:D I'm better today :D

[J Miller]

I'm so down today ....... I'm listening to country music.

Today I sent in the renewal form for my IL FOID card. I had made myself a promise that I'd be out of this hell hole before it had to be renewed. I couldn't keep it. I'm still here.
It's beginning to look like I'll never get out of here.

For those of you who are tempted to say, just pack up go ..... get real. It takes money to move and that is in short supply. Especially since the cost of fuel to power the moving truck has quadrupled since we got here. Not so our income.

So here I sit, broken hearted.

Oh well.


J e

[gunslinger598]

Hey ...

Don't feel to bad, I'd rather be some where else myself.

I'm just stuck here as well and can't pack up and just leave either.

So what I do is make attempts at the little things that can be found good about the place.

That can be hard to o as well.

I'm stll above ground so there is Hope.

Yes Tomorrow I'll have to renew my Drivers License here also.

[crs]

Cheer up Joe.
When we elect McCain - Palin, the US will drill for domestic oil and gas and the price of gasoline will go down so you can move!
Just use your time for research, plannning, and budgeting on where to move.

[adirondakjack]

Joe, if I was that down about where I was, and the only thing holding me back was the cost to move STUFF, then by gumbo a bunch of STUFF would be going to auction, yard sale, whatever. Unless yer a museum curator, your happiness is not about stuff, or at least mine ain't.

AAMOF, a friend with NO JOB and little savings made a gutsy move a year ago. He sold his (almost paid for) 3000 sq. ft. house, a lifetime accumulation of furniture, and most of his collected "junk", bought a small school bus for $2K and a 6X12 cargo trailer for about the same, made the bus into a rough camper, put the "too precious to sell" stuff like guns, fishing gear, clothes, etc in the trailer, and just bugged out. At last report he's "lit" outside of Fairbanks, has work, a place he leases with the option to buy, and is a lot happier, (but he hasn't sold the bus )

[45Jack]

Joe,
It's really easy to think of what you don't have and make yourself miserable. Appreciate what you do have.
I know someone who is two years away from full retirement benefits and two weeks ago got a letter saying "Effective immediately your position is surplus and your services are no longer required."

Do something to cheer yourself up, apply for the Utah non-resident CCW. That will allow you to carry in Indiana and 27 other states
Jack

[JerryB]

Joe, I know that your gout and the fact that you live where you do sure can put you down.
Every day when I get up I say "Lord this would sure be a great day for the Rapture and take us out of here". But it hasn't happened yet and I just pray that he gives you some pease and rest from your problems.

[mescalero1]

NUMBER1......... Stop listening to country music!!!!!!
That stuff depresses me when my neighbor listens to it!
Tell the wife the place is killing you slowly, and make a plan to get out.
You have lived out west before, you know where you belong.
Start working toward it, you would not believe the change in my outlook since I retired.
My aunt's untimely death forced some minor changes in my plans, had to get my uncle out of his funk.
Some of the local women are po'd at me, unk has become an unrepentent skirt chaser.
Ah, the miracle of modern pharmacuticles!

[AJMD429]

Even if it is a very long road ahead and moving isn't going to happen in the near future, just having a PLAN can cheer you up. Humans need a direction, a plan, and so forth. Start some inquiries and form some plans, even if acting on them can't happen for awhile. You'll cheer up quite a bit I think just doing that.

[bogus bill]

Joe, I am retired. I lived in a number of different areas of the country in my life. We now live in southwestern utah. A mixture of mountains, wide open spaces and near a bunch of national parks. Beautifull country. I was raised in wisconsin, did my career in california.
Now that I have time on my hands I get restless even here! Ever since I was born I had itchy feet and my biggest pleasure has always been simply driveing around when not working. Even here in the center of the majestic west I get cabin fever! In my case here, some, or all of it is due to haveing "new" places to go for the day without going 200 miles any direction and back! Generaly speaking there arent that many roads here. But now that I recall, I felt that way wherever I have lived! I always felt that way wherever I lived after I had been there awhile and had seen everything within a days drive! Are you like that?
I always said I should have been a long haul truck driver or pilot. My problem really is with the price of gas and motels I dont travel near as much as I had envisioned that I would before retirement! Also, when you move somewhere to retire it usualy is somewhere where you have no family or friends. It takes awhile wherever you go to meet new people. And if you move to be near your kids, most of the time THEY move off further!
I dont know what you dont like about where you live, (illinois wouldnt be my 1st choice either), but you may find that you would be restless wherever you go? I, myself do also! My wife is the best woman possible for me, yet she doesnt like to travel like I do. Plus our kids are scattered all over, none here!
We moved here to utah as houseing was much cheaper and I like the west. However, this isnt the best place if you are still looking to work, and especaily if you arent morman. We aint! I and my wife really miss green country, like where you are. But then again I remember the long brutal winters in wisconsin and the muggy hot summers and mesquitos! Hey, joe, good luck! It dawned on me that I probley am makeing you feel worse, hope not! Move near us and we can go shooting when you can get away from hereding sheep here!

