So what is keeping you from moving to where you like it?

[jswordy]

Yesterday, we did the North-South and East-West and rural-city thing.

Man, looking at the posts, a lot of folks are unhappy where they are living now and have some other place they'd rather be.

So if you are unhappy, what is keeping you from just selling your house or whatever and moving where you would be happy?

[fertilizeonarbusto]

1. Money

I don't have enough money by the last two weeks of the month, let alone enough left over to save and move. I don't own my house, so I have no way to pile up the cash to do the move. That's it, I'm afraid. Thank you again, Chimp.

[redqueen]

3. Same here.

But someday...

[fluffernutter]

5. ditto.

[methinks2]

We're self-employed sub-contractors, if we move

we would need to re-build our contacts. We would need to re-build all of our clients. The risk is too much.

(we live in orlando fla area and would like to move out west, New Mexico or Colorado area)

[jswordy]

6. Uh, I know from experience if you move to NM...

...you will face tests. Tough place to move into and survive, unless you move in on top to start with. Wife lived there, and I have a friend who did and couldn't survive, have two couples who are friends out there now barely scraping by. And neither of those couples were low-paid, they were professionals when they quit to go out there. Colorado can be similar, I know many people there, too. It can be tough.

[methinks2]

16. We have family in both places, but the idea of starting the

business over again, doesn't appeal to us. We'll just be snowbirds when we retire instead.

[yewberry]

2. Nothing.

There is a half-full rental truck in the driveway and we're determined to leave Saturday morning, snow or not.

I'm a little scared, but it'll be for the best in the long run.

[jswordy]

8. KEWL! We have done that thrice in life, once with no employment lined up

Those can be interesting experiences, if you keep an open mind. good luck!

[yewberry]

12. Thanks

It'll be crazy (driving cross-country in a truck with the dog in March!) but it's time.

Wagons Ho!

[Frances]

4. I am near family

so I am happy where I am.

[Bouncy Ball]

7. Money, jobs, the usual.

We want to move to Austin. We're going to make it happen, it's just a matter of when, not if.

Decided we're not leaving Texas. The freeper assholes aren't running me off, I'd rather run their asses off.

But we'd be happier in Austin, to be sure.

[BiggJawn]

14. Money, jobs, the usual.

I like where I live, I like what I do, but I'm SICK of these fucking Northern Indiana Winters (it's 30 and snowing right now) and tired of being the only Liberal in town.

Can't afford to buy an island in Polynesia like Brando did, so I'm STUCK here.

[Bouncy Ball]

19. I hear ya, believe me.

Except on the winters part. Don't know about that.

[GOPisEvil]

30. Y'all can camp out in my spare room for a spell.

I think the Texas Edumacation Agency could use a smart(-ass) like you to whip them into shape!

[Bouncy Ball]

50. I wouldn't work for the TEA if you

threatened to pierce things on me that should never be pierced!

Thanks for the offer, though, LOL! You're a king.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

9. We are going to be moving in three months.

We don't own a house. Nothing is keeping us from moving. My husband is just going to finish up his job here, and then we are leaving.

[trotsky]

10. It is possible to be entirely happy?

Where I live now has a lot of things I love - but it's not perfect. But then, there are so many variables that I don't have a "perfect" answer for.

For instance, I love to be in/near the city for the convenience, the entertainment, etc.

But I'd also love to be on a big parcel of land far from the noise, traffic, and all the other trappings of city life.

So right there, I could be happy AND unhappy just about anywhere.

[Southsideirish]

21. Great question - see my post # 20 on the same theme

[jswordy]

40. It is possible to be entirely happy? Yes it is.

As much as society tries to tell me that the external things are what define my happiness, it is really the internal things that do it. So yes, it is possible to be happy right now, right where I am at. It starts with being thankful for what I have, rather than anxious about what I do not. Then it progresses by finding the commonalities I have with other people, rather than focusing on the differences.

If you can answer three of the following four questions with a yes, you are among the 10% wealthiest people who've ever lived on earth:

1.) Do you own more than one pair of shoes?

2.) Do you own more than one pair of underwear?

3.) Do you have a choice of what to eat for at least one meal out of three?

4.) Do you have your own transportation?

So I am happy. And very thankful.

[trotsky]

42. You didn't even give me a chance to pack for that guilt trip!

Thanks a lot!

[Blue-Jay]

11. I recently did move to where I wanted to be.

Took longer than I had hoped by a few months, but whatever, I'm here.

