# Ever just want to move somewhere else?



## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

This town is pretty boring, lol.

Sometimes I just want to pack up and move.  This is actually the longest I've ever lived in one place, like - in my life (I'm 30), lol.  (5 years)

Usually, I've had to move because I had a ****ty job and there was a better job somewhere else.  Now, it's pretty much the opposite - I have a good job but live in a ****ty town.  

Being an aircraft mechanic, I can go almost anywhere (most jobs are in the south though) - but I would most definitely have to take a pay cut...  If I were fired or something, I would take what I could find - but leaving by choice, it would be hard to consider anything that didn't start with at least $30/hr...  And those jobs are pretty rare outside of airlines.  (Which I'd rather avoid, for various reasons.  #1 being that I don't have my A&P.  I know I should have gotten that years ago ... but that's another discussion.)

I would like to move back to Ohio, but there is very little aviation there...  Wright Patterson AFB would be my best chance of finding a good job there.  There are jobs everywhere, but none of them would match what I make now.  I had a dream the other night that I moved to Chicago, lol.

So far, the short list is Delaware (Wilmington area), Florida (Miami area), or California (LA area).  I think Delaware would come the closest to matching my pay, but of the three is the only one where I have no family.  It's not far from Ohio though, where _most_ of my family is.  I imagine the cost of living is also pretty high in Miami and LA, lol.  I had a very good job in Wilmington once, and I'm sure they would take me back without even thinking about it.  I liked living there too.  Sometimes I wonder why I left...

If I moved to California, I would have to sell some guns first...  The thought of that doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would though...  What does bother me is that pretty much anywhere I went would make me shave and take my earrings out.  :lmao:

There are other places I'd like to go too (Charleston, Savannah, etc...), but it would require a pretty drastic pay cut...  I hate this - being stuck somewhere because of money.  The good money is overseas...  But, I'm not taking my family to a war-zone (which is where the good money is - civilian contractors in war-zones - I don't think I could take them anyway, even if I wanted to).

I have a solid resume, so any interviews would pretty much just be negotiating pay.  I also think that I'm not a very good negotiator...  I've always just agreed to whatever they first offered (which was generally good, considering my experience at the time).

Two things I miss and haven't really seen since I came down here - snow and hills.  And the color green, lol.  I know money isn't everything, but I'm finding it very hard to justify a $5-10/hr pay cut...  Especially when you consider that the cost of living will most likely be higher where ever I go.


Just thinking out loud here...  I don't know if this is normal for most people, or if it's just an aviation thing (if you don't know any aircraft mechanics - we tend to move around a lot.  Sometimes by choice, sometimes by necessity.).  Like a buddy of mine used to say - my feet are itching.


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## bhop (Apr 9, 2012)

You won't see much green or snow here, but you can drive to it easily enough.  Then when you're bored of that, you can drive to the beach... on the same day.


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## DorkSterr (Apr 9, 2012)

I know how you feel, I've lived in Toronto for the past 20 years and have visited every single place for photography (except the ghetto) and now I have nothing to do except to redo shots that I've taken years ago. I just got back from Hong Kong and Thailand and I would LOVE to live in Hong Kong! The photographic opportunities are endless. Hong Kong would last me a good 30 years + to cover.


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

It's not so much photography (but it is that too) - more just that it seems like the only thing keeping this town alive is the place I work for.  It's the largest employer in the county, and the only real reason people move here.  The city is doing their best to run them out of town though.  Trying to charge them taxes for land they don't own, and crap like that.  I probably shouldn't say where I work, but it wouldn't be hard for anyone to figure out...  (If you do google it, please don't post it here...  Just for the off chance that it get's back to the company.  Just posting this thread probably violates some corporate policy we have, lol.)

