New York, New York, It's a Wonderful Town...

Or so I hear. Fact is, the two or three times I've been there I found it interesting and fun but not anything I really wanted to go back to. I've never been much of an urban person...I'm too much a child of the suburbs to feel comfortable with the hubub and minimal space of a big city.

Why, you ask, am I even pondering this? K is currently in the midst of an interview process for a job in NYC. And it's not just a "what do I have to lose, it'll be good practice" interview process. The position comes with a jaw-dropping salary increase and a very unique role which I think K would be well suited to take on. I suppose this is all my fault, really. He's been out of work for months and while the consulting gig is serving a purpose...I can tell his heart's not really in it. So when the chance to interview for this job came along, I encouraged him to go for it in spite of the fact that I have zero interest in moving to the East Coast. I don't think he's all that gung-ho for a move either...but I can tell by how his face lights up when he talks about it that the job itself is a BIG draw.

Which brings us back to my original point. New York City. Not at the top of my list of future places to live. In fact I think it's safe to say any place outside California (or Hawaii...I mean, how could anyone turn down Hawaii?!) is a big, fat no in my book. My friends are here, my family is here, my life is very established here. The weather is fantastic. The forests, coast, and mountains are hard to top. The food is fantastic. Everything is fucking awesome...aside from the fact that a) we live in a 1500 square foot house which is already too small for our family, b) the job market sucks ass, c) we are going to run out of medical benefits soon and will have to pay a ridiculous sum every month unless a magical job offer comes K's way, and d) the public schools frankly blow but the private schools require you to take up a life of crime in order to pay the tuition.

On a whim I started researching housing costs in the bedroom communities surrounding NYC. This was probably not a great idea. Because the kind of house (and surrounding property) you can get for the amount we paid for our home here is just un-fucking believable. Those of you who don't live in California or who are recent transplants from anywhere else know exactly what I'm talking about. Of course, a bigger house, while nice, isn't going to make up for the shitty weather and isolation of living that far north, several thousand miles from the majority of my family and friends. But dude! It wouldn't just be the big house...we'd also be able to afford the schools! and have some financial stability! and all that history...how cool for the kids! and so much closer to Europe! and we could afford fun vacations!

You see how it's been for me over the past three weeks...my brain feels like a game of Pong: I love California! But wouldn't it be nice to have money? But I love California! But think of the stability! But I love California!

Anyway, K hasn't even been offered the job yet...and chances are, given the competitive market and the nature of the role, he'll have to pull a rabbit out of his ass in order to make it into the final rounds of interviews. That's not to say I don't think he has it in him...but this is one of those positions that comes around once in a blue moon and the interview process lasts MONTHS. So chances are slim but not impossible.

So for now, I am doing the research but it feels more like the thing you do when you'd like to take a vacation but know you can't afford it but look up packages to Hawaii anyway. I'm satisfying my curiousity to sort out how I'd really feel if this actually became an option (confused, miserable, excited, nervous, miserable). But I'm trying not to lose any sleep over it.

To be continued....