Tomorrow's the day. Wish me luck.

[chaska]

I moved back to SC about three years ago after both my job and relationship ended in Seattle. It was not a good time. Didn't really want to come back here. It's a great place, but the people are just so conservative ... I'll leave it at that.

So anyway, I'm leaving again. I'm going to live in the Los Angeles area (Pasadena). It's really hard to leave your home. I'm a little sad. I have parents and a couple of half brothers here, a new sister in law that I like better than most of the rest of my family. I remember watching a show on PBS many years ago, something to do with the homosexual community (I'm straight), and someone on the show spoke about moving to San Francisco and how sometimes you have to leave to find home. I've never felt like SC was home. I'm a freakin' alien life form here, truly a fish out of water.

I don't know if LA is IT, but that's where life is pulling me. My brother lives there. He's done extremely well in California. Married and started a business (long term care insurance), seems happy. More than I've ever been. I'm going into the insurance field too. I've never seen myself as a salesman, but I'm gonna give it a shot. Good money, lots of freedom, I'm down! I guess I'll miss my mother. But that's about it.

You know, it's weird, I'm sad and I miss my Seattle girlfriend. Oh well, she ain't comin' back. Get over it.

Anybody else have any leaving stories.

[bloom]

1. GOOD LUCK!!

I hope it works out.

[EstimatedProphet]

2. It's hard, isn't it?

I lived in DC up until last November for over 3 years. Hated it. Too much stress and traffic, spent all my time commuting so I never got to enjoy the cool parts of the city that I wanted to...but I did make some wonderful friends. They threw me a going away party which was pretty nice just before I left. Had a great time, and when I left, I looked out over the city lights and started to cry.
It can sneak up on you.
Good luck in your move.

[dwckabal]

3. In a week

I'm moving to Oxnard, CA. Moving is something I've wanted to do for about 5 years now, but just never had the opportunity or the guts. I finally got my chance to transfer, and damned if I didn't take it. I don't really know what to expect, since the only other time I've moved any distance away from my "home" was when I went to college.

To top it off, my GF at the time said she wanted to move with me, and then changed her mind AFTER we had signed a lease on a house, so I had to go back AGAIN to try and find a place I could afford on my salary alone. That really sucked ass (and I was lucky I didn't lose my ass on backing out of that lease. There would have been some fireworks over that, let me tell you).

Anyway, I know it'll be exciting, but at the same time I'm a little nervous, but anywhere is better than where I am now (like you, a fish out of water).

[laruemtt]

4. hey, i wish you a lot of luck, chaska.

it takes guts to do what you're doing. i've done it several times and each time it feels like jumping off a cliff - you just have to have faith you'll land upright. at least your brother's in CA so you won't be alone. i've always remembered what a friend in the 70s told me when we were both in colorado (before it got so rightwing - it was actually way cool back then!) - she said to always have enough $ to be able to catch a flight home at a moment's notice. it's a good idea from a practical standpoint, but also from a psychological standpoint, it helps you still feel connected, as though what you've done isn't so drastic after all.

once again, good luck and enjoy! keep us posted as to how things go. i'm jealous!

[JackDragna]

5. Something that makes leaving a lot easier..

..learn to dislike people as much as possible. Considering how ignorant, rude and obnoxious most Americans are, you shouldn't have a problem with it. :)

[chaska]

8. LOL!!!

That really cracked me up. I'll keep that in mind.

[liberalhistorian]

6. I sure as hell would give anything

to be able to move the hell away from here (I'm sick of Ohio, even though I've grown up here and all my family is here). But I've just been laid off from my paralegal job and I'm a single parent, all my support system, and my son's support system, is here. So I don't know how I'd do it.

I desperately wish I'd gotten a teaching certificate to go along with my B.A. in history and sociology, because then I could pretty much go anywhere and find a job. But I didn't, so I have to deal with that. I'm 39 years old and sick of living with my parents.

Maybe if NightTrain and I are finally able to meet, and things go well, I can find a way to move to Connecticut.

Good luck, and I really, really, REALLY envy you!

[chaska]

9. Good luck with that.

Connecticutt is a beautiful, if expensive, place.

[NightTrain]

19. Lisa, you've just made my heart soar!

<<Maybe if NightTrain and I are finally able to meet, and things go well, I can find a way to move to Connecticut.>>

If that's what you really want, then we'll damned sure *find* a way! If I had you and Chris here with me, my life would be complete! :bounce::loveya:

[liberalhistorian]

20. Glad you think so, hon!

:loveya: :bounce: Of course, you ARE aware that Chris is a week away from becoming a teenager, aren't you? :scared:

First, though, we HAVE to find a way to actually meet!