[SarahB]

13. Shared custody of children.

Actually, I'm relatively ok with where I am. It's just too damned cold around here. :scared:

[really-looney]

15. Failing Schools and cost of Housing

I would love to live in the city but the cost of housing and the fact that the schools are just plain terrible make it impossible. As the father of two I face the commute so that my children can get a great public education vs. an expensive private education

[SW FL Dem]

17. Hubby's job

is here in FL. Our life as a family is better here, even though I would move back to So Cal in a heartbeat if I had the chance. It isn't all about me.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JitterbugPerfume]

23. Nothing

I recently had an appraisal done on my property and it will soon be FOR SALE

My son in law is building me a neat little gramma house in Florida (where my three daughters and a bunch of grandchildren live)
politically it is TERRIBLE but for family and weather it is just fine

[Southsideirish]

20. My friend always says you bring your "self" with you where ever you go

so if you aren't happy here you probably won't be happy there either. Many people make the mistake of moving to a place where they have vacationed and 'been happy for a brief period but find when they move there permanently - not so happy anymore.

[Lisa0825]

22. Money. House. Job.

I want to live in Mexico, but first I'd have to pay off my debts here, sell the house, and find a way to make a living in Mexico. I still might do it someday, but it will take me years to get myself in financial condition to do it.

[taught_me_patience]

24. Money is the main thing

but others inlcude:

missing family
job prospects (lack thereof)
general risk aversion
missing friends
general hassle of selling home, car, clothes, etc.

this is all that I experienced when I moved from Hawaii to California. Above all, it was expensive! I went into debt for over a year because of my move (my first bonus check at my new job took care of that in a hurry, though). I'm a single guy, so I imagine it would be 100x harder if you were married with a family.

taught

[fudge stripe cookays]

25. Money.

We should be sitting pretty well in a couple of months though. Then it will take 15 months to process Canadian immigration papers.

Once we get the green light and can get out of here, we'll try to have a realtor sell our house and we're heading to Alberta. Hopefully within 2 years we'll be there.

FSC

[GOPisEvil]

31. So you're trading Texas for the Texas of Canada?

;-)

I am SO jealous. Does reprehensor have a single sister? ;-)

[fudge stripe cookays]

33. Unfortunately no, sweetie.

All brothers. I'm trying to think if we have any cuddly single Canadian girl buddies. Pretty much every one we know is happily hitched. :-(

No matter how right wing Alberta is, it ain't as right wing as Texas. And we have tons of progressive friends there. Plus reprehensor's family is up near Edmonton.

Much as I'd LOVE to move to BC, it will have to wait for awhile until we assimilate. Then we'll look at headin west.

FSC

[GOPisEvil]

36. Ah well...had to ask.

Cousins? :D

BC is nice. I was in Vancouver not too long ago. Even with the crappy weather, I enjoyed myself there.

[fudge stripe cookays]

43. I'll have to check on that.

In his case, we call em "couzhinzh." (say it with a sort of lisp). It's the way our Metis cousins pronounce the word. I don't think he has any more on the Injun side, but the Kraut side might.

We also have 2 lovely nieces, but they're a little young for you. I have no doubt you'd be moving to Alberta in a second if you saw them.

FSC

[GOPisEvil]

58. Are they over 18?

LOL! Just kidding.

:-)

I would move to anyplace in Canada given the chance!

[Left Is Write]

26. Job.

We can't "just sell" our house and move until there is a decent job situation lined up in the area we'd like to move to. We have bills to pay and children to take care of.

If it were just the two of us, I think we'd take the leap on faith, but with kids you can't do that.

[Arugula Latte]

27. We're lucky -- we live where we want to.

I grew up in the Bay Area and loved it, went to DC for awhile, wanted to move back to the west coast -- but Cali so expensive & crowded... We wanted beaches, mountains, forests in close proximity, and a cool, liberal town -- so Portland, Ore. it was. This is a good place to raise kids, too.

[GOPisEvil]

28. Inertia

I have a decent job, a house and an OK life that is close to my family. I have close friends here too.

Plus, I can't just pick up and move. I'm not wired that way. I would have to find a job and a place to live before moving.

[MissMillie]

29. I like it here

Sure we get some rough winters (like this one), but I like having 4 seasons.

I like being near my family.

I'll never get a job anywhere else that comes close to paying me what I make here (I've been here 18 years).

I'm an hour from the mountains, an hour from the beach.

I'm close enough to the city for fun stuff, and close enough to the boonies for peace and quiet.

I like it where I am. But thanks for asking.

[Zuni]

32. Honestly, I would rather live in Maryland than anywhere else in the world

I'm quite content where I am right now. My family is here. I have a decent job. I have the best friends I could ever ask for. I am comfortable here.

The only other places I'd be tempted to live would be New York, Seattle, Boston or San Francisco or San Diego

[fudge stripe cookays]

44. Is Annapolis on the coast?

And do we have any Marylanders further inland?

I need to see if I can sweet talk somebody in Maryland to check out a cemetery for me and take a pic of a tombstone as a large genealogical favor.

