kodokan

Spending time with my 12, although pleasant, is still a bit TOO much like parenting. But my 16 is EXCELLENT company, and can likely be persuaded to come along to philosophy discussions at the Humanist club or some such.

Nutek

PIZZA. Totally a thing* to make you happy in AMERICA.

And in BOLD CAPS no less.




*But it is NOT a damn pie

kodokan

Where are you moving to, RD? Will you have any friends or family there as an 'in'?

We used to live in a very Mormon area of Phoenix. This oddly made it easier to make friends, because as soon as any of us heathen alcoholics bumped into each other, we fired up the margarita blender and clung on for dear life.

jjmb

Love this. This was my life for few years and then I got a respite for while. Finally found my HAPPY point. Back to child duty next year with GC reaching kindergarten stage but at least I have another 15 months of MY TIME.
Good luck with the lunch dates PF. The young tech people at bazaarvoice were nice but it made me realise how old I was when I was surrounded by over ethusactic youngsters who hadn't been tarnished by life and earn way more than I was ever likely to earn. Indeed is exactly the same, from what I hear

Anyone seen this in the Guardian this morning? Silicon Valley Wives

petitefrancaise

yeah well I was kind of hoping that some of the other mums might be brought in with their zimmer frames to keep me company. Yes, I feel that OLD sometimes!!

RainyDays

Now I hadn't imagined living in a Mormon area being such an advantage for meeting people! But I see what you're saying

I'm headed to North west Florida. I won't know anyone there except one lovely family (with much younger kids than mine) we met when we went out to look at houses/schools. We'll be in a good school district but with very poor walkability. Once I get my teaching credentials certified in Florida and I start work, i'm sure it'll be fine, but I do have visions of long days at home in a zombie quiet suburb while the kids are at school for the first few months!

Elvira

I'm going back and forth.

jjmb

Anyone seen this in the Guardian this morning? Silicon Valley Wives

kodokan

I referred to our suburb in AZ so often as 'Shaun of the Dead' that I finally had to show my son the film.

I also showed the kids Stepford Wives, but only after we moved from there and they couldn't be openly mocking about the neighbors, potentially in their hearing. None of them would understand the first reference - very Brit culture niche, and R rated when they're not permitted to watch over a PG - but 'very Stepford' is fairly widely understood as an insult.

petitefrancaise

Bit sexist.

My landlord was the accompanying indian spouse who stayed at home.

Saying that, Airbus wives in Toulouse were a terrifying bunch. Especially when they put all their managerial/accountancy/general I'm the boss skills to work on the mums and tots committee.

SarahG

Yes I am happy. Except when I am not. Luckily I am more happy than not. I am particularly happy when I get to piss off people by going to the beach and posting photos to my FB when I know it is raining in the UK.

My kids are also too old for the school gate thing, but my daughter wants to do everything (sports/activities) so I meet people that way.

So, I am happy about living here and miss very little. (Except chocolate)

ooops, I forgot the caps.

I LIKE LIVING IN AMERICA.

kodokan

The comments are quite naturally outraged at the colossal FWP-ness of it all. I'm not surprised - it's one thing us having an occasional moan on here among people in similar situations, but it's breathtakingly entitled to do an article in an international newspaper telling the whole world how terribly unfulfilling it is to live in one of the world's top cities with absolutely no money worries and oodles of free time, trying to decide if you get more satisfaction from cookery classes or tennis. Even I'M not feeling very sympathetic towards them! (Plus the 'reduced to housewives' comment made me wince - they might be a bit happier if they didn't so enthusiastically disparage and belittle their current role.)

mrken30

I'm happy if I get a big fat tax rebate, not so happy if I have a negative rebate.
I am happy that I can afford to buy good food from expensive overpriced grocery stores.
I am happy that I can find a parking space within 30 seconds of entering the car park.

kodokan

I'm exactly the other way round on the tax rebate - getting a large amount back means I didn't finesse it well enough during the year. 2015 was a financial mess, with some months of unemployment, and changing states, and moving HSA accounts, and selling shares for the first time, and a large payment into the 401k in December upon becoming eligible, and being on Obamacare, etc etc... I had to let it go and wait for it all to come out in the wash and sure, it generated a big tax rebate, but it was still irksome. It makes me feel like I've leveled down in tax gameification

With you on the parking though, absolutely. I'm back in the UK this summer, and will be getting the smallest possible rental car and using public transport whenever possible.

dc koop

I like America because BIG is good here. I get big sized meals in restaurants and if I have to leave some of it at least I don't leave the restaurant feeling like I didn't get enough to feed a goony bird. I like having a big diesel pick up which rides as well as any passenger car or SUV and diesel is cheap and the MPG hard to beat. I like the big parking spots to park the big pick up in and I like the careful consideration I get from other drivers not to scratch or dent the bodywork when they park next to me. (in my neck of the woods anyway)
I like the big open empty spaces of the deserts with the mountain scenery.

I'm not a big guy but I like room to breath