Has anyone just packed up and left?

[skyeblu79 0]

Luluc, I have always thought about culinary school. I love to cook. Since I was a kid I have wanted to open my own restaurant.

Teaching is an option. I completed my coursework and student teaching. I just have to take the test. I just don't know if I want to do it right now. In another state it may be a better option. I liked teaching, but in NC they don't pay enough for what you have to do.

[shortgal 5]

My daughter moved to Vegas when she was about 22. We live in CT. She had friends there that she went to visit and of course Vegas is very exciting at that age, so she loved it. And announced she was mving there. We were not surprised by that. The friends all started going in different directions, some coming back to Ct.

Just when her Dad and I thought she'd be coming back home, she met a guy. Once she started telling us about him, I knew she wasn't coming home and I knew they'd be married. Well they have been married for over 5 1/2 years! They got married here in CT. Kind of funny since Vegas is the wedding capital!

She's started working as a dental assistant and is now the receptionist. He is a firefighter born and raised in Vegas.

We visit once or twice a year and they visit about the same. We miss her but we know she's happy so that makes it easier. The summers suck weather wise (we never visit in summer) but the rest of the year is pretty nice. we can even sit on their patio when we visit for Thanksgiving.

Renting might not be as expensive as previously. The declining real estate market really hit hard there, so rents are cheaper. Of course, I don't know what rents are where you live now to compare.

Vegas is not a place my husband and I were drawn to but we have fun when we go. We dont always go to The Strip on every visit, but when we do, it's fun. I love, love, love the fountains at Bellagio! And the mountain views are just beautiful.

When we retire, I would love to spend my winters in Vegas and my summers in Rhode Island, we have a beach rental house there.

at one point they really needed substitue teachers, so that might be a temporary job option for you, while you settle in and look for something else.

The one thing I will say is no city is the same when you're on vacation as when you have to go to work everyday. And if you move to Vegas make sure you have a guest room, you'll have a lot of visitors!

[snowbird 2]

I was born and raised in Massachusetts. When I was in college I took a federal civil service exam and put down the Seattle region for where I wanted to work, even though I had never been there. Sure enough I got a job in Washington state. I lived there for a couple of years and then started thinking about moving back home. A week or two later I met my future husband, and ended up staying in Washington for the next 25 years.

When our youngest son finished high school, my husband and I retired, sold the house, and picked up and left for Arizona. We still spend summers in Washington and a lot of time traveling. I'm in Georgia at the moment, watching my son play college baseball. He must have gotten my bug, since he decided on Augusta State University after growing up in Washington.

[miztrniceguy 1]

if you like the financial field... joinmeatciti.com

just be sure to put my name down when it comes to the "referred by"

[Gibson 7]

Oooh, how exciting. I've often fantasized about a fresh start in a new place but I'm not the type to have the guts for it. I'm also single with no kids and it is tempting! Who knows? After I lose all my weight I might start over completely fresh in a new place. Praying is the best thing you can do about. God will order your steps!

[heartfire 4]

Just some thoughts if you really want to move. Make sure you do your research for the area you're headed to.

Irvine is nice but as with a lot of California, it's expensive! I live about the middle of the state in the Sierra Nevada mountains right outside of Yosemite and so we don't have the sticker shock in housing like southern CA or the bay area/coast. Also, our gas prices are insane and when in parts of CA if you can't afford to live near work, you're commuting and the freeways are murder in the city areas.

Make sure you search the internet for the city and then check it's real estate, both for buying {if you have any ideas of buying someday} and renting. A lot of cities have really great chamber of commerce websites that have adds for jobs, real estate, renting, etc. They usually have FAQ pages that help answer questions about the area. Some will even send you free information in the mail.

I agree with a previous poster who said if you're going to do it, do it NOW before husband, kids, etc. Easier in certain ways when you're by yourself but you don't also have company if something goes wrong. Both good and bad!

