searching for happiness in California

[laysayfair]

Originally Posted by nursekourtney05

Thanks for all of the replys. To answer some of these questions I can tell you that my husband will not have a job quite as easily as me. Right now he works for Walmart Distribution Center. He has a degree in Business Administration but has yet to work within that field. He is also considering becoming a Real Estate Agent. We are unhappy here bascially because there is simply nothing to do. Nothing to look forward to, and no great opportunities for anything. It is rather blah and boring where we live. We have both lived here for our entire lives and are looking for better opportunities for ourselves as well as our children. On the upside, living here is quite affordable. We could own a very nice 2,500-3,000 sq foot house for $1,500- 2,000 per month, but what is the point of having a beautiful house if there is nothing else good about the area?? I know that we will not be able to afford to purchase a home in the Southern California area for a very long time. We would be stuck renting a small apartment for the price that we could have a beautiful home here. I am aware of that, that is a sacrafice that we would have to make for now. We are hoping that there are better job opportunities for my husband out there within the field of his degree, or at least in Real Estate. There is not a huge Real Estate market here and it wouldnt really be worth it to get involved in it here. I would be open to working in different areas but I love the idea of working in a great hospital like UCLA. I know that they have a big cancer center and Oncology Nursing is my specialty. Commuting long distances would not work for us at all, we would have to live somewhat close to where we work and where our kids attend school. Our children are our top priority, so the schools are very important. They are 11, 7, and 2 years old.

Have you spent anytime is SoCal? Are the schools good were you are? Would your kids be trading down schoolwise? They will be trading down "beautiful homewise". Is it possible you just need to take more vacations? Do they like their neighborhood and school? This is a tough one!

[CESpeed]

Since you have a career that is easy to find work with and your husband works for Wal-Mart have you considered Arkansas? I understand the NorthWest corner where Wal-Mart is headquartered is booming (a lot of people from Cali are relocating there) and he may have a better opportunity to use his degree. You'll get more for your money.

[LASam]

Originally Posted by CESpeed

Since you have a career that is easy to find work with and your husband works for Wal-Mart have you considered Arkansas? I understand the NorthWest corner where Wal-Mart is headquartered is booming (a lot of people from Cali are relocating there) and he may have a better opportunity to use his degree. You'll get more for your money.

The OP is bored in upstate New York, so you're recommending she move to NW Arkansas??? That doesn't sound like a place she would be happy.

[LaMadden]

Why don't you move to say North Carolina or Georgia? Walmart is big there and so is health care.

[CESpeed]

Well, I guess there is a WalMart in exciting L.A.. I guess I've lived here too long because I don't get all the fuss. I might be one or two things more to do in L.A. than upstate NY or Arkansas.