It's like they assume that they will never leave, so they think they can get away with anything.  Well, they will leave, if they have to.  You can build a hangar and runway anywhere...  Most likely, if they did leave, they would just transfer our operations to another facility that they already own, somewhere else (and if that happened, I'm sure I would be able to transfer there).  I _could_ just transfer to another facility - the company has loads of them, all over the country.  I bet there's one in every state.  I don't think my pay would transfer with me though, lol.  We're Union here, and none (or very few at least) of the other facilities are, so our pay tends to be higher.

LA sounds pretty nice, but from what I've seen - housing costs will be at least double what I pay now...  If the pay is there, I guess that's a moot point - but I'm not sure if the pay will be there, lol.  Aviation is kinda weird - pay rates are pretty consistent across the country regardless of cost of living.
All of the big employers know that aircraft mechanics will just move anywhere on a whim, so they all pay about the same...  Doesn't make much sense to me.


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## mishele (Apr 9, 2012)

I vote for Delaware.  =)


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

mishele said:


> I vote for Delaware.  =)


I knew you would.  

It's definitely the easiest place for me to move - I already know a lot of people there, I have good job contacts, I know the area, etc....  It would literally only take a phone call and then I could be off to Home Depot to buy boxes for packing...  The only thing I don't like there are the schools.  I never went to school there, but I knew a ton of people that did.  I'll just say that it was one of the most backwards places I've ever lived as far as that goes.  Delaware is almost like it's own little world, shut off from everything else.  I swear, moving there was like going back in time 10 years, lol.  I can't even describe it...

It was cool though, but I don't know if I'd want my kids to grow up there.  

I could work in DE but live in PA, MD or NJ - that's probably what I would do if I went back there.


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## mishele (Apr 9, 2012)

This is the reason you NEED to move back.....
Wine Shop | Wine, Liquor, & Beer Online | Total Wine & More


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

I do miss the brewpubs there.  I used to go to Stewart's in Newark like every day, lol.  I ****ING loved their stout.  I can't remember if it was the Highlander Stout or the Oyster Stout (there were two different bars with two different (but awesome) stouts).  I think Stewart's had the Highlander Stout...

It was SOOOOO creamy and smooth, and made Guinness taste watered down (a lot).


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## Tony S (Apr 9, 2012)

Ever think of the Seattle area?  Plenty of aviation work here in the land of airplanes.


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## mishele (Apr 9, 2012)

Family is the most important!! Figure out a way to get back home....=):hug::


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## BlackSheep (Apr 9, 2012)

It's not just an aviation thing, I see the same itchy feet happening with the engineers I work with too.

Are you completely tied to aviation by choice? I'm guessing that your skills are extremely transferrable to other related fields, maybe that's something to look into? My thinking behind that is based on the fact that you are still young, and I don't know many people who have remained in the same industry (nevermind the same geographic location) for the long term.


And apologies for the minor derail, but,



DorkSterr said:


> I know how you feel, I've lived in Toronto for the past 20 years and have visited every single place for photography *(except the ghetto) *and now I have nothing to do except to redo shots that I've taken years ago. I just got back from Hong Kong and Thailand and I would LOVE to live in Hong Kong! The photographic opportunities are endless. Hong Kong would last me a good 30 years + to cover.



Dorksterr - what ghetto?


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

Tony S said:


> Ever think of the Seattle area?  Plenty of aviation work here in the land of airplanes.


Actually, I have.  I've even had a few Boeing reps offer me jobs before...  The only reason I haven't jumped on it is that it's so far away from any of my family.  It's pretty much the farthest I could get from any relatives inside the CONUS, lol.  Sometimes I wonder if that could be a good thing though.

It's definitely a consideration - maybe even the best one, as far as the money goes.  I just haven't decided if the pros out-weigh the cons.  (The only real con being so far away from everyone I know.)


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

BlackSheep said:


> Are you completely tied to aviation by choice? I'm guessing that your skills are extremely transferrable to other related fields, maybe that's something to look into?


