Great thread Dusty, and as one of the people that recently left I would be glad to tell people why.

In Connecticut I lived alone with my son. I worked a 40 hour week like anyone else, and I made OK money. I was able to keep my head slighty above water in CT, but it was always paycheck to paycheck for me... frustrating sometimes.

I don't have any other family... just my son and me, ad so for us,we are an island and we can go anywhere... I am surprised I stayed in CT for as long as I did. If it weren't for a few good friends, I probably wouldn't have stayed as long as I did.

The cost of living is set up in CT so that you almost need a two income household to have a better quality of life. Down here in Texas, I bought a home within a few months of coming down here and I am doing fine.

In CT, I can't count how many times some a$$hole was riding my a$ on the highway or back road like they were trying to get to a fire... and likewise, I can't count how many times I locked up my breaks and got out to ask them what the problem was...I truly have not had any of that kind of problem the entire time I have been here. Surely, each state has it's share of a$$holes, but it has been my expereince that due to the atmosphere and hustle and bustle of CT, there are a lot more thre than most other places I have been...

In CT, you have overpopulation... Traffic jams, businesses all throughout the residential areas.. craziness. Down here, everything is spread out nicely.. I love it.

You know when people ask me why I moved here, the short answer is BLOOD PRESSURE... the long answer comes in the form of a story. When I first came down hre in March of last year to work I was in a grocery store one day and another customer started speaking to me about a product... I thought to myself... WEIRDO. A little while later, and a few isles over, another customer and another conversation initiated... WEIRDO... Then when I got to the cashier, it was all talk and smiles, and I thought to myself... WEIRD - OH.

Truth was, I was the weirdo. I was so used to strangers being nice as an intro to asking you for money, or having some other alterier motive. I was used to having my change put on the counter for me to pick up myself... I was so used to the lifestyle of coming and going with no stop in between that I was overwhelmed with the atmosphere here.

I think what keeps most poeple where they are is fear... fear of leaving friends and family behind, fear of starting over somewhere, or fear of the unknown. I was very nervous about picking up everything I had, selling most of what I owned and coming here, but in the short time I have been here I have never doubted that it is one of the best decisions I have ever made for my son and I. I own a home, put a lot of nice things in it, to include a beautiful southern woman with whom I am in love, and life is good...

And oh yeah, I got a little girl on the way. Life just doesn't get any better for me... and throughout all of this, I still haven't ben out fishing, so the icing on the cake is still to come.

Life is short everyone, quit complaining and live it to the fullest. Take care.