Re: What is quality of life?
 

[QUOTE=TruBrit]No we fight over using the Fairy liquid :) after all it dose make your hands as soft as your face.

Re: What is quality of life?
 

It might be a cliche, but its undeniably true (well at least for me anyway)

Re: What is quality of life?
 

I definitely have a shorter working week - although I am in early I am home before 5pm most days. In Europe I travelled 35 + weeks a year - here I go to the Midwest every two months. I earn 30%+ more, get a mortgage subsidy and believe I do better from a tax perspective. I did however lose my very nice company car and my holiday allowance went from 26 to 20 days. I also feel less under pressure but am in a more senior position now :D

As a family our weekends are packed in comparison to the UK. We struggle to see people if they dont give us a month in advance - we have no free weekend until April 10th ! This weekend we will be in Vegas Thurs/Fri, helping at and attending at huge party our daughter has organised through girl scouts on Saturday and then going to a picnic and whale watching in Malibu on Sunday with a group of friends and kids. We probably would have gone shopping and to the pub in the UK. We make more of an effort as a family because our social circle is small. We live in an attractive location so we get many guests.

I also think the big house (3 times the bloody size !) big cars, pool and great weather does make life easier, especially as it means we can have many guests at once and it not feel claustrophobic.

If quality of life is being able to do as you wish, spend time with the kids, afford to treat your parents to visits - go back to England when we want then its better here. Its is in no way cheaper here - in fact I struggle to think of anything that is but I also love my job so that helps :)

Re: What is quality of life?
 

not 'arff

Re: What is quality of life?
 

You don't know what you've got till its gone I guess, the simple things like calling around to someone for a cuppa or arranging a night out and everyone showing up just cos you thought it was a good idea. Those things will never be replaced by good weather or money.

Re: What is quality of life?
 

"Life's what you make it" took me a while to work that out but I'm much happier. There was a time when I thought getting a BMW was the be all, but when I finally got one, a nice one too m series kit sports after about a month I realised it was just a car. I think you can have a good quality of life anywhere as long as your happy with who you are and stop worrying about keeping up with the Joneses (well my Mother was a Jones so no problem there). Hmmmm...bit deep I know but true. :D

Re: What is quality of life?
 

I tried to Karma you, unfortunatly I have been told to spread it around, which is the opposite to what the policeman told me to do with my semen!

Re: What is quality of life?
 

Well I guess I am lucky. For me quality of life is many things both material and non-material.

When in Blightly my wife and I both worked full time. She worked shifts and nights and 3 weekends out of 4. Now she doesn't work at all. It's the small things in life that make a difference. I am glad that we can now all sit down and eat our meals together. We get more time as a family. My daughter is growing in confidence and grasping more opportunities (especially in sport) than she had previously. I work the same hours or less. I don't have to drive 40 miles up and down the M1 every day to get to work. I live in a beautiful setting. I love sport and am within 20 minutes of basketball, baseball, ice hockey and football. I can go skiing at weekends. I can afford, on one salary, to do more things than we could do on two salaries in the UK.

:)

Re: What is quality of life?
 

I am on the same contract as if I was still working in the UK, so money wise I'm better off, healthcare is included, holidays are the same so I guess you could say I'm alot better off in those ways.

I've met plenty of people out here that I'm pretty good friends with.

So I wouldn't say it is better or worse than the UK over here depends on what values you have.

Re: What is quality of life?
 

For us quality of life financially hasn't changed much living here, but things we do together as a family have changed hugely, this past week-end we went up to PA and went skiing and snow tubing, we make an effort to do way more than we would in the UK, location helps but there is so much more to see and do IMHO, my kids are involved in sports after school and week-ends, something there just wasn't much of in the UK, for us the quality of life is better, and it doesn't involve a bigger house or a pool or a huge car :rolleyes:

Re: What is quality of life?
 

Interesting that this quiz to test your life expectancy mentions living in close proximity to friends and family, however barbecuing lowers your score

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/interact...to_do_the_quiz

I'm going to live to 87 apparently so I'd better start improving the quality or its gonna seem like a long time!

Re: What is quality of life?
 

What about if I BBQ with the family?

Or BBQ the family?

Or if I just do the cooking and drink the beer..... actually no don't consider that.

Re: What is quality of life?
 

Hmm, guess i'm screwed then

I have things a but different to some people on here, my wife is a huge extrovert and we have trouble fitting all the stuff we need to do into the available hours. People are always coming over for a drink, meeting up with us at a local bar, going away for the weekend in a big group etc....

Re: What is quality of life?
 

We went snow tubing for the first time two weeks ago - my husband and our 4 year old would go again in a heartbeat. Hubby's boss told him that they now need to get him up on skis..... :scared: :D

Re: What is quality of life?
 

My kids had a blast, it was so good to see them laughing and looking healthy and rosy cheeked :) We will be in your neck of the woods in a few weeks, planning on going to Oregan to the Lehman hot springs for a couple of days...bliss :)