No, and that's part of the reason I still don't have my A&P (Airframe & Power-plant license - pretty much required for employment with an airline.  Basically, if you have that, the FAA gives you a lot of authority.  You can release an airplane and declare it airworthy, and stuff like that.).  I'm sure my skills are easily transferable to pretty much any manufacturing field - what scares me is the thought of 'starting over', lol.  I do also have a sizable investment (around $10k if I had to guess...?) in tools, most of which are only good for aviation related type of stuff - fabbing, drilling, riveting, etc...  Not the kind of tools you would use on a car (for example).


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## DorkSterr (Apr 9, 2012)

DorkSterr said:


> I know how you feel, I've lived in Toronto for the past 20 years and have visited every single place for photography *(except the ghetto) *and now I have nothing to do except to redo shots that I've taken years ago. I just got back from Hong Kong and Thailand and I would LOVE to live in Hong Kong! The photographic opportunities are endless. Hong Kong would last me a good 30 years + to cover.



Dorksterr - what ghetto?[/QUOTE]

I live at Sherbourn. Jsut a few minutes from me at Jarvis and Gerrard, man have you ever been there? Every corner has at lease 3-8 homeless person, a person in a hoodie standing beside a garbage bin... I just don't feel comfortable walking along that street.


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## Tony S (Apr 9, 2012)

> a person in a hoodie standing beside a garbage bin



  Probably a cop... lol


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## 2WheelPhoto (Apr 9, 2012)

If you do happen to go the Boeing route do it in Charleston, SC and avoid having to send your money to an evil union boss and Joe Biden every payday


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## Sw1tchFX (Apr 9, 2012)

I was going to move to London if I was turned down for my new job. No particular reason except to get way the hell out of my comfort zone.


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

2WheelPhoto said:


> If you do happen to go the Boeing route do it in Charleston, SC and avoid having to send your money to an evil union boss and Joe Biden every payday


I almost went there 3 years ago, but the $14/hr MANDATORY starting pay (they had some kind of deal with the South Carolina labor board) killed that deal.  I would have went there for a $5 pay cut.  Not a 50% pay cut though...

If they could match my pay (or even come close), I would start packing right now.  Seriously.  I even called people and told them I was going to be moving soon - until I found out there was no way around the bull**** deal they had with the labor board.

About unions - Yeah, I always hated that part of my dues support people I would never vote for.  BUT, just a few observations over 12 or 13 years working for union and non-union shops (about an even split, as far as the years go) - in EVERY union shop I worked in, there was higher pay and more days off.  Shorter breaks though (whatever was legally required by the state), but that's a small price to pay.

Union Shop - 2 weeks off for Christmas, good wages, overtime actually pays, lots of vacation time, pension...  Non-Union Shop - ONE DAY off for Christmas, no double time (ever), not much vacation time, low pay.

WITHOUT EXCEPTION, that has been the case for me...



Some companies do not need a union and are better off without one.  Other companies cannot be trusted and need a union.  I generally do not think we should need unions these days, but the bull**** Corporate America uses to try to **** over it's workforce makes it necessary in a few cases.

I take it that you have never worked somewhere that really _needed_ a union.  That's good.  Sadly, their are still a lot of companies that can't be trusted to do the right thing on their own.


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

Sw1tchFX said:


> I was going to move to London if I was turned down for my new job. No particular reason except to get way the hell out of my comfort zone.


That sounds like something I would have done when I was single.


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## BlackSheep (Apr 9, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> BlackSheep said:
> 
> 
> > Are you completely tied to aviation by choice? I'm guessing that your skills are extremely transferrable to other related fields, maybe that's something to look into?
> ...



Oh, I don't mean cars at all, there's so much else out there that you could do, I expect. Now I have to ask, why are you worried about starting over in a different industry (assuming you can do so with the same skills of course), but you are OK with moving across the country & back? Not that I'm saying you shouldn't move, I just think that moving geographically and/or industry-wise could work for you.


