hi shelly!
i would have to say that as far as bigger cities goes, tucson is pretty nice still. there's a lot of SW flavor, and the C&S nurseries are awesome! also, i've met a ton of good gardening buddies both locally and up in the phoenix area. they're all very friendly, have fabulous gardens and like to go on group shopping trips.
as far as climate goes...that's the hardest thing for me to get used to. i know it sounds smarmy to all the people who are starting at rain clouds right now, but there are lots of days of blue, cloudless skies and you get tired of it in winter when it's supposed to be overcast and cozy. right now we are getting some 100 degree days and i hate heat! at least it cools down at night, which i hear is different from phoenix, which stays warm.
adjusting myself for low-water use isn't so hard, but seeing everyone wantonly use water and holding my tongue about it is much harder.
the university here is a lot bigger and more beaurocratic than OSU, but that has it's plusses as well as its minuses. oh, and i love the neighborhoods surrounding the U! old, stylized houses with fantastically old yards. what department are you looking into again?
somewhere i have some pictures of a trip to sabino canyon (good hiking close to the city!), and i'll post them soon!

-ming

Oh, yes! Please post those pics!! I'd love to see them.

I'm in Religious Studies, so I'm busy dreaming about finding the perfect job in Arizona... rather than actually working on attaining the degree that will get me this job :)

What's OSU - is it Ohio State?

I've heard that the water thing is a contentious issue in the "dry south." A bunch of people and politicians who recognize the problem, and a bunch of people and politicians who want to build lush resorts and golf courses. I can't imagine right now being turned off by day after day of sunshine :) It's been raining here for weeks!

So you're doing a post-doc, right? Or is it your doctorate? Anyway, fill us in on your research! And I can't wait to see those pics...! (I'm all giggly in anticipation)

Shelly