[Nailzberg]

7. I'm heading to LA in two weeks!

Kinda the same situation. Girlfriend was cheating on me, blew me off on my birthday to hang out with her new boyfriend, although she hadn't dumped me yet. Don't want her back. But four year with her in Chicago and I can't go anywhere without remembering something we did together. She actually spoiled an entire city for me.

I work in television, and although I've done pretty good in Chicago, my friends do not really understand the nature of my work. They all look at me as a failure because I'm not working everyday, and because it's always a new job every other week. Hey, it's a contract business. After I finish a commercial, I have to start looking for another job to get on. I'm sick of people thinking I'm a failure, when I'm actually doing okay. My ex hated that I was a freelancer, and that it is no way to live (ironically, she is studying photography - better get used to freelancing). So basically I'm moving because there are plenty of people in LA who understand that lifestyle, because they work it too.

I'm worried I'll take a hit with working, because I don't have a large network in LA, and it takes some time to build that up. Luckily I have a few aces up my sleeve. A couple actor buddies who've made it big could come in handy.

But yeah, I keep trying not to leave, but now I have no reason not to. It's just a little fear at this point. I say we push the DU community for a LA area gathering in May. It could help us settle in.

[chaska]

10. Count me in.

Sounds like your wounds are pretty fresh. My sympathies. My situation was the same as yours.

Cheating is really wrong, ya'll. Don't do it.

[liberalhistorian]

12. One of those actor buddies

who made it big wouldn't happen to be Johnny Depp or Kevin Spacey, now, would they?:evilgrin: :bounce:

[Nailzberg]

13. No one that big.

One is a series regular on an ABC sitcom. Another is a Kevin Smith character guy. But that's as far as I'll say. I'm protecting identities here.

Now if I start hanging with Depp or Spacey, I'll let you know.

[liberalhistorian]

15. Please do, lol!

eom

[dwckabal]

22. There is a DU gathering in SoCal in June

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x921056

[Teddy_Salad]

11. I know what you mean

I'm from Australia, have resided here in New York for the past 6 years. My wife is from here, we were married in Australia, lived there for 2 years but decided to come back here as she was homesick and her parents weren't in the best of health then.

I always hated my hometown in Australia.....couldn't get out of there quick enough (left in 1989) but we went back there this past February and I really liked it.
Yeah, I know, a vacation is always different than living there but I was amazed how differently I saw it.
Maybe because I am older now, I dunno.

I am one of 7 kids and I miss my family a lot.
I always thought being so far from my family would get easier as time goes by.....but it doesn't. It gets tougher.

But that's life, I guess. :think:

[SayitAintSo]

14. Good luck ... Sorry to see a fellow DUer leave SC ....

We need more of us here. You are right ... It get's a little lonely here for your "own kind". I have found several kindred spirits here and I am very grateful for them ... seeking more ! We need to do a better job of connecting the "liberal community" here in SC.

Best of luck !

[aquaman]

16. Hey sayitaintso......

Where are you from, Columbia here.

[SayitAintSo]

21. I'm in Columbia too ... 5pts area

There are a few of us here .... very few. I had a list I was keeping of the SC Duers I ran across. It's around here somewhere -- I started a thread in the lounge over a year ago calling all SC Duers ... May be time to do it again .... We need to stick together for support - it's pretty red here as you know :)

[chaska]

17. Huh, where have you been?

I didn't know there were any Du'ers in Columbia. I'm in Lexington.

Actually, the way I look at it, I think we ought to all of us get out of SC. I'm tired of wasting my vote. Voting feels like a waste of time when our side ALWAYS loses. Have you driven around the W. Columbia/Lexington area lately? There are political signs up everywhere and almost all of them state in no uncertain terms that the candidate is a Republican. I've never seen that before. I have yet to see a Democrat sign. I don't think there are any Dems running in Lexington county. I'm serious.

Get some friends together Sayitaintso and take an extended vacation in Fla., just long enough to meet the residency requirements and vote.

[aquaman]

18. I work in Lexington county....

and live in Richland. I heard a news story on NPR stating that Lexington is the most conservative county in the country, no shit. I have been tempted to leave the state before but haven't as of yet. What few dems are here need to stick together.