[3t-]

Yep Joe,

Put the whole darn place up for sale! Cheap...so it goes fast. Keep your loved ones, your guns, a vehicle and one box of family mementos. Have a destination in mind and be willing to work for cheap when you get there. Pick wisely, you'll be stuck there a while till you get on your feet again.

If it weren't for the two little ones the wife and I would be doin just this...heck we may just do it anyway

As others have said make a solid plan, that you and your's all sign off on, write it down and move, even an inch, closer to it each day. I guarantee that the biggest and hardest part will be convincing yourself that you can do without this or that "stuff" that is holding you back. The best part will be realizing that once it is gone you really didn't need it anyway.

Good Luck! If we can help...

[El Chivo]

I did that about 15 years ago, bugged out, although I did plan it; research, etc. That was after 9 years in Chicago and 3 in Wisconsin.

I'm pretty happy about where I've ended up, but when I retire I plan to bug out again.

I fit everything I needed into my car, and had family members ship out the rest (it's cheaper to ship UPS than to rent a moving van).

You can do it but you have to be ready.

Another thing I did was, I told everyone I was leaving a year or so in advance, so I couldn't back out.

[bogus bill]

I remember the 5 most exciteing years of my life. I was young and single about 19 to 24 years old. I lived out of a battered suitcase and a couple of cardboard boxs of my stuff. I had jobs all over the country. Times were wild, jobs hard and cheap. But we all settle down to jobs, house payments and bills.
Dont know your age, maratal status or conditions, joe. I do know we both like guns, country music and get the gout together!
Try getting in your old pickup, drive off to somewhere you never been and just enjoy whatever happens for the day. Usualy works for me! Good luck!

[J Miller]

Thanks guys.

I figure that if I put a hitch on my Pathfinder, and got me a 5x10 trailer I could put every thing I value in there and leave.

Ahhh, but there's the rub. My wife has so much sewing stuff that she "can't" part with that we need a big truck for the furniture and sewing. She has sewing "stuff" in the garage, in a storage locker, and filling up at least half the basement. We also have "many" of those very heavy take apart metal shelf units that my missus uses to store her "stuff", and our entertainment junk and kitchen "stuff". They could all go and I wouldn't miss a one of them, but she won't turn loose of them.
From what she says many years ago when she first left IN she left behind much good furniture and other possessions and it's done something to her psyche. Much of the "stuff" we have now does not qualify for the "good furniture and things" title though, and it could easily be replaced.

I own a small dresser I've had since I was a kid, and a small desk I want to keep.
That is all the furniture I care to drag along. All the shelves, the work benches and other furniture can go to the trash heap for all I care.


My choices; ...... abandon my wife and bug out, or wait till things turn around. Some choice huh?


I turned off the country music, it IS depressing. I'll put some Kylie Minogue on in a minute.

About why I hate IL:
NO open spaces
NO gun shops to speak of
NO gun ranges to speak of
NO places to just go and shoot
Communistic government run by the very corrupt Daley regime in Chicago
The WORST anti gun laws of any state in the US (even CA isn't this bad)
NO open spaces
NO mountains
NO desert
NO peaceful forests to get lost in
NO privacy
I could go on, but I think that's enough

45Jack,
PM the info for the Utah out of state CCW info, I do have friends I can visit in IN

crs,
THAT IS THE BEST THING I'VE HEARD TO LOOK FORWARD TO. GONNA THINK ON IT FOR A BIT.
THANKS.

bogus bill,
Married, 56 Years Old, spinal arthritis from my neck to the tail bone. Crappy knees, and other not so good joints. Not really able to work at what I used to do, and so far haven't found anything else that anyone will hire me for. Hense, extreme boredom. AND, I knew this was coming, I've been turned down for disability. You see I was capable of walking into the examining doctors office on my own, speak and reply in english, and follow instructions. So I'm in too good of shape.
Ha Ha.

Again, thanks guys for the encouragement.

Joe

[mescalero1]

Don't forget N.M.
Long as you don't hurt anybody, people could care less what you do.

[mescalero1]

Joe,
Maybe some kind of internet/computer gig?

[J Miller]

mescalero1,

Wayyyyyyyyy back in the eons before I was an adult my parents moved from Springfield, IL to the great metropolis of Hobbs, NM. From there we moved to Farmington. The only thing I remember about Hobbs is being outside playing with a little friend, we were about 5 yo, when we got into a nest of those big red ants. OMG we got bit all to hell. You wanna talk about two little kids screaming for help, well we were.

I had a pretty good time in Farmington and have wondered many many times what the place looks like now.

So no, I'm not forgetting NM, not at all. As a matter of fact when I travel cross country westbound on I-40 and cross into NM from Texas, I always stop at that first rest stop and give thanks for being home. Even though I don't live there, I still consider AZ and NM home.
Conversely when I head east and cross out of NM into Texas I always cry inside because I'm leaving again.

I got one more trip in me ... I'm gonna make one more west bound trip. And as God is my witness I will never cross the Mississippi again. I have no family left to speak of in IL, just one hermit of an aunt who refuses to allow anyone to visit, so all my people are in AZ, CA, and WY.



Internet/computer gig? You got any leads to a legit one I'll check it out. Seriously.

Joe

[Old Ironsights]

...Internet/computer gig? You got any leads to a legit one I'll check it out. Seriously.

That makes 2 of us...

[mescalero1]

I don't know about leads, I'll ask around.
My girlfriend works from home on the computer, good salary, no travel, insurance, dental , BONUSES! good gig.
I have to start her Mustang or it would just sit there!
It CAN be done, I just was not smart enough to get into it.

[mescalero1]

And Farmington has not changed much at all since I was a kid, and you & I are the same age.

[bogus bill]

Joe, I am 67 years old. Retired with lockheed 35 years as a guard. Maybe you could get a sit down job as a guard guarding some project. Most of my career I spent sitting! (ruined me). Most guards get starvation wages, but I made good money at it, as we had a good union had to pass top security clearances etc.
I probley could get a job at mesquite nevada in a casino if I had to. Utah ccw permits just envolved sitting listening to a filibuster for 4 hours, went down to the police station and got printed for free, and sent in my $35.
Mesquite is 90 miles from me and hotter than hell. We live up 6,000 ft where it usualy 30 degrees cooler. If I wanted what you like I might look at Ely nevada. Probley real cheap houseing and beautifull wide open country and mountains. It is here too! This country changes a LOT, depending all on the elevation. The only thing we dont have here is huge population and a large body of water. Come to think of it, we have lake powell, but again, that is hotter than hell too! I have cedar breaks nat. park 8 miles away, zion about 20, bryce canyon 70, ride the quad over 10,000 ft. nearby etc, To the west of town I could go hundreds of miles without crossing only a couple roads! Cedar city, where I live, is a nice college town of close to 20,000. Get out of town and its all wide open spaces with mountain ranges.
This is what the wife and I do when we get bored.

[J Miller]

bogus bill,

That's just about what I did in AZ. Constantly exploring, any back road I could get my 4x4 into I went there. In all the years I lived in AZ, I didn't explore as much of it as I wanted. Just so much to see.

NV, AZ, NM, I'll get back there some day.


Joe

[mescalero1]

Feel better already?
Just articulating the resolution should lift your spirits!

[Noah Zark]

NUMBER1......... Stop listening to country music!!!!!!

+1. It's the leading cause of depression in the US.

And while you are crying, don't waste a tear crying over that which cannot or those who will not cry over you.

Noah

[gamekeeper]

Hey Joe, you may be unhappy where you are but if you lived over here for 6 months I bet you'd be swimming the Atlantic to get back!

[GoatGuy]

jmiller - if you haven't been back to Farmington, NM in more than 25 years, you woud be very surprised to see it. Lots of development, nat. gas industry booming and all service industries. It's now the major retail center of the 4 corners and growing more everyday. My wife's family has lived there since 1960 and they can remember when some downtown streets weren't paved. Nothing like that now! 2 high schools several middle and elementary schools. Lots of new residential developments, etc. All that said, there's still plenty of room out there to hunt, fish, shoot, etc. Might want to check it out if you're seriously considering getting out of IL in the future. http://www.gofarmington.com/ (Chamber of Commerce website)

That another good idea to help with your blues. Think of the states you would consider moving to and then the cities within those states that intrerest you and google their chambers of commerce. You can spend alot of time on those sites and get a feel for what the towns are like. Also check out the community's newspapers and see how things are doing on a regular basis. Anyway, it might help to narrow a search down and assist with your longterm goals of moving. Hope this helps.

