Moving stinks

[fatelk]

Some folks like to live like nomads. They like the excitement of going somewhere new and starting over. Not me. I lived on the same road for nearly the first three decades of my life, a couple very short moves in between, then here for nearly a decade now. We like to settle in and put down roots.

It's looking more and more like a move is in our future, near future that is. Since getting laid off a few weeks ago I have little hope of finding local employment that pays what we need. We do not live extravagantly and we have simple needs, but for a couple reasons we get by on one income. That's not an easy way to raise a family nowadays unless you make plenty.

My dilemma is that I have an interview next week in a town a couple hours away. It's a good job that I'm well qualified for, pays better than I've made previously, in what looks like a pretty good area. I feel my chances are high that I can get the job, and will be giving it my full effort. However, there is a small part of me that seems to be secretly hoping I don't get it, because I just don't want to move. That's bad, isn't it?:)

Anyone else like to put down roots?

[Olevern]

I was born and raised in New Jersey (the east coast equivelant of the "left coast" commyfornia. Couldn't earn a decent living where I wanted to live, so bought a second home there in the mountains. I couldn't wait to retire and leave NJ.

Now living my dream in the mountains seventy-five miles from the nearest (small) mall. Shoot on my own range in my back yard.

Funny, many of the local kids here grow up and want more than to be a logger so leave the area for more populated areas to make better money (and pay more taxes and outrageous prices for houses, etc.)

Wouldn't move back for anything. Unfortunately, I couldn't have provided for my family raising the kids in the boonies; 'though I grew up on a farm, my dad never let me learn any of the skills to be self-sufficient; he "wanted better for me" through higher education, something he never had opportunity to access.

He kept me off the tractors and out of the fields because he didn't want me to be a farmer.

His plan succeeded, but I'm not sure but that I would have been more fullfilled with a simplier life.

In either case, I was destined to leave New Jersey.

[41 mag fan]

I dont blame you for not wanting to move, especially if you're happy where you live at. But whats more important for you and your family? Picking up and moving a couple hours away and starting over, or taking a potentially lesser paying job, making it more difficult to raise your family and pay the bills?
Another thing that really hits home is do you have kids and what ages? Will the possible move mess them up from separation from their friends?

The mine I work at now, when it shuts down and they don't open up the other mine they have planned, we'll be picking up and moving unless my wifes stepped up into her bosses position. Been in this area for 23 yrs now, don't mind the area, just hate the summers, but if we got to move so the job i'll find will pay the bills, then thats what i'll have to do.

Its a hard decision to make and i dont envy you. I wish you all the luck on your decision.

[pdawg_shooter]

I moved 25mi out of town 30 years ago. Told my wife it was my next to last move. The last one will be when they bury me. I would rather take a beating than move!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I was so eager to leave the town I grew up in. There wasn't much work there, the type I wanted to do anyway. After I turned 20, I moved every few years with better jobs or better a location. When I turned 28, I bought the house I am in now...Been here 20 years now and love this town, My roots are deep, I hope I never have to move again. I feel your pain.
Jon

[Wayne Smith]

I have lived in Maine, Northern Virginia (married there), West Virginia, Southern California, New Hampshire, and now Hampton Roads, VA. In New Hampshire and here in Hampton Roads we leased a house for the first year simply to get to know neighborhoods. Eighteen years ago when we bought this house LOML said "I'm NEVER moving again!"

[375RUGER]

I hate moving too. I've probably moved 28-30 times in my life-Dad was in the Army, that accounts for 1/2 of those moves. I've lived in my current house for 3.5 years now, the longest I've ever been in one place. We are buying this house so there is no moving, I am tired of moving.

Best wishes to you and yours.

[edler7]

I agree, it stinks. I just moved from a house where I had spent 23 years, and raised a family in. You find things that you had considered lost, or forgot about. Filled up multiple dumpsters with stuff no longer needed or wanted. As I was humping 50 lb boxes of magazines I hadn't looked at in 20 years out of the garage attic, I vowed not to packrat things like that again. My neighbor told me 3 moves are equivalent to 1 fire in terms of thinning things out. I still have 1 more move in the close future, and that will be the last one. Thank goodness I left most things packed up and just put them in storage.

