Not quite 4 years ago, I decided to pull the plug on my federal civil service career, after 28 years, and start a new life. New location, new company to work for (trust me, the ONLY people surviving easy on civil service careers are the politicians!), etc. My GF and I were getting more serious about one another, and being half a country away wasn't making life easy! I hired on for eastern NY (above NYC), then took the opportunity to transfer to the more sane part of the state, near Buffalo. My job is as an "authorized inspector", for a shop that builds heat exchangers to the ASME Code. One of the nice things about my company, is that I don't have a 4-letter word (BOSS) hanging over my shoulder, and enjoy some autonomy. My supervisor is down in the Pittsburgh area, and our two east coast managers are in Maine and Virginia. The 2nd one is fairly new to the job, and stopped by for a visit, a couple weeks ago, to meet the client, and see what their operation looked like. Before he left, he pulled me aside (along with the supervisor, who was there too), and told me that the company was really happy with the work I'd been doing here, but there was a problem. Seems the guy they brought in a year or so ago, to run the client's business (who claims he's all about quality, but is really more about quantity) wasn't too happy with the fact that I'd held up shipping some jobs. Not because I'm a slacker.....but actually because they didn't have their shit together, and I refused to sign the manufacturer's data report. I'm well within my right to do so, but I guess he took it personally? The manager told me that the client had spoken to my company, and let it be known that if they didn't replace me as the inspector, that they would replace my company as the inspection agency. Like I said, the good news is that MY company is happy with my job performance, and they don't want to lose me. So the manager offered me three open locations: north of Syracuse, NY (serious snow country.... and I'm getting too old for that shit! ); Elmira, NY (southern tier), or a shop in the vicinity of Vicksburg, Mississippi. I told him I'd have to think it over, and talk with my GF, before I made a decision. The neat thing? My GF and I had been talking about when it came time to retire, moving south. Not necessarily to Mississippi, but definitely OUT of NY state. Cost of living, stupid politics, and snowy winters were three perfectly good reasons to GTFO. I told her about my talk with the manager, and bless her soul, she came right out and said, "I'm good with Mississippi!" I'll have to break the lease on my apartment here (~$2400, for leaving 5 months early), and after doing some research on all the ways I could move my stuff down, I've decided to hire a moving company, instead of U-hauling it down. Let their young bucks carry all that heavy stuff down the flight of stairs, instead of ME doing it! Right now, looks like I'll be packing up around mid-May, and driving myself down. I'll haul a few essentials to get me through, in case I have problems finding a place to live, and have the movers store my stuff in the meantime. Once I'm settled in, I'll take some time off, fly over to Texas (where I still have my house), and U-haul what I've got there over, then put the place up for sale. Eventually, my GF will move down, too (she's got some medical stuff coming up, and I know she's not in a HUGE hurry to leave the grandkids behind, either). The best part? My company's going to shell out around $8000, to help me out with the costs of moving.
DO IT! I grew up on the east coast (Joe Biden territory) and hated every minute of it, their police state, restrictive laws and shit weather most of the year. I graduated school, got a job for a few years and saved up some cash, then moved west. That was in 1976. I haven't gone back, ever.
I'm in Alabama and have been to Vicksburg several times for Civil War re-enactments. I hope that you are into Civil War history, because Vicksburg is a National Battlefield with a city inside of it! You can't go anywhere without falling in a rifle-pit or trench, or running into a historical marker! Beware of the mosquitos and the heat/humidity!
Grew up in new yuck got drafted in 68 never went back --been in SC ever since small coastal town consider myself a southerner. Unfortunately being invaded by yankee carpet baggers driving up land and home prices
I've never met anyone from the South that I didn't get along with. They are always down to earth, good common-sense people that are polite, and I simply relate and get along with them. So, I think you will hit it off with them and enjoy the next adventure of your life moving South. Now, the weather is a different story... How anyone can adjust to that heavy humidity and heat is beyond me, but they do so...what do I know? Best of luck and document your move so we can see the huge changes from New York to Mississippi. Should make interesting reading. LOL! I think you're in for some amazing 'shock and awe' changes - all good ones too! The question I have is, how the hell you managed to stay in New York all this time and remain sane? That a story worth hearing too! LOL!
