[Skunkabilly]

Other than being able to buy black toys and carry a pistol, how have you folks who left New Jersey, California, Massachussetts, etc. adjusted to your new lifestyles, as far as finding work and new friends? Any caveats you have run across such as CCW restrictions you only recently found out about, like no blades over 3 inches, no carrying near churches, not being able to get NFA stuff in your area, etc.?

[Standing Wolf]

I returned to the United States from the People's Republic of California fifteen months ago, and immediately took possession of the eight-inch Colt Python I'd bought from a dealer in Nebraska. I'd been prohibited by law from so-called "importing" it into the P.R.C. The day I picked up my Python, which I'd actually owned over a year, I signed up for the required N.R.A. hand gun safety course. As soon as I'd taken it—well worth the two days' time and $50, by the way!—I went down to my local sheriff's department for the genuine official forms. I filled them out, wrote the checks and got the money orders, and made the appointment to be photographed and finger-printed.

I was told my permit to carry concealed hand guns would take a month. It took three weeks. I was told it would be valid for a year. I received a second permit some weeks later that's valid for four years—and the sheriff sent me a letter to thank me for getting the permit!

I very nearly didn't move to Colorado because it didn't have a shall issue law. I moved to a county whose sheriff regularly issues permits, then helped the state enact a shall issue law. The state shooting association (http://www.cssa.org) produces the best state publication I've ever seen—period. Lots of Coloradans keep and bear arms. Denver, of course, has been having a hissing fit over the shall issue law, but probably not even Denver takes it seriously. I've finally located an indoor range and joined the club—$50-odd dollars per year, plus $2 per night for targets—and it turns out to be the most beautiful, spacious, airy, clean range I've ever shot in.

My utilities cost about the same as they did in the P.R.C. My car insurance is less than half what it used to be. Gasoline is less expensive. I bought a small two bed-room house for about a quarter of what I'd have paid for a small condominium in Silicon Valley. Virtually everyone speaks intelligible English here. Shop keepers frequently count back my change. My neighbors and I all nod and say hello and stop to chat now and then. San Francisco bread is a little better. I still haven't found a top quality meat market. My friendly local gunsmith is competent, pleasant, polite, and about half as expensive as the surly S.O.B. I used to have to rely on because he was more or less competent. People know me at my bank. People know me at my grocery store. People know me at assorted gun shops. I still miss the temperate climate and beaches where clothing isn't required. I've taken a couple small trips through the up and down part of Colorado, and have been mighty impressed. The Colorado contingent of the High Road made a highly favorable, lasting impression on me a few weeks ago.

My only regreat about leaving the People's Republic of California is that I didn't do it years sooner than I did.

[Pendragon]

So far, ok.

I really think it takes about 2 years to adjust to a major move. When I was 10, we moved from rural Nor-Cal (Yreka) to Alaska - it was not that bad and I liked Alaska. When I was 16, I moved from Alaska, back to Nor-Cal near Sacramento and it was just hell. That period of your life is hell anyway and I had friends, I liked my schools, I was almost popular, etc - and overnight, the bottom fell out.

I lived in the Sacramento area from early 1987 until last month. My wife, on the other hand, lived in the same house from when she was 3 until we got married. This move to San Antonio is a LOT harder on her than me.

For one, she is very close to her mom - mom aint here. Second, she is a stay at home mom and I have been out of work for a few months so it has not been that bad, but the past week, I worked part-time and she said it was hard adjusting. Her mom used to come every Tuesday and she would go see her mom another day to break up being home alone all day with a hyper toddler. Now, its just her - no relief pitcher. We flat do not trust our son to ANYONE except family - and then only certain family. So no going out, no time to ever be truly alone, etc. Thats hard for us.

My wife is also pretty upset about the state of antiqe store here in San Antonio. She was looking forward to seeing more stuff that was in her decorating style. She likes the country style furniture - painted white usually, and things of that look and she flat cant hardly find it here. This could actually end up being my undoing since her hobby is finding that kind of stuff.

I am not sure when I am going to go shooting. Used to have her go see her mom, then I go shoot. Just aint right to go shooting and leaver her home with the energizer baby on a Saturday after she done it all week.

Also, San Antonio seems to be the only large city in Texas without a Frys Electronics. It is proven by science that nerds lose aproximately 1 IQ point for each week that they do not visit a Frys Electronics. There is one in Austin and I may have to make an emergency trip. There is a CompUSA close by, but all it does is slow down the degeneration, it cannot stop it.

We were not able to really check out our area in advance, so we kind of got stuck with an apartment that we would not have taken if we saw it in person. Its liveable, but its OLD, and they floorplan they show on line is the "phase 2" section of the complex - we got an older "phase 1" which is missing some of the cool stuff. Also - it has like 20 coats of sloppy paint on everything and there is no place for our boy to play.

I am VERY fortunate in that I was able to ride here on a home sale. We did not make enough to buy another house right away, but honestly, if we did not do it when we did, I dont see how we ever could have. CA unimployment pays a maximum of $370 a week. Thats $1480 a month - subtract your rent of $800 and it aint a lot to live on (for a family) even in super low cost of living land. Luckily, we had a little to supplement that and to my deep suprise, there are actually tech jobs here and I am starting to get some nibbles - well dang, one company wants me to call them tomorrow! Once I get a job, I will feel like I can relax.

I am supposed to get my TXDL within 30days. I may be a few days late, but I am going to do it soon - then take the CHL class (~$100) and get my CHL ($140).

