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Posted 02-18-2009 at 10:32 AM by TexasCasey
Nov., 2008:
The next few weeks, I started thinking of a thousand questions for myself. Some I answered as soon as I asked them to myself, others I knew I would have to answer before making any real decisions. I started jotting them down and eventually came up with some answers, however, each answer usually led to many more questions. Edits, revisal, deletions, rewrites altogether… Eventually I realized that I had to narrow down to certain questions and quit thinking about everything all at once, just what the next step is. I ended up writing down these 5 questions:
1) Do I really believe that I can live somewhere on this planet, removed my friends & family?
2) Do I want to attempt to do this permanently, temporarily, or leave that undecided until a later date?
3) Where do I want to go? U.S. or out of the country?
4) How long can I afford to go without work, to set up a new life and just enjoy said life, before I must have income to live on after that?
5) When I make this decision, how will my friends & family accept it? Am I being unrealistically selfish?
I looked through these questions and decided the easiest place to start was finances. No decisions to make here, just do the math. I am in shape to make it at least 18 months, from right now. Lets say I have until June 2010, to have a plan in place. Worst case scenario, I still have some acreage in east Texas & a camper & camping equipment & a new car that is paid for. I don’t want to end up there, but in that worst case scenario, I can re-start from that point, if I must. In doing this math, it kind of led me to decisions about #’s 2 & 3 above, also. I don’t remember the exact order that the thoughts took place, but it went something like this.
I decided that if I was going to try to make this move permanent, that it would have to be in the U.S. Bottom line, I am still an American boy… born & raised, I am patriotic, and I just don’t want to live permanently outside of the U.S. If I am going to go overseas, this would have to be a temporary, 1 year or so trek, that I would return from & move on from there.
My first gut was the latter of the above. After thinking about storing all of my belongings, expenses of traveling all over for a year and the fact that I would not be spending this time looking at moving forward for life after the trip, I somehow very quickly decided against this. The determining factor, I believe, was that if I move somewhere, I can spend the year enjoying myself, while also looking forward to a new career or other opportunities.
So, now, I have narrowed it down to a permanent move within the U.S. I want somewhere with a tropical climate. Warm, blue water is a must for diving. Somewhere totally removed from the norm. I know that I hate sitting in traffic on a highway. Traffic on a road with lights & stop signs is one thing… But on a huge highway, just sitting there for hours, I am done with that. Slow, I want to slow down. I don’t want to be rushed in everything that happens. I really enjoy the outdoors & the mountains at times, also.
I have visited Florida many, many times. I have spent at least 4 weeks there each of the last eight summers. The year prior to that, I spent some time there one winter. I love everything about Florida in the summer. However, Florida winter = snowbirds, millions of snowbirds who live there between Thanksgiving & Easter. And anytime you add up to 10 times as many people in one place as is normal… yep, you get traffic… unbelievable, intolerable traffic. After Easter, Florida is heaven… until Thanksgiving… I could not live there year-round. Well, Cozumel, Mexico has always been my favorite place on the planet… but the more I think about it, the more I realize, I just can’t leave the U.S. forever.
Well, after ruling out places that I have enjoyed vacationing, I start thinking about other places that I may like, that meet the wishes I have. It took me about a nanosecond to think of Hawaii, obviously… and I have not even considered anywhere else, since. I spent a few days looking into Hawaii & the different islands, when I found Kaua’i. I love this island, I feel like this island was made for me. Okay, can I afford to live there?; What rentals are available?; What kind business is there that I might fit into?; What kind of business is needed, that maybe I can get myself into?; How drastic is the difference in cost of living… Can I still make it 18 months, before I have to have a plan?;
I start researching more about Kauai & the rest of the Islands. I start finding that rentals are a lot more affordable all over Hawaii, than they have been in the past. I find that short- & long-term rentals are available all over the state… everywhere except Kauai. For some reason, I can’t find anything on Kauai, that I can find on the other islands. I really cant find a lot of information on Kauai that I can find about the other islands. I get a little bit depressed, but I keep researching & eventually start looking more at the Big Island of Hawaii, instead. The next several months are a bit of a blur. Holidays come & a lot of time is spent with family & friends, I put this research on the back-burner for a bit, because I really wanted to enjoy this time of year. But a little research here & there. A lot of self-evaluating. A lot of just thinking about my questions #1 & #5 from above.
I thought at this point that I will just table this for awhile & enjoy the holidays…
The next few weeks, I started thinking of a thousand questions for myself. Some I answered as soon as I asked them to myself, others I knew I would have to answer before making any real decisions. I started jotting them down and eventually came up with some answers, however, each answer usually led to many more questions. Edits, revisal, deletions, rewrites altogether… Eventually I realized that I had to narrow down to certain questions and quit thinking about everything all at once, just what the next step is. I ended up writing down these 5 questions:
1) Do I really believe that I can live somewhere on this planet, removed my friends & family?
2) Do I want to attempt to do this permanently, temporarily, or leave that undecided until a later date?
3) Where do I want to go? U.S. or out of the country?
4) How long can I afford to go without work, to set up a new life and just enjoy said life, before I must have income to live on after that?
5) When I make this decision, how will my friends & family accept it? Am I being unrealistically selfish?
I looked through these questions and decided the easiest place to start was finances. No decisions to make here, just do the math. I am in shape to make it at least 18 months, from right now. Lets say I have until June 2010, to have a plan in place. Worst case scenario, I still have some acreage in east Texas & a camper & camping equipment & a new car that is paid for. I don’t want to end up there, but in that worst case scenario, I can re-start from that point, if I must. In doing this math, it kind of led me to decisions about #’s 2 & 3 above, also. I don’t remember the exact order that the thoughts took place, but it went something like this.
I decided that if I was going to try to make this move permanent, that it would have to be in the U.S. Bottom line, I am still an American boy… born & raised, I am patriotic, and I just don’t want to live permanently outside of the U.S. If I am going to go overseas, this would have to be a temporary, 1 year or so trek, that I would return from & move on from there.
My first gut was the latter of the above. After thinking about storing all of my belongings, expenses of traveling all over for a year and the fact that I would not be spending this time looking at moving forward for life after the trip, I somehow very quickly decided against this. The determining factor, I believe, was that if I move somewhere, I can spend the year enjoying myself, while also looking forward to a new career or other opportunities.
So, now, I have narrowed it down to a permanent move within the U.S. I want somewhere with a tropical climate. Warm, blue water is a must for diving. Somewhere totally removed from the norm. I know that I hate sitting in traffic on a highway. Traffic on a road with lights & stop signs is one thing… But on a huge highway, just sitting there for hours, I am done with that. Slow, I want to slow down. I don’t want to be rushed in everything that happens. I really enjoy the outdoors & the mountains at times, also.
I have visited Florida many, many times. I have spent at least 4 weeks there each of the last eight summers. The year prior to that, I spent some time there one winter. I love everything about Florida in the summer. However, Florida winter = snowbirds, millions of snowbirds who live there between Thanksgiving & Easter. And anytime you add up to 10 times as many people in one place as is normal… yep, you get traffic… unbelievable, intolerable traffic. After Easter, Florida is heaven… until Thanksgiving… I could not live there year-round. Well, Cozumel, Mexico has always been my favorite place on the planet… but the more I think about it, the more I realize, I just can’t leave the U.S. forever.
Well, after ruling out places that I have enjoyed vacationing, I start thinking about other places that I may like, that meet the wishes I have. It took me about a nanosecond to think of Hawaii, obviously… and I have not even considered anywhere else, since. I spent a few days looking into Hawaii & the different islands, when I found Kaua’i. I love this island, I feel like this island was made for me. Okay, can I afford to live there?; What rentals are available?; What kind business is there that I might fit into?; What kind of business is needed, that maybe I can get myself into?; How drastic is the difference in cost of living… Can I still make it 18 months, before I have to have a plan?;
I start researching more about Kauai & the rest of the Islands. I start finding that rentals are a lot more affordable all over Hawaii, than they have been in the past. I find that short- & long-term rentals are available all over the state… everywhere except Kauai. For some reason, I can’t find anything on Kauai, that I can find on the other islands. I really cant find a lot of information on Kauai that I can find about the other islands. I get a little bit depressed, but I keep researching & eventually start looking more at the Big Island of Hawaii, instead. The next several months are a bit of a blur. Holidays come & a lot of time is spent with family & friends, I put this research on the back-burner for a bit, because I really wanted to enjoy this time of year. But a little research here & there. A lot of self-evaluating. A lot of just thinking about my questions #1 & #5 from above.
I thought at this point that I will just table this for awhile & enjoy the holidays…
Total Comments 1
Comments
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Hawaii is nice, but, as my Brother has pointed out to me, when it starts to get dark, it 'suddenly' gets dark because there is no pollution to keep the light going.
In other words, the sun if reflected off the clouds and pollution, so, it stays light for quite some time, even after its 'officially' dark...Not in Hawaii, when it says its 'dark'...it is!
Its the reason why I will never visit Hawaii...as he has told me enough and, since he is a Preacher, I have to believe him LOL!
May the LORD Bless each of you.
I wish you well...
JessePosted 03-06-2009 at 04:24 PM by woodworkingmenace
