[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

I'm graduating from college this year, and many people I'm graduating with plan to leave the great state of Michigan. Many are heading to Sunbelt states like Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona. It's true, there are more jobs in other states. However, unless God calls me to go somewhere else, I'm staying. As long as I can find a job that pays the bills, I will be fine. It doesn't have to be a professional job - I'll dig ditches or scrub toilets at McDonalds before I leave Michigan! To me, it's not worth leaving home to find a job - especially one that could go away next week. I'd rather make $8.50/hr in Michigan than six figures in the desert. In my opinion, you can't put a price on home and quality of life.

I'm not judging anyone who leaves - you have to do what you can to support yourselves and your families (if any). However, the economy here WILL turn around and there WILL be more jobs in this state. Things will get better.

You are either living at home (or parental unit have money) or you ARE Jenny Granholm living in an alternate reality??


Seriously,

Yes things will turn around, just like THE LION KING it is called the cycle of life.

It is just the amount of time that passes before things get better. Then the question becomes what "THING" will get better and will not.

And while it is true that we will do whatever we need to to survive, there is also that primal instinct that says to us, "Why settle for a daily struggle to pay for a $300 apartment, a broken down car that needs repair every week and Kraft Mac & Cheese for lunch AND dinner"--when we can just go down the road and upgrade our situation....

How long will we wait for the WIND TURBINES to come? And will almost 11% (possibly more before this perfect storm ends) of us find work within the WIND TURBINE industry?

I love Michigan, but at 49 years of age, how am I suppose to work at Mickey D or Walmart and have some 18-21 year old as my supervisor? When they do not have a degree??

PLMK how it works out being under the supervision of someone with barely a high school diploma and you have your degree...

Won't that be a joy-joy-happy work environment.

I do not meant to sound patronizing, but please face realities..

Your post is an indictment on those of us leaving Michigan just like Bush's proclamation of being for us or against us... there are only two choices..black or white...and everyone who isn't on the "right" side is condemned as being weak?

I am thinking of opening a janitorial service and contracting with Mickey D...

I will charge $100 hr to the restaurant and pay employees $8.50 hr...interested?

[darstar]

They are looking for brave souls to climb towers. Its a 300 foot climb. training is going on in NM. now.
There are jobs , if you are willing to do the work.

[flyingwriter]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

You are either living at home (or parental unit have money) or you ARE Jenny Granholm living in an alternate reality??

Neither. I'm not living at home, my parents don't make much, and I'm certainly not Jenny Granholm (voted for DeVos in '06).

Seriously,

Yes things will turn around, just like THE LION KING it is called the cycle of life.

It is just the amount of time that passes before things get better. Then the question becomes what "THING" will get better and will not.

It's a gamble, I admit it. Things might not get better for a long time, but they WILL get better - that's a fact. Short of total worldwide economic collapse, the tables will turn and Michigan will be booming again.

And while it is true that we will do whatever we need to to survive, there is also that primal instinct that says to us, "Why settle for a daily struggle to pay for a $300 apartment, a broken down car that needs repair every week and Kraft Mac & Cheese for lunch AND dinner"--when we can just go down the road and upgrade our situation....

I understand what your saying, but for me it's different. It's moreso "Why settle for making tons of money living in Houston, TX or Phoenix, AZ, with a great McMansion, nice car, and 70" plasma - being stuck in a place I HATE with no local friends? Why be stuck inside in TX or AZ on a summer day because it's 105 degrees in the shade, why have weekends off if I have no one to spend them with?" My values are different - I value, friends, family, home more than money. I've been doing the cheap apartment and Kraft Mac & Cheese thing for the past 3 years, I can do it for another five or even ten. It doesn't bother me. Where I live or what I drive or how much money I make isn't that important to me.

As your post title said, I'm in a holding pattern. In aviation, a holding pattern is one of the safest situations you can be in - usually your waiting for weather to clear or traffic to ease. If conditions don't improve - then you divert (go somewhere else). I'm not saying that I want to work at McDonalds for $8.50/hr for the rest of my life, I'm saying that I will do that and keep searching for another job. I also never said under NO circumstances will I move somewhere else, just that it will be a LAST resort. I'm going to stay in this "holding pattern" for as long as possible.

How long will we wait for the WIND TURBINES to come? And will almost 11% (possibly more before this perfect storm ends) of us find work within the WIND TURBINE industry?

Actually, I think it will be water and not wind turbines that bring us back.

I love Michigan, but at 49 years of age, how am I suppose to work at Mickey D or Walmart and have some 18-21 year old as my supervisor? When they do not have a degree??

