"Time For A Change?"
Hey everybody. I spent last Thursday through Sunday at my cousin Matt's house (with his fiance' and three beautiful children) in Visalia, CA (a half-hour South of Fresno in Central California) and while we were in the garage one night, Matt asked the following question: "So, when're you gonna move up here, man?!"
That started me thinking... why wouldn't I? So I started asking Matt questions about the area, such as rent prices, businesses and development of the community in general.
Oh, man.
The rent there for a two-bedroom apartment is half what my rent is in Lancaster. $475.00 for a two-bedroom apartment. I pay that for just one half of the apartment that I have now! I've always wanted to have my own place, but I've never been able to afford it. If I moved there, and made what I make here, I'd be living on easy street.
As far as business is concerned, Matt told me about how he was unemployed for six months last year, and he said that the main reason why was because a lot of the businesses there like to hire Veterans (which, in this area, they don't) and since he had no military training or experience, that made it tough for him to get to the front of the line for interviews. However, I'm a Veteran and I have military training and experience, so he said if I needed a job, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
Plus, there's a Navy base close by (Lemoore Naval Air Station) that hires contractors (my new Uncle Larry works there as one) and should have openings for Civil Service (which pays a lot better than what I get paid now) in a job field close to what I do now, which would be nice.
Fresno is 30 minutes away, and has comedy clubs, so I could do Stand-Up again, if I wanted to. There's also a pretty good college there so I could finish my education if I felt so inclined, which I am. But unfortunately, I have a full-time job and taking classes after working all day is a real drain. I know that a lot of people can do it, but I guess that I'm not one of those people. I need to focus on one thing to do it... I have no tolerance for multi-tasking; it just seems like the quickest way to get nothing done to me.
As far as the community goes, there's gangs, but we have plenty of those here, too... so I don't really worry about that. But, as opposed to Lancaster, there is consistent community growth there. Lancaster is a slowly rotting community that is becoming the bedroom of Los Angeles; with everyone buying homes, and no new businesses being built, thus leading to another generation of jobless kids and adults that have to drive an hour in order to find work. It's the reason that I joined the military, for Christ's sake... I couldn't get a job anywhere in town as a kid, and it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying. All the businesses here are dead-end jobs that require you to stock shelves or flip burgers. But, if you're a nurse, there's plenty of opportunity... too bad most people out here aren't nurses.
I guess the key thing is, I've given Southern California plenty of chances in my life to prove itself as being worth living in, and each time I come back, it disappoints me. Not so much my family or friends, but the area itself. Each year the cost of living here jumps up, and wages never increase at a proportionate rate and that ends up choking people out of the area. I don't feel comfortable living in a place like that, and more importantly, I don't think anyone should have to live in a place like that. When you come home, you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not you should pay an essential utility in order to fill your gas tank to drive to work the next day. That's the way that it is right now, and the stress eventually starts to eat away at you to the point that you never relax or enjoy anything like you used to.
Also, I like to move every once and a while to get a fresh start. I think that's a healthy way to live your life, so that it never gets stagnant. But at the same time I know that most people don't like moving for the sake of reliability. So I guess I'm asking, "Who thinks it's a good idea, and who thinks like I do, that it's always good to mix it up now and then?"
So, what do you guys think?
That started me thinking... why wouldn't I? So I started asking Matt questions about the area, such as rent prices, businesses and development of the community in general.
Oh, man.
The rent there for a two-bedroom apartment is half what my rent is in Lancaster. $475.00 for a two-bedroom apartment. I pay that for just one half of the apartment that I have now! I've always wanted to have my own place, but I've never been able to afford it. If I moved there, and made what I make here, I'd be living on easy street.
As far as business is concerned, Matt told me about how he was unemployed for six months last year, and he said that the main reason why was because a lot of the businesses there like to hire Veterans (which, in this area, they don't) and since he had no military training or experience, that made it tough for him to get to the front of the line for interviews. However, I'm a Veteran and I have military training and experience, so he said if I needed a job, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
Plus, there's a Navy base close by (Lemoore Naval Air Station) that hires contractors (my new Uncle Larry works there as one) and should have openings for Civil Service (which pays a lot better than what I get paid now) in a job field close to what I do now, which would be nice.
Fresno is 30 minutes away, and has comedy clubs, so I could do Stand-Up again, if I wanted to. There's also a pretty good college there so I could finish my education if I felt so inclined, which I am. But unfortunately, I have a full-time job and taking classes after working all day is a real drain. I know that a lot of people can do it, but I guess that I'm not one of those people. I need to focus on one thing to do it... I have no tolerance for multi-tasking; it just seems like the quickest way to get nothing done to me.
As far as the community goes, there's gangs, but we have plenty of those here, too... so I don't really worry about that. But, as opposed to Lancaster, there is consistent community growth there. Lancaster is a slowly rotting community that is becoming the bedroom of Los Angeles; with everyone buying homes, and no new businesses being built, thus leading to another generation of jobless kids and adults that have to drive an hour in order to find work. It's the reason that I joined the military, for Christ's sake... I couldn't get a job anywhere in town as a kid, and it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying. All the businesses here are dead-end jobs that require you to stock shelves or flip burgers. But, if you're a nurse, there's plenty of opportunity... too bad most people out here aren't nurses.
I guess the key thing is, I've given Southern California plenty of chances in my life to prove itself as being worth living in, and each time I come back, it disappoints me. Not so much my family or friends, but the area itself. Each year the cost of living here jumps up, and wages never increase at a proportionate rate and that ends up choking people out of the area. I don't feel comfortable living in a place like that, and more importantly, I don't think anyone should have to live in a place like that. When you come home, you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not you should pay an essential utility in order to fill your gas tank to drive to work the next day. That's the way that it is right now, and the stress eventually starts to eat away at you to the point that you never relax or enjoy anything like you used to.
Also, I like to move every once and a while to get a fresh start. I think that's a healthy way to live your life, so that it never gets stagnant. But at the same time I know that most people don't like moving for the sake of reliability. So I guess I'm asking, "Who thinks it's a good idea, and who thinks like I do, that it's always good to mix it up now and then?"
So, what do you guys think?
posted by Todd Tobin at 8:47 AM
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