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Me: 51, 2x divorced, 2 kids (12 and 10) that live in CT with their Mom during the school year. Ex and I have very - VERY - acrimonious relationship, older child wants to come to live with me, doing poorly in middle school, very much capable, very unhappy, Mom thinks I'm a psycho, of course.
I'm very unhappy in my office here. I have a decent job, but no chance of upward mobility in the near future. Two move up jobs are opening up in the Albany office and I'd have a decent shot at both - they have to keep readvertising the jobs because, quite honestly, no one wants to move to Albany. Morale is low in my current office but even lower (and maybe even a lot more acrimonious) in Albany. I'd probably get a raise in the 5K range to put me in the low 100s.
But, I would be closer to my kids. I've lived all over, Midwest native (IA, MN, MI, IN, OH, VA, MS and CA) so I know all about four seasons - don't particularly care for any of them - but the constant sunshine in CA + rampant gangbanger culture, poor schools, the flipside of "diversity" (= parents who don't care about education so schools are full of kids that don't care about education) makes me hesitate to bring my oldest out here if the mother would relent. The schools are just bad, and even if you're middle class, California is so full of underclasses that unless you're very wealthy you can't afford to send your kids to a decent private school, as decent public schools that are safe learning environments for the most part do not exist.
It would be great to be closer, between a 2-3 hour drive, but I fear the Ex and I would fight constantly. Its bad enough being 2500 miles apart. I can't imagine it getting any better but I see it getting a lot worse.
I've spent a lot of time lurking here and reading the threads and there seems to be almost as much negativity as what I see in the California threads (more in some ways) about the area. As an older man, I worry about a decent dating pool, and the East Coast is not known as a hotbed of fitness. I've been to Albany, I know what the area looks like, and its old and run down - but so is a lot of Sacramento, where you can have an expensive street right next to a ghetto streets rather than distinct neighborhoods like you find in the older Eastern cities...
I keep reading "access to the mountains", NYC, etc. but is Albany and the other three major cities so bad that people feel compelled to get the heck out of the area every weekend? I don't read about a lot of culture - for example places to play, jam and hear jazz for example (unless you go to NYC).
Sacramento is bad, and I'm very unhappy, but I don't see how a small promotion to Albany is going to cure my problems, and it could make some of them far, far worse... I realize its a much smaller area, but I'm having a hard time convincing myself that a move to Albany makes any sense for me. Houses are a little cheaper, but not much, and talking to a colleague that just moved from Sac to Albany to be closer to his family, he says its basically just as expensive - with terrible weather, but he likes the snow and is from out East originally... but he laments missing the more laid back and friendly attitude in our office even though morale is horrible - I can't imagine it being much worse.
In my opinion you'd still be far enough apart that your relationship with your ex would remain unchanged.
There is plenty of culture in Albany. Art, food, and yes, jazz. Both in downtown Albany and Saratoga Springs. Check out Metroland.net and nippertown.com for info.
There are plenty of areas in the Capital District that are not old or might be old but have been kept up and are not at all run down.
I'd suggest you visit and see the area for yourself instead of relying on others judgments or secondhand information.
You may like something in between Albany and Saratoga Springs, perhaps in the North Colonie SD. Saratoga Springs has quite a bit cultural events, as do the other cities, but the spread out nature kind of hurt the area in that regard. You may like what these venues offer: SPAC–Saratoga Performing Arts Center
You may like something in between Albany and Saratoga Springs, perhaps in the North Colonie SD. Saratoga Springs has quite a bit cultural events, as do the other cities, but the spread out nature kind of hurt the area in that regard. You may like what these venues offer: SPAC–Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Me: 51, 2x divorced, 2 kids (12 and 10) that live in CT with their Mom during the school year. Ex and I have very - VERY - acrimonious relationship, older child wants to come to live with me, doing poorly in middle school, very much capable, very unhappy, Mom thinks I'm a psycho, of course.