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## mishele (Apr 9, 2012)

Ahhhh....to be young again and not be tied down...lol Josh, if you can up and move you should feel liberated. Most of us are some what trapped in our current spots. =)


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## BlackSheep (Apr 9, 2012)

DorkSterr said:


> DorkSterr said:
> 
> 
> > I know how you feel, I've lived in Toronto for the past 20 years and have visited every single place for photography *(except the ghetto) *and now I have nothing to do except to redo shots that I've taken years ago. I just got back from Hong Kong and Thailand and I would LOVE to live in Hong Kong! The photographic opportunities are endless. Hong Kong would last me a good 30 years + to cover.
> ...



I live at Sherbourn. Jsut a few minutes from me at Jarvis and Gerrard, man have you ever been there? Every corner has at lease 3-8 homeless person, a person in a hoodie standing beside a garbage bin... I just don't feel comfortable walking along that street.[/QUOTE]

Oh boy. Jarvis & Gerrard is not "ghetto", and yes I've spent a fair amount of time there and still do.
Hoodies do not indicate homeless, btw.


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## OscarWilde (Apr 9, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> I would like to move back to Ohio, but there is very little aviation there...



Kind of ironic really... it being the "birthplace of aviation" and all... 

I'd take the Boeing offers... go out to Seattle; You'd get your snow at the very least, and your hills would be mountains   Sounds perfect based on your list of necessary qualifications~!


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

BlackSheep said:


> O|||||||O said:
> 
> 
> > BlackSheep said:
> ...



If I move, but stay in the same field - I'm a pro.  If I switch fields (whether I move or not), I'm a "noob" again - even if the subject matter comes naturally to me.  I would still have to start at the bottom (again) and work my way up.

Right now, I can start at the top, anywhere I want - if I stay in aviation.  In anything else, they'll look at my resume and say - 'you've never done this before'.


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

OscarWilde said:


> O|||||||O said:
> 
> 
> > I would like to move back to Ohio, but there is very little aviation there...
> ...


I KNOW!



I mean, WTF?  NetJets is based in Columbus - and I worked on a ****load of their planes ... in Delaware.  To get a job with them in Ohio, I would have to be a flight attendant or something, lol.


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## mishele (Apr 9, 2012)

Delaware.....just sayin  lol


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## OscarWilde (Apr 9, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> I KNOW!
> 
> 
> 
> I mean, WTF?  NetJets is based in Columbus - and I worked on a ****load of their planes ... in Delaware.  To get a job with them in Ohio, I would have to be a flight attendant or something, lol.



Hmmm... I think that would probably make you the most over qualified flight attendant ever 

That definitely seems rather counter productive really  Basing your business in one state and your physical "product" (for lack of a better word...) in a completely different one


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

mishele said:


> Ahhhh....to be young again and not be tied down...lol Josh, if you can up and move you should feel liberated. Most of us are some what trapped in our current spots. =)


Maybe it is an aviation thing, lol.  In my entire life (my Dad is also an aircraft mechanic), I have never felt tied down to a place.  We always just went where ever the money was...  Right now, I _am_ where the money is, but it's just so boring, lol.

I guess I have a pretty weak connection with my family from being away from them for so long.  Being out there on my own is just 'normal' for me...  I think I just can't decide if that's good or bad.  Do I want to be near family, or not?  I really rarely see my family...  Only a handful would even recognize me on the street.  Probably just my parents.


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## Josh66 (Apr 9, 2012)

OscarWilde said:


> That definitely seems rather counter productive really  Basing your business in one state and your physical "product" (for lack of a better word...) in a completely different one


Well, it's just because they don't do their own maintenance (and that's common, even on major airlines) - they don't employ 'mechanics'.  They just send the planes somewhere else to be worked on, while they only focus on booking flights.

(Airlines do have mechanics, and they do work on their own planes - but they don't have enough to cover the whole fleet, so they farm a lot of it out.)


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## bentcountershaft (Apr 10, 2012)

This is obviously something I know very little about, but maybe try a city with a major UPS hub, like Louisville.  I used to know several UPS mechanics, I'm fairly sure they are union and I'm relatively certain they pay well.  We have plenty of green, plenty of hills and plenty of bourbon.  Less than 2 hours to the Ohio state line too.


