Texas Class of 2012 Forum

[JazzOne]

I can understand if you're already established in Austin. However, if you're moving to Austin solely for law school, I would think you'd want to be as close to campus as possible. Also, I'm not very familiar with Austin. The Triangle apartments seemed far to me, but maybe I'm mistaken. I happened to drive by them when I got lost one day.

It depends. If you are by yourself and can afford a nice place close to campus (or tolerate a bad place close to campus), then that would make sense. If you are moving a family or SO with you, I could see wanting to be somewhere farther away. Also, if you're trying to save money (arguably not the case here given that he picked the Triangle, which has a reputation for being expensive), you might want to move farther out. You can get much larger places for much less $$ if you move away from campus.

It probably depends on a lot of personal things. Some people want to be able to walk to class. I did that in grad school it was nice, but really expensive to live that close to school.

I see. I've been looking at houses in Hyde Park, and the rent seemed very reasonable to me. I guess I just didn't really think I could find something less expensive in a nice area. Do you suggest any other areas? I don't necessarily want to walk to school. I'm willing to take the public transportation, but I do not want to drive to school. I'd like to keep my car at home during the day.

[penni_rose]

You have to get pretty far out to make it too much cheaper. I pay less than $650 (total) in rent, but I'm 20 miles out. Much more than that was just too much for us to swing once I give up my job. Hyde Park is very nice. It's probably worth the money.

Of course, we can all just be thankful we're in Austin. This time last year, I was paying $1750 for a one bedroom in Boston.

[JazzOne]

You have to get pretty far out to make it too much cheaper. I pay less than $650 (total) in rent, but I'm 20 miles out. Much more than that was just too much for us to swing once I give up my job. Hyde Park is very nice. It's probably worth the money.

Of course, we can all just be thankful we're in Austin. This time last year, I was paying $1750 for a one bedroom in Boston.

Honestly, my biggest reason for wanting to live close is that I am picky about my car, and I don't like to park it in tight places. What is the parking situation like around campus? I imagine it's horrible and that driving to school simply isn't an option for me.

[Esc]

Parking at UT Law is expensive and frustrating. From the Freshlaw website:

The second best parking option is undoubtedly the parking garages on campus. Parking garage space is guaranteed for permit holders and there is a parking garage beside the Law School library, which easily makes it the best on-campus option. There are some drawbacks, however. A permit costs $287 per semester, and even at that price, there's more demand than supply – each semester the number of permits available for sale is extremely limited.

The San Jacinto Garage (SJG) – "the Law School lot" – will only accept transfers during the regular semester. That means you will have to spend one semester in another parking garage and then request a transfer into SJG. The most likely garage designation is the Manor Garage (MAG). The permit cost is the same and parking is guaranteed, but unlike SJG, MAG is a five to ten minute walk to the Law School. For a certain population of chipper health nuts, a little walk is a great way to start the day; for the rumpled, coffee-craving masses, it's just insult added to the injury of an 8:30 a.m. class.

The third option is to purchase a C parking permit. The main C lots are directly across the street from MAG and the permit costs $110 per year. However, parking space is not guaranteed. Aside from the cost, another attractive feature of this permit is that you can park in the Law School faculty parking lot next to the law library (south side) after 5:45 p.m. If you want to come back in the evenings or on weekends you may park there and save yourself some of the trouble that can come along with a trip to the Law School at night. This permit is inexpensive enough to be considered a supplemental parking option for those on the shuttle route.

A few words in closing. Finding parking at UT is a perennial headache, but if you're thinking it's because there are too few spaces, you've got it backwards. The problem is that too many people choose to drive when it would be equally practical, if not more so, to walk, bike, carpool, or take the shuttle. Predictably, this creates problems with traffic as well as parking; once school starts, Austin's traffic will add substantially to drivers' time in transit, and those using alternate methods will find themselves widely envied. There are few feelings more satisfying than bicycling past three blocks worth of gridlock, smiling and waving at the poor souls trapped in their metal boxes as the wind streams through your hair. Consider all of this before plunking down $500+ dollars for a year's worth of supposed convenience.

My bolds.

[blackknight]

Nice. Do you plan to rent out the rest of the Duplex?

The one im going to put an offer on already has a tenant on the other side. Im trying to decide if I want to rent the other room on the side im going to live on because it is a 2/1.5, but Im guessing I will because Im kind of frugal.

Otherwise, I call dibs on blackknight's backyard.

Its actually a pretty good size backyard so you could probably fit three tents back there. That is like a three bedroom.

[penni_rose]

I do not recommend parking on campus unless you want to shell out for a garage permit. The parking situation sucks. The garages are fine, but really expensive. Plus it's difficult to get into the San Jac garage.