PLMK how it works out being under the supervision of someone with barely a high school diploma and you have your degree...

Won't that be a joy-joy-happy work environment.

My situation is totally different - I'm not 49, I don't have a family or mortgage, nor do I have years of work experience. If I was I might have a different viewpoint. I'm 22, fresh out of college and starting a new life. I wouldn't mind working under some 19 year old supervisor - who cares if they have less education?

I do not meant to sound patronizing, but please face realities..

Your post is an indictment on those of us leaving Michigan just like Bush's proclamation of being for us or against us... there are only two choices..black or white...and everyone who isn't on the "right" side is condemned as being weak?

Where did I condemn anyone? You have to do what you have to do to feed yourself and your family - if that means moving somewhere else, then so be it. I'm not condemning you or anyone else who decides to leave. I was merely suggesting that more people try to stick it out.

[Cliffie]

Originally Posted by Rapunzll

You are young enough to wait it out, not all of us are. That being said, not all of us are leaving because of the states economic situation.

I guess I don't see why age is a factor.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

I'm graduating from college this year, and many people I'm graduating with plan to leave the great state of Michigan. Many are heading to Sunbelt states like Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona. It's true, there are more jobs in other states. However, unless God calls me to go somewhere else, I'm staying. As long as I can find a job that pays the bills, I will be fine. It doesn't have to be a professional job - I'll dig ditches or scrub toilets at McDonalds before I leave Michigan! To me, it's not worth leaving home to find a job - especially one that could go away next week. I'd rather make $8.50/hr in Michigan than six figures in the desert. In my opinion, you can't put a price on home and quality of life.

I'm not judging anyone who leaves - you have to do what you can to support yourselves and your families (if any). However, the economy here WILL turn around and there WILL be more jobs in this state. Things will get better.

Good for you Kazoo. There are more important things in life than money. Having been both wealthy and poor and inbetween, I can tell you that life is more convenient and less challenging when you do not have to worry about how to pay the bills or what you will do if your car breaks or you get sick, but life is not better when you are wealthy, just easier. People who have money are constantly worried about losing it. Constantly concerned about getting more and/or keeping the flow going. You change your lifestyle and get a nicer house, better car and pretty soon it seems like you cannot get by without those things.

I will say that my most memorable trips or adventures were memorable because of the things that I had to do becuase I had no money.

If you go to New York for a weekend and stay in a fancy hotel, go see a show and eat in some nice resturaunts, it will be nice, but not memorable. IF you go to new your for a weekend and sleep in Grand Central station, or in your car, or just meet someone and get them to put you up for a night or two, or whatever. If you ride the subways for entratinment, eat with the ordinary people, talk your way into a museum or show that you cannot afford - you will always remember your adventure forever.

I can barely remember anything about trips where I stayed in a fancy hotel, ate at nice resturaunts and had plenty of money for whatever I wanted to do. They were nice trips, and pleasant, but not memorable. I remeber and often discuss with people who were along, pretty much every trip that I made when I was broke.


Maybe you will be lucky and find a good job soon. You certainly have the right attitude. That would be great, but if not, you will preservere and still enjoy life to its fullest.

Like you, I am absolutely confident that Michgan will come back. Amongst other reasons, we have more fresh water than almost any other place. We have a great workforce, well planned although aging infrastructure and an absolutelty beautfiul place to live.

I just hope that our politicians do not continue to underrepresent us in Washington. (Why are we still a donor state? Even with the bailout, Michigan will pay more than we will recive. What are they thinking?)

[tjay]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

I can tell you that life is more convenient and less challenging when you do not have to worry about how to pay the bills or what you will do if your car breaks or you get sick, but life is not better when you are wealthy, just easier. People who have money are constantly worried about losing it. Constantly concerned about getting more and/or keeping the flow going. You change your lifestyle and get a nicer house, better car and pretty soon it seems like you cannot get by without those things.

exactly! i think part of america's problem, not just michigan's, is the gluttony for money. if people would stop worshipping money we might not feel so damn desperate.

my friend makes $75,000 a year and she still has no money. its all about what you value. she lives to work and works to die. she enjoys nothing she has because its all about trying to keep what she does have and how to acquire more. she works for gm. but she won't leave, she won't look for another job, she hates her job, spends no time with her kid.....but i guess having a house and a new car every 4 years is worth it.

wake up!

