When Everything Changes...

[Kirstie]

So you're going to have fun counter-arguing with the NIMBYs on Wolff Island* then? And I expect you to have taken up kite surfing by next May...

*they just put up a massive amount of wind turbines where FM is going to live and people are moaning like crazy...

 

[col]

Your living the dream, congratulations and good luck, sounds great.

 

[Arch]

I guess my big change was waking up one day and thinking "I'd like to study archaeology at University". It was almost as sudden at that, too - I'd done an OU degree but it hadn't got me out of the deadend job I'd got myself stuck in. Coming to York, meeting particular people... I wouldn't be here without that decision, for a start, because it was someone I met here who got me into cycling.

Nearly 10 years on, there have been loads of ups, and some monumental downs, and I'm getting to the end of an academic path that seemed right at the time, but seems less like what I want now. Maybe it's time for another upheaval, maybe not.

I quite like the idea of living in France, you know...

Congratulations on the baby front, FM!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

So you're going to have fun counter-arguing with the NIMBYs on Wolff Island* then? And I expect you to have taken up kite surfing by next May...

*they just put up a massive amount of wind turbines where FM is going to live and people are moaning like crazy...

The turbines are great! And I met no-one on the Island in my week there who is opposed to them - and I met a lot! - if there are any, they seem to be in a very small minority. The media seem to have blown up the issue - they are know claiming across the water in the USA that the turbines were causing people to be 'depressed' - they only turned the first few on last week, so I don't know where they got that from! There are quite a few people in Kingston who think that their view has been spoiled or seem uneasy about them... but then what do they think Kingston's hideous new waterfront condos look like to the people on the Island? And they don't even do anything useful...

 

[Kirstie]

I think they add a bit of height to the place, I must say. I would get horizontigo if I lived in Kingston (think about it...)

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I think they add a bit of height to the place, I must say. I would get horizontigo if I lived in Kingston (think about it...)

The community side more than makes up for it. The Island is a whole different place even than Kingston... we've made more friends there in the few days we were visiting than in the few years we've lived in North Shields... and this is supposed to be one of the friendlier parts of Britain. We will have neighbours to talk to and help out (and vice-versa). There's no police and no CCTV cameras and yet no crime and people leave their doors open. There's an organic buffalo (bison) farm, lots of self-builders and back-to-the-landers and young families and diversity too. It felt 'right' as soon as we got there and the house was just made for us. I've been looking for home all my life, and I think I might have finally found it.

Can you tell I'm happy?

 

[PaulB]

And, as I mentioned in Cathryn's thread, my wife is pregnant when we had almost given up hope of it happening. Five or six years ago I didn't even know if I would be alive today let alone being about to start the life that I had always wanted.

The inherent beauty in that simple, almost throwaway sentence really brought a lump to my throat. I wish you the very, very best and never forget that you deserve it.

 

[Kirstie]

The community side more than makes up for it. The Island is a whole different place even than Kingston... we've made more friends there in the few days we were visiting than in the few years we've lived in North Shields... and this is supposed to be one of the friendlier parts of Britain. We will have neighbours to talk to and help out (and vice-versa). There's no police and no CCTV cameras and yet no crime and people leave their doors open. There's an organic buffalo (bison) farm, lots of self-builders and back-to-the-landers and young families and diversity too. It felt 'right' as soon as we got there and the house was just made for us. I've been looking for home all my life, and I think I might have finally found it.

Can you tell I'm happy?

Yes - I just hope it all goes well for you!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

oh my...

 

[Abitrary]

.

This is all great for us. But I want to know your stories. When will / did your life change? What would be the transformation you would want?

compadre, none of this has yet come to pass. This thought would have best been harvested at a moment when the seed of you dreams had fruited.

In fact your blatant denial of the fate gods will result in such hubris that will make the apprentice look like playschool.

In fact I can see your moving to canada resulting in the fate gods smiting actual canada, with lightening, and making it sink like a trendy atlantis, with neil young draped in a canadian flag atop it singing 'only love can break your heart' as it sinks.

You've killed canada now. Idiot.

 

[Chuffy]

compadre, none of this has yet come to pass. This thought would have best been harvested at a moment when the seed of you dreams had fruited.

In fact your blatant denial of the fate gods will result in such hubris that will make the apprentice look like playschool.

In fact I can see your moving to canada resulting in the fate gods smiting actual canada, with lightening, and making it sink like a trendy atlantis, with neil young draped in a canadian flag atop it singing 'only love can break your heart' as it sinks.

You've killed canada now. Idiot.

And you've made me grin. Idiot...

Good luck FM, I know all this has been brewing for a long time. As for other stories, well it was five years ago last week that I packed in life as I knew it, jumped out of the plane and hoped that I'd packed a parachute and not an anvil. Happily it's worked out pretty damn well.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

And you've made me grin. Idiot...

Good luck FM, I know all this has been brewing for a long time. As for other stories, well it was five years ago last week that I packed in life as I knew it, jumped out of the plane and hoped that I'd packed a parachute and not an anvil. Happily it's worked out pretty damn well.

I'm not so sure about that, I've seen the photos!

Abitrary, you are a complete mentalist and I love you dearly...

 

[stoatsngroats]

It seems you may be living my dream too.....

 

[Globalti]

Er, FM, I've got bad news for you.... the Canadians won't give you a visa if that's your passport photo.

Seriously though, I know what you mean by finding yourself at a T junction in life. Met a few of those in my time as well and I often wonder where I'd be now if I'd turned left instead of right! I quite envy you going to Canada, what a great experience. Hope you like folk music.

 

[jonesy]

Been catching up posts... congratulations FM! Everything will indeed change now, even if you weren't planning to change country and job as well!