Category: Daily Living
Hello all!
I'm going to start this by saying that this is a long post. I also must say that my faith in God and Jesus Christ as my personal savior is very important to me and that will also come up. I just ask for respect because I do not mean to sound pushy or anything negative in this post. Now that warning of sorts is out've the way...
I am in quite a situation. I moved to Florida in 2010 and lived there happily for the most part for 7 years. I had to quickly move due to my apartment complex shadyness. (Got a notice a week before my new lease was to be signed saying I had to sign a month to month contract, they would up my rent, they needed to do remodeling in my apartment;they said we'll transfor you to our new apartments;your rent would go up again they couldn't tell me how much..They said they'd give me a 30 days notice of when I needed to be out.) Needless to say, no sane person can live like that..so I packed up what I could, gave bunches of stuff away and moved back to my parent's home in Pennsylvania.
I have no job, needing to quit the one I had in Florida due to the apartment situation. I didn't have anyone I could stay with in Florida and there was no available place for me to go on such short notice. I didn't have any real ties there...
My folks do live close to a big city, however I have big hesitations living so close to my parents. I won't get into it, but let me just say 1 parent has a problem and will not get help for it and it is very mentally draining for me to be around. Not to mention it is impacting me in other negative ways.
Now, allow me to back up a few months. Same old story: girl meets boy, boy pursues girl, boy talks up Austin Texas like it is the greatest thing since bread was invented, girl goes and visits, likes it, boy says he'll help in any way he can... ETC. ETC. I am sure you smart people know where this is going. (I never did quite believe in his I'll do what I can for you..) He has a good job but that isn't the point. Actially, I broke up with him. Even though I wasn't moving to Austin for him, I wouldn't had really looked into it if he hadn't said how great it is, jobs are many, people more accepting, and more. I had also done my own research and it does seem very nice place. He was not my reason to go to Austin, however I was very much temted to go due to there free schooling if you are blind and a Texas resident. Also, people do seem more open minded;not caring as much about the, "disability," of blindness due to how diverse the city!
I am going to visit Austin again (I leave tomorrow I'm staying a week but that is not in stone..) I am looking for a job and a place to live. I would even do a room mate situation for a bit to get on my feet. I do have money saved, however it is a little bit over $1000. Places usually won't rent to you if you don't have a job and yes I do get something from the government. (not 2 or 3 as much the rent however.)
Needless to say, having the rug pulled out from under me is not how I pictured myself at 32 years of age.
I know the Lord. The Lord will provide a way. I really do believe there is a reason as to why this is happening. Am I certain Austin is what the lord wants for me? No. I truly want to do God's will, not my own. I don't want my pride getting in the way of my choices. As I said above, following God's will is very important to me and I don't want to disappoint him if I make the wrong choice. I know people say, "enjoy life, enjoy the journey," but if I am not following Jesus then what kind of life is that? A pretty miserable one.
I'm unsure what to do. Austin seems to have better transportation than where I am located. Many jobs are to be had (I've applied to 2 or 3 this weekend..) However, we all know how difficult it is for someone that is blind to get gainful employment.
I do have a massage therapy license that I am getting all the paperwork required in order to transfer my license from Florida to Texas. However, that will take some time.
So here are my jumbled thoughts... My crazy life! Part of me is excited, however the other part is like, "Dude, really? I want to put down some roots!"
Any advice is greatly appreciated!! Any suggestions or ideas I will take with an open mind. It is like having a map of the whole U.S. and someone saying, "Ok, where do you want to go?"
Very very truly Overwhelming!!!!
If anyone has questions please message me or qn. Thanks so much for your time!! :)
Okay, you opened this up to get opinions, and you also opened it up with your faith, so I feel you’ve opened this door.
First, following Christ, or Jesus is not going to get you anything in the way of this issue.
I understand having faith, but what you and most forget is the door so to speak or the path, has already been laid out for you.
If you’ve got things settled where you sit, then it is best you stay were you sit until you have done research, checked in to things, and not taken anyone’s word for things.
No place is going to be the Golden place you must do what the people do that live in that place. Survive as they do.
If you do message, then apply to work in that field, but don’t relocate to anyplace until you are sure you’ve got work, or can make a living with social security, or whatever.
