Announcement Part 1

So I guess now is as good a time as any for the first annoucement I’ve been promising: In a couple of days I’m going to be driving cross-country to San Francisco and settle down there. I was in SF the past few days to find a place and I found something that’s perfect for me. This is a permanent relocation, though I’m sure I’ll be back to Texas often. (As often as I can. I love TX. :)) Loose ends have been tied, phone plan has been changed, life is in order. I’m going to miss my people and family in Houston very dearly, but I’m still incredibly excited about the move.

If you live on the route between Houston and San Francisco drop me a note and maybe we can meet up on my trip.

62 thoughts on “Announcement Part 1

  1. Sadly I don’t, I live in the uk, however I will be in SF over Christmas/New Year visiting my girlfriend!

    Hope the move goes really well… looks like you’re really happy 🙂

    (btw – you do know that there is going to be a chorus of groans from the people who thought it was going ot be wp1.3 you were going to announce?) 😉

  2. I’m not groaning, coz I figured that the WordPress announcement probably wouldn’t be filed under Personal. 🙂
    And yes, I’m curious about #2.

  3. I’m also a Houston-to-SF transplant. I’ve made the cross-country drive twice. You have my pity. It’s a really tedious and boring drive, but a pretty straight shot on I-10. Spend the first night in Fort Stockton TX, it’s the last motel before El Paso, so if you pass it you won’t have anywhere else to stop for a few more hours. El Paso to Phoenix is another day’s drive through the bleakness of central New Mexico. You can then do Phoenix to SF in a day if you take the 5 north from LA, but if you can spare an extra day spend the night in LA and drive up the PCH, it’s beautiful and everyone should make that drive at least once.

    And don’t bother paying a buck fifty to see “The Thing?”, it’s a ripoff.

  4. Excellent! If you’re coming up through Palo Alto and/or you need some help moving in, let me know. Beth and I made the drive out here from San Antonio this time last year. It’s certainly long but the scenery from West Texas all the way out is gorgeous (check out these pics of a New Mexico sunset we got on the way: http://www.brainpipe.com/gallery/frisco?page=9). Oh, and enjoy the thunderstorms — they don’t exist out here.

  5. Yeah, I thought you were finally going to announce WP1.3. But yeah, that still sounds like a good thing to announce, good luck to your move and I hope you have a safe trip as well as recieving more inspiration in SF.

  6. Good luck, Matt! If you haven’t already, try to make time to stop along the way and see some sights. Many moons ago, my parents and I made a trip out to Phoenix, and we saw the Grand Canyon, the big meteor crater (they were filming Starman there at the time, and we saw Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen in a restaurant in Flagstaff), and the Painted Desert. There’s some beautiful country out there.

  7. Congratulations on your move, Matt. You’re that much closer to Canada, now! Drive safely, and enjoy the trip. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures along the way.

  8. I had a feeling something like this was coming up and I have a feeling the next part of the announcement will be about T……… 🙂

    Good luck Matt! You are a very nice person with oodles of talent and I wish you the best of BOTH worlds!

  9. Definitely good luck with the move. Coming from someone who’s made three moves in the past year or so, I know firsthand how rough it can be. But now I can only imagine that this is going to delay the release of 1.3… Oh well, we’ll still support you!

    Now what’s up with the formatting on these comments? *shudder*

  10. Although I’m bummed that you’re taking off, distances matter little in this Internet age (except for parents, siblings, girlfriends).

    I lived in albania for 2 years, and fun though it was, I pretty much lost touch with everybody. When I worked a year later in Ukraine, suddenly everybody had email and the Internet, and everything felt pretty normal again. (and since that time, International phone calls became cheap so that wasn’t a factor either).

    In my essay about why Austin sucks and Houston rocks (also applicable here), I write:

    I don’t mean to convince people that Houston is somehow superior to Austin. It is not. It is an ugly, noxious crime-ridden place populated by armies of SUV’s and high school gangs. But it’s cheap to live here and (for me at least) a place of plentiful jobs. No one feels a sentimental attachment to Houston; people just make their peace and feel a sense of triumph whenever they discover an interesting shop at a strip mall amidst the banality. The city that inspires love and passion also inspires disaffection and ultimately disappointment; a city that doesn’t inspire can still surprise, entertain and even fascinate. One sheds no tears at having to leave Houston, but one is always sure that this city”“always the homely thing”“will greet you with open arms the next time you return.

  11. Hmm, either your site ate my last comment or it’s in the moderating queue. Anyway, have fun in San Francisco and don’t be surprised if sometime in the not-too-distant future, you find yourself here again. (I, for one, was very surprised to find myself in Houston, but here I am.

  12. I too am curious about Part 2, but wanted to share my best wishes on the move out west. I hope San Francisco will still be able to accomodate your WordPress development.

  13. Welcome to the Bay Area. Make sure to check out the East Bay as well — you could always commute with Mary H.

    Looks like I called part 1 right. 🙂

  14. Hy, Matt! I can’t believe you didn’t tell any of us sooner. We would’ve given you a proper going away party! Best of luck, Matt! I’m bringing back the Blogger family in my game anyway. So you better check back and see what SimPhotomatt will be up to. Congrats on the move!!!

  15. Bon Voyage! I have been wanting to make a cross-country road trip come true. Next summer, perhaps!
    San Fran seems to be the happening place, and I’m happy for you that you found a good pad. I hope you find a lot of friends out there, and have a terrific time.

  16. Good luck with the move. Common sense tells me that you will be taking the short way. But if you are not, then do drop me a line when you get to Hong Kong.

  17. If you’re passing through Phoenix AZ, then let me know… I live in the valley. I work for a very large hotel chain. If you need a place to stay overnight, I can probably hook you up with an affordable room here in the valley.

  18. *sniff, sniff* – Are we going to have a going away party for you or something before you go? Do we get to see MATT! (since that’s what we always shout when you arrive) one last time? I really hope so. Really, really, really hope so.

    We’ll miss having you here, but I know San Francisco will suit you well.

  19. San Francisco will be a great adventure and should be a great reward for the trek. I have missed San Francisco every day since I left 11 years ago. I particularly miss it now that good ideas are gelling there again.

  20. Good luck! I’m actually moving to Houston in a couple of months and was looking forward to buying you a beer or something – but I guess it will have to wait for another time. Good luck!

  21. As long as you don’t leave us high and dry on the internet, I’m fine with your move. Worpress (the next version) should be released before the big move, since you are moving on in your life, eh.

  22. Hi, Matt. First you switch to an Apple PowerBook and now you’re moving to San Francisco! You couldn’t have picked a more exciting and beautiful city in which to live. The HPUG members will certainly miss your leadership and knowledge of technology. Best wishes to you for success in San Francisco!

  23. my wife and I recently moved from SF to Houston. We lived in the Presidio and loved it. But there was no way we could ever and I mean ever ever afford a house there. The cost of living killed us — so hard to get ahead there unless you already have money. So we left, and came back to Houston. We make the same (move actually because no state taxes), own a great pad in Montrose (loft etc), but miss golden gate and Sonoma every day. Best of luck.

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