Who wants to move to Hawaii?

[drbill]

It was a bit cold this weekend, huh Dr. Bill!

Know you're kidding about that. Now I was Chicago born and raised, and survived the coldest day on record there (81 below with the wind chill), but I was also born smart... and moved away at the first possible opportunity. Back then I thought California was paradise, but as I age (gracefully of course) I'm starting to think the tropics and a 3mm shortie would be mighty nice!

 

[drbill]

I loved SoCal, but the abduction rate and all that was making me nuts.

Also..less emphasis on materialism is a refreshing change. Maybe because people can afford less? maybe that is a good thing..

Hmmm... I really haven't noticed much problem with abduction here on Catalina where you used to live... unless you're talking about some of the locals who appear to have been abducted by aliens.

Your second point would be a welcome change from certain areas of SoCal... even Catalina is getting more focused on materialism, and the lack thereof, in its population.

 

[Cacia]

I was only there part time Bill. It was very safe. OC was something else...you just did not let little children take the bus all over.

 

[KrisB]

LOL, I see him at HK 24 Hour Fitness regularly. Never takes his shades off....................

That's 'cause they're the Oakleys that have the MP3 player built-in!

 

[Jon C]

I loved SoCal, but the abduction rate and all that was making me nuts.

In keeping with the recent string of "Let's bash Catherine..." posts: Actually, it is a subduction zone here in SoCal. The tectonic plate is sliding UNDER the state.

If I knew anything about nutrition I'd try to help out on the other slug fest! But remember, I am always here to offer up something irrelevant to the conversation.

 

[Jon C]

Know you're kidding about that. Now I was Chicago born and raised, and survived the coldest day on record there (81 below with the wind chill), but I was also born smart... and moved away at the first possible opportunity. Back then I thought California was paradise, but as I age (gracefully of course) I'm starting to think the tropics and a 3mm shortie would be mighty nice!

Yeah, Chicago is known for cold weather and 2nd place football teams!

At your previous rate of migration west, you should be living on Yap within 5 years! But be careful, keep going and you end up with the Bears again!

Jon (Rams fan...no room to talk...but I still manage)

 

[RS]

Check out the job and housing markets before you make a choice...

Done. Own a house in Kapaa that is 1/2 paid off. We are going to keep for awhile, housing not good to sell now.

Job will be subcontractor for company that I work for now. I'm starting a long term job that will have work in Shanghai and San Francisco.

If this job falls through I'll try some of those schemes that Elvis did. You know, singin surfin' musician, pineapple magnate, coconut shredder. Something original for the Islands (ha!).

 

[RS]

There's a job market in Hawaii? I've had several friends who lived there for years move back to the mainland because they could no longer find work.

Of course I've been tempted myself, but have never even been to Hawaii. Thankfully the winter water temps here are a balmy 55-57 degrees so I can't complain about SoCal diving.

I think most jobs postings for rental car attendant and landscaping technician. Entry level.

 

[RS]

Hawaii is awesome and is a nice place to spend some time, it by no means is on our retirement list of places to be.
I think the diving is comparable on all Islands personally, and the cost of living on the BI is the lowest of all.
So, if you have the money, it may be a place you want to be, when we settle down it will be Alaska, Montana or Idaho.

I should say semi-retire, but we really just want to spend some time. Real retirement will probably be somewhere simlar to what you mention.

I haven't been diving on any of the islands, but I'm itchin' to go. We are heading on a cruise with NCL this year, I think in August. I probably won't dive w/ the cruise and will be asking around for local advice.

Some of the upcountry stuff on Maui wont kill you too bad but the median was around 775,000. Oahu sucks IMHO. North shore is very nice thou.

Yow! median $775k? Four years ago you could buy the whole Island for that (well maybe a house close to the beach). Haven't been to Oahu, but the wife agrees w/ you. By default, so do I.

Where in NoCal? Because property on Oahu is comprable to San Diego or Orange County. Oahu is a bit less than Santa Barbara. Yes, it's expensive relative to most places. But you don't need nice clothes...heat..or nor do you drive the distances you would drive in Cali. If you have school age children, the public school situation should be examined. Hawaii has the highest private school attendance of any state, because the public schools rank near the bottom.

I'm east of San Francisco, in a town called Benicia. They say it's 30 miles from SF and 30 miles from Napa, but I say it's right in the middle of a bunch of refineries. Actually, it's a pretty neat place, probably the only place I can live in the Bay Area, but it's nowhere near the real estate $$ of the places you mention.
Anyway, no kids so we can rough it in Hawaii. Get a cheap car and eat day old sushi. How long can you live on those little packets of ketchup and crackers? My only problem would be we are in bad w/ a neighbor lawyer already (he hates a big tree in our yard, and my wife loves it). Hopefully the tree will disappear from some mystery disease and we can make friends. I wouldn't kill it though. It's 1 foot outside our property in the Wailua River State Park. I think they lock you up for that don't they? Plus it is a cool tree. And every day it puts billions of tiny leaves that are like peanut skins in our neighbors pool!

Wow, has this been a topic in my house for years...and we're still here!

Ex-engineer or school teacher, made good money in California, sold everything, bought a 2 bedroom/one bath for $650,000, now work two jobs (gift store and Starbucks-12-14 hours a day) for $10.50 and hour, moved back to the mainland within 3 years.

I know people pull it off, but Hawaii is one of the few places a Californian can feel "sticker shock". You need to really plan the move if you want to duplicate your mainland lifestyle there.

Of course, if everyone could afford Hawaii...it would be ruined.

However, if I were single, I would do it in a minute. There would be no marital-collateral damage....

If we make it, come on over! We'll do double shifts at the Hertz place, then finish the night at Java Kai.

How did you know I'm an Engineer? Our plan is to own house outright and have a 5 year slush fund. Now, just how much is a five year slush fund in Hawaii?! (obviously I'm kidding...)

I did the job hunt in Kauai for about two months, then Oahu, then got setup another way (fingers crossed). Actually I found a few decent jobs on Oahu, but you'd have to fly to work.

You know, I didn't do ANYTHING when I was single. But that would definitely have been the time to check it out. Just leave my cinder block furniture in the street and get a oneway ticket. I say one-way but would end up getting the round trip.

Thanks for giving the tips! But enough about me, what do you think about me? (Courtesy Bette Midler) Seriously keep the ideas and anecdotes coming. I need the encouragement. About every 30 days or so.

End of long post.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

You guys sure think a lot, I'm just moving, screw it!!!