Now the buckets of lead, wheel weights and boolits are a different matter....

[Tazman1602]

When I grew up dad was always chasing the all mighty dollar. I was in something like 11 schools before I graduated. When wife and I built this house in 1988 it was meant to be our home. It still is.

I will work at Walmart before I move, thank God we were able to pay off the house about ten years ago and never mortgaged it again nor will we ever.

Just paying the property taxes and upkeep is enough to drive me nuts sometimes, but I think I'll choose to die right here............and good luck to you fatelk!

Art

[fatelk]

Thanks guys; I knew I wasn't the only one. If the offer is good enough it will be a no-brainer. Either work a good job that's a good move career-wise, or sit on unemployment in a bad economy hoping for something closer. Everything I hear about the new area is that it's a good place to live. Not real big, but close to a couple much larger urban areas.

Our other option is to make a much more radical move and career change- move to the midwest and farm with family. Though that option is fraught with complications, it appeals to me in a couple ways, and might be the way to go if the close move job doesn't pan out.

I had a friend years ago that grew up moving around. Her dad was a government biologist and they moved every few years; Alaska, Utah, Nebraska, etc.. She still loves to move and doesn't want to be tied down to any one place. I've worked with a lot of folks in the semiconductor industry that were always looking for better jobs and promotions, climbing the ladder for more money and moving across the country at the drop of a hat.

One of my friends made the mistake of telling one of those guys, who had worked his way up the ladder pretty far, that he wouldn't be able to move because his wife has family and roots in the area and didn't want to move. The other guy started bragging about how HIS wife would do whatever he wanted. Promotion? More money? Where are we going and when do we leave?!? After a short pause he added, "Well, my first wife wasn't that way.":)

[1Shirt]

I have mixed emotions, having lived in 11 states for at least a reasonable period of time. The military is responsible for that and I a extremely greatful for the experiance(s), not of the moves which are a pain, but for the locations. Because of the moves I have hunted in N.Y., Pa, Mld,Va,Ala,Tex,Ka,Mo,Ia,Ne,SD,Col,Id,Wy,Wa, and Alaska. Don't think I missed any on the list. I probably know people living in every state, and have had great experiances. That said, the biggest regret from the moves has been that my daughter got to spend little time with her grandparents in growing up due to distance and cost. Living close to my grand daughter as she has grown up makes me realize that our parents were deprived of seeing my daughter grow up.
1Shirt!

[David2011]

This thread has given me a moment to ponder. I'm afraid that I no longer have any roots. I've been transferred several times with my employer; some times at my request and at other times it was "move or find another job." I'm in the third city since 2005 and fifth since 1997 so any semblance of roots has been lost. Before that I lived in the same simple house for 17 years. Ironically, I've landed in the city where I was born but the people I knew here as a child were the friends of my parents and grandparents they've either passed on or moved away so there's not much feeling of roots here.

As I approach retirement age, SWMBO and I are pondering whether we should accept where we live for the remainder of our lives or make one more move. I don't really want to have to set up my gun repair business a third time (I'm still setting it up after my move last year) but as we get older it might be good to live where better medical services are available. I can't even buy my favorite brand of bread where I am- we have to driv almost 2 hours to a bigger city for decent shopping.

Fatelk, I hope you're satisfied with the outcome. Good luck.

David

[jmsj]

I used to be a wanderer, lived in many states and moved many times within each state. I always looked forward to seeing what was on the other side of the hill. Marriage and kids pretty much changed that. I am not complaining, I have really enjoyed the last decade + of staying in one county.
But lately I have been feeling that old wander lust. First problem is there are not many jobs out there that I could get that would pay me more than I currently make (which ain't much) plus the time I have invested in my pension. Second problem would be moving my lead stash, I would imagine that it weighs more than the rest of our belongings put together.
Good luck, jmsj

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I lived in one house until I grew up and joined the U.S. Navy. I went back to that house for a year to go to collage. After that it was back to Sunny Cal. I married and bought a house. We ived in it 35 years, retired and bought our country place. We found out after 15 years that country places are a lot a work. Sold the place and moved into a senior village a year ago. I think this will be it for us. I envy men who can put their belongings into the saddle bags of a motorcycle and take off. I suppose it is part of our nature to put down roots and collect things. Like the song says, "You want to go where everbody knows your name". I can't help but think about the pioneers who left their homes and familes in the east knowing they would never see them again. Compared to those folks we have far better choices in life. It is sad though when we are forced to move when we would rather stay put.

