EDITOR’S NOTE: Here’s part two of that awesome Cleveland tourism youtube. Cannot. Stop. Laughing.

Some of you have been asking, so here’s an update on my move to California:

It looks like I am going to be starting my new job in June, so I will be around longer than I originally thought.  This actually works out well because I will now be in town at least up until my brother’s wedding in April.  This also gives me a ton of time to clean up the house.

As an aside (and warning), my future sister-in-law Courtney gave me her scanner.  Over the weekend, I scanned a lot of old pictures that I have collected/found during my house cleanup.  I have seriously found boxes that I haven’t even opened since I bought the house in 2003.

I also have to admit that the thought of moving to San Francisco (as opposed to SoCal) still lingers.  It just seems like SF would be a better fit for me.  I am so much more a Bay guy rather than an LA guy.  No city (other than Boston) has ever elicited a response from me like San Francisco.  No matter what happens, I can pretty much guarantee that I will live there before I move back to this area.

One of ways I learned of this response has been from watching “The Bachelor” recently.  And before you say it: I know, I know – the velveeta quotient on the show is off the charts.  I started watching this season because I was instantly smitten after seeing Ali, one of the girls on the show.  Ali grew up in Western Massachusetts and now lives in, you guessed it: San Francisco.   She is probably going to be the bachelorette in the next show, so I will probably be watching that as well.

Deal with it.

“The Bachelor” has great scenery (heh).  Whenever they show the aerial shots of “The City,” I can’t help but think maybe I’d be better off just moving to San Francisco.  This also happens when hear a blurb about an Olympian from the Bay Area, or hear/read something about the city by the bay.  For some reason, I feel a real connection to that place and have ever since my first visit in 2004.

Time will tell where I end up, I guess.

(Oh yeah…..USA! What a win last night.)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The meeting went pretty well Monday.  I am remaining hopeful that everything gets worked out.

I’ve been trying to think of a funny or witty way to write this entry but I can’t.  So, I’ll just say it.

Initially, my heart was set on moving to the Bay Area.  I never really could picture myself living in Southern California.  I’m not a fan of LA in general (or the Lakers), but have always enjoyed my visits there.  San Francisco and the Bay Area seem like they would be much more in line with my personality.

But, when Tony called me about the job everything changed.  My plan was just to sell the house and move out to San Francisco, job or not.  The worst real estate market of our lifetimes set in and selling the house has been much tougher than I originally anticipated.  With a job, I could still move out west even if the house wasn’t sold.  Worst case, I could rent it out.

With the state of the current economy, it would be really foolish to move west without a job.  The job opportunity Tony and I have been talking about has been very exciting to me.  It is in a field I have experience in and always been interested in.  Another very attractive part of the job offer was the fact that I would be working in Santa Monica.  Whenever I have visited Southern California, Santa Monica has always been my favorite part.  I could definitely see myself living and working there.

Also, I think the transition of living on the West Coast would be much easier with all of the family I have in Southern California.  I don’t have any family in Northern California at all.  It would mean a whole lot to me to develop relationships with some of the people on my ex-father’s side of the family.  Plus, Las Vegas is only 3.5 hours away by car.

San Francisco will always be there.  The best part about all of this is the uncertainty.  I could be back here in Boston in 6 months, love LA and stay forever, or eventually end up in the Bay Area.  Who knows where any of this will lead?

I’m really burnt out on talking and thinking about California, so I’m going to change it up.  My next entry will be Golden State free.

Promise.

Conan O’Brien said this on his final show last Friday night:

“Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism.  For the record, it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get.  But, if you work really hard, and you’re kind, amazing things will happen. I’m telling you, amazing things will happen. I’m telling you, it’s just true.”

Conan hits the nail square on the head here.  Furthermore, instead of attacking NBC (after being royally screwed by them), he took the high road and thanked them.  Very classy move, IMO.

My big announcement was that I had accepted a job in Santa Monica.  I was set to start on Monday, February 15th.  I accepted a position to work for my cousin’s IT company.  My cousin’s company is contracted by another company to handle some of their IT staffing.  The plan was for me to replace another guy who had just given his notice and was moving out of the area.

Unfortunately, yesterday I got a very apologetic call from my cousin saying that the funding for my position is probably going to be put on hold for a few months.  This is also a blow for him as the client in question is his best customer.  There is a meeting later today to further discuss the situation.  I don’t blame my cousin for any of this.  In this economy, there are many uncertainties in every workplace.  Everyone is trying to save a buck wherever and whenever they can.

In actuality, I have no announcement other than that I almost was moving to California.  I still may move there, but not as quickly as originally anticipated.

This has been an emotional roller coaster for me.  I went from having to prepare myself to leave Boston within three weeks, right back to where I was about a week ago.  The realization of leaving my home of 30+ years was definitely an exhausting proposition.  Today will be the fifth consecutive day that I have plans to meet up with someone (or people) to say my goodbyes.  I started this process Thursday night.  Saturday night, I met up with a group