What would YOU do? Speculative life question. [Archive]

BR3W CITY

10-30-2011, 07:06 PM

So this may be suuuper weird, but let me pose a somewhat hypothetical question.

Would you ever, literally just start all over?

A few years back, some of my best friends (a couple, who were our "best" couple friends) had a series of somewhat unfortunate events, and was in a pretty bad place. He was just graduating college in music with no real plans and no current job, and she had just had some health issues. Both of them had nice but weird families. After dealing with the problems they faced the best they could, they decided to up and move out to Colorado Springs CO. They had no plans and no jobs, just a little bit of extended family in the surrounding area. They are outdoorsy hippy types, so the allure of CO made sense. They have been there for about 2 years, both with ok jobs (by their standards) and are 200% happier. It seemed strange to me to up and leave, yet it really seems to have worked out for them.

Sometimes I feel as if I'd like to do the same (somewher warmer maybe). I'm still facing some pretty weird health issues, but hoping those will come to resolution soon. Add to that I am not currently working, my girlfriend isn't either. I've been seriously thinking about moving; whether or not its for employment. Mentally I feel like I need a change, and I've been pining for a warmer (or more temperate, depending) climate for years.

So anyone ever consider just.....going?

CATNHAT

10-30-2011, 07:12 PM

Do it. You can always come back. Some good friends of mine did something similar and are very happy b/c they did.

I say fuck it and go!

michelle

10-30-2011, 07:30 PM

Yes.

Wagonbacker9

10-30-2011, 07:46 PM

What would keep you here? how important is that to you? If nothing really comes to mind that you value, GO FOR IT. I've wanted to, but having a stable job here near where I grew up, my family is here... otherwise I woulda taken off somewhere at least for a while.

pOrk

10-30-2011, 07:53 PM

nismodave

10-30-2011, 08:15 PM

Never came close, I have had low times, but my Family is great, and my close friends are awesome.

Car Guy

10-30-2011, 08:23 PM

*in the works*

03Seville

10-30-2011, 08:26 PM

Yes, Ive considered many times and still to this day do. Someday after my daughter is grown and out of the house I still may do that.

The grass isn't always greener but you never actually know until you experience it yourself, and as said before you can always come back.

BR3W CITY

10-30-2011, 09:00 PM

lol ya. I have a tiny bit of family here, but my dad is getting older and needs to retire (he doesnt want to, but he needs to). If I find somewhere good to go, family will probably follow. Most of my other fam lives in washington stat and an uncle in SoCal. I've actually wanted to talk to him and see what his situation is. He doesn't have any kids and has 2 houses....so I hope he'd have a room for me lol.

jbiscuit

10-30-2011, 09:05 PM

Yep do it. Life is too short. I had a co-worker that got fed up "working for the man" and decided to quit his life and start over. Wasn't married, not in a relationship, no house to have to worry about selling etc. Sold everything he owned on Craigslist and took his cash and bought a ticket to Seattle. Hasn't been back since. He too is the outdoor-sy type and mountain bikes and drives truck for a local brewery out there and loves everyday of his life. I get emails from time to time from the guy. Happy as can be. Corporate life will do that to you...burn you out and make you wonder why you are living the way you are....and for what purpose? A new car? A modest home? Worthless if you aren't happy. We would be in San Diego right now if it weren't for 100% of our family living here in SE WI. Better weather, awesome fishing, foodie paradise with fresh everything, literally endless things to do and some of the nicest people you will ever meet. I would freelance my graphic design and photography and rent a house a few blocks from the coast. It can be done and quite reasonably if you know where to look!

10-30-2011, 09:54 PM

Yes, but not an absolute start-over.

I want a good job, and the one I quit on Friday was not it. I start a new one on Monday. If the job works out, I probably won't feel the need to follow through with the second paragraph.

I'm in the process of getting-away. I have a few projects that I promised I would finish for a few family members. When these are complete, I will start working towards going somewhere else. I told my family that the only thing that would make me want to stay in Wisconsin is a good relationship.

