So...

[wednes]

H and I are seriously contemplating a move out of state. Someplace with a low cost of living, good public transportation, and some hope of me getting a job.

It is becoming increasingly clear that I will not come out as the best candidate for any job in this town. I do not have what is commonly considered to be a "professional appearance," I don't drive, I have bad credit and a brief but irritating criminal hoo-ha, and a job record about on par wiht other bipolars I know (which is to say, erratic).



So tell me kids, where should we move to?

Comments

[itches]

'Someplace with a low cost of living, good public transportation, and some hope of me getting a job.'

Sydney! Actually I'm not sure how low the cost of living in here.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Not sure we can go quite that far. ;-)

Maybe just for a visit?

[everythingtold.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking the job market in OH really sux too, especially in Allen County. Cost of living is a bit cheaper but the sad thing is, where you'll get paid well - cost of living is higher :-(

I'm too tired to think now but is it possible to get your record expunged if it's been at least five years? Just wondering.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

I have no clue about the expunging. That would be nice. I'm also gonna talk to my job chick about subsitute teaching. It's probably about time I look into doing that if there are enough schools on the bus line.

[sudrin.livejournal.com]

Well, in addition to living there myself, TN Is very nice because it lacks a state income tax. This has enabled me to make a nice single living for myself. The general cost of living is lower too for most things.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

H is concerned about The South due to race relations.
And I am concerned because of Bible Beltery...

But then, I don't really get down there much, so I have no real idea what it's like except hot and buggy.

[sudrin.livejournal.com]

Of course, the public transportation isn't really that hot now that I think about it. It exists, but its not like a Chicago, or an Ann Arbor.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Ann Arbor is only good public transport conpared to other Michigan cities. Nationwide, it's a joke.

[groovesinorbit]

Well, my area doesn't have good public transportation and jobs are scarce, so I can't recommend the wilds of western Mass. or southern VT. *pout*

[wednes.livejournal.com]

I almost lived in Boston after graduation, to be a nanny for this family of Jewish doctors. Didn't work out...as you might imagine. And the driving there was fucking crazy.

[rivetkitten.livejournal.com]

Well, we in Northeast PA have a bunch of temp agencies that seem to have plenty of jobs. And one of the girls I was working with at my current job had lost jobs because she was in jail for a 3-day stretch and didn't show up to work, but continues to be able to get jobs. She's also not the most svelte person on the planet.

Cost of living here is pretty low, because it *is* a fairly depressed area, and I'm not sure how the public transit is once you get down into the cities. Race relations are really only difficult between the whites & the hispanics (Hazelton, for example), so you shouldn't have issues with that. You could look at careerbuilder.com for ideas of what's available around here. The zip code to search around is 18702.

Good luck!

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Hey thanks.

I was actually thinking about PA since H's family is there and will likely be moving to another city when their court case with Philly PD is resolved. So I will certainly look into jobs in that area. H can transfer to pretty much anywhere as he workd for Fed Ex/Kinko's.

[nate101000.livejournal.com]

Move to Alaska. It's nice and cold. I don't know anything else about it.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Moose.

They have Moose there...and presumably squirrels.
I actually know a chick there, she loves it.

[pyrafire.livejournal.com]

I hear the Twin Cities are good in terms of transportation and it's just in general a growing area, which usually means job opportunities, plus it's just supposed to be cool. Not so sure about the cost of living, though.

Denver also has really good public transport, and most likely lots of job opportunities... again, not so sure about the cost of living(I'd guess that it's cheaper than most major cities, but still probably more expensive than the smaller guys).

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Denver would be good. Not too hot.
Plus aren't Mork and Mindy from there?

Wait...that's Boulder.

Thanks, man.

[irismoon.livejournal.com]

Here is a neat little quiz that may help you find where you're suited for:

http://www.findyourspot.com/

We took it and I think we got either Portland or Eugene!

Portland is a lot more tolerant of 'non professional looking' people and has an excellent public transportation system. Plus they have lots of good social programs to help people. Cost of living there is a little less than AZ, but I don't know how it compares with MI. Probably higher.

It's a big decision.....good luck!

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Thanks! What a fun quiz.
I got a few cities in Illinois, Wisconsin, and West Virginia

H got mostly ones out east.
We seem to agree on Milwaukee or Madison.

[the-hag.livejournal.com]

Have you tried find your spot . com? It's got a legnthy survey you fill out based on your likes and dislikes and public transportation was one of the things you could specify as very important in the survey. It also runs cost of living and buying a house into the city profiles which we found very helpful.

Ultimately, we picked our own city...but it did help us narrow down state and cost of living. You might give it a shot...couldn't hurt...hope that helps!

;-)

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Yes, we were just hipped to it, and indeed, it began a productive dialogue for us.

[cmdavi-70.livejournal.com]

I'd tell you to move out here, though low cost of living is definitely not a factor. If you were to move to the south, probably Atlanta would be your best bet. It is fairly progressive and has a good rail system. Every state in the country has a mixture of liberal and conservative places, for that matter. Someone mentioned Ohio. Columbus sounds like a great city, though I've never been there. Chicago is also not too far away from you and has much better public transit, though it's probably a bit pricier.

On the other hand, you seem to have a very solid group of friends there. Having to start over and make new friends is something you'd be very capable of doing, but it would still take time.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Meh, most of my friends are accessible online. I guess I just feel that friends shouldn't be so much of a factor in adulthood, but maybe that's just for adults who are parents.

I'm seriously contemplating Wisconsin, but it also depends on whether or not I can work out grad school.

[uterdic.livejournal.com]

This may help. It just came out on Saturday.

...or maybe not since AA is in the top 25.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Can you check the link?

I think it's from the Twilight Zone.
(it appears to try to reopen the page you are on)

[fflo.livejournal.com]

I think a bigger city might help. And if you make that leap, and eliminate the South, then you can narrow it down even more with not-hella-expensive + the climate conditions you wouldn't mind... You could easily have 5 or 7 places on the short list in no time.

I like Pittsburgh & Chicago (a low-ish cost of living can be had there), and Philly's cool. Seattle's good for freaks. Portland, OR is really fab but so cheap, for its size, & not all that big (and I hear the job situation ain't so hot there). Yeah, I think bigger is better when you want to find a place as someone outside the mainstream & with a modestly checkered past. Baltimore can be really cheap to live in, but public transport is a bit limited.

I'm gonna say consider Chicago. It's even fairly close, if you wanted to go check it out.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Hey thanks!

As it happens, I have a close friend I never see anymore who lives in Chicago now. It's a tough situation as I'm not used to having decisions that are this huge, or important.

[maxverbosity.livejournal.com]

My mother-in-law always tells people, "If you can't find a job in Chicago, you can't find a job..."

Of course, you have to live some distance from the city in order to hit the reasonable rent districts. However, there is excellent public transportation (the "EL" and the subway and adequate busing).

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

We have officially added Chicago to our list, along with Kankakee, IL and Madison, WI.