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## c.cloudwalker (Apr 10, 2012)

I had lived in 5 different countries by the time I left my parents and went to a 6th one. Then a bunch more in the next 12 years. And it was kinda hard staying put for close to 25 years in the DC area, lol. And then I started moving again, 3 different areas in the last 8 years, with one more coming up. As soon as I figure out where 




Sw1tchFX said:


> I was going to move to London if I was turned down for my new job. No particular reason except to get way the hell out of my comfort zone.



One thing to remember if you (or anyone else from the US) seriously considers/decides to move overseas: US citizens are double taxed!

Yep, as a US citizens living abroad you still need to pay income tax to the feds... :thumbdown:


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## IByte (Apr 10, 2012)

I dont think I would ever move out of the Northeast region I enjoy the fall too much.  If I had a choice it would be either Connecticut, DC, or Northern Virginia.


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## IByte (Apr 10, 2012)

O|||||||O said:
			
		

> I KNOW!
> 
> 
> 
> I mean, WTF?  NetJets is based in Columbus - and I worked on a ****load of their planes ... in Delaware.  To get a job with them in Ohio, I would have to be a flight attendant or something, lol.



Lol at least you have all the free travel and an almost an endless amount of places for possible photo shoots.


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## IByte (Apr 10, 2012)

DorkSterr said:
			
		

> Dorksterr - what ghetto?



I live at Sherbourn. Jsut a few minutes from me at Jarvis and Gerrard, man have you ever been there? Every corner has at lease 3-8 homeless person, a person in a hoodie standing beside a garbage bin... I just don't feel comfortable walking along that street.[/QUOTE]

Probably some good urban shots with 2-3 people to help you


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## Alex_B (Apr 10, 2012)

Yes, I wanted to move away on several occasions .. and i did 

Been living in several towns and cities in Germany, and also in the UK, and very short term also in Sweden.

Right now I could imagine moving to Scandinavia, but no idea if that will become reality mid-term or if at all


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## jake337 (Apr 10, 2012)

BlackSheep said:


> DorkSterr said:
> 
> 
> > DorkSterr said:
> ...



Oh boy. Jarvis & Gerrard is not "ghetto", and yes I've spent a fair amount of time there and still do.
Hoodies do not indicate homeless, btw.[/QUOTE]

Walk through Stockton California in the wrong colors, wait, actually don't do that.

Homeless doesn't equate ghetto to me.


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## IByte (Apr 10, 2012)

jake337 said:
			
		

> Oh boy. Jarvis & Gerrard is not "ghetto", and yes I've spent a fair amount of time there and still do.
> Hoodies do not indicate homeless, btw.



Walk through Stockton California in the wrong colors, wait, actually don't do that.

Homeless doesn't equate ghetto to me.[/QUOTE]

Just means the city has more personality than merry ol' burb town lol


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## RedVixen81 (Apr 10, 2012)

San Antonio is a good town with lots to do. We have an several military bases here as well..so there could be a lot of opportunity for an aviation mech.


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## Josh66 (Apr 10, 2012)

bentcountershaft said:


> This is obviously something I know very  little about, but maybe try a city with a major UPS hub, like  Louisville.  I used to know several UPS mechanics, I'm fairly sure they  are union and I'm relatively certain they pay well.  We have plenty of  green, plenty of hills and plenty of bourbon.  Less than 2 hours to the  Ohio state line too.


That's a good idea - I've worked a lot of UPS aircraft (but never _for_ UPS), and they were always the best line to be on.  I've also heard from a lot of people that they are awesome to work for.  Only thing I'm not sure about is if they require an A&P or not...



RedVixen81 said:


> San Antonio is a good town with lots to do. We have an several military bases here as well..so there could be a lot of opportunity for an aviation mech.