[sike0000]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

I'm graduating from college this year, and many people I'm graduating with plan to leave the great state of Michigan. Many are heading to Sunbelt states like Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona. It's true, there are more jobs in other states. However, unless God calls me to go somewhere else, I'm staying. As long as I can find a job that pays the bills, I will be fine. It doesn't have to be a professional job - I'll dig ditches or scrub toilets at McDonalds before I leave Michigan! To me, it's not worth leaving home to find a job - especially one that could go away next week. I'd rather make $8.50/hr in Michigan than six figures in the desert. In my opinion, you can't put a price on home and quality of life.

I'm not judging anyone who leaves - you have to do what you can to support yourselves and your families (if any). However, the economy here WILL turn around and there WILL be more jobs in this state. Things will get better.

If I was in your position I would leave the state for a while. Think of it as investing in your future. If Michigan does come out of this (and as others have posted its been a long wait...mid 90's for me), you will be much better off. But thats only if you can't find a professional job here.

Now dont get me wrong, I can understand where you are coming from. But! I guess I don't understand the point of investing in college if you don't plan to do everything you can to take advantage of it. Move out of state, get some experience, and come back, much more sellable to an employer. If you don't, and if things do turn around, you are still going to be stuck doing what you are doing becasue all of the laid off professionals with the xp are gonna get hired back first. And you will be stuck at the bottom.

As I said, I understand you point of view. Just trying to give you another way to look at things. You don't have to leave permanantly. This is the second time I have lived in Michigan

[scarabchuck]

I spent two years out of the state. Made the most money ever in my 17 year of being an automotive designer. Sure the money was great but I hated every moment of being there. I ended up coming back to MI for $30k less a year... sad thing is, here I am one year later and unemployed. Was it worth walking away from that job... money aside.. yes. The stress level was unbelievable , it was starting to effect my health and I missed my family.
Would I leave the state again ? Sure ... I'm unemployed and don't see myself landing another job here in the state for a long time... maybe a year or more. As of now I've made the decision to just try and retrain into another proffesion, what I have know clue but it's time to do something different. And I don't care if my boss is younger and less educated than myself. I'm not above anything, as long as I can provide a decent living for my family.

[MittenDweller82]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

I'm graduating from college this year, and many people I'm graduating with plan to leave the great state of Michigan. Many are heading to Sunbelt states like Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona. It's true, there are more jobs in other states. However, unless God calls me to go somewhere else, I'm staying. As long as I can find a job that pays the bills, I will be fine. It doesn't have to be a professional job - I'll dig ditches or scrub toilets at McDonalds before I leave Michigan! To me, it's not worth leaving home to find a job - especially one that could go away next week. I'd rather make $8.50/hr in Michigan than six figures in the desert. In my opinion, you can't put a price on home and quality of life.

I'm not judging anyone who leaves - you have to do what you can to support yourselves and your families (if any). However, the economy here WILL turn around and there WILL be more jobs in this state. Things will get better.

Of course, I remember when I was still in college, nearing my graduation...things looked pleasant. Although, once things such as mortgages, children, and taxes become part of your daily life 8.50/hr will no longer become a viable option, let alone for a single person. (Note, I said live, and not exist.)

Things are much more complicated than proclaiming "it will turn around", there are problems at every level of our government and tax structure. This will be a significant battle, one that will take more than 5-10 years to complete, and let us not forget the forces of globalization and cheap labor which continue to shape third world countries across the globe. In Michigan and nationally, a point of equilibrium must be hit, and that bottom has not been seen yet, even the most noted economists don't see upturn nationally untill late 2010...Michigan will be last to do so given the amount of auto related jobs that will be lost. I'm not a pessamist, I have a family here and I must be responsible by monotoring trends and making moves which I feel protect their financial future. I can fly back to Michigan whenever I want, go swimming at South Haven, or go to Isle Royle every summer, I just don't have to live in the despair.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by MittenDweller82

I can fly back to Michigan whenever I want, go swimming at South Haven, or go to Isle Royle every summer, I just don't have to live in the despair.

That is waht I thought when I moved away. It worked like that for about 2 or 3 years, but after that we only got back to Michigan once every two or so years. You get busy. The trips gets expensive and difficult to plan. It is nto like you can just sneak away for a couple of hours, you need to have your hwole weekend clear to visit. How often do you have a whole weekend with no obligations? Then add a spouse, a dog or cat, and later some children into the equation and now you need to have multiple persons with no obligations for a whole weekend in order to be able to come back. You also have to make arrangements for someone to watch your pet(s), drive you to and from the airport, watch your house, etc. It just does not happen. At least not for us.

Conceptually you could just fly back for one day, but that does not happen either. It just isn't worth it.


If you leave, you pretty much have to be prepared to say Goodbye unless you are going to Chicago or Ohio so you are close enough for a short car trip or 1 hour flight back.