Well folks, I am outta here. I know I have been talking about it time and time again. But it seems the end has come.

I was just informed that my contract gig will be ending early. Mid Sept. instead of end of Oct. And there are no other jobs in sight. So to prevent from being peniless and homeless. Back to CA I go. Its seems I will be missing Gunstock this year as well.

TX has been grueling. Laid off 2X. Fired once. No jobs to speak of in my chosen industry. Tried changing careers and nothing. Women think I have the plague and I couldn't get a date to save my life. Its been one bad turn after another.

I do want to thank the folks that have brought me in as their friend. Most importantly Jarhead_22 and his lovely wife. Bung, who doesn't post much anymore, for hanging out and going bar hoping with me in a very unsuccessful attempt to gather up some chicky snacks for each of us. And the rest of the DFW Crew, ETH, TxLewis, Ilikelegs, even TRG. and the countless others who's names would make this the longest post ever. All of you guys will be missed.

I will be on the board sparotically between now and then. I am still working my second job. Matter of fact just came home to grab a bite, post this and head out to my 2nd job. So just in case I don't get a chance to say adios to you guys in the next 3wks. I want to say thank you for your hospitality and friendship. Its been quite an experience. Met some great folks, had some goodtimes. That's all that counts in life. Good friends. Good people and lastly good times to remember.

Again, I thank you TX folks.

Good luck.

 Hey. bro.  Good luck and hope to see around either here or Kali.

Quoted: ... Good luck my brutha, please make a stop in Arizona on your way and let the AZARFCOM crew buy ya dinner and a beer.

Oh you betcha!!! Plan right now is to get outta dodge the weekend of 18th of Sept. if I can get everything packed up and in storage. Or possibly the follow weekend. But definitely shooting for the 18th. I'll drop you an IM or give ya a buzz as time gets near. I still have your number if you hadn't changed it.

Quoted: Was there to watch you pull the .223 shell out of your AK's chamber with a sheepish look on your face.. Coz_45

That wasn't me!!! Not me nope, uh uh. No way was it me. Even if it was me, it wasn't me. I swear the casing looked all the same when I was loading em the magazine the night before. Just goes to show ya. Loading 2 different caliber magazine in one sitting while buzzed is not advisable. Not that I would do that. Cause it wasn't me.

Sorry your leaving bro. I am glad to call you a friend.
Hope things work out well in Cali. When I take a vacation there I'll come visit.

We will have to throw you a going away party.

Hey LT, sorry things didn't work out for you in Texas. Good luck in Cali! Come back anytime!!

Good Grief, Lordtrader!

I really hate to see y'all leave! I know that Texas hasn't been as good to you as we all would have wished...

Good luck in California!

Tell the chicky snacks that there's a formerly fat, currently single 52 year old attorney in Texas that's thinking about them.

Nightly!

Eric The(WretchedlyWicked)Hun

Quoted: Sorry Tejas didn't work out for you, LT. Does Kali make you sell all your firearms before crossing the border?  Hope things work out better for you out there, you'll be missed. MF'er

Well having been broke over the past years. I have bought and sold. Mainly sold. Right now, all I have is 2 pistols left. So going back with the firearms I have is not going to be a problem.

Quoted: Quoted: Sorry Tejas didn't work out for you, LT. Does Kali make you sell all your firearms before crossing the border?  Hope things work out better for you out there, you'll be missed. MF'er Well having been broke over the past years. I have bought and sold. Mainly sold. Right now, all I have is 2 pistols left. So going back with the firearms I have is not going to be a problem.

 You forgot boating accident....

Quoted: I just can't see why in the world, out of all the places to go, that you would go back to Kalifornia. Anywhere is better than Kalifornia. CMOS

Quoted: I just can't see why in the world, out of all the places to go, that you would go back to Kalifornia. Anywhere is better than Kalifornia. CMOS

Hmmm....

Let's see if I can put this into perspective.