Just last week, I spoke with someone whose job is to help people find work within the Commonwealth of Nations. According to him, tooling engineers are needed everywhere.
What is more likely to happen is I will eventually live within 250 miles of the Gulf Coast.

...then again, my dream-of-dreams is to start up a manufacturing business which mass-produces stripwood canoes. I think Wisconsin would be an ideal state to start this company in.

BTW-
I do not like being cold.

Reverend Cooper

10-30-2011, 10:02 PM

If i ever up and left it would be to live off the lamd,hunt fish it would be great

The Shaolin

10-31-2011, 07:42 AM

Absolutely. I've just got too much crap laying around and no money, or I'd be long gone already. Overseas probably. You're only young once, right?

BR3W CITY

10-31-2011, 12:00 PM

Thats where things get tempting for me. I rent, own my vehicles outright and have enough to survive at least a year or 2 on savings. Everything I own (not including my 66) could fit into one medium sized uhaul. My brother (not by blood but might as well be), wants to do the same.
I actually just ended up contacting my uncle in Cali to see whats good. I almost got out of the state for a job in Kentucky, but both the job and the state panned out to be alot less than I hoped.

Dream scenario would be to just sell the shit i didn't need (my daily driver lol) load up and go somewhere on the southern part of northern cali. Temperate weather, better views, and I'd probably do better at avoiding legal trouble. I could drive my 66 for a little, and pick up a bike again for the gas savings and cost. I even thought about WOOF'ing it, but I own way too much stuff..wouldn't look good on a commune lol.

Damn this sounds good, especially as it gets colder here.

jbiscuit

10-31-2011, 05:02 PM

Sounds like you have a plan. Now just pull the trigger and go. Thats the only way it will ever happen. List a ton of shit on craigslist, load up whatever else you have left and split. I would bet that once you are out there you would never want to come back. Santa Cruz is a gorgeous place...check it out! Not all Palm Trees like SoCal. Tons of enormous pines, reasonable rental units etc and you can shoot up the coast for the best views anywhere in the world. Good luck man!

Crawlin

10-31-2011, 05:21 PM

I have a buddy that did it recently actually. He was big into fishing and had his own charter boat. He sold his boat for some pocket money and and airline ticket and now lives in Belize, he is easily the happiest person I know. He's been there almost 2 years, and now owns his own charter boat down there and makes enough to live but he is living his dream.

Lisa and I considered doing it too, but family is too important

^^^THIS^^^^

smart man. If there are no hang ups with family or anything, definitely do it. Like it has been said you can always move back. Knew a couple that moved to St. Thomas and just loves it there and does little side stuff to keep money in their pocket. They enjoy their life and after 20 years they actually just recently moved back.

I did it halfway with giving up everything to go back to school, but that isn't to the "extreme" in which you were talking.

Those that have done this, I don't think any of them have ever regretted it. They have the mindset that it is just part of the life experience and a learning point. Never a negative thing. That kind of mindset is what would be required to make it work.

10-31-2011, 08:17 PM

My brother packed up a suitcase full of clothes and moved to St Croix in the American Virgin Islands. He now runs a small auto garage and has no needs. He has been there for 3 years and I do not think he is coming back any time soon.

flyin_blue_egg

11-01-2011, 12:35 PM

I think just about everybody at some point in their life has considered doing this...hell I have. Problem is my family is hear (granted now that I live in MKE I'm not as close to my family as I used to be) and I have a steady job. For me I kinda already did this by moving from the lake geneva area to MKE area. I was to close to family at times and bc of this was expected to go to all family events. Now I'm a little bit further from family (made some new friends) and I'm happier then I was a few years back.

Sometimes all you need is to get out of the "area" but not to far away. In my case I'm far enough away where I don't go to my parents everyday I'm off, but it's not to bad of a drive to see family. Plus I do have a cousin up here that I'm really close to, so that helps.

lordairgtar

11-01-2011, 06:14 PM

I did this when I was young. Drove a $50 car to California. Stayed there eight years. I want to do this again when I retire. Just not gonna have a $50 dollar car.