If I could find something on base that could be pretty good.  Places like San Antonio Aerospace (I guess it's called ST Aerospace San Antonio now...) don't pay much though.  I mean, they would offer me _half_ of what I make now.  I work with a bunch of people that moved here from there, lol.  They can get away with that because they know there will be hundreds of kids fresh out of A&P school applying there every year.  With no experience, any job is good to them.

I'll have to look into what's going on at the bases.  :thumbup:


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## nmoody (Apr 10, 2012)

Also need to take into consideration cost of living vs pay.

I lived just outside of Boston MA area for my whole childhood up until I was 25. Then I got a new job and moved to the bay area in Cali. I make more money here but the cost of living is also equally higher. 

So might want to check craigslist of rental prices in the area you want to look at. See how they compare to what is in your area to try and guess the cost of living difference.


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## Josh66 (Apr 10, 2012)

nmoody said:


> Also need to take into consideration cost of living vs pay.
> 
> I lived just outside of Boston MA area for my whole childhood up until I was 25. Then I got a new job and moved to the bay area in Cali. I make more money here but the cost of living is also equally higher.
> 
> So might want to check craigslist of rental prices in the area you want to look at. See how they compare to what is in your area to try and guess the cost of living difference.


See, that's what's kind messed up about my industry - the pay is pretty consistent across the country.  Except for some companies that have pretty low pay.  They've just made the decision that a lot of inexperienced workers is better than fewer experienced ones...  And for the type of work they do, they don't really _need_ a lot of highly skilled workers...  It's mostly pretty easy stuff - common repair stuff.

Basically, I'll make the same amount of money no matter where I live, unless I get into another line of work...  It works out good in places with a low cost of living (like here), but I would be pretty broke somewhere where the rent is triple what I pay now.
I think somewhere like southern California would realistically be out of question, just for that reason...  That's the reason most of the aviation work is in the south.  Texas, Alabama, Florida, North & South Carolina, Georgia all have a ton of aviation jobs, and are all pretty cheap to live in.

Anywhere there's an airport is obviously going to have some kind of aviation work, but not necessarily the kind of work I do...

I think we just need to get out of this town, lol - not necessarily Texas.  San Antonio _is_ a cool city - I'll look around some more and see what I can find there.  After a quick search STA is hiring (they always are), but they don't pay any good, lol.

And I'll have to look at what my current employer has going on at other facilities - a transfer would be pretty easy.  And we have facilities all over the place, lol.


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## nmoody (Apr 10, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> nmoody said:
> 
> 
> > Also need to take into consideration cost of living vs pay.
> ...



Alright well then lets use the same method but shoot for something else. Look for a place that is dirt cheap to live. Since pay is a constant you can look at the local economy instead. The same craigslist trick I mentioned earlier will work for this too.

For my industry Austin Texas is one of the better pay to living expenses ratio because its still a technical place but dirt cheap to live.


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## Compaq (Apr 10, 2012)

Where would your wife and kids prefer to live?


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## Josh66 (Apr 10, 2012)

Compaq said:


> Where would your wife and kids prefer to live?


Ha - they don't care.  They just want out of here.  This is a pretty boring town, unless you want to drive to Dallas or Fort Worth every weekend.

Plus, work opportunities for her here are pretty slim.  Other than where I work, Walmart, fast food, or the mall is all there really is.  And there isn't _anything_ you can walk to from our apartment.  We could move somewhere else in the same town, and be within walking distance to some things - but it's still just an empty mall (really) and fast food joints.  There's a movie theater and a bowling alley, and that's pretty much it for entertainment.


I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to take a pay cut no matter what.  We really are the highest paying gig out there, not counting airlines.  I guess that's what it takes to keep people here, lol.  Right now, I'm thinking of San Antonio, Houston, and Miami - in that order.  Maybe Fort Worth too.  My Dad lives in Forth Worth, and Lockheed would hire me, assuming that they're hiring (haven't checked).  They're always going on strike or getting laid off though...