I have been laid off 2X here in TX and fired once. I have tried to change careers but none had kept my interest. I have taken a pay cut to come here to TX. Roughly 33% of my income. Now I have taken a total of 70% pay cut after all the lay offs and attemps to change careers. And I am currently working 2 jobs to make that happen. Most folks say, that the cost of living is lower here in TX. Speaking from experience that is utter Bullshit. Example:

There is no state tax in TX. However, just about everything you buy get taxed out the wazzoo. In CA persihable item are not taxed. Here about half of perishables are. The ones deemed as "convenience items" My insurance shot up when I came to TX. Car insurance went from $85 to $135 a month for the same car. Renters insurance shot up from $75 a year to $125 a year. If I lived in Dallas county, that would have been upward of $150. Health insurance cost is also unbelievable here. HMO group cost is ranging between $50-$75 monthly. That is group cost!!! I can get that as an individual in CA. With regards to entertainment. The cost of going out here in TX is the same as CA. Movies is still $7-10. A steak dinner at a nice restaurant will still be in the $20's. The only thing cheaper in TX is gas and property.

Next is my career. My chosen profession is almost non existent here in TX. What I have found thru recruiters and networking, that most of the position I seek are gone. A number of brokerage house here in TX have shut their fixed income trading desk due to cutback after 9-11. The ones left are so inundated with resumes that they can basically pick and choose the cream of the crop. If they ever have an opening. However, in NYC and CA. There is an abundance of job in my chosen profession cropping up. They are still not looking at out of state candidates though. However, a few of the headhunters I am working with assures me that once I get back, I will have no problems getting an interview. Opposite of what it is here. Most tell me either I am overqualified, too expensive, or under qualified.

Lastly my social life. I have been in TX 3+ years. Have not had a date. Not for the lack of trying mind you. I have no troubles meeting women. Making friends. But that is as far as it goes. I never had this much problem in CA. Not to toot my own horn, but meeting and dating women have always been easy for me in CA.

Lastly. I believe the topic most talked about here on the board. GUNS. In the 3yrs I have been in TX, the majority of what I have done with guns is sold them. Sure I have bought a few. But in the end, I have ended up selling everything I have. So you see, I have my own gun ban. LACK OF MONEY. Going back to CA is not a big deal at this point.

Lastly, my family is in CA. So are friends that I have known since H.S. and college.

So you see, anywhere is NOT better than California. If you are talking about gun laws and politics, I can agree with you. But if you are talking about overall living ones life. You are way off from the truth.

You will be sorely missed.

TRG

Send me the details on the farewell dinner - I'll be there to give you a warm hug and wet kiss.

Quoted: Send me the details on the farewell dinner - I'll be there to give you a warm hug and wet kiss.

He said 'even TRG' so I got dibs on the hugs and kisses part.  Line forms behind me, bigboy!

TRG

Quoted: LT, I understand. However I would really like to know, out of sheer curiousity, what you feel is the reason for the womenz problem here in Texas? CMOS

I know I am gonna open a can of worm here, but since you asked, here goes.

I think it's a bit of racism. I happen to be attracted to caucasian women. After 3yrs here at least in the Dallas area. I do not see many Asian/White couple where the Asian is the man. Sure I see the other way around. But that's about it. I don't have problem meeting women. I don't have problems being friends with them. It seems the wall I run into is when I ask them out for a date. Dunno if CA women are more forward, but in CA more often than not I have been approached by women. Hasn't happened here.

I still don't let that deter me in any way. However, I am somewhat "gun shy" these days. Its gotten to the point when I meet a woman, I automatically ask where she is from. If she's from TX, I just basically be nice and leave it at that.

I really notice the difference in how women respond to me when I go back to CA. Just a lot of subtle differences.

A good example is when I went back about a year ago and went to Laughlin with a few friends for Memorial day. My buddies(all three are caucasian) were there a day early and had already met a group of girls(Caucasian). 4 to be exact one was with her BF. When my buddies picked me up from the airport we headed for the hotel room and then to the pool where we met up with these girls. I got introduced and this one seem to start gravitating towards me. Started with rub lotion on my back, to come with me to get a drink, to are you coming with us to dinner I need a date. Needless to say, I got to bump uglies that night This girl is good looking. Scale of 1-10 about an hi 7 to lo 8's. Just graduated from UCLA.

Now Bung has gone out with me to bars, and I am sure he can attest, I have no problem going up to women and striking up a conversation. However, I seem to keep running into a brick wall thereafter.