There may be some sort of website that could help you decide what you might like to do or where you might go to do it. Input all of your interests and see what kind of jobs or careers might pop up. Heck, monsters.com {?job search engine?} might even do that. Seems I've seen something like that in ads on TV.

Best of luck in your search. And have FUN!

[Sunwyse 1]

At 30 I had this overwhelming urge to move. I knew I wanted to live somewhere else entirely, but no clue as to where so I got myself a book with pictures from all over Australia (my country) and looked through it. I kept being drawn back again and again to pictures of Darwin, so that's where I went. I organised one night in a backpackers, a bus trip for 3 hours to visit someone I knew in that state, then was going to go back to Darwin and settle down. I had no job lined up and knew no-one in Darwin itself.

That flight led to me travelling through various places in Australia and either working or studying for 7 years. I ended up in Queensland and the day I arrived I met my soul mate. Over 3 years later and I am still here with him. I got myself into a new career (child care), started my own business (skin care products) and next year will be starting a new career again (apprentice as chef).

It can be scary to go especially if you feel you 'have' to but haven't done it before, but much scarier to me is the idea of being 80 in a rocking chair and regretting all the things in life I'd wanted to do and never tried.

[skyeblu79 0]

Shortgal, thanks for your post. I love Vegas. I had really dismissed the idea of Vegas over the last year or so. Mainly b/c of what you said. I really wonder if I will love it as much if I would live there. Our ast 2 trips, we really looked around the city and not just the tourist areas. I love Summerlin. It's a really nice area.

Snowbird, wow MA to WA that’s a big move. Are you living now in GA or you are there visiting? I guess either way, how to do you like GA. I think Atlanta is a couple of hours away. I am considering a suburb, probably either Alpharetta or Roswell.

Miztrniceguy, that’s for posting the link. I am going to check it out now. I have thought about the financial field. When I worked in HR, I worked mainly with retirees. I talked to a lot of financial advisors and it put the thought in my head. If I find something I will definitely put your name down. Thanks!!

Gibson, I think I will do better w/my weight loss when I am gone. I did a lot better when I was living alone and away from lurking eyes. I know what you mean though, it is still a scary thought for me. I just keep thinking if I don’t like it I can always come back. I am definitely praying on it.

Heartfire, price was the man reason I discounted Irvine. My cousin is from San Bernardino and when I mentioned Irvine, that was the first thing she said too. She said it was a nice area, just really expensive. I will definitely try to check out more websites. Hopefully, I can get some more ideas.

Sunwyse, you are right. I definitely don’t want to have any regrets. I just keep thinking that as long as I just try it I will feel better whether I like it or not. Glad your experience went well.

Thanks for all the posts!!

[shortgal 5]

Summerlin is my absolute favorite section of Vegas! Walking trails, nice housing.

No matter where you live you'll have the daily grind /routine of work, but in Vegas you have the strip. Want to see a great show or go to a great restaurant it's very close. Kind of like NYC but totally different, too.

so weekends can be exciting if that's what you want, or you can relax at home. My daughter rarely goes to the STRIP unless guests come to visit. But for special occasions or once in a while they get tickets to see a show. They got tickets for a x-mas gift for her brother and his fiancee to see the Beatles show, Love. They went over Thanksgiving while her brother was visiting. They had a great time.

They also go on weekends to the more local casinos off the strip. They go bowling ( yes ,bowling alleys are in the casinos) and yes, you have to walk through the casino to get to the alley. that's our running joke... how do you get to someplace in Vegas? Through the casino! You can go into a lounge and sit with a drink and listen to a great band or pianist.

They have valet parking and free parking at the casinos.

Get a few friends to come visit you and rent a cabana for a day at one of the hotel pools and swim. Like I said expect family and friends to visit..... almost everyone ends up in Vegas for a vacation/convention at some point.

They often go to Temecula for a weekend. And they have friends that moved to San Diego and they go see them once in awhile. It's only about four hours away. Once when we went to see them, we all drove to Palm Springs for a few days. also about four hours away.