I'm very unhappy in my office here. I have a decent job, but no chance of upward mobility in the near future. Two move up jobs are opening up in the Albany office and I'd have a decent shot at both - they have to keep readvertising the jobs because, quite honestly, no one wants to move to Albany. Morale is low in my current office but even lower (and maybe even a lot more acrimonious) in Albany. I'd probably get a raise in the 5K range to put me in the low 100s.
But, I would be closer to my kids. I've lived all over, Midwest native (IA, MN, MI, IN, OH, VA, MS and CA) so I know all about four seasons - don't particularly care for any of them - but the constant sunshine in CA + rampant gangbanger culture, poor schools, the flipside of "diversity" (= parents who don't care about education so schools are full of kids that don't care about education) makes me hesitate to bring my oldest out here if the mother would relent. The schools are just bad, and even if you're middle class, California is so full of underclasses that unless you're very wealthy you can't afford to send your kids to a decent private school, as decent public schools that are safe learning environments for the most part do not exist.
It would be great to be closer, between a 2-3 hour drive, but I fear the Ex and I would fight constantly. Its bad enough being 2500 miles apart. I can't imagine it getting any better but I see it getting a lot worse.
I've spent a lot of time lurking here and reading the threads and there seems to be almost as much negativity as what I see in the California threads (more in some ways) about the area. As an older man, I worry about a decent dating pool, and the East Coast is not known as a hotbed of fitness. I've been to Albany, I know what the area looks like, and its old and run down - but so is a lot of Sacramento, where you can have an expensive street right next to a ghetto streets rather than distinct neighborhoods like you find in the older Eastern cities...
I keep reading "access to the mountains", NYC, etc. but is Albany and the other three major cities so bad that people feel compelled to get the heck out of the area every weekend? I don't read about a lot of culture - for example places to play, jam and hear jazz for example (unless you go to NYC).
Sacramento is bad, and I'm very unhappy, but I don't see how a small promotion to Albany is going to cure my problems, and it could make some of them far, far worse... I realize its a much smaller area, but I'm having a hard time convincing myself that a move to Albany makes any sense for me. Houses are a little cheaper, but not much, and talking to a colleague that just moved from Sac to Albany to be closer to his family, he says its basically just as expensive - with terrible weather, but he likes the snow and is from out East originally... but he laments missing the more laid back and friendly attitude in our office even though morale is horrible - I can't imagine it being much worse.
You need to visit and see for yourself! Don't go by what a bunch of people say on forums. You never know who's a troll and who's for real unless you're around a very long time. Someone like CHK is NOT a troll. He's actually very helpful. He helped me when I was looking to move back to NY over the summer. He's like a walking Chamber of Commerce.
Honestly, it sounds like you're just unhappy about a lot of things. Moving won't necessarily change that. Maybe seeing your kids more would help a bit. Best thing you can do for you and your kids is NOT fight with the ex. She may be a pain, but she gave you 2 great kids so appreciate her for that if nothing else. Divorce sucks and is hard on everyone involved.
And no people don't get out of town every weekend. It's awesome having the ability to go the Adirondacks, Finger Lakes, Catskills, Montreal, New York City, Cape Cod, ocean, zoos, aquariums, museums, etc within a few hours. Very few places on earth have access to these places.
There are plenty of places in Albany, Troy, and Saratoga to listen to jazz bands. Heck, they come to big places like the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Palace Theater, and SPAC not just local bars. There's a jazz festival here every year also.
As for the lack of culture, there is plenty of culture out there. There are numerous places to see plays (Broadway productions even come to the area), concerts, comedians, museums, historic homes and buildings, movies (many are filmed in the area), nature trails, parks, river cruises, amusement parks, festivals, parades, planetarium, sporting events, art museums and exhibits, etc. You can view the Metroland and the Times Union for more info. There's no shortage of things to do in the area. It's all a matter of leaving one's home and getting out in the world. A lot of people would rather just sit on their couch complain while eating Cheetos saying whoa is me.