So there's it is.

Post from lordtrader -

I know I am gonna open a can of worm here, but since you asked, here goes. I think it's a bit of racism. I happen to be attracted to caucasian women. After 3yrs here at least in the Dallas area. I do not see many Asian/White couple where the Asian is the man. Sure I see the other way around. But that's about it. I don't have problem meeting women. I don't have problems being friends with them. It seems the wall I run into is when I ask them out for a date. Dunno if CA women are more forward, but in CA more often than not I have been approached by women. Hasn't happened here. I still don't let that deter me in any way. However, I am somewhat "gun shy" these days. Its gotten to the point when I meet a woman, I automatically ask where she is from. If she's from TX, I just basically be nice and leave it at that. I really notice the difference in how women respond to me when I go back to CA. Just a lot of subtle differences. A good example is when I went back about a year ago and went to Laughlin with a few friends for Memorial day. My buddies(all three are caucasian) were there a day early and had already met a group of girls(Caucasian). 4 to be exact one was with her BF. When my buddies picked me up from the airport we headed for the hotel room and then to the pool where we met up with these girls. I got introduced and this one seem to start gravitating towards me. Started with rub lotion on my back, to come with me to get a drink, to are you coming with us to dinner I need a date. Needless to say, I got to bump uglies that night This girl is good looking. Scale of 1-10 about an hi 7 to lo 8's. Just graduated from UCLA. Now Bung has gone out with me to bars, and I am sure he can attest, I have no problem going up to women and striking up a conversation. However, I seem to keep running into a brick wall thereafter. So there's it is.

Or, it could just be you.

I seriously doubt hat it's 'racism.'

Didn't you meet any Asian 'chicky snacks'?

Were they racists, as well?

Hmmm, a simple answer such as 'racism' is no answer at all.

Eric The(DatingAnHispanicEvenAsWeSpeak)Hun

Quoted: I seriously doubt hat it's 'racism.' Didn't you meet any Asian 'chicky snacks'? Were they racists, as well? Hmmm, a simple answer such as 'racism' is no answer at all. Eric The(DatingAnHispanicEvenAsWeSpeak)Hun

Never met any I wanted to ask out on a date. There was that one stripper at the Lodge. She was Filipino and was quite friendly indeed. But as I mentioned, I am not attracted to MOST Asians.

The other part of my post that I believe you failed to read is the difference in how women, caucasian women from CA respond to me vs caucasian women here in TX.

Post from lordtrader:

But as I mentioned, I am not attracted to MOST Asians.

Oh, so you're racist?

The other part of my post that I believe you failed to read is the difference in how women, caucasian women from CA respond to me vs caucasian women here in TX.

That's called 'anecdotal' evidence and it means nothing more than YOU failed to meet any Caucasian women who were interested in YOU.

Not that these same womenz might not have been interested in other Asians, or blacks, or whatever.

Eric The(LovingToOneAndAll)Hun

Quoted: Post from lordtrader: But as I mentioned, I am not attracted to MOST Asians. Oh, so you're racist? The other part of my post that I believe you failed to read is the difference in how women, caucasian women from CA respond to me vs caucasian women here in TX. That's called 'anecdotal' evidence and it means nothing more than YOU failed to meet any Caucasian women who were interested in YOU. Not that these same womenz might not have been interested in other Asians, or blacks, or whatever. Eric The(LovingToOneAndAll)Hun

Guess in that aspect yes I am.

With regards to your anecdotal evidence. I guess history would prove that my chances for that meeting is better in CA than here in TX.

Quoted: Quoted: LT, I can attest, women in Texas are very picky...   I'm not one to go to bars and chase them down, but when I do, I have no problem talking to women... they just aren't very receptive unless you fit some preconceived notion of who they're going to be with (tall cowboy type... pretty boy GQ type... etc...)   It's tough...  I'm wondering if I should go to Kali for a while and find me a hottie, then bring her back to Texas!   u guys must be pricks  then the owmen around here like to be treated nicely, i seem to get to go out and meet a dift woman weekly and alot are very sweet

You must be meeting them at the local Spelling B.

TRG