[CLAYPOOL]

The "EX" said this is the last house I'M moving to..she was right, she still owns it......Bah Bah bah

[km101]

I hate moving too. Not just the relocating, but the actual moving! We have moved twice since I retired, after living in the same house for more than 25 years, and it is such a pain. I couldnt find any of my reloading stuff, or my tools or most of my "hobby" stuff for months after this last move. And it took me 3 months to get my shop set up again. And moving to a smaller house, since all the kids are gone, made sense but didnt leave as much room for the things i need, to do the things I want to do. Moving sucks on several levels, but sometimes ya' gotta' go.

[fatelk]

I envy men who can put their belongings into the saddle bags of a motorcycle and take off.
I'm feeling that lately. I have a tendency to be something of a pack rat, or hoarder. I have a large, full safe; mostly inexpensive old milsurp guns, but lots of them. I used to buy cases of surplus ammo when I found a good deal (anyone remember 8mm Mauser for 5 cents per round delivered?) and have a bunch of that. I don't have the lead stash some here have, but the better part of a ton maybe. I'm sitting here wondering why I have all this stuff and how life would be simpler if I got rid of a bunch of it. I have a wife and four little ones now, and they are the focus of my life at this time.



the biggest regret from the moves has been that my daughter got to spend little time with her grandparents in growing up due to distance and cost.
That would be a big advantage of a Midwest move. My older daughter just got to spend some time with Grandma, who came out to see the baby. She loved it, and says she wants to move to Nebraska now. I grew up knowing my grandparents, and wish my kids could know theirs better. I think that's a good thing.

[Love Life]

I have moved every 2-4 years for my entire life. My dad was career Army and I went in right out of high school. It sucked as a kid because every couple years you had to start over with new friends, sometimes credits didn't transfer, etc. I have lived in quite a few states and Germany. Over the years it seemed like we never fully unpacked. Moving sucked, but it was fun as well. I have so many life experiences in so many different places.

That being said this was my (well my family's) last move. It is time to put down roots. I may get orders elsewhere, but Nevada is where I am always coming back to. Good luck on the job, and it doesn't sound like you will be moving to far.

[starmac]

Hmmm Good job, better pay, nice area versus unemployment, little hope of finding worthy employment. I better think about this. lol

[fatelk]

Well folks, here we go. I finally got the offer; better than I expected with a generous bonus for moving. I still hate to move but this decision is looking pretty obvious.

Now comes the fun part: rent out our house here, find one to rent there (eventually sell here and buy there), find a place to store the heavy stuff, pack up a decades worth of household stuff, get a moving van, etc., etc. All inside of two weeks, with 4 kids from 8yo to newborn. :( Anyone want to come help? Not even for pizza and beer? :)

[starmac]

Think of it as an adventure, BECAUSE IT WILL BE. Good luck with the move and the new job.

[**oneshot**]

Where are you located?

[PatMarlin]

Well folks, here we go. I finally got the offer; better than I expected with a generous bonus for moving. I still hate to move but this decision is looking pretty obvious.

Now comes the fun part: rent out our house here, find one to rent there (eventually sell here and buy there), find a place to store the heavy stuff, pack up a decades worth of household stuff, get a moving van, etc., etc. All inside of two weeks, with 4 kids from 8yo to newborn. :( Anyone want to come help? Not even for pizza and beer? :)

I think as tough as it is, there's a silver lining with a move that later is understood.

I have been moving all last 1/2 of the year. I moved my whole shop by myself, and much of my household stuff. Now I've sold my mountain off grid home for the past 14 years, and I've got to move everything off that property. Most stuff to be sold, but sheesh- trailers, equipment, sawmill, on and on.

At least I have until May 1st to get it done, but this is my last move. I will die at this place.

It just sucks, but that too will pass... :mrgreen: