Fed up

[Goodwatch]

I (still, but for how long?) have a good job, a good family, a good life and good health. I can indulge in some of the finer things in life. I'm a TRF bastid . What could one ask for more?

Well..... To be the proprietor of a small café in Ericeira, Portugal. Or to live in Malang, Indonesia. As our daughter is about to 'leave the nest', Anne and myself are contemplating such a move ever more and ever more seriously. Our country is changing rapidly and I must say, not to the good. To put it bluntly, we are fed up with it.

We feel stangled by all the rules, suffocated by the ever rising taxes and lack of compasion. Tax free day starts here on the 27th of July. Insane!

Although it probably will remain a pipe dream, I can't get it out of my head.

So, are there any other esteemed TRF members that sometimes have the same thoughts?

[Spare201]

The only thing keeping me in the U.S. is my family. I've thought about leaving so many times especially after hurricane katrina. I have thought about moving to Japan and teaching Engrish though.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Spare201

The only thing keeping me in the U.S. is my family. I've thought about leaving so many times especially after hurricane katrina. I have thought about moving to Japan and teaching Engrish though.

Engrish.
You meant 'American' of course.

[USMCsilver]

I threaten to move somewhere warm with big, beautiful, blue saltwater all around me. Open a hardware store, and run it. My wife is a medical sonographer, so she could be of use in a different "part" of the world that's much more laid back.

I want to fish. I want to enjoy the sun. I want to drink rum.

That's the life I dream of.

[Numismatist]

EVERY DAY!

It'll happen when I get just a little older...it's have to be near an AD though!!!

Stepping off that treadmil is the hard part I suspect.

[JimSnyder]

It's all I think about. There is a hole world out there Frans we do have this every year http://www.troyohiostrawberryfestival.com/

[arttay10]

Every day Frans -

The U.K holds nothing for my childrens future- but untill a certain relative, 'pops her cloggs' my other half will not move, so for now moving away is just a pipe dream...........

[swatty]

Doesn't everyone have the same thoughts about where they live . The is always greener on the other side syndrome. I live in the best place in the world and everyone still complaims about everything .

[redshirt1957]

Just think if you were able to live your dream and, lo and behold on the first day of living in your paradise, you find out I am your neighbor.

I now have a new dream. I am walking out to the mailbox in my grey underware and saying, 'Hey Frans how the boys hanging this morning"!

[toph]

Originally Posted by swatty

Doesn't everyone have the same thoughts about where they live . The is always greener on the other side syndrome. I live in the best place in the world and everyone still complaims about everything .

i really know what you are saying but everything in the UK and parts of Northern Europe are falling apart by the day. No oil, no gas , no electricity, (unless Russia say so), no backbone,no sovereignty, no choice in what goes on in the EU, over taxed, terrible weather, no customer service, uselsess governments in both UK and EU, money being stolen by many EU members of Parliament. The EU Accounts have not been signed off by the auditors for over ten years because they refuse to put there name to it and the corruption that goes on.
I am a positive guy but the UK is a disaster at the moment

[swatty]

Originally Posted by toph

i really know what you are saying but everything in the UK and parts of Northern Europe are falling apart by the day. No oil, no gas , no electricity, (unless Russia say so), no backbone,no sovereignty, no choice in what goes on in the EU, over taxed, terrible weather, no customer service, uselsess governments in both UK and EU, money being stolen by many EU members of Parliament. The EU Accounts have not been signed off by the auditors for over ten years because they refuse to put there name to it and the corruption that goes on.
I am a positive guy but the UK is a disaster at the moment

We have better weather . The rest ?????????

[toph]

Originally Posted by swatty

We have better weather . The rest ?????????

i suppose that the most important thing

i know i just got caught up in the moment- just couldn't stop myself

[Terry Newton]

I dream of buying a Prevost bus and having it outfitted by Marathon Coach Company and wandering the country with my house on wheels. I work under a lot of stress all of the time. This forum is a great outlet for me. My cycling is great as well. I have well over 1,200 miles ridden so far this season. life is good.

I also want to travel while I still have a little youth left.

Terry Newton

[toph]

yep i cannot wait to leave the UK and the corrupt over-bearing, under-performing, lying, stealing powers that be the EU/UK!!

[Mike B]

Well, if you do want to move, DON'T move to Connecticut, USA lol. Here we have super high taxes, property tax, MV tax, etc. etc. I can't wait to get the heck out of this state ! More and more people here in the US are moving west, and south then ever before. I think I will be one of them (in a few years).

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by Mike B

Well, if you do want to move, DON'T move to Connecticut, USA lol. Here we have super high taxes, property tax, MV tax, etc. etc. I can't wait to get the heck out of this state ! More and more people here in the US are moving west, and south then ever before. I think I will be one of them (in a few years).

Hey partner, we could be neighbors.

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

Hey partner, we could be neighbors.

lol, I won't mind that. Nice to have a fellow TRF as a neighbor. Sure as heck beats the neighbors we have now lol

[explodingtaco]

A great place to live IF <----- (and that's a big if) weather and scenery are not important to you is Texas USA. Texas' unofficial motto is "Its a whole other country" and that is true. It has the laxest laws in the country. State government only meets every other year and they only make $15,000 a year. The budget MUST by law be balanced so if they spend to much they take some of it back. Friendly people and if you stay away from the inter cities of Dallas and Houston you have very low crime (after all who wants to rob/kill/rape in a state where they have the death penalty and a million people who are licensed to carry a gun.)

The weather is BEYOND hot. 100 degrees in the summer is the norm for almost the entire state except the panhandle, and in the panhandle bellow freezing is the norm for winter. But it is unfair to judge the state by any one place as it is 3 times the land area of the UK (but only 1/3 the population). The only "places with a view" are on the coast or big bend mountains.

But realistically for someone from europe . . . if you move to any place other then north Dallas you will be in serious culture shock. But all in all if you like the government to stay out of your business Texas is the place.

Then of course there is Wyoming where you have 4% sales tax and no income tax and a great view, but talk about in the middle of nowhere.

EDIT: and if you are from Rotterdam and are used to drugs you can move to central texas and grow your own ;)

[gmh1013]

Originally Posted by explodingtaco

A great place to live IF <----- (and that's a big if) weather and scenery are not important to you is Texas USA. Texas' unofficial motto is "Its a whole other country" and that is true. It has the laxest laws in the country. State government only meets every other year and they only make $15,000 a year. The budget MUST by law be balanced so if they spend to much they take some of it back. Friendly people and if you stay away from the inter cities of Dallas and Houston you have very low crime (after all who wants to rob/kill/rape in a state where they have the death penalty and a million people who are licensed to carry a gun.)

The weather is BEYOND hot. 100 degrees in the summer is the norm for almost the entire state except the panhandle, and in the panhandle bellow freezing is the norm for winter. But it is unfair to judge the state by any one place as it is 3 times the land area of the UK (but only 1/3 the population). The only "places with a view" are on the coast or big bend mountains.

But realistically for someone from europe . . . if you move to any place other then north Dallas you will be in serious culture shock. But all in all if you like the government to stay out of your business Texas is the place.

Then of course there is Wyoming where you have 4% sales tax and no income tax and a great view, but talk about in the middle of nowhere.

EDIT: and if you are from Rotterdam and are used to drugs you can move to central texas and grow your own ;)

If you like tall buildings and shopping malls then there is lots to look at
We DO carry guns with CWL, and I carry Smith and Wesson's to a Walther PPK

[jdc]

For the negatives I can find about my life I can always find more positives. I try not to worry about things outside my control and look to see how I can make my life and my families more enjoyable. Most of those things don't come down to money or location.
If the time is right to make a change go for it, but do it for positive reasons, paradise is often a mindset

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by jdc

For the negatives I can find about my life I can always find more positives. I try not to worry about things outside my control and look to see how I can make my life and my families more enjoyable. Most of those things don't come down to money or location.
If the time is right to make a change go for it, but do it for positive reasons, paradise is often a mindset

Nice post Martin. As I sit here and yap with you guys I am looking at the below picture with a smile; and a wanting. The want for me is for the wife and kids to arrive in two hours. Then it will be paradise.

We should make our own paradise when we can.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

We should make our own paradise when we can.

My sheep agree.....whole-heartedly!!

[gmh1013]

Wow , and I thought Houston sucked!
I would like to move back home to AZ because property Taxes are high in harris county
but for jobs I think Houston is the best in the nation Dallas maybe close second.
I filled up today at 3.51 a gallon and 2 staions down the st are having gas wars with
lines of course
http://www.keyetv.com/content/entert...c-9c8a1458e55e

[gmh1013]

http://www.keyetv.com/content/entert...c-9c8a1458e55e
did not let me print story on gas wars in texas

[Chozn1]

Yeah, because I'm 27 and all this money I'm paying into social security won't be there when I get ready to retire, and they're always coming up with more programs to take more of my money that doesn't benefit me personally. Problem is, people are still risking their lives to get here, so it still beats the hell out of a lot of other places.

[Jimbits76]

My dream is to complete my first novel.

If I ever saw it published, well I'd be so happy I'd probably open a Weasel farm!!!!!

My biggest issue is that the only person who can see that dream come to fruition is me. I have to knuckle down, put in the work and see it come true for myself.

At 32 with a wife and son, it has become difficult to find the time and the effort. A roof over our heads, food, warmth and the odd luxury are provided by a job that I do not hate but it is one which my heart isn't truly in.

My job pays the bills and that is what has prevented me from pushing on with the writing.

Following Frans' happiness thread, I have gotten my act together and restarted with a renewed passion. I guess I am happy now at 32 but having somebody else's life story inside my head is turning my mind inside out.

I am beginning to lose track of where my life stops and my protagonist's life starts.

At this point, I feel I am ready to get it out onto paper...that or end up with a schizoid embolism!!!!!!!

J

[Lol-x]

I feel lucky in many ways, but unfortunate in so many others.
I do feel that to a large extent you make your own luck and so I find myself needing to try harder in so many ways, this can result in some degree of stress and depression.
Anyway, I have thought about living in another country, but I usually come back to the conclusion that I find too many reasons (obsticles) to move to a country where the lifestyle is more leisurely. But who knows, things never stay the same.

[Lisa]

Texas? I liked living there (San Antonio) except for a few things: horrendous traffic jams, fire ants, scorpions and extremely hot summers. Property taxes are high, but there is no state income tax.

From the glimpses on TRF of how others live, I really think New Zealand or Australia would be tops.

[fear]

If the "messiah" becomes president Americans will be taxed out of existance too.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by fear

If the "messiah" becomes president Americans will be taxed out of existance too.

Maybe, but I'd rather pay my way than leave it for my grandkids to pay [and the interest, and themselves].
dP