I'm retired and laid back. I moved here when my wife died to be with family and friends of 60 years. That's the reason I'm here. Family, friends and all that mushy stuff.
The obvious things keep me tied to Ohio: career, family, friends... but the perks are great: football is a 2nd religion, deer & turkey hunting is awesome, 4 seasons.. and I don't mind being in/near a 1.5 mil metro area. These are all things that agree with me. You're a young man on a solid path to success. You will have(and have had) more opportunities than most.. to travel, seek adventure and have the kind of fun that requires a certain amount of freedom. If I were in your shoes, I'd go with the flow for a while.. live in a Alaska for a bit, if that's what you really want. Take some trips. Check out the world and experience as much as you can, while you can. And keep in mind, T.. if you decide to settle in KY (or some other midwestern area), it doesn't mean you're not allowed to own/maintain a place in another part of the country. Ohio will always be my home, but I bet you I'll own a little slice of mountainside in CO someday... just wish I had the notion to get started at a younger age
I live in the house I grew up in. And when you have your own place with no rent or mortgage.... It's hard to think about living anywhere else. I have a hour long commute to work which I really don't like, but it's not bad. I can see it getting old in the next few years though... not old enough to go in debt though...
I shot a buck 100 Yds behind my house that scored 165 gross. In the summer, I fish on some of the best lakes in the country for walleye. Priorities.
The most important thing for me is my career. I could not live anywhere that I could not continue my career. It is the only thing holding me here. That, and it is a good distance from both mine and the wife's family. Close enough that they can visit for the day, but far enough away that they cannot just drop by. But if I was a single man, I would not be living here. I would probably be living in a larger city, like Austin, Seattle, or Denver, that was in close proximity to the outdoor things I enjoy, but also offered the more urban things that I enjoy as well.
The most important thing for me is my career as well. I've struggled with this over the past several years, but I'm still young enough that I'm not willing to take a pay cut or commute an hour each way to work. With that said, I'm 100% confident that there will be a tipping point in my life when the career means much less and I find a way to get closer to family and out of the suburbs. If I can find a way to do that in the next 5 years I'll be pretty lucky.
Gotta be able to fish, hunt and leave home without locking everything up. I love having a garden and good neighbors with whom I can share the goodies. And in the best of worlds... not a single neighbor with a dog that runs loose or barks at night.
I grew up here and moved back after college. There is no crime. Most people dont ever lock their house or cars. The schools are good. The hunting is great. The people are trustworthy and always willing to help. The economy is solid. The fishing is good and its an inexpensive place to live. All that being said, I will definitely have a place out west in the mountains where I will spend time every year when I retire.
Location, location, location. My job allows me to live where I want. As a bonus, Fall is our slow time so I can be in the woods. Cherry on top is that my Dad lives close.