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## Compaq (Apr 10, 2012)

You know, I would prefer to live someplace I actually enjoyed living. If I had to earn a little less money in order to be happy, then I suppose that would be okay. If your whole family dislikes this town as much as you seem to do, then, maybe, it's about time you looked for a new home. Home is supposed to be someplace nice and cosy. Someplace you can tell other people you live without making the name of the town a subtle curse 

Having family close would help, especially with smaller kids. I'm sure you'll figure it out


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## Josh66 (Apr 10, 2012)

Yeah, it's hard to enjoy living here...  I mean, there's stuff to do, but it takes a 100 mile drive to get to it...

This isn't going to happen overnight - I'm looking at some time in the fall.  Maybe even next spring.  Definitely before my daughter starts school though - so that gives me till next fall.  The longer I wait, the more moving money I'll have, but I'm not too worried about that.  Most companies will pay a couple thousand to help you move - but that's not really enough anyway.  I've done cross-country moves before, and I've found that it's better to sell everything, then buy new stuff when you get there.  You'll pay more than the stuff is worth to move it.

I did a little looking, and right now Jacksonville or Fort Lauderdale, FL are looking like the best places for me getting a good job.  I'm pretty sure I could even just transfer to either of those without even having to quit my job.


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## ItsssRyne (Apr 10, 2012)

There was a quote by some famous someone......idk? But it said "if you aren't happy with your life now, then change something". I'm not sure if that's right but my point is, if you hate where you live now then change it. Fix yourself up an airplane and fly it the heck outta there. 

I'd go with Deleware, I've vacationed in about 6 different states and I've traveled through just about all of them. And Delaware seemed pretty nice. Ocean city was a blast and your pretty close to New York, Philly, and D.C. Those are some of the most photogenic places in America.

I'm right with you, I don't really care for where I live, unfortunately I'll be stuck here until I finish my edumacation.


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## NE-KID (Apr 10, 2012)

As being a military brat in my younger days moving around the states while my dad served in the US. Marines for 22 1/2 years I got to see the states I've lived all the way in Southern California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina. Also when my mother retired as a traveling nurse after 30+ years of taking care of sick babies level 3 NICU nurse and 10+ years of being a traveling nurse NICU level 3 nurse, charge nurse and flight team nurse.  I lived in Florida most of my life but I did travel a lot. I gotten use to it, now I am back home in Florida.


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## Josh66 (Apr 14, 2012)

Well, we have decided on Florida.

Where, exactly, I'm not sure yet - as long as it's close to the beach.  

In order of how easy it will be for me to get a job: Jacksonville, Pensacola, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa.  I have an Aunt that lives near Tampa.

This isn't going to happen overnight - I'm not even going to seriously start looking (applying for jobs) till August.  But it is exciting knowing that our days here are numbered.  

Why wait so long?  I have stuff to take care of here, I want to wait till my car is paid off, and I get a raise in August.  I'm hoping the raise will make other companies offer me more.  Plus, the longer I wait, the more moving money I have - but I don't want to wait too long.  

Nobody can talk me out of it now, lol - it's just a matter of time.

If I had to go right now, it would be Jacksonville.  Things might change a little in 6 months, so that may not be the best choice then - but it looks pretty good now.


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## mishele (Apr 14, 2012)

Rent a big place, I'll be down to visit!!


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## Josh66 (Apr 15, 2012)

Whenever we're all set up, you're welcome!  

I think it took this job, in this place to make me realize that money isn't everything.

Now I know why we pay so much - to keep the turnover rate down.  We pay, on average, $5/hr more than the competition - I realize now that it's only to keep people here.  The only thing to keep people here is money...


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## NE-KID (Apr 16, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> Well, we have decided on Florida.
> 
> Where, exactly, I'm not sure yet - as long as it's close to the beach.
> 
> ...



