Should I Quit My Job and Move to Utah?

[Patrick]

The move isn't the only thing...quitting your job or not being tied to it (or other stuff).

Excuses and rationalizations for not doing anything, sitting on your butt, and complaining again for another season about yet another series of rain/hard freeze events and a season that ends in April (or March). As we've said, if someone really wants to do it, they can - it's just a decision and figuring out a strategy. What's really lame is to blame your significant other/partner/spouse for "not wanting to move".

I was speaking in general and not commenting about myself. Truly spoken as someone that has two incomes without any kids and totally clueless. :dead horse:

Sitting on my butt? Complaining about another season, WTF??? The season never ends for me and skiing an average of 60 days a year, Eastern skiing from October to July... :roll: then off to ski elsewhere for August/September. It's really easy to say to people move out west, west or east, I would be living in my current situation dealing two birthday for kids in October, swamped at work after taking two months leave and dealing with other crap...then I might have time to get away from this stuff, but I can't now, regardless where I would live.

 

[icelanticskier]

whatever works. i'm single, have plenty of dough, work in retail and have rentals properties/income from that and could live anywhere. live out west? easy. i can fit everything i own in one carload and just head out. truth is, i just like living here, in new hampshire better than anywhere else i can think of.

i applaud anyone that is willing to move somewhere for a passion like skiing/snow. i like knowing that i can fly there anytime i want, which isn't very often.

that said, it's pouring hot rain here. hmmmmm, sunday rivah this weekend or good surf? we shall see............

rog

 

[Marc_C]

I was speaking in general and not commenting about myself. Truly spoken as someone that has two incomes without any kids and totally clueless. :dead horse:

Sitting on my butt? Complaining about another season, WTF??? The season never ends for me and skiing an average of 60 days a year, Eastern skiing from October to July... :roll: then off to ski elsewhere for August/September. It's really easy to say to people move out west, west or east, I would be living in my current situation dealing two birthday for kids in October, swamped at work after taking two months leave and dealing with crap as being the only heir to my mom's estate...then I might have time to get away from this stuff, but I can't now, regardless where I would live.

I was speaking in general and not commenting about you.

Kids are irrelevant. I know a lot of people with multiple kids who moved here because of the proximity to the mountains. I also know a Burlington, VT couple with 3 kids who have done a partial move - they bought a condo here and come out about 5 times a year. Again, someone can do it if they really want to. And don't blame the supposed inability to move on the poor choice of having children.

To address Rog's comment: I'm not advocating anyone should move here or anywhere else - live where ever it makes you happy; just pointing out to those who lament not living close to skiing that it's a simpler situation to change than they think and the biggest impediment is thinking they can't.

 

[Patrick]

Kids are irrelevant. I know a lot of people with multiple kids who moved here because of the proximity to the mountains. I also know a Burlington, VT couple with 3 kids who have done a partial move - they bought a condo here and come out about 5 times a year. Again, someone can do it if they really want to. And don't blame the supposed inability to move on the poor choice of having children.

And my point is that even if you move, if you stuck in a job/situation where you don't have/take the time...location is irrelevant (at least, it is in my case). I've taken time off work without pay to get out more and I believe only Mr. Crocker get more time off work than I do. Give me a job, like my similar situation I had 10 years ago, and I could have been living in Whistler, I wouldn't have manage to get anymore skiing, so that is why I'm saying...move is one thing...but the most important is a job/situation that allows you more time to get out.

To comment on your example about the couple from VT with 3 kids and yoyo between VT and UT with a condo there... For me to make that kind of money, I would have to get all my overtime paid + never take leave without pay and I doubt that you be enough. I'm all for changing lifestyle for a passion, as I already live with the minimum with one family car, no cable on the 30 years old TV, etc etc. Yes, I would love more money AND more time off, but you have to be realistic sometimes.

One point that I do agree with Marc is...if skiing (or another activity is important), set your priorities. Some talk about moving out West - I believe that it's more related to the work situation, but you have be fairly close to skiing. What is more important, that second car, that new flat screen TV or getting more time/money to ski? I've always choosen the second. And before Tony jumps in, I love travelling and skiing in different environments and don't necessarly feel the need to jump on a plane when there is a variety of skiing between minutes or a day drive range away.

 

[Marc_C]

And my point is that even if you move, if you stuck in a job/situation where you don't have/take the time...location is irrelevant (at least, it is in my case). I've taken time off work without pay to get out more and I believe only Mr. Crocker get more time off work than I do. Give me a job, like my similar situation I had 10 years ago, and I could have been living in Whistler, I wouldn't have manage to get anymore skiing, so that is why I'm saying...move is one thing...but the most important is a job/situation that allows you more time to get out.

I agree. The difference is that you, specifically, choose to do that and live where you do and enjoy it. You're not complaining about where you live nor are you coming up with a bunch of flimsy excuses about why you can't move. Some others however, whine about their situation, then either trot out one or more pretty shallow reasons why they're "stuck" where they are or they just decide that it's insurmountable and don't actually think about it. I've seen visitors become depressed on their last day of a trip here (meaning, more than the normal "trip is over" blues) and literally lament and curse their return - I find that sad.

 

[Tony Crocker]

What is more important, that second car, that new flat screen TV or getting more time/money to ski? I've always chosen the second.

Patrick is indeed an extreme example of making this choice more often than nearly anyone I know. My extensive vacation time the past few years before retirement was due to working at the same place for 25+ years. But very few people have the option for additional leave time that Patrick has taken several times. I do not think that much of Ottawa as a good location for skiing, but given Patrick's rare work time flexibility it's very understandable why he stays there.

when there is a variety of skiing between minutes or a day drive range away.

The day drive skiing doesn't do you much good when you don't have a car available to get there.

And don't blame the supposed inability to move on the poor choice of having children.

Compromise becomes more important in preserving a marriage once you have kids. We're piling on kingslug here (this is at least the second time he's bemoaned his situation on FTO), but I think on balance we're being constructive. He does not have kids yet, so if his significant other is that stubborn about an issue that important to him, that's a big red flag to me. The time to press the issue and determine whether an acceptable compromise can be found is now, before kids complicate the situation and reduce his flexibility further.

 

[kingslug]

ok.....here goes and I'm not going to get into ...well what these discussions can become. I'm never having kids, I'm 46 and now divorced. I couldn't move 2 years ago as the economy tanked and leaving a 6 figure job was not a good idea too me at the time. And now 2 years later I've met someone who does not want to move...and I don;'t feel its a lame excuse to consider another persons feelings...so I've pretty much made peace with the fact that I'm probably staying in NY for the time being. I'm lucky to have a pretty good job with 4 weeks of vacation and 12 sick days ..which I never use..and a boss who understands that when it snow out west...I'm on a plane. I've looked at my situation many times and feel that its not that bad compared too many others. yes I would love to move to utah but its just not in the cards right now..I can visit whenever I want and that will have to do....will I still complain..when its pouring rain in the middle of february and everything up and down the coast gets wiped out..hell yes who wouldn't...you Utah slugs are spoiled and you know it..its why I pretty much ski at Alta and haven't bothered visiting the rest of the worls as I used to. Living where I do and skiing is very tough..but I've been at it now for 15 years...making the 3 to 6 hour drive every weekend...and will continue to. nuff said.

 

[Skidog]

.will I still complain..when its pouring rain in the middle of february and everything up and down the coast gets wiped out..hell yes who wouldn't...

Who wouldnt? those of us who have "uprooted" their families in pursuit of what they love. We dont have to complain anymore we made the jump. It just takes some planning and some direction thats all.
FYI...you dont need a "6 figure" job here. Things dont cost as much. I see the "for the time being" line and I think...she doesnt want to move from NY now...do you have some inkling that she will in the future? Otherwise id change that to "forever". Not knocking you for your choice in women, lord knows ive made my mistakes, however i believe a good woman is willing to make compromise. I have a fear that your skiing "habit" will later become and issue, unless she gets equal time with you for other vacations its going to become a problem. She'll get jealous there is NO DOUBT.

If you really value your ski time you will reconsider, if where you're at right now is fine with you, dont let any of us bother you. EXPECT that every time you friggin whine in here about melt cycles and how shitty the conditions are back east that you'll hear $hit from the peanut gallery. Its just how it is. The east coast surely has its charms, but i dont miss too many of them....

Good luck bro...looking forward to making some turns with you soon.

M

 

[Admin]

Not knocking you for your choice in women, lord knows ive made my mistakes

I'm thinking that it's Dawn who's made her mistakes in her choice of men. :-k

 

[Skidog]

Not knocking you for your choice in women, lord knows ive made my mistakes

I'm thinking that it's Dawn who's made her mistakes in her choice of men. :-k

That is probably true.... O she wasnt considered in the "mistakes" dept.

 

[rfarren]

In terms of local options NYC may not be prime, but it is so easy to get out west compared to places in EC where the local skiing is clearly superior. I can easily and economically make 3 trips out west per winter. If I so choose I can fairly easily make a trip to Europe too, although Europe's price tag is quite a bit higher in terms of the euro and lodgings..

If kingslug's woman wants to stay in NY, perhaps it's best to consider the northern suburbs over the Island. Don't get me wrong, in the summer I love the Island (I like the ocean, beaches, boating, and seafood), but in the winter it's not that great as far as access to local ski areas. From Brooklyn I can hit the catskill areas in roughly 2 1/2 hours fairly easily, but I would imagine the island is quite a bit longer, and at the same time westchester would cut that time to about 2 hours if not less.

 

[Marc_C]

I think what we're really discussing here isn't how easy it is to travel to destination ski resorts, but how easy it is to get in a powder morning or 90 minutes and be at your desk before noon or skip out early on a gorgeous Thursday afternoon and grab 3-1/2 hrs of skiing. Or decide on Wednesday evening that this would be a good weekend for Jackson and drive up Friday after work. Or wander down to Vegas for a show and pick up a few cases of reasonably priced wine from Costco on the way home. Or head to Moab for some 4x4 in mid-Jan because an inversion has taken hold and it hasn't snowed since xmas.

But mostly it's about shutting down whiners who complain they don't live here! :twisted:

 

[rsmith]

If someone really cared about skiing they would be be packing up their bags, moving to Europe, and skinning up a glacier in Chamonix tomorrow (the true mecca of skiing). The rest of us are merely posers - finding the right balance in our lives between skiing and the rest of life's pursuits. Sure, you can live on one of the coasts where the overall quality of life is generally higher, at the expense of day-skiing access. Or, you can live somewhere like Denver or Salt Lake where access to skiing is relatively trivial, but you lose out in other respects. Or, you can go a step further and live somewhere like Jackson or Telluride where you really sacrifice in terms of diversity in order to live in a more natural environment. It's all good - just different strokes for different folks. I think the key is to find out what's right for you and then do what it takes to make it happen.

 

[Skidog]

If someone really cared about skiing they would be be packing up their bags, moving to Europe, and skinning up a glacier in Chamonix tomorrow (the true mecca of skiing). The rest of us are merely posers - finding the right balance in our lives between skiing and the rest of life's pursuits. Sure, you can live on one of the coasts where the overall quality of life is generally higher, at the expense of day-skiing access. Or, you can live somewhere like Denver or Salt Lake where access to skiing is relatively trivial, but you lose out in other respects. Or, you can go a step further and live somewhere like Jackson or Telluride where you really sacrifice in terms of diversity in order to live in a more natural environment. It's all good - just different strokes for different folks. I think the key is to find out what's right for you and then do what it takes to make it happen.

BTW Cham doesnt get near the quality of snow that we do... :wink:

 

[Tony Crocker]

I'm lucky to have a pretty good job with 4 weeks of vacation and 12 sick days ..which I never use..and a boss who understands that when it snow out west...I'm on a plane.

As I've mentioned before I think this is the right attitude for a skier in the NYC area. The best northeastern skiing is too difficult to reach on short notice, so the prime focus should be to utilize the relatively high income and relatively low priced and direct air connections from NYC to the west for the bulk of one's ski time. As one's residence moves farther north into New England all of of these factors change to favor doing more skiing within drive distance in the East and perhaps just one destination trip to the West or Europe per season.

 

[Bobby Danger]

give it all up including relationships for the pow .... what good is a new flat screen when it's chest deep . take the six thirty bus up on snow days .. please excuses abound it's about making it happen ..

 

[Patrick]

when there is a variety of skiing between minutes or a day drive range away.

The day drive skiing doesn't do you much good when you don't have a car available to get there.

what good is a new flat screen when it's chest deep . take the six thirty bus up on snow days .. please excuses abound it's about making it happen ..

That is why I don't have two cars Tony. It's not the one car thing that ties me up, that has never stopped me. Take note of the Wildcat skiing in October. Took a day off work for opening day and hoped on the bus for Montreal then borrowed my mom's car and did a day drive which I ended staying an extra day because it was so good. I needed to be back that night, so back at the end of ski day to Montreal then on the late MTL-Ottawa bus. My mom is no longer there, but the need to out again is big and can either tag up or rent a car. Definitely cheaper than having two cars just for very few days a year. Yeck, our one car is parked and rarely move except for some activities and skiing. The second car would just be a money pit in registration, insurance, etc.

The thing that I can doesn't give 100% freedom is that I can't let my wife take care of all the kids activities on her own, everyone knows how much I get out...so it's a give and take.

What is more important, that second car, that new flat screen TV or getting more time/money to ski? I've always chosen the second.

But very few people have the option for additional leave time that Patrick has taken several times. I do not think that much of Ottawa as a good location for skiing, but given Patrick's rare work time flexibility it's very understandable why he stays there.

Ottawa isn't New York or Toronto. If I would be a cross-country skier, it would ever be a greater place to stay. I love cities. All things being equal, I don't know if I would be able to stay in SLC, Denver, Calgary or Vancouver. I need snow on the ground where I live and I hate suburbia. It you could transpose Topography, I would choose Montreal next to the Alps, but not too far from the ocean and forests. PS. No snow in Vancouver.

Job options: I have 4-wks a year vacation (sick days cannot be use as vacation - and everyone knows I ski, so plus I write it online) after 14 years of service + pension. My salary is so far from the 6 figures, I would have to be just under the CEO to have that type of money in the public service. I can take my overtime as leave + I can take time off without pay (of course, all this has to be approved and I've had some issues a few years ago with that). Let's say I leave my job, where would I get that type of flexibility? I could work on contract, I've done that it the pass and I could ski whenever, but I didn't own when the next contract would be coming, so I had to be careful money wise. Job opportunities in my field/something I like with my same employer is strongly concentrated around Ottawa, I've looked in the past for opening in Montreal or elsewhere, but there wasn't much I could apply for or of interest.

But mostly it's about shutting down whiners who complain they don't live here! :twisted:

[/quote]

That wouldn't be me...I'm perfectly comfortable skiing here. I have a ton of FF points, but also don't want to miss any Master races and my daughter races. Don't want to miss big Eastern pow days...I love to ski more out West....out East and out in the Alps...all over, but I would need to still have the same salary, except not work and being cloned.

 

[kingslug]

No Patrick he wasn't talking about you.....at least I now know how he feels about me.....maybe we will talk about it when I come over there..or not.

 

[Marc_C]

No Patrick he wasn't talking about you.....at least I now know how he feels about me.....maybe we will talk about it when I come over there..or not.

You are hardly the only whiner, by a long shot! 8)

 

[Patrick]

No Patrick he wasn't talking about you.....at least I now know how he feels about me.....maybe we will talk about it when I come over there..or not.

Yeah I know now...it was real late and I was having a bad day/week.

One word of advice from someone in your age group.

What is the most important thing in your life?
When you die, do you want to have any regrets?

Like I really regret not skiing regularly in Utah? Or having a meaningful relationship with someone you love and spend quality time together?

Not saying that you have to choose. But if this girl means a lot to you and you are truly happy with her (not obvious for many people), but she doesn't want to leave NYC are you still going to be happy. You have the weight which is the biggest thing you desire in life and which decision you won't look back and regret. I know, regardless of some Monday morning quarterbacks, I won't regret one thing about my ski life, I've had to make choose and spending time and sharing family activities is also very important.