Your faith, religion won’t pay your rent, nor feed you unless a church does give you something.
When you are talking settling, you must follow what the world dictates you do, or live in the world.
Read leases and never just trust “God will provide.”
God has already provided and you are supposed to plan and study things.
Research things, and learn if they are actual.
Once you’ve got everything settled, now you’ve got peace and can follow Jesus, because you’re not wondering where your next meals coming from.
Patients, planning, and being opened eyed.
If you know you need that paper work because that is your best bet to work for your licenses, then you’d best have it in hand before you do anything else.
If you really like Austin, then settle down and research Austin until you’ve done all you can to see if you can live there.
Put all these findings in your folder, then move on to your next project.
I think when people move without foresight is when they want to blame it on not following Jesus when what it was is not planning well.
If I had only been doing what God wanted me to do this wouldn’t have happened.
No, if you’d been watching out for yourself and not allowing things to just lay, or being lazy about getting things together when you know they are coming up, it not have happened.
That is what Jesus has already told you to do.
Sure, I have had things happen to me even because of my trust in others, but I find when I’m trusting in me I get along just fine.
So, in my opinion, you stay were your living is until you can make a living in the next place you want to go. The grass is always greener on the other side, but you know, you can apply some water to your side and your grass will be green too.
Secondly, if you are settled, and things are working well for you in say Pennsylvania, then that is where you must be.
When you are settled, you can travel anyplace at all, but when you are struggling to live say in Austin, soon you will either learn to live in Austin no matter what you need to do to remain there, or you’ll go home where your live was and is easier.
Maybe to live in Austin, you have to give up a few things. Will that make you happy??
I find my happiness is inside me, not in a place.
Re Austin, "people are more accepting" ... of what, exactly?
I wish you well, btw. Get that license paperwork in order before you go, though, but it sounds like you already have that in hand. If Austin appeals to you, go! There are lots of blind people there, if that's the community you're after.
Austin isn't anywhere near as easy to move to as it was ten years ago because those god damn droves of Californians keep coming here and building expensive highrises. Austin isn't even weird anymore, it's just annoying. If you have no connections and your only income is SSI, expect to have a very hard time getting established here. Rents are high, and the infrastructure that we care about (e.g. sidewalks and accessible busses) is poor or missing in some areas. I don't find less ignorance or meanness here than anywhere else. TLDR: Austin can be a fun place but there are easier places with lower rents and/or better public transportation.
I agree with most of what forereel posted.
And, oh what a classic, forereel!! This is a keeper!!
"The grass is always greener on the other
side, but you know, you can apply some water to your side and your grass will be green too."
True and funny! lolololololol
Sure, a classic. I believe I stole the part about the water though.
Laughing.
It has been true in my life however.
I have lived a couple places, and been offered chances to move to other places back when, but have found it really doesn’t matter where you are, if you are able to make your living.
No place I’ve ever lived was perfect, and I’ve had to basically learn to live there. Water my grass.
Unless you fall in to a situation where things are already set, such as moving in with someone that is already settled you can live with comfortably, I find you must do all the things I suggest.
Anytime I’ve pulled up my roots, I’ve had to resettle.
Once I moved back home to the city I was born and raised in, and I still had to resettle.
Sometimes, you’ll move due to a job opportunity, but the job plays out after a time, so even that isn’t a guarantee you’ll be in the golden city.
As a blind person, I’d say learn what resources are available and how to sign up and get on them in case the job you thought you had quits on you.
We aren’t able just to go flip burgers, or clean rooms until we find a better job, so we must pretend we won’t have one.
Now, if we do, and it works, then we are better, but if not, we’re okay.
We, if we’ve got bad habits, budgeting, and such, will take these rights along with us.
Changing our city/ following Jesus, won’t fix it at all.
Just how I view such things.
Wayne, what excellent thoughts! I should print this, and keep it. *smile* I'll remember it the next time I'm feeling homesick. Moving back would require just as much work and effort as learning the particulars of the new city/state.
yes i agree that it is best you check things out before you move to the city you wish to be in and make sure you have all that you need like accomadation, money, ect.
Wish you the best of luck and hope you can settle comfortably as i know how it is having to move quite a bit, it can be unsettling and not fun.
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