Something like that. The fact of the matter is, I have indeed decided that it is time for me to leave New York. This was not an easy decision to make, believe it or not. Because the longer I have remained in New York - almost four years now, plus the miserable eleven months in '92-93 - the more I've grown to enjoy it.
"But why would you want to leave? Most people dream of running off to The Big City!" Well yes, but I've already done that. I've already "made it there," with apologies to Mr. Sinatra.
In fact, I think that my comfort level is a large part of why I've decided to leave. If I don't go soon, I may never be able to leave, never be able to adapt to anyplace less packed, less frenetic than the Big Apple. That does worry me, and it would conflict with other goals that I have. Like working on my car, and having a basement, and a kitchen you can measure in square feet instead of square inches...
For a while I was thinking I could go anywhere, even overseas, since I didn't really have anything tying me down like a mortgage, wife & kids, etc. California, Europe, all kinds of things floated around. All sorts of crazy notions danced before my eyes for a few days.
But in the end, the whole reason I wanted to get out of New York was to settle down, and to slow down. Joining the jet-set flitting about Europe seemed a little contrary to that notion. I love the San Francisco Bay area of California, really anything from Big Sur North, but suitable homes anyplace within commuting distance of San Francisco seemed likely to be priced out of my reach.
In the end, it was either laziness or comfort, take your pick. I know the area around Boston and believed I could find something affordable. I've been keeping tabs on the consulting market up there for a while, and believed the rates would support me in the style to which I'd become accustomed in New York. So the next step was to sort out which towns to look at, and what kind of house I wanted to live in.
More info, pictures, and whatnot are available through the links in the left side frame. You can read about what I went through finding a place under The Search. Things I have to do to the house before I can really move in are detailed under Renovations. What I want to do to the place over the next two years gets covered under Plans. I think the Photos and Maps sections are self-explanatory...