For those of you who don't already know, I'm moving across country next week. From California to Ohio. Some say I'm crazy.. but then again, I am a Mod ;) anyway, since I will be on the road pretty much all next week and we're not 100% I'll have service the first week on the other end... the challenge voting may be a day or two late in starting. I will have dial-up and a laptop with me, so I should still be able to get things rolling... but just in case, I wanted you all to be aware. Cheers and talk to you all from the other side. - James

Best of luck with your move (you're LEAVING Cali???) I hope you have a smooth transition and early 'net access! See you when you get there.

i hope it all goes well m8y. have fun :o)

As someone who thinks often of leaving California, I would not say for a second that you are crazy. Have a great trip! After you get settled in, we'll ask the big question: "Why Ohio?" (The correct answer: "Why not?") Have fun with the move!!!

Thanks Dialyn. :) A number of our friends and family think we are nutz, but what are you going to do? Some of the reasons for Ohio: Cost of living: In So. Cal - to one side, San Fernando valley (LA county)- average single family home (est. 2000- sq ft) = 450,000 Other side - Ventura County - same house = 525,000 Central Ohio - est. 200,000 - with a yard bigger than a postage stamp. So there is a big one. With what I do for work, I can honestly work from anywhere. So that's a plus. The systems I administer are also used by a large number of financial institutions; Ohio is pretty heavy in those. While not the technology bed of the world, and from what I've seen, perhaps even a little behind the technology curve in daily living... some thought has to go into that based on my experience. Oh... and there are a number of fair sized graphics houses in and around Columbus and the region. Pity. ;) So all in all, doesn't sound quite so crazy. On the personal side... I want to see more than 2 seasons. Fall - with all the colors and leaves. Winter - actual snow, not this power you have to drive all day to get to and it's 1/2 man made anyway. Will I miss the mountains & beaches? Yup. Can I live without them, replacing them with Forests and streams and fresh air - I think I can manage. ;)

I'm ready to go. :) My 900 square foot house in San Diego on a less than quarter acre of land has gone from $125,000 to being valued at over $400,000 (maybe more) in the time I bought it (six years ago). I live in a neighborhood of transient apartment dwellers who think nothing of trashing the property, drug dealers, and baby gangsters who are vicious because they believe they are protected by their age from persecution (they would be right in most cases). Why don't I move? Because the medium cost of a house is half a million dollars, and that's not an upgrade in neighborhoods from what I have. San Diego, where I was born, has gone from a lovely, laid back, polite town to a dirty, mean, broke city that is expensive and ill managed. Ohio doesn't sound that bad to me. Our beaches are polluted and our mountains suffer from the air pollution the winds blow into them. Forests, streams and fresh air sound wonderful to me. I would never argue with the need for a change. :)

So you all know.. We made it and are starting the lovely "unpacking" phase of moving. ;) Trying to get the broadband working again... in the mean time, we've got dialup (yuck). ;) Anyway... I'm back on and will be getting things rolling again. :) Cheers.