You know what, this is total heresy, but so far, just knowing I can get it is almost enough. I will get it, but I am so preoccupied with just getting my bearings, getting settled, etc that its low on the list. Besides, I dont want to carry a 40oz pistol aroung all day :P

People are very friendly here and I have not got any anti-CA backlash. I did a week long part time job installing PCs at some local offices. The people always asked me questions and I told most of them I was from Sacramento. They did not recoil in horror or tell me to go home - they were nice. But then, I was not all "THIS is how we do it in California LA LA LA LA..." Most of them asked what I thought about the cost of living, the city, etc.

Driving here is ok. Its a lot like CA, only better. SATX has one of the coolest hi-way systems around. My wife thinks its wacky, but once you get used to it, it is very efficient and convenient.

The humidity is kind of the X factor. I down played it - perhaps too much when I was selling the move to my wife. She does not like it one bit. I am kinda fat and I dont mind it too much. But then, I dont wear makeup and whatnot. When she gets mad about it, all I can say is "be glad I didnt move us to Florida or Houston!" she says, yeah, cuz you would be dead :what:

I see it as an adventure. When I moved from AK to CA, I missed my friends so bad I could hardly stand it. Most of them I never spoke to again. This was before the internet and all. These days, I have unlimited long distance on my home phone. I have a color printer, a scanner, email - all that. We talk to home about every other day and I miss them, but its ok. Like I said above, I got it easy.

I would tell you about going to Nagels gun store here, but I could not do it without sounding cruel. Its amazing. Yes, they have it - or can probably get it - yes, those too. And knives - the knife section is bigger than almost any gunstore in Sacramento. And the crazy ninja stuff thats all felonious in CA - shuriken, throwing knives, etc - they got it. I used to buy all that stuff when I was 14 and had a forest in my backyard. Ah...

Texas is just a cool place to live. Yeah, technically, a few places have slightly better gun laws, but if you come from CA, you really will not notice. Texas has they attitude. The state motto is "Friendship" and yet, they all like to say "don't mess with Texas". I think those two things about sum up my philosophy of life.

Oh, this is also a more religious area. We still dont have a church yet, but you see more people saying grace in restaurants and you just see more public examples of peoples faith - not in your face, just good people loving God in their way and not feeling oppressed or over PC'd or whatever - like they got to appologise or hide it. Its very refreshing.

Well, I know I'm going to be ok - but you would do well to stay single until you get here - I think a lot of CA girls might actually dislike it more than you think.

[BigG]

<Waving hand> I'm a political refugee from the DC area - does that count? ;) As an honorary Dixie resident I must say you need to check out the area around Alanta (proper pronunciation). With fellow sutheners, Ala Dan, 1911Tuner, no big gunlaws, people don't look at you funny if you like guns, lots of job opportunities in metro GA, Tamara and the TN Mafia, jes down the road a piece, how can you go wrong? Oh yeah, Skunk, you WILL have culture shock when you see the price of real estate here compared to the sucking hole where you live now. About 1/4 as much, and you get more! :D C'mon down, y'all!

[Skunkabilly]

I think I know what you mean about culture shock. We had a vendor come out from Alabama and she showed me pictures of her house...huge 5 bed place made out of bricks (they make houses out of stuff other than paper mache?!?!?!?) and it cost her a whopping $150,000-ish.

You can't even buy a condo for half that much out here.

CA unimployment pays a maximum of $370 a week. Thats $1480 a month

:what: I made $484 a week. Why the hell was I working?!?!?! :banghead: Rent cost me and the roommate :rolleyes: :banghead: $1100 a month.

[Kaylee]

I spent three years in CA, and pretty much came aware of the whole gun thing out there. Spent the last three years in various parts of Idaho (mostly).

Biggest difference? Once you're used to freedom, it seems nonsensical putting up with the meddling busybody laws you used to take for granted. Best example is CCW. Before leaving CA, I thought "I can't do that... it's illegal and I might get caught!" *little eek*

After a year or so in Idaho, the thought process was more along the lines of "well who the heck are they to tell me that? Let's see.. which risk is bigger, having a cop who'd care see my j-frame seen through my clothes in San Francisco, or walking said streets at night, alone and unarmed?"

Not that I'd break the law or advocate doing so, of course. :)

-K

[Correia]

I left California in 1993. I miss NOTHING.

I hate going back to visit family. California is depressing.

[hillbilly]

Skunkabilly, here's more fuel for your fire.

In Arkansas, my wife and I are buying a 2 bedroom, one office house (third room a little too small to be a "bedroom") that's on 30 acres of rural land where I have my own pistol range and am building my own rifle range for $100,000 even.

Our house payments are less than $700 a month. Something $686 a month.

hillbilly

[jsalcedo]

Pendragon, check your PMs

[dinosaur]

Well, I didn`t move from NYC because of the gun laws. I had a carry permit so that wasn`t a problem. Their stupid rules about how to add to a collection was pretty much a turnoff.

I was looking for a place where my pension would go further and not so crowded. I wasn`t about to move to a place that restricted CCW though.

So here I am. My pension is still good 9 years later, I own a house & property in town that would probably cost $250,000 on Long Island, my taxes are about $1400 a year, the ins. on my truck and Corvette are about the same amount and I can leave both the vehicles and house unlocked if I choose.

The big problem here is jobs. Good paying ones are few and far between so I couldn`t recommend this place to anyone who has to work. A smaller problem can be the weather. I can`t stand the heat of Florida or Texas so this was a decent compromise. We get bad days but hurricanes, tornados, floods and other natural disasters are common in other areas. A couple of feet of snow will usually melt away without too much damage.

All in all, not a bad place to live.