Congratulations! This sounds like an exciting move. Upstate NY is gorgeous, but I imagine the winters are similar to Maine winters (snowy and brutal.) It's so great that your GF is supportive too and on the same page as you. I bet the weather in the south will be a lot better for gardening too. Safe travels and moving!
One things for sure ,, even tho we'll be 4 or 5 states away ,, we'll have a much better chance of meeting,, than we would if you stayed up there in NY ,, cuz I got no business way up there ,,, ever . ,,, congrats on the promotion.
It's unfortunate most of rural NY Is conservative but the liberals in NYC and Buffalo and Cornell control the liberal government.
Yeah, if you look at a voting map of NY, CA, IL, and TX, that's colored county by county, you'll wonder how the heck the first 3 states are liberal controlled, while the last one isn't? Because all 4 maps will be a sea of red, with small areas of blue. The difference being, the red areas outweigh the blue areas, in Texas.
Well for IL it is 10 million people reside in those 4 little blue patches vs the 3 million or so that don't.
@Kamp Krap maybe if you give it a good shove, Chicago would just tip into the lake, and even the numbers a bit? Lesson re-learned, today. NEVER, EVER say, "Well, it couldn't get worse than this, right?" Found out around noon, today, that my mid-May timeline has now been pushed back to early April. Luckily, was able to get movers scheduled for April 1st or 2nd, giving me about 2-1/2 weeks to get things packed up, sorted for disposal, or given away. Figure I'll take a few days to clean up a bit after the movers are done (got a nice air mattress to sleep on! ), then be on my way. Going to cost a bit more, as I'm going to have to pay rent for April, then half rent for May thru October (price of breaking the lease). But my company's giving me money to help defray that, and the moving cost. The movers will store my stuff for 30 days for free, and my manager said he'd authorize up to 30 days of me staying in a hotel, once I get down there, so I can have time to find a place to live. Already did a search, and got some possibilities lined up. Just don't want to take the chance that a neighborhood is crappy, before I see it in person. Oh man, I'm already tired!!
I have long thought the more proper way to decide votes for state issues in many states would be to use an electoral college kinda of system using the counties... each county could decide for itself for county issues mind for you but for a state issue the system would apply... just an opinion mind you...
FYI, as of 04/06/2024, I am officially out of Kathy Hochul's communist hell, and living in Mississippi. Or, as my old Navy buddy from Alabama would say, "Back down in GOD'S country!!"
Vicksburg, MS Cost of Living Doesn't look too bad by the numbers. It's less than an hour drive from the nearest interstate highway like I am. I think the best part is that it isn't New York.
Productive/busy day, today! Finally got lined up for an apartment outside of Vicksburg (still considered within city limits, but definitely out a ways from the city center). Signed the lease online last night, then stopped by this morning, to write a check for the security deposit and prorated rent for April. They're going to do some quick maintenance work on the unit Monday, and then I should be cleared to move in. The complex will have Entergy stop by to read the power meter, then switch service over to my name. So I called the moving company broker I used, and got the ball rolling on getting my stuff delivered (now just have to wait on the movers, themselves, to respond). Got the ball rolling on getting internet service set up (next Friday, on 500 MB/sec fiber, with C Spire). Changed a bunch of my mailing addresses over to the new address (credit cards, Amazon, etc). Cancelled out some services that were located in NY, but not available down here (Spectrum internet, & Delta Sonic car wash) Tomorrow, I'll swing by the post office, drop my change of address off to them, and see about picking up some stamped post cards they sell, so I can mail the info to everyone. Family gets texts, so they have the info right away. Now I just need to buy my new washer & dryer, plus the parts to hook it up (washer hoses, dryer cord & vent), and set up a date for delivery of the appliances.
