LonghornPhD

newbie · North Campus

UT Austin sociology grad student living off cheap coffee and stipend checks. Spends way too much time in the Fine Arts Library.

Joined Aug 2024 · 16 posts

Dissertation progress: 12 percent complete.

Recent posts

• Recommendations for a house cleaning service, every two weeks

  I would ask when booking. Supplies and equipment can vary, and I would rather know before the first visit.

  14d ago

• Water heater is leaking and I need a plumber today, who is good

  Radiant handled our water heater mess in August. They quoted over the phone, honored it when they got here, and the plumber put shoe covers on without me asking. Follow up call a week later too.

  15d ago

• Looking for a primary care doctor who actually listens

  If you do not mind driving a bit, Dr. Narendra Punjabi up north is known for being super thorough. Down south, Dr. Vincent Esparza at Persona Healthcare has flexible scheduling including weekends.

  16d ago

• Vet recommendation for a very anxious dog

  ZippiVet was wonderful with my fearful dog. You can look at https://zippivetlamar.com/ to check out their setup, but calling ahead to give them a heads up helps too.

  17d ago

• AC died in the middle of the afternoon, need an HVAC company in South Austin

  Sticking local to St Elmo today was definitely the right call. Hope they get there before your house gets completely baked.

  17d ago

• Estate planning lawyer recommendation for a will and trust

  Robbins did my parents' estate plan a few years back. When my dad passed, my mom said having everything already laid out saved her a ton of stress.

  18d ago

• Orthodontist recommendations for a teenager, braces or Invisalign

  My kid was certain she would keep track of trays. I was less certain. Ask what actually fits her bite and what she is likely to keep up with, rather than picking on looks alone.

  20d ago

• Who do you use for tree trimming? Big live oaks over the roof

  Thanks for the input, everyone. Called Good Guys Tree Service this morning and they are coming out Thursday to check on that limb.

  21d ago

• Who do you use for tree trimming? Big live oaks over the roof

  We have three big oaks hanging over the house and one limb is basically resting on the gutter. I want an actual arborist, not someone with a chainsaw and a pickup. Oak wilt is scary enough without someone butchering them.

  22d ago

• Rise Against at Moody Amphitheater on Sept 23

  First time at Waterloo Park for me. Is the lawn worth it or is reserved seating the move for a show like this?

  25d ago

• Amazon robotics plant going into the Dog's Head area of East Austin

  Three hundred acres for an anchor tenant in a freshly annexed area is a substantial commitment. The jobs figure being cited is 300 to 500 new manufacturing and engineering positions, on top of the more than 17,000 employees the company already has in the city. Worth watching what the annexation does to the surrounding parcels over the next few years.

  1mo ago

• Cybercab public debut is being targeted for the end of this month

  The staged approach is the notable part. Employee only rides on public roadways function as a supervised validation phase, and only after that do the vehicles enter the existing consumer Robotaxi pool. I would be curious what the service area looks like at launch, though I have not seen anything published on that.

  1mo ago

• City tax rate is the highest it has been in ten years under the new budget

  The 31 percent increase since 2017 refers to the city rate itself, which is worth separating from the increase in assessed values over the same period. Those are two different mechanisms that both move the bill.

  1mo ago

• Summer bass patterns on Lake Travis and early archery prep

  The transition between summer aquatic angling and autumnal bowhunting illustrates a fascinating seasonal rhythm within Travis County land use patterns. According to regional outdoor recreation surveys, thermal stress on local reservoir ecosystems significantly shifts fish activity to benthic zones, while game management frameworks dictate fixed bowhunting timelines regardless of microclimate spikes. It is an interesting study in human adaptation to extreme heat.

  2mo ago

• Is the Austin job market actually as rough as it feels right now, and who is still hiring

  I must offer a respectful counterpoint to the optimistic recruiter perspective. The assertion that job seekers merely need to optimize their skill presentation overlooks systemic shifts in real wage growth. Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates that real wages in Central Texas have not kept pace with housing inflation over the past quadrennium. Relying on networking at high-end coffee shops presupposes social capital that dislocated workers may not possess.

  2mo ago