it's always tease, tease, tease.
so this has been one of the more difficult decisions i've had to make. i haven't made it yet, but i'm leaning towards the former. the options are either to stay in grand rapids or to go back to arizona.
option 1: stay.
advantages include that i'm already here, my family is here(mostly), many of my friends are here, i like the city for the most part, cost of living is low, and housing is affordable. also, at the moment i'm making more money here.
the big disadvantage is the fact that i don't particularly like my job here for a few different reasons(sporadic traffic, michigan certification rules, rust making every job 6.4 to 64% more annoying, other personnel related issues).
option 2: go.
advantages include hanging out with zac and teresa, getting the band back together(again), i liked my job at paradise valley, working on cars in arizona is much less aggravating , i like tucson, and it would be another adventure.
disadvantages include the fact that i hated the job in tucson and i don't know if the other option would be better, the paradise valley job is definitely not in tucson, cost of living is higher, owning a home is not very likely, and the move is costly.
before i got my certifications (when i was making very little), i was leaning towards tucson. the thing that has me leaning the other way now is the possibility of owning a home(now that i can afford one). moving every year since i was 18 has got me very tired of apartment living. not to mention feeling like i'm not getting anywhere despite spending hundreds every month.
houses around here are very reasonable right now, and if i move quickly, the tax credit can still come into play. what i decided to do was get pre-approved, get a realtor, and see what's out there. even if i decide not to buy, at least i can see what my options are. in the last week i've pursued this and tomorrow i go see my first batch of homes in the 80-90 thousand range. right now i feel like if i find the right place in time to get the credit, i will likely be in my own house by the end of may.
this has been on my mind for the better part of 6 months and i still don't know what to do. i really don't think there's a "right" answer. either way i will miss out on some things that are important to me. at this point, just being at peace with a decision is what i'm hoping for.
you're happy when i'm on my knees.