I'm very worried about my car as well (I love it). I am horrified by the idea of parking it at a park and ride all day while I take the bus, but it seems to be the best option for me. If you can be close enough to bike to campus or walk to a shuttle line, that would probably be the best way to leave your car somewhere you're comfortable.

[OperaAttorney]

Nice. Do you plan to rent out the rest of the Duplex?

The one im going to put an offer on already has a tenant on the other side. Im trying to decide if I want to rent the other room on the side im going to live on because it is a 2/1.5, but Im guessing I will because Im kind of frugal.

Otherwise, I call dibs on blackknight's backyard.

Its actually a pretty good size backyard so you could probably fit three tents back there. That is like a three bedroom.

Blackknight,

It looks like a few TLSers want that other room!

Please, keep us updated.

[OperaAttorney]

Are there any cooks in this thread?

I just made dinner while watching the LAKER game: bbq turkey meatballs (with cranberry sauce), baked sweet potato chips, and steamed broccoli. It's tasty, healthy, and quick to make. One of my goals this summer is to come up with quick meals for the busy week. This meal gets an A.

[penni_rose]

Are there any cooks in this thread?

I just made dinner while watching the LAKER game: bbq turkey meatballs (with cranberry sauce), baked sweet potato chips, and steamed broccoli. It's tasty, healthy, and quick to make. One of my goals this summer is to come up with quick meals for the busy week. This meal gets an A.

Yum!

[art vandelay]

Are there any cooks in this thread?

I just made dinner while watching the LAKER game: bbq turkey meatballs (with cranberry sauce), baked sweet potato chips, and steamed broccoli. It's tasty, healthy, and quick to make. One of my goals this summer is to come up with quick meals for the busy week. This meal gets an A.

Nice, but I made a much more Texan meal and watched the MAGIC game instead. Chicken-chorizo soft tacos (corn tortillas) with grilled veggies in the tacos as well. Lime juice on the tacos for added flavour. Mango salsa, although it looked better in the recipe picture than it tasted in the tacos. Side of black beans with shredded feta garnish.

This meal also gets an A, but a C for ease-of-prep. Argh.

[lsatismybitchlover]

I like lunchables .

[OperaAttorney]

Made something else this evening. Grilled rosemary chicken, steamed brown rice, and sauteed spinach. This is an easy one to make too.

CHICKEN: Marinade the chicken overnight in olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. (I marinaded 5 chicken breasts.) Broil in oven.

BROWN RICE: Cook in rice cooker.

SPINACH: Sauteed spinach only takes a few minutes. I used olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper.

[Daico]

Made something else this evening. Grilled rosemary chicken, steamed brown rice, and sauteed spinach. This is an easy one to make too.

CHICKEN: Marinade the chicken overnight in olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. (I marinaded 5 chicken breasts.) Broil in oven.

BROWN RICE: Cook in rice cooker.

SPINACH: Sauteed spinach only takes a few minutes. I used olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper.

About how much rosemary would you suggest per x amount of chicken?

[OperaAttorney]

Made something else this evening. Grilled rosemary chicken, steamed brown rice, and sauteed spinach. This is an easy one to make too.

CHICKEN: Marinade the chicken overnight in olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. (I marinaded 5 chicken breasts.) Broil in oven.

BROWN RICE: Cook in rice cooker.

SPINACH: Sauteed spinach only takes a few minutes. I used olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper.

About how much rosemary would you suggest per x amount of chicken?

Gosh. I dunno . I'm a season-to-taste kinda guy. For 5 large chicken breasts, I wouldn't go under 1.5 tablespoons of dried rosemary. But I love the herb.

It's a good marinade, really. The lemon + rosemary + olive oil creates a strong yet subtle flavor. Adding the freshly ground black pepper and the red pepper "livens" the marinade and gives it some heat.

[Esc]

Made something else this evening. Grilled rosemary chicken, steamed brown rice, and sauteed spinach. This is an easy one to make too.

CHICKEN: Marinade the chicken overnight in olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. (I marinaded 5 chicken breasts.) Broil in oven.

BROWN RICE: Cook in rice cooker.

SPINACH: Sauteed spinach only takes a few minutes. I used olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper.

About how much rosemary would you suggest per x amount of chicken?

Gosh. I dunno . I'm a season-to-taste kinda guy. For 5 large chicken breasts, I wouldn't go under 1.5 tablespoons of dried rosemary. But I love the herb.

It's a good marinade, really. The lemon + rosemary + olive oil creates a strong yet subtle flavor. Adding the freshly ground black pepper and the red pepper "livens" the marinade and gives it some heat.

In other meat-related news, I'm going out to the hill country to go shoot some feral hogs. Pest control FTW

[OperaAttorney]

Made something else this evening. Grilled rosemary chicken, steamed brown rice, and sauteed spinach. This is an easy one to make too.