You'll like Jacksonville it has a air base locally so no worries there here's a website to check out to see what there is to do there...Thing to Do in Jacksonville - Attractions & Florida Vacation Information - Visit Jacksonville 

Also look in to Panama City Beach the party town when Spring Break hits in the summer time a lot of things to do rent is expensive around the beach area but in town it's kinda cheap.


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## Yemme (Apr 16, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> Well, we have decided on Florida.



You're moving to the Disney State.  Um.... mmmm... OK!


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## Josh66 (Jan 9, 2013)

Well, a lot has happened since I started this thread.  We still haven't moved anywhere, but it still sucks here.

Thinking there's a very good chance we'll be moving back to Ohio (Columbus area) this summer.  I can't take it anymore, lol.  The only reason we're going to wait that long is because that's when the lease on the apartment is up.

After this, I'm done with aviation...  I've turned enough wrenches, lol.


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## nycphotography (Jan 9, 2013)

If you've moved several times already you should know by now that pretty much everywhere sucks more or less the same amount, just for different reasons.

Kinda like the white balance of life.  NYC is expensive as hell, but you can make more, and there's infinite models and other opportunity here.  Oh, and winter sucks. Texas is cheaper than NY, but more expensive than other places, but it has its own distinct flavor of suckitude.  Ironically, what makes texas suck for me, may be the best thing about it for you.

If the money is good where you are, and the expenses aren't just as high and eating away at the benefit, then just find a way to make it work for you.

I've lived a lot of places, and every place I've lived, I lived a different kind of lifestyle than I lived in other places.  You just have to learn to maximize what works for you, and minimize what doesn't.

Unless it's unbearable, in which case it's not a pay cut, its a sanity bonus.


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## nycphotography (Jan 9, 2013)

Oh, and I lived in Columbus Ohio for 12 years, and you couldn't pay me enough to move back there.

Well maybe you could, but it would have to include a new identity every 6 months to pass off to the Gestapo State Patrol.

If I had no choice but to be there I'd make do, but not by choice.


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## Josh66 (Jan 9, 2013)

I have moved a lot.  I'm not really sure how much detail I went into earlier in this thread, and I don't really feel like reading it again because it will probably just make me depressed that nearly a year later nothing has changed - but yeah, I've moved a TON.  Always for work, never because I 'just wanted to live there'.


Honestly, I don't even give a **** about the money anymore.  That's how bad it is, lol.  I'll eat rice every day if everything else doesn't suck.


And I'm totally with you on the sanity bonus thing - that's what this next move will be for.  There's no doubt that it will involve what will likely be a massive pay cut, but at this point that is totally cool with me.


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## Josh66 (Jan 9, 2013)

nycphotography said:


> Oh, and I lived in Columbus Ohio for 12 years, and you couldn't pay me enough to move back there.
> 
> Well maybe you could, but it would have to include a new identity every 6 months to pass off to the Gestapo State Patrol.
> 
> If I had no choice but to be there I'd make do, but not by choice.


I grew up in Columbus, and literally every person I know and my entire family lives there.  Haven't been there in over a decade.  Most of my family doesn't even know my kids.

There is absolutely no work there in the **** I do - and now I'm at the point where I don't even like what I do anymore, so - why not start over?


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## nycphotography (Jan 10, 2013)

Well, I suspect you don't hate what you do so much as who you do it for.  At the end of the day its a job... I don't get up every morning thinking I've gotta go play... no... I gotta go to work.  Even if I my job was a dream job... rock star or some ish... I still gotta get up and go to work, go write the songs, do the promos, or whatever... and then it's a j.o.b.

I've been a mechanic, not one now, but there's a definite satisfaction from working with your hands and building or fixing things.  You can always apply the skills to a different niche.  Automotive, and get your ASE (or dealer) certs.  As an aircraft guy you can probably get into reasonably decent auto shops... dealership work for example where you don't have work on pos beaters and haggle with broke people to get paid.

But if a break back home is what it takes to clear your mind and help you decide what you want to do with the rest of your life... then go for it... so long as you can afford it that is.


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