Your only young and single for a short time, what have you got to lose and if you hate it go back home. No disgrace in that!

They have met lots of people from other places that settled into Vegas. There is usually a new person at the table every Thanksgiving when we visit, that maybe just couldn't get home for the holiday to be with family. All have been nice people we've enjoyed meeting. Usually they are co-workers of theirs or a friend's co-worker.

Good luck making this big decision.

[skyeblu79 0]

The Monte Carlo is the only casino I have been to in Vegas that you don't have to walk thru the casino to get to your rooms. You definitely get plenty of exercise in Vegas, especially Caesars (my fav). Casino hoppers always end up stopping at a machine to play. What a brillant idea for them!!

I have never heard of Temecula. I will have to look that up. I told my self on my next Vegas trip I was going to go down to San Diego. We were supposed to go on our last trip, but we ended up going to L.A. and staying for a couple days. It's not a bad drive at all. It's not fun @ night though.

We stumbled upon Sumerlin on our last trip to Vegas. We just riding around (I think down Charleston) and ran into it. I went to the Best Buy, Red Rock Casino & Hotel and some other shopping areas. Summerlin has a completely different feel to it. For some reason, it reminded me of home (not sure why though).

You have got me thinking about Vegas again. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...

[miztrniceguy 1]

heartfire, you must be in the coarsegold/oakhurst area...i lived outside coarsegold a long time ago..i am no longer in calif now...packed up on a whim and moved out of state in 2000. i went to utah and wyoming before moving to kansas city

[shortgal 5]

My kids go to Red Rock Casino all the time. Their friend works there. We had lunch there on our last visit. We usually stay with the kids now because they have enough room, but when they had a one bedrom we stayed in hotels. We stayed at Bellagio. I could watch those fountains all night long..... pulled a chair right up to the window... and the TV played the music. But that lakeview room was very pricey.

We also stayed at another very nice hotel off the strip ( in Summerlin area) Can't remember the name, I think Marriott bought them out. And we stayed at Mandalay Bay once. Nice rooms but way down the end of the strip. Before they bought their house and had the one bR apt. they would look to get away for a night and they'd call around and check rates. Some hotels give a "Local's" rate, so they'd have a nice night out.

Just so much to do there. I actually feel bad when they come to visit us, that we don't have exciting things to do here. I know that's not why they come to see us, but they do take vacation time off work, so I feel it's boring here for them.

When they visit us in RI, it's easier. We go to the beach, we go to Newport and they can play a round of golf.

[skyeblu79 0]

Last time I went to Vegas, we split our stay 3 nights @ Caesars, 2 @ the Bellagio, and 2 @ the Beverly Hilton (LA). We got a special @ the Bellagio, so no fountain view, but they are wonderful!!!

The only other hotel I have stayed @ was Monte Carlo. I thought it was really nice especially for the price.

If I lived in Vegas, I would have to stay @ Caesars at least a couple times a year. It is so much fun there.

What part of CT do you live in? I have a great-aunt that lives in New Haven, but I haven't made it up yet to see her. She's big on casino's and bingo, lol...She goes to Foxwood a lot. Not sure if you are near there.

[shortgal 5]

We live about 1/2 hour away from New Haven and we're about 1 1/2 to Foxwoods, I think. The casinos are actually about 45 minutes from our Rhode Island beach rental.

I have only been there twice, never to gamble. Once to see a basketball game and once to see a concert... Sting! Can't even remember if it was Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun that I went to. LOL.

[Pix 4]

When I was younger and single I did it all the time. Well actually I do it now too, but its rather planned this go.

I had no qualms about picking up and moving to a different city, but I always ALWAYS made damned sure I had at least 6months living expenses money in the bank.

I say go for it tbh, save up some money average out your bills for 6months, save that much (rent groceries car note etc) and just boogy on out.

But ahh that is just me.