BR3W CITY

11-02-2011, 01:50 PM

Prince Valiant

11-02-2011, 02:34 PM

If I were to say "hell w/ it" and move off/out, I'd probably go someplace like TX. Cali's great and the weather is far better, but it's still pretty dang expensive to live there. From gas to apartments, to pretty much anything. I think it several hundred dollars a year to register a car...maybe even 500. The places you can find to live in say, the LA area BLOW! (parents currently live in north LA valley area, and it's a weird market, that's for sure...)

TX on the other hand, low/few taxes. Houses in some areas are beyond dirt cheap...parents bought/own a place overlooking the gulf coast. 600 sq ft, so it's small...but one block of the gulf of mexico in the north padre island for something like 65,xxx? People rent some of the local units for 500-600/mo, so it's affordable even if you schlub for the local wally-world or something similar. Sure, summers are brutal and winters still get a bit chilly...but hey, chilly means 40, windy, rainy...and that's pretty rare and tolerable for the short times it occurs.

But the weather in southern cali is something else...there is a reason people flock to it and put up w/ the cost of living, crowd, earthquakes, etc....there are few places on earth that compare.

WhatsADSM

11-02-2011, 05:17 PM

I absolutely would... and have told my wife that. But just like many other have said family is here and therefore she doesn't want to go. Also have a kid on the way so some stability only makes sense.

However in your case I would SERIOUSLY consider it (i.e. likely do it). Sounds like there really isn't much here for you (depends on how close your ties are with your friends/family), you have the cash saved up to live for a while once you get there, and most of all you are still young and at a good point in your life to do it. Seems like a lot going in your favor, not to mention as others have said you can always come back if you don't like it.

Sprayaway Fox

11-03-2011, 08:12 PM

Dude, the only thing you gotta ask yourself is do you have the balls to do it?

I did, packed a weeks worth of clothes, took a chunk of cash in the truck and looked for better times. I did find them but I came back. Realized that what I want to do I can accomplish here. No college for me, I went down with a resume and turned down a job with a nicely known engine builder that sells performance engines over the web.

The thing is though, when all the chips are down and when things go wrong and you have nobody to fall back on, you realize how strong you can be and what you really need to get by in life.

Some people will never get that chance in life. Even if they want to, they have a decent job or kids etc. but are not happy, but tied down to it. I was tossing around 40lb blocks of cheese around and looking at the next 30 years doing the same.

lordairgtar

11-03-2011, 11:20 PM

lol thats pretty sweet man. What part of Cali?
I went to SF last year, it was cool but not exactly my scene. My uncle lives in Lake Forest, but thats like right west Laguna Beach; I couldn't afford to live there if I wanted to.
I had been looking at the San Louis Obispo and Monterey area.
Mostly I lived in Santa Barbara, but I also lived in SLO and Santa Maria too. SLO is very nice, great area and close to a lot of cool stuff. I worked for a non profit org that did drug rehab, but had businesses to run because they did not charge the clients or get money from the government. I was there eight years.

mikmustgt87

11-04-2011, 02:32 AM

I did what everyone is talking about in march and drove my mustang down and opened up my own shop in south florida(clearwater) and will never move back to wisconsin was glad i lived there for 28 years but down here is heaven car guy would have it made if he had a pair and moved down here!

BR3W CITY

11-04-2011, 11:25 AM

Mostly I lived in Santa Barbara, but I also lived in SLO and Santa Maria too. SLO is very nice, great area and close to a lot of cool stuff. I worked for a non profit org that did drug rehab, but had businesses to run because they did not charge the clients or get money from the government. I was there eight years.

Thats pretty cool man. I guess I need to get my dr's ok and figure a way out lol. If I can get out of recurring medical care here, then there isn't anything forcing me to stay.