[Mr_250]

This below is why I actually gave up pursuing that dream. I spoke with many plumbers who said the same thing. Unless you start right after high school or join the Union being able to jump into a trade is nearly impossible in CT. CT is a union state, which is a downside.

Originally Posted by Lalalally

I love CT, but we probably would not live here if it were not for family in nearby NY. It's very hard to keep my husband's business up and running here. Taxes and business expenses aside, which are hard to swallow for sure, there just isn't the number of licensed and skilled tradespeople in our employment pool as is needed to run a fully-operational business. My husband would LOVE to hire someone who might only have the skill and ability and a willingness to learn this point, but not necessarily a license just yet. This option, however and unfortunately, is regulated by the state and per the state, it's off the table; the state says hiring an unlicensed plumber beyond your stipend is a big FAT no-no.
Attention parents of the not-so-academically inclined children, but who happen to be geniuses with their hands - do us all a favor please: do not send your kids to college for yet another worthless bachelors degree; send them instead to technical school. We all need them. Desperately! Thanks!!

YES, I would stay in CT but move to Litchfield County.

[Shorty458]

I just moved back to CT from Florida, as my husband got a job w/ the state of CT. We moved back mostly for him, he loves CT... me not as much, and he did not like Florida. It's nice to be closer to family, but this winter is going to be rough for me.

Ideally, in a perfect world I think VA or NC would be ideal... not as warm as FL for him, but not as cold as CT for me.

[wolf39us]

I probably wouldn't stay forever, but I am working my way back to CT for the second time. I feel CT is a much better fit for me and would like to enjoy the moments with my friends and family that I will miss if I stay away :-)

[LRPct]

Yes. I do have the financial and professional freedom to live anywhere that I am OK with the commute to an airport to. Some of the places coworkers of mine have moved to are Hawaii, Southern Cali, Northern Cali, France, Alaska, Brazil, Boston, Florida, and even Ct.

Some of the places I have lived in are Windham county, Waterbury Ct, Ma, RI, Southern Cali, Monterey Cali, NY, Florida, Baja Mexico, and now Litchfield county Ct.

[Stylo]

Does this assume no family/friend connections in CT, and also no consideration to job availability?

If so, I'd love to live in the Bay Area or south of there, perhaps around Santa Cruz.

I also dig Boulder, but not as a permanent residence.

Other than that, CT is pretty great - except for the winters.

[Sigequinox]

The only way I would answer "CT" is if the question was "NY, NJ or CT".

(1)Under realistic conditions: Nasvhille area, TN

(2)With infinite money: Wyoming, Utah, Colorado or Oregon

(3) No Politics + infinite money: Northern California

[nep321]

For me, it's conditional. Currently, I'm looking for a job primarily in the Hartford area, but it's been *rough.* There's barely anything to apply to, in my specific profession, that I'm qualified and interested in. I may have to leave. My goal is to be moved out of FFC by November, no exceptions.

Anyway, if I was coupled/married, then I would definitely want to stay in CT. But not in Fairfield or New Haven counties, because they are NYC oriented, which I can't stand.

However, I'm single and 30. I still have that inner urge to want to leave. I don't know what I'm going to do in CT being 30+ and single......forever? This state is simply not conducive to single gay men over 30 finding a suitable partner. Not for most, anyway. It's a depressing future that I just can't accept. Even straight people say the same thing. It's a small, stagnant dating pool. My parents are starting to question why I'm still single, even though my friends say I'm a "catch," which is total BS of course.

Currently, I have only one potential job opportunity in CT, in Clinton. And one potential job opportunity in the Detroit area, that would pay higher than what I make in FFC, and it would be a career promotion, with global travel involved, too.

[Csiko]

There are very few places in this country where I could walk to work, still enjoy a real, New England autumn, and not have to deal with the "fake nice" from people outside the northeast.

I don't need to party, I don't need to find people to hang out with. I can hop on a train to NYC or Boston when I feel like seeing a big city, go 10 minutes in one direction for a smaller city (that's still bigger than what most people in this country would call a city), and 10 minutes another direction for super rural. I'm allowed to turn left on major roads without a 10 minute detour, I can drive 5-10 minutes in any direction and eventually hit a major road or highway, and I can eat food like pizza that I can't get anywhere else.

People in CT are politically moderate and religiously reasonable and even public schools are great and crime is generally low. There are practically no earthquakes here, very few tropical storms, less snow than the rest of New England, very few sinkholes, very few tornadoes. It's beautiful and temperate 6 months out of the year, hot as hell for 3, and cold as hell for 3.

Where else in this country could I find such a thing? Hell, where in any country would I find such a thing? Parts of Europe? Japan?

[pulpfiction]

Hell to the no, I wouldn't. My job is the one and only factor keeping me in this cesspool of a state.

I'm tired of being taxed ad nauseum, liberal politics, NIMBYism, the abundance of people who lack a clue as to how to properly operate a motor vehicle, an infrastructure designed to accommodate 20% of the current population, the total joke that our beaches are, terribly outdated and overpriced housing stock, overwhelmingly ghetto cities, etc etc.

I like sprawl, subdivisions, and flat terrain. The midwest (particularly Indianapolis and Chicago's suburbs), Texas, and perhaps Las Vegas seem more and more appealing by the day.

[SeaDoo342]

This forum has really become a breeding ground for complaining.....I don't know anyone who complains like this in real life.