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Mrs. E
Mr. & Mrs. E
Jellydog
Decisions, Decisions
Most of our family and friends are aware we’re trying to decide where to relocate and that we’ve been trying to sort this out for quite some time now. Quite some time. Like… a year.
This indecisiveness, at least my part of it, seems to be striking most people as odd, because apparently I have a reputation for being impulsive making decisions quickly and easily.
This could be because the other times in my life when I decided I wanted to live a thousand or two miles away from where I was, which for the record was twice, I was happily settled in my new town mere weeks after deciding it was time for a change.
Apparently I also have a reputation for being bossy not being afraid to express my opinions. Several have asked me, “Why haven’t you just told him that you’re moving back to Pittsburgh?” Well, if I knew that’s what I wanted, I would have NO problem saying to my husband, this is the deal, this is what I want, and then he would shortly be convinced it’s what he wants too.
And, last but not least, apparently I also have a reputation for being stubborn knowing exactly what I want, since on more than one occasion in my life I have been told, “There’s no point in telling you anything because you’re going to do whatever the hell you want anyway.”
Now, that’s not entirely true. Yes, I probably am going to do whatever the hell I want anyway, because that’s how I roll. But. That doesn’t mean I’m not very interested to hear what you have to say about it.
Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that I’m starting to avoid people because I’m so tired of being asked if we’ve “decided yet”. No, we haven’t and trust me, when we do, I will be shouting it from the fucking rooftops.
So, instead of getting annoyed at people who are only trying to help me and be supportive, I’ve decided to try a different approach. I’m going to respond with, “No, what would you do?” or “No, what do you think we should do?”
Which I’m doing right now. Honestly, I’m inviting each and every one of you to tell us exactly what you think we should do and how we should do it.
Well, let me back up a little. I don’t mean to imply we’ve decided nothing in a year. Actually we’ve had plenty of heart-to-hearts where we’ve discussed, agreed on, and then researched the things that are important to us and which cities fit those things best and also offer a standard of living we can afford.
It’s been narrowed down to basically three cities: Pittsburgh, PA; St. Louis, MO; and Minneapolis, MN. And we can’t seem to get any further than that. I’m about ready to choose by throwing a dart at a map.
Each city has its advantages and disadvantages. Like, here’s the thing with Pittsburgh. When we ask ourselves if this city would have made the shortlist if my family wasn’t there, the answer is NO. But then again, isn’t family quite a compelling reason to consider moving to a city?
Nor can we seem to figure out how to go about the actual move.
Do we just quit our jobs and take our belongings and savings to a new city and cross our fingers? Do we spend a bunch of money flying back and forth to try to secure employment before we move?
Ugh. These decisions were much easier when I was an irresponsible 20-something.
So anyway, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to give me (us) your opinion as to which city we should move to and how we should do it.
Without knowing what your husband does makes giving advice a little harder. I know that it took you a while to find a job, would it be hard to find a job in your field in these towns? Personally out of the three you chose, I would have to go with St. Louis. I would not want the other two just because of the winters. As far as going or looking first, try looking on Monster.com or one of the other job posting sites to see if there are any jobs in your fields. Based on that answer, then you could decide if you needed to find a job first. If there seems to be plenty of employment opportunities, then just go for it. This is a big choice, I don't blame you for taking your time and making sure it is what you want. Something else to consider since you plan on kids is to check out the schools in your chosen towns. That may make rhw decision for you. Good luck, this is a hard decision to make.
Oh, you're right… I didn't say what my husband does. He does Database Development and Administration (blah, blah, blah, something about computers).
So, one vote for St. Louis
as I said last night, I have no geographical concept of the US. So, um. *goes to check a map*
I say Minneapolis. UNLESS you really think that having your family around is going to be a huge support, then Pittsburgh. (wow, I'm so much help aren't I?)
And I agree with central; do some pre-searching via Monster or usajobbank, and also check mls for housing – are you going to rent first, buy later or buy outright? And again, I agree with central; check out the schools!!
The move with all your savings option is appealing to me, won't lie, but you probably should do some preliminary searching first. Will your husbands company let him work from home? Might want to look into that?
And, my vote is for Pittsburgh… ;o) Only because you're trying to have a baby and once you do, you'll want your family around for a variety of reasons.
It's incredibly hard to be isolated in a city away from loved ones, especially when you're not familiar with the terrain. You're also moving from Oregon.. you will miss the beach and Pittsburgh is a lot closer to that then St. Louis or Minneapolis.
And finally, Pittsburgh is near NYC, near museums and a lot of fun weekend get-aways.
Just my thoughts.
MN is too freakin' cold. I would vote Pittsburgh, but that is just because I like to be close to my family and for the kid reasons previously stated.
Why do you need/want to move? I guess I missed that somewhere along the line.
Oh my, all things equal, go where the weather is what you like and the city is the kind of place you want to live.
Other than that….holy moly just wanted to say why not hawaii since your moving anyway?
Ok, before I tell you where to move (since I'm the new boss of you), I need to know why those 3? And, what are the 5 MAJOR things you want/need in a new place to live?