Thanks for the replies... I've been to Albany for some training a long time ago. I didn't see that much of the city, I was either in the hotel or the NYSDOT campus. Seemed really humid and cloudy (it wasn't winter, but I can't remember what time of the year it was - it was a long time ago). The airport had a lot of construction going on... I'm just not sure - having grown up in Iowa - that I can put with bad winters again. Winter and I really do not get along, and there's no guarantee my Ex will stay in CT - she's been talking about moving to KY lately.
I have heard that culturally Albany is way behind California and a lot of the rest of the country in how people interact, and that concerns me...
Thanks for the replies... I've been to Albany for some training a long time ago. I didn't see that much of the city, I was either in the hotel or the NYSDOT campus. Seemed really humid and cloudy (it wasn't winter, but I can't remember what time of the year it was - it was a long time ago). The airport had a lot of construction going on... I'm just not sure - having grown up in Iowa - that I can put with bad winters again. Winter and I really do not get along, and there's no guarantee my Ex will stay in CT - she's been talking about moving to KY lately.
I have heard that culturally Albany is way behind California and a lot of the rest of the country in how people interact, and that concerns me...
You seem to have made up your mind that you won't like Albany without even giving it a chance or actually seeing it for yourself. Given that predisposition, I would probably not consider moving there.
Thanks for the replies... I've been to Albany for some training a long time ago. I didn't see that much of the city, I was either in the hotel or the NYSDOT campus. Seemed really humid and cloudy (it wasn't winter, but I can't remember what time of the year it was - it was a long time ago). The airport had a lot of construction going on... I'm just not sure - having grown up in Iowa - that I can put with bad winters again. Winter and I really do not get along, and there's no guarantee my Ex will stay in CT - she's been talking about moving to KY lately.
I have heard that culturally Albany is way behind California and a lot of the rest of the country in how people interact, and that concerns me...
It's only humid in the summer and even then it's not all summer. Yes, the airport has had construction at different times. It's been expanded upon a few times.
Winter in Albany can range from a few feet of snow from a noreaster to nothing. Last year, there wasn't a winter. It varies every year.
You can't compare a city or region with an entire state!
Listening to gossip isn't how one finds out about an area. Life is what YOU make it. If you want to be miserable, then you'll be miserable anywhere. If you want to be happy, you'll find a place to be happy.
Sounds like you've already decided Albany isn't for you without even checking out the place.
It's only humid in the summer and even then it's not all summer. Yes, the airport has had construction at different times. It's been expanded upon a few times.
I remember when I first started to fly out of Albany in the 80's there was only one actual jetway. All the rest of the planes you had to go outdoors and walk up portable steps or the steps that fold into the door of the plane.
Quote:
Listening to gossip isn't how one finds out about an area. Life is what YOU make it. If you want to be miserable, then you'll be miserable anywhere. If you want to be happy, you'll find a place to be happy.
Sounds like you've already decided Albany isn't for you without even checking out the place.
You seem to be generalizing about both Albany, Sacramento, California, New York, East Coast, West Coast. I agree with what other posters said, ignore the negatives about what you here and come visit for yourself. I'll tell you that myself and several friends of my friends are from California who moved to the Albany area and made our adjustments. Yes they are very different, but that doesn't mean you can't find things here that you enjoy.
With that being said it's not true that Albany is as expensive as Sacramento. The COL is a lot lower in the Albany area than Sacramento, and your salary increase will go very far. There are also very good public schools here in the suburbs, and most are affordable, especially with your proposed salary increase.
Weather will be a big contrast. Sacramento, and California in general, have mostly full sunny days. Albany area, as well all of Upstate NY, is very gray most of the year. This is one of my biggest flaws with the area. But to think positively, the change in seasons and drastic weather contrast may provide you relief from the constant sunshine of California you mentioned.
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