Around Tulsa in 80 Days

Quick Recap

80 days ago, we accepted TulsaRemote's offer to get paid to move to Tulsa, Oklahoma. We left behind a rural life in a Missouri town of 2K and rented an apartment in the downtown loop of a city of 400K.

80 days later, how's it going?

Apartment Life:

We wanted to be downtown, but there are busier and quieter parts of downtown Tulsa. We ended up in the quieter part and are glad for it.

We're a five minute drive away from the Arts District or Guthrie Green where the nightlife draws crowds and traffic. We appreciate being able to choose when we do or don't have to deal with that.

We've been completely happy with the size, layout, and amenities of our one bedroom, one-bath apartment. All those years of RV living were good training for apartment life.

And - other than an occasional fire truck  - it's quiet. We hear the neighbor above walking around a little but aren't even sure anyone lives next to us.

Walkable Life?

One of our Tulsa goals was a more walkable life.

We're definitely walking more.

I've walked across town to my office 1-3 times per week on average. We walk to a weekly jazz jam, the library, and to a few restaurants. We walk to the pharmacy.

And we walk to popular events downtown (like Cinco de Mayo) to avoid parking hassles. 

Weather, a single vehicle, and schedules are all factors to consider when we're deciding to walk or drive. 

We're mainly driving for groceries (although we did just learn of a Dollar General X in the downtown loop), clothes shopping, and to events or locations (like state parks) that are outside the downtown loop. I haven't been tracking mileage but we're averaging a month per tank of gas in our Toyota minivan.

We'll see what the summer season brings.

Coworking

Part of the Tulsa Remote package is a membership to 36 Degrees North, a coworking organization. The facilities range from open desk areas, couches, private phone booths, and bookable conference rooms.

I've been using the space 2-3 days per week. MsBoyink and I find that we each get more done if we spend the day apart. Which seems odd, given that we lived and worked together in an RV for years.

The coworking vibe is pretty quiet during an average workday. Most people are heads-down getting stuff done, with the occasional lunchtime or hallway conversation. 

The weekly happy hours and other pop-up events scheduled by 36DN have been better places to meet and get to know people.

Tulsa Remote Events

Tulsa Remote also creates events for the people they bring here.

We've been to some, met people, and have had great conversations. It's been a treat to meet other TR remoters and hear their backstories. 

Most of the people that we've met came from bigger cities so appreciate Tulsa as a "small town." We seem to be in the minority coming from a legit small town and seeing Tulsa as "the big city."

I feel like we're still dialing in our relationship with these events, though. Some have limits on attendance and they book out so fast we missed them. And at our age and with some hearing issues it can be almost impossible to have a conversation when in a packed venue with a DJ.

We've adapted by doing what our grandparents did. We're there right when the event starts, enjoy it while the volume levels are low, then quietly sneak out early.

Social Life

Overall, though, Tulsa has blown up our social life! Most days there is something on the calendar - if not two or three somethings that we have to decide between.

We've been to:

• Jazz jams
• Concerts
• Theater productions
• Orchestra performances
• Street parties
• Artist showings
• Roller derby matches
• AI classes
• Architecture tours
• Networking events
• Book release parties

We're going to so many new types of social gatherings that we had to up our wardrobes with more formal options. I've already worn a sportcoat more here than the previous four years.

MsBoyink Update

MsBoyink is still looking for a job.

She's attending NewU for clarification and confidence-building. She's getting help from RetrainTulsa with her resume, interviewing skills, updated headshots, and CPR training. She's working with InTulsa for recruiting.

She's now ready to re-enter the healthcare industry as an RN. Please connect with her on LinkedIn if you can help her find a job.

Overall

We're happy to be living in Tulsa!

I'm not sure ever expected to go back to rural Missouri, but it's even harder to think about doing so now. Tulsa is like toothpaste - tough to put back into the tube.

We've met so many new people I'm writing names and backstories in a notebook. We're enjoying a life with more nights enjoying the arts and fewer spent on screens.

I'm enjoying conversations with people who understand what I do.

We're looking forward to getting Crissa working, building some deeper friendships, and finding ways to volunteer or provide mentorship where we can.

Considering Tulsa?

If you are considering applying to TulsaRemote, please feel free to contact me here or on LinkedIn. I'm happy to talk more about our experiences so far!

Tulsa Photos: