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Time to be Honest with Myself

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:21 am
by oregontocal
I decided yesterday that even if I’m offered the job in Bartlesville I need to turn it down. Yes, it sounds like a good job. Yes I need the money right now. Yes, Bartlesville might be a good place to settle down. Yes, the housing prices here are very inexpensive, at least compared to San Diego. Yes, there are all kinds of reasons I could accept the job. BUT, I got carried away with a new situation and place:

* I’m kidding myself about working at any job long enough to justify putting down roots, buying a house. I never have yet in 61 years, so why would I all of a sudden start now? Nope, I can’t see it happening. I’d work there a year or so, if that long, and find an excuse to quit. Not saying that’s good or bad, just the way I am.

*I really do need the money. But, this is a temporary blip. I’ve always found enough before to live on, not lavishly, to be sure, but fairly comfortably. The problem is too many bills, and there’s no way that situation would possibly improve by settling down permanently. If anything, it would add even more to the stack. I look at my almost maxed out credit cards and get worried. That’s where the push to get a “real” job comes from. I can’t deny that a “real” job would help pay down those bills. But . . .

* Bartlesville is as good a place as any to settle down, but I don’t need to (and shouldn’t) do it at this time. When I found myself emailing the folks in Kanab, Utah the other day, getting excited about possibly doing movie hosting and anything else for another seven months there, I knew this nomadic life is the best right now, the one I need to stick with. But, now I know places like this exist and would be places to eventually put down roots.

* Houses might be pretty cheap here, but you can’t beat free sites and hookups with jobs in various parts of the country I’ve never seen before. Sure, I still have the RV payment, but that's a pretty good bargain when compared to a mortgage payment, utilities, taxes, interest, and upkeep. If I get tired of a job or one part of the country, I can just drive my house somewhere else. It does have some disadvantages, but the advantages still outweigh those. This place is small, but that keeps me from amassing all kinds of stuff again.

*My main concern is the upkeep and expense of two vehicles. I’ve never been that enthralled with cars, and have always let other people take care of them, work on them, and so forth. Sometimes I get very worried about what I’d do if something happened with one of these vehicles that I couldn’t afford to pay for. Right now that includes something as simple as an oil change. From all that time up in the mountains this summer, I desperately need a new air filter, oil filter, and who knows what else for the pickup. Spending so much on gas to get here and then losing out on three weeks of work has really set me back. and I’m almost afraid to drive any real distance until I get the work done. But, that’s temporary. If I’m that worried about upkeep on a car, what the heck would I do with a house?

*Finally, and probably most important, there's my relationship with Lou. Sure, it's long-distance most of the time lately, but you can't beat the returnings. He sent me pictures of some mud caves he explored in Anza Borrego desert Sunday, and they made me wish so much I'd been with him and the pups. Who knows where that relationship might head in the future - not for me to say. But, we've now been friends again for almost ten years (not counting that time in high school so many years ago) and it looks like we might be stuck with each other for a long time to come. And that wouldn't be bad. :P

Cheating, I know, since I wasn't there. But, I was in spirit--and have been fairly close to these caves in early fall.

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Re: Time to be Honest with Myself

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:07 am
by Cedar518
Good thinking Chris,..... looks like you are really making your lists of pros and cons, and counting them twice,... Keep us posted,...

Re: Time to be Honest with Myself

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:03 am
by Getupngo
Chris, you are so wise to listen to your own true nature. I've been considering getting a "real" job too, and I still might (if anyone would have me! :lol: ) ... but I know that it would be a means to an end ... to nibble down those credit card bills and to get some kind of "cushion" in the bank before my itchy feet get the best of me. I had vowed not to use my credit cards ... but I'm looking at an $800 "emergency" charge to -- as you mention -- pay for a critical repair on my motor home.

I can see you're putting a lot of thought into this ... and we need to be true to ourselves.

Re: Time to be Honest with Myself

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:08 pm
by Bethers
It sure sounds like you've been doing a lot of thinking - and it seems to be good. You can see the good of where you are - and the good of the other side - and you've weighed both and found the best option for you.

For many of the reasons you listed, I don't believe I'll ever get a house and all that go with it again - my wanderlust for now won't let me - although I will consider staying longer here and there - might be forced to after the Alaska trip.

Good luck on paying down some of those cc bills - and as you do - may I suggest getting rid of them? I know, that might take time - but you'll be so glad to not ever have that debt again.

Now, I hope you get started working soon and your money situation improves.

Re: Time to be Honest with Myself

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:26 pm
by Sparkle
I think we are hard wired to think we need a house. Even though in my more rational moments I don't think I'll ever live in a stick house again, I still feel that tug. All my pretty things in storage that my son will probably end up with, a pet goat, (love goats) a garden, at times they call me, but compared to what I do now, there is no way I'd be happy for long. You are young enough to enjoy this lifestyle, and as you travel around the country you will eventually find THE place to live in your old age. But that's what, 20 years from now?

Re: Time to be Honest with Myself

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:04 pm
by retiredhappy
Good for you on your list making. Sounds like you've made a good decision. I was able to almost totally pay off a credit card by working in Douglas and not paying any site rent or electric. This year I'm not going to travel so far for a job if I can possibly help it, so as not to spend so much on gas. I've also realized that standing on my feet for six hours a day is not an option anymore. The KOA in Medford Oregon was looking for a workamper - they pay money for hours over site. If you're going to work at a regular job for a while, think seriously about a state with NO INCOME TAX.

Re: Time to be Honest with Myself

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:58 pm
by oregontocal
Oregon DOES have a pretty high income tax, but no sales tax.

Re: Time to be Honest with Myself

PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:01 am
by Echo
Hey Chris

Glad to see you've thought this over. I kinda wondered about the idea of trying to settle some place so far from what might be your 'home' place out west. And of course Lou.

If settling down in one place is meant to be it will happen. And more than likely when you least expect it. There are so many small towns out west that could suit your fancy if it turns out to be what you end up really wanting. Places a lot closer to So Cal, family and Lou.

Go with the flow and enjoy what you can and want to do for now. Quit looking so hard. When someone looks that hard for something? Mistakes happen. And if a job that's a little more permanent with better pay is needed for awhile? Well you can still live in the RV while it's parked someplace and run the truck back and forth to work. But for sure that would be a little easier out west where ya don't have to worry so much about the pipes freezing. Or yourself. ;)