CHICKEN: Marinade the chicken overnight in olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. (I marinaded 5 chicken breasts.) Broil in oven.

BROWN RICE: Cook in rice cooker.

SPINACH: Sauteed spinach only takes a few minutes. I used olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper.

About how much rosemary would you suggest per x amount of chicken?

Gosh. I dunno . I'm a season-to-taste kinda guy. For 5 large chicken breasts, I wouldn't go under 1.5 tablespoons of dried rosemary. But I love the herb.

It's a good marinade, really. The lemon + rosemary + olive oil creates a strong yet subtle flavor. Adding the freshly ground black pepper and the red pepper "livens" the marinade and gives it some heat.

In other meat-related news, I'm going out to the hill country to go shoot some feral hogs. Pest control FTW

A hunter you are! Do you do this regularly?

[Esc]

A hunter you are! Do you do this regularly?

When I can. My family has a piece of rural property that the local hog population routinely rampages through, so I try to tamp down their numbers whenever I have the time to get out there.

[de5igual]

A hunter you are! Do you do this regularly?

When I can. My family has a piece of rural property that the local hog population routinely rampages through, so I try to tamp down their numbers whenever I have the time to get out there.

do you eat them afterwards?

[Esc]

A hunter you are! Do you do this regularly?

When I can. My family has a piece of rural property that the local hog population routinely rampages through, so I try to tamp down their numbers whenever I have the time to get out there.

do you eat them afterwards?

No. Feral hogs are a non-native, invasive species and are just as much vermin as are sewer rats, and as such there is no requirement for utilizing their meat. Hunting them is a matter of necessity as they often kill native animals (young white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, armadillos, etc), rip up habitat, kill livestock (especially baby goats), spread diseases, and cause property damage. I don't hunt deer, as I'm rather a softie and don't want to shoot them, and I don't have the equipment to undertake the (necessary and required) meat cleaning and preparation.

Edit: I'm off, so I won't be able to post again for a few days. C'yall

[great8]

Just back from a trip - apparently I missed some meal suggestions....

On a related note, my wife's from down in the Valley (close to the Mexican border) and so has a knack for making some killer guacamole - we'll host a get-together at our house sometime soon after the school year starts and you all can bring your "A" meals. (I can't cook, but can make a mean bowl of cereal.)

Looking forward to putting some faces to those 'tars....

[OperaAttorney]

Just back from a trip - apparently I missed some meal suggestions....

On a related note, my wife's from down in the Valley (close to the Mexican border) and so has a knack for making some killer guacamole - we'll host a get-together at our house sometime soon after the school year starts and you all can bring your "A" meals. (I can't cook, but can make a mean bowl of cereal.)

Looking forward to putting some faces to those 'tars....

I'm wid it.

I luvvvvvv guacamole. Do you think your wife will mind sharing her recipe???

[OperaAttorney]

A hunter you are! Do you do this regularly?

When I can. My family has a piece of rural property that the local hog population routinely rampages through, so I try to tamp down their numbers whenever I have the time to get out there.

do you eat them afterwards?

No. Feral hogs are a non-native, invasive species and are just as much vermin as are sewer rats, and as such there is no requirement for utilizing their meat. Hunting them is a matter of necessity as they often kill native animals (young white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, armadillos, etc), rip up habitat, kill livestock (especially baby goats), spread diseases, and cause property damage. I don't hunt deer, as I'm rather a softie and don't want to shoot them, and I don't have the equipment to undertake the (necessary and required) meat cleaning and preparation.

Edit: I'm off, so I won't be able to post again for a few days. C'yall

Happy hunting. We'll miss you.

[great8]

Just back from a trip - apparently I missed some meal suggestions....

On a related note, my wife's from down in the Valley (close to the Mexican border) and so has a knack for making some killer guacamole - we'll host a get-together at our house sometime soon after the school year starts and you all can bring your "A" meals. (I can't cook, but can make a mean bowl of cereal.)

Looking forward to putting some faces to those 'tars....

I'm wid it.

I luvvvvvv guacamole. Do you think your wife will mind sharing her recipe???

Not at all - and it's pretty easy. We'll just show you how it's done when you get here - best way to do it is taste-test as you make it

[penni_rose]

Esc, Good luck with the hunting. Tell us how it goes.

great8, you just made me really want some guacamole. I can't get any either, because I'm at work and I can't leave.

Why do so many threads on here start talking about food? You are all making me hungry. I'm not much of a cook either, so I have to hope that the husband is making something good for dinner tonight.

[great8]

Sorry penni - I shouldn't have said anything, 'cause now I'm hungry too (and, like you, at work and unable to leave).

So maybe we should change topics - am I the only one who doesn't have a UT webmail address yet? I'm sure those of you who went there for undergrad have one already, but for the others - do you have webmail accounts already?