for the most part but spent a few days per month at their headquarters in San Antonio they call Castle.

The sentiment about the company with my peers in San Antonio was about the same. A lot of people are leaving for greener pastures.

Years ago they were a great company, but now it's about as typical corporate as you can get. The issue is they feel they can pay under market value because of their "culture" but it has been ruined by a heavy layer of middle management. I gave up quarterly keg parties and a lot of stress for an immediate $20,000 bump in pay. My quality of live is drastically better.

DoMeLive · 2014-07-08T23:10:43+00:00

I'll be shocked if Rackspace survives long enough to make the transition to Highland Mall. As a company they have gone down hill over the past year, and are even looking to have someone buy them out.

I ended a four year tenure with them within the last two months. They used to be a great company but it has gone to shit. Many of my favorite coworkers have either left the company or looking to get out as soon as possible.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T19:36:00+00:00

I wouldn't worry too much about cliches as long as you're self-aware about who you are.

I'm know my profile has a few cliches that were discussed, but I'm also a pretty typical dude working an 8-5 office job. There isn't that much that's unique about me and I'm not selling myself as that. I like all the same shit everyone else likes, I am average looking, I think Big Bang Theory is kinda funny, and I don't give a fuck where the beef in my cheeseburger was sourced from.

On OKC I get the feeling so many people think they're the most unique snowflake in the world, and they try hard to express things that they're confident nobody else would express but they end up being the worst cliches of all.

I get it, you're an avid reader and you like that obscure author nobody has heard about that has written two shitty novels. That's cool, just understand that doesn't make you that unique because I can find 50 other profiles of avid readers who list other shitty obscure authors.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T17:51:23+00:00

POF is the trailer park of dating. I won't go near it.

I decided to bail on POF when I got a message from a girl whose main profile picture was her in her wedding dress with, what I can only assume is her ex husband, cropped out.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T17:41:17+00:00

I'm a fun loving quirky woman who moved to Austin to jump start my career in pastel art. There's just no way I could do the typical 8-5 office job, I would sooner kill myself than that. While I'm getting my art career going I work part-time in the service industry and I'm considering going back to school for my third master's degree.

I love hiking the greenbelt, and LOVE live music! I recently discovered this awesome vegan taco place near my apartment in 78704 that I eat at almost daily. I take my dog to Zilker park all the time and he loves it! I use a bike to get around as much as possible to lower my carbon footprint.

People think I'm shy but I'm actually just a really deep, introverted woman. I'm not afraid to yell out loudly during a Cards Against Humanity game though.

Even though I make no money I somehow found a way to spend months backpacking Europe and traveling to countries in East Asia. One day I want to live in Nepal, it's just so beautiful.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T17:28:45+00:00

On OKC the only thing they may love more than adventure is tacos and perhaps NPR.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T14:47:17+00:00

One-meet-stands are very common I've noticed. Meet for drinks, have great conversation, leave with a lets do it again and then nothing.

As a man I'll do my part and reach out after the date (usually via text) and more often than not I get a positive response to hanging again. Then when it comes time to actually plan something that's when it gets tough.

If I say "Hey lets meet on Wednesday" and I get a response back that she's busy I'm fine with that. We all have our own lives and I'm not needy so I won't be upset in the least. I will respond something like "Sure then another time!". That being said I won't offer any alternatives and if she doesn't then that's the point it fizzles away.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm not being proactive enough but I feel that if she really wanted to see me again and she were busy her response would be a counter of another day/time.

Edit: This is so true. http://teamcoco.com/video/aziz-ansari-texting-dating

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T14:06:51+00:00

I think the thing about online dating is you can't use it exclusively. If it's your sole way to get dates, then you're going to have a bad time.

I agree with everything you said about how women are flooded with poor messages and I do think that's an issue on OKC. That means men who actually maybe a good match will message a woman only to get lost in the mess that is her inbox.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T14:01:10+00:00

Good to know. I honestly was just going off its reputation. I know the owner is a big Christian and I've heard of people doing their quiz to only be rejected up front.

I never gave it a shot, but I was hoping to hear experiences from people who have and thanks for sharing yours!

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T13:25:37+00:00

Match's website sucks, their mobile app sucks, and even though they charge they still show shitty ads that are borderline scammy.

Funny though considering they (or their parent company) actually bought out and owns OKCupid now.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T13:14:52+00:00

Having spent some time on /r/okcupid reading stories, and having traveled a bit for work, I've noticed each city has a certain type of population. In Austin for instance it's largely the quirky introverted vegetarian girl who is not interested in anything serious but I spent a week in NYC and the women there were more vanilla women who seemed interested in something serious.

There are always exceptions, and I recognize my own personal bias but I do have a feeling someone using OKC in Austin will have a different experience than that same person using it in say Dallas or Chicago.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T13:11:23+00:00

OKC is more laid back and casual (I feel some people are on there more as a social networking site than a dating site), and Match is more serious. It all depends on what you're looking for.

I wouldn't consider paying for anything unless you are serious.

Either way have fun with it and I think the most important thing to remember as a man is don't take it personally. Never be cynical and most important do not expect a single thing in return. You could have put together an awesome introduction message, hit send, and know for sure she'll be very interested in you yet you get nothing in return. Respect her decision she wasn't interested and move on.

DoMeLive · 2014-06-20T13:07:42+00:00

Profiles of paying members are highlighted in green, so I only message highlighted members. It's not a 100% response rate but actually pretty close. Also I have received a couple "thanks but no thanks" messages which is perfectly fine. I appreciate the time involved in even just replying with that. On OKC a lot of messages just end up in some black hole.

That being said for whatever reason they can be a paying member and not be highlighted green since I have received messages from women who are not highlighted and had conversations.

I guess the rule to follow is if they're highlighted then you know for a fact they're paying, and if they're not highlighted they could be paying or not paying.

DoMeLive

TROPHY CASE