Pretty please?
FSC

[Zuni]

51. Annapolis is on the Chesapeake Bay

Actually, the City itself is on the Severn River, an arm of the bay but it is very close to the bay itself.

It is a very old city, one of the oldest in the country. It has a very nice and vibrant downtown area, it is the oldest State Capitol still in use and is home to the Naval Academy. It is also the sailing capitol of the US. The major sailing races all come to Annapolis

[Zuni]

52. which cemetery?

I can help you, if it is within a reasonable distance. Annapolis is about 20 minutes south of Baltimore.

[Misunderestimator]

34. Fortunately for me, not a thing.

I'm moving in a few weeks.

[xmas74]

49. Aren't you lucky!

[American Tragedy]

35. $$$$$$$$$

n/t!

[guitar man]

37. Job, Money, Home

Both of us have jobs, such as they are here. We have a paid-off home here also. Unfortunately, we couldn't sell the home for what we would need to get out of it and relocate. I haven't been able to find employment in my field in desirable locations either.

[vi5]

38. Family.....

My wife and I are very close to both our families. My daughter is extremely close to all 4 of her grandparents. We could likely sell our house where we live now and buy a much bigger house somewhere else and afford to have only 1 of us work. But that would mean being too far from our families and neither of us want that.

[Ellen Forradalom]

39. Family obligations, money.

And the complications that arise in emigration.

[thom1102]

41. I am slowly working towards my degree...

then I have to work in my field for a few years before I can certify there, so I have a 6 year plan, that I am currently finishing year 2. I thought it would be my partner's reticence, but after 6 years of feeding him the Kool Aid, he is finally mine to control, BWUHAAAAHAAAAHAAAA! Um, that would be San Diego, btw.

[Bullwinkle925]

45. My hubby

He won't move!

[catmandu57]

46. My wife

her feet are set in cement, she is tied to her family and won't leave here. Myself I could go tomorrow, anywhere blue and be happy, but, it would be without her and I don't want that.

[crispini]

47. Bloom where you're planted.

When I first moved back to Texas after four years of living overseas, I hated hated hated hated it. However, the four years of living overseas had taught me the wisdom of the saying, "No matter where you go, there you are." In otherwords, if you don't like your SELF, no amount of moving to a more congenial clime will make a difference. So why not stay where you are and figure out what it really takes to make you happy rather than traipsing all over the world looking for it? 10+ years later, I think I've got it figured out. Happiness in a place has much more to do with finding a "village" within the big city -- a niche of likeminded friends, family, places, and job that you like. Once you have that figured out, I think the rest is just gravy.

Plus, if I moved out to, oh, say, San Francisco, I'd be just another vaguely artsy hippie-type leftwing chick. Here in Dallas, I get to be a big time full-blown loudmouthed anarchist rebel. Who says that's not fun?

[xmas74]

48. A court order.

I have to have any out of state moves approved by a judge, for child custody reasons. I have tried 3 times already and have been denied.

[4_Legs_Good]

53. Property costs

I live about 50 miles from Santa Barbara, California (and commute every day) and own* a house worth about $500,000. I'd ***LOVE*** to actually live *in* Santa Barbara, but the same house there would probably run me about $2,000,000.

Other than that I'd love to live in the Boston area, but family ties keep me here. Plus I'm not sure I'd like all the snow. But it sure would be cool to be nearer the JFK Museum, and there's something about Boston that I really loved when I was there.

david

*Bank of America actually owns the house...

[KG]

54. i'm where i want to be - i love st pete FL

[donheld]

55. Money and Mountains

I'd love to live by the sea, but i can't give up the Colorado mountains like the one pictured

[Abelman]

56. Money and employment

I would love to move to Chicago, but I think I will have to wait a little while.

[cedahlia]

57. Family and Friends

I would love to move to Vermont, or even out of the U.S. altogether, say, to England or possibly France. But my family and friends are all here, and I love them all too much to leave them behind. So unless they could all come with me, :-) this is probably going to be home for the long haul.

Believe me, if I didn't have such wonderful people in my life, and if all else fell into place (job, money, etc.) I probably would have moved away years ago. I've always said I should have been born somewhere very liberal-friendly with a cool climate...instead, I was born into a blue state that is not blue enough for me and that regularly hits 100 degrees during summertime. Oh well! :-)

[VOX]

59. Job. But I like where I live now -- it just isn't my dream.

I've gotta spend about 4 more years on my current gig before I can depart with full bennies.

As for my dream-place-to-live, it can take several shapes -- a high desert plateau in the Southwest, the coast of Central California, etc. There are several options. Good options. :)

[mykpart]

60. Grandchildren and elderly parents.

We are caught in the middle.