Decisions, they are very tough and painful.

     I know many of you have noticed that I have been absent for quite some time. As I sit here this morning, this time away has given me ample of enough time to make many tough decisions and to breath easy and relax some, and I will state again, RELAX some. I haven't had a real vacation in 28 years and the past week and half has been great. Now, getting back on topic, we all are encompassed by many factors in life that affect our decisions for ourselves, our family, our finances, and our happiness. Since I graduated from college last September, I have been searching for new employment. Yes, I was in the commercial lawn management/landscaping in Florida and at the age of 43, it is taking its toll on me, mentally and of course physically. Go spend 6-8 hours in temperatures in excess of 90 degrees with heat index's well over 100 everyday for over 6 months at my age. If you can do it, well by God let me know and you can buy all my commercial equipment and go get heat stroke. My goal of having this business was to sustain me with a very comfortable lifestyle through school, giving me the flexibility to manage my business and learn as I went through school to obtain my business degree, and time with my boys. It was also good to have my own business as most of you know, the health of my father took a turn real quick and was able to spend time with him up to his death. Well yesterday, I accepted a position in Charlotte, NC and will start in two weeks.
     Most of and some of you know that JUGM has been in SC for the summer with the boys, well now we can become a family again. This decision has not been very easy. JUGM's parents are not in the best of health, and I feel that I will be a crutch for her, her sister, and unfortunately, her brother as both of my parents are gone and they have someone to lean on and help with estate and probate issues. We talk every night about her parents, and I hear her pain in every breath. With that being said, I have an underwater house in Florida, thanks to the US government approving and giving houses to people who couldn't afford them or a house with property in SC that is paid for. So, the house will be rented out until I can sell and break even. Property taxes in FL, in excess of $1600 per year, and going up. Property tax in SC is $253 for the first year and after one year, I file my exemption as a disabled veteran and it drops to $10, yes $10 a year. Gas, roughly .30 cents cheaper per gallon here in SC, food prices are cheaper, utilities are 1/2 to 2/3 cheaper, and saving the best for last, my auto insurance will drop from $212 a month to $95 and some change, that's a $1404 a year savings.
      Living in FL for the past 28 years has giving me a humbled opportunity to meet some great friends and that is what is stinging the most with this move. Yes, I have friends up here in SC, most I have known since I was running around this hill-top in Pampers with theml, but over the years we have maintained good relationships, even with me leaving for some many years. This community here is a very close knit group, we all know each other and have for a very long time and we all support each other. Not saying that I didn't have support in FL, I did and will always be a friend to my fellow group members there. Hell, now there is another place to relocate too if it hits the fan.
      So, I hope this blog post shows that I am still alive, JUGM did not wax me and collect insurance money. I have had a lot of interviews here in SC and NC and it has finally paid off. I still am scratching my head why no business in FL that had open positions did not want to take a chance with a disabled veteran who is a college honor graduate? Oh, by the way, USA JOBS is a FUCKING JOKE!!!!!! Sorry for my french but the VA will continue to be screwed up until they let veterans in there to fix it, so stop with the diversity bullshit!!!!! In closing, I look back at this whole process, it took awhile but persistence does finally pay off.

Senior