Southbay LA or albuquerque

[weldingfireman]

p.s i sure hate hearing people talk about things and say " i should have done this or done that" and regret not taking a chance in life. I dont want to be that guy !
I would rather try and say i tried than say i wish i would have. but the ****ty thing is, is $$$$$ the all mighty dollar ! i truly think that is what is holding me back. if i had a little more cash and assets for a good private school and a good home in one of those 3 areas i would do it today!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by weldingfireman

Albuquerque is not a bad place to live , we do have the gangs crime like any other city. I really dont think of Abq as a city more like a big town . Ya Green chili is awesome nothing like it anywhere else in the country! my gut and my heart say "go" Go to LA ! but i really wouldnt move there unless i could afford to move to the southbay area Manhattan, redondo, hermosa..... I would half to sell all my equipment in my shop and all my toys to afford a place there. I have researched the crime in manhattan beach and hermosa, they have a lower crime rate than my home town of 15k people in southern colorado. pluss finding another ff job, or i wait 5 years collect my pension I will be 42 in 5 years then go.
Im not kidding i have been thinking of this everyday for the past couple years. do we go or do we stay??? it weighs heavy on my mind every day. Going there 3 times a year staying a week at a time just is not enough for me and the family ... But on the other hand we have a nice home lots of friends here and are comfortable. i have my motorcycles a nice hot rod... i would give it up all but my bike to move
I guess everythin happens for a reason , if it happens within the next 5 years it happens if not i guess it was not ment to be... But i sure want it.
The people we have met there and have befrinded are just so laid back live and let live type of people . I love it . And to be honest that is the oposite of me, im weird im consertive on some things and liberal on others. the water oh man the kids and i can spend all day at the beach and not get bored.so much to do so many more opportunities there than here.
I just pray what ever choice i make and when i choose to make it that it is the right one for both my family and i.

The more you post, the more it sounds like you are going to make the move and are on the boards just to get some feedback from those who tell you to come, come, come. As for pay cuts etc, I don't know about the ABQ fire dept but I do know the police did take a 2.5% cut only after getting a 7.5% increase. I don't know if you guys got the same or not.

I believe, (I know) the crime rate in the beach towns are much lower than in ABQ but I also know you might be totally shocked when you see what type of a home you will be getting for your money in Hermosa or Redondo, even in Torrance.

The best thing for you to do would be take a week's vacation, visit the towns and really do the research. YOu might even want to talk with the Fire Dept as having openings and actually hiring from outside the state are 2 different things, especially with all those in Ca looking for work. It El Segundo is laying off you can guess where those firefighters will be looking.

Good luck regardless of what you decide.

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by weldingfireman

p.s i sure hate hearing people talk about things and say " i should have done this or done that" and regret not taking a chance in life. I dont want to be that guy !
I would rather try and say i tried than say i wish i would have. but the ****ty thing is, is $$$$$ the all mighty dollar ! i truly think that is what is holding me back. if i had a little more cash and assets for a good private school and a good home in one of those 3 areas i would do it today!

I am sure many of us understand how you feel. When our kids were young there were many times we considered relocation or doing things we just wanted to do so we wouldn't regret not doing them years later. Nothing ventured, nothing gained is the old saying. On the other we had friends who choose not to venture. For us, there were positives and negative results in some of our choices. Most of them we do not regret, a few we do. The other side of the coin, if you decide to stay where you are for now, you will realize down the road, the world did not come to an end cause you didn't get to make a move and life goes on. We don't always get what we want. I am sure the $$$ are holding you back and rightfully so, you have a family, that should be your first concern. To ask them to struggle financually just so you can fill a dream may not be the best thing right now. Remember the kids are going to get more expensive as they get even older. I don't know if they are in activities for instance, but say they are swimmers for starters. You would need to check into the monthly cost of swim teams compared to what you pay now. That is just an example.

Nita

Nita