[Birdman]

I am a fellow Illannoy resident. I can't help it. Ya gotta live somewhere and if you have a good job in this economy ya better keep it. I'm a maintenance man with two replaced knee's. I ain't the most marketable maintenance man around so I will stay here. For now anyway. I won't be here come retirement time but that is 10-12 years away. Once you get away from the Communist Corner, down state is all right. Southern Il is even better.

[J Miller]

game keeper,
There four countries I'd love to visit someday. England, Australia, Lithuania and Germany. England and Australia because our three countries are in a very large part connected. Lithuania and Germany because most of my ancestors came from there.
As for living there I have no doubt that it would be totally different. I suspect the biggest hurdle I'd have to get over is driving on the opposite side of the road. I might need a sedative for that.

GoatGuy,
Thanks for the link. I'll check it out real good.

Birdman,
You're in central IL, I'm in central IL, why the heck don't we get together some time and do some shooting?

Noah Zark,
I used to like Country Music but I like the old rock also. It's just that here lately it is very depressing to me. Could be just my mood, I dunno. But I got some Kylie Minogue playing and that helps.

mescalero1,
Yeah I am. The gout is also subsiding since last week too. I guess it was just hanging on till I popped some more meds.


Joe

[mescalero1]

Hang in there Joe

[J Miller]

Hang in there Joe

"Hang" as in a noose maybe ....... ha ha ...... I be a bad boy, I couldn't resist the bad joke.

The gout is subsiding enough I just might make it to the gun range this weekend. THAT would make me feel better.
Well, that is if I quit spending all my cylinder bag money before it gets here. I just scored on a Ruger XR3 grip frame with a set of John Wayne type finger grove grips on them. Been looking for just such a set for quite some time.
There went my money .......... poof.

Oh well what can I say?

Joe

[45Jack]

Joe,
things might get better here... just takes time.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... ?track=rss

[Ysabel Kid]

Joe, we all have to deal with the hand we are dealt, and it is good that you are mature enough to recognize reality. Many are not. Keep a stiff upper lip - and never let the ba$tards get you down!!!

[GoatGuy]

Joe - here is another link for Farmington, NM. http://www.farmingtonnm.org/ It's their visitor's bureau site and has more "quality of life" info, more pictures, etc. Thought you might like to check this out as well. Hope it helps some.

[Marlin 308MX]

I lived in Gulfport, Mississippi, and went through Katrina. I have gone through many hurricanes but that was a doozer.I have some bad memories there concerning the suicides of my son, 33 yrs old, and my wife of 38 years, within 9 months of the suicide of my son. Gulfport is a disaster still to this day.. I decided for my mental health I had to move. I met a friend from Monticello, Arkansas, visited her and the area was just perfect. Lake Monticello, pulling largemouth bass up to 9 pounds, with regularity. Deer are all over the place. Have to be careful driving at night. LOw cost of living and housing,gas 3.48 a gal. Liscense tag was $3.75 today compared to $378 in Mississippi, (2005 Pontiac bonneville.) I live on SS disibility. Do not make much at all. Borrowed 1500 from my creditunion. Rented a U-haul trailer, ($173,) went to Monticello to get friends SUV to pull it, <(125,) and what I could not put in the trailer and the SUV, (and both were stuffed, I gave away or left. Love living here!!!!! I spent $125 in gas pulling the trailer. Had enough money left to rent a house, turn on all the utilities and fill the food closet and freezer. Still have a little leftover. . I just had to do it !!! And, Joe, as far as the disability goes, it took me five times to get it!! You got to keep pestering them, they will relent eventually. Find new doctors. Best wishes to you and yours. Art

[mescalero1]

Marlin 308MX,
Way to go, you got the right stuff!

[Modoc ED]

Joe - Maybe you said it earlier in the thread but I couldn't find it.

Do you own your home or are you renting? If renting, it makes it much easier to move.

[J Miller]

Joe - Maybe you said it earlier in the thread but I couldn't find it.

Do you own your home or are you renting? If renting, it makes it much easier to move.

ED,
Renting.
That does make it easier to pick up and move, but one still needs the funds to get where you're going and get started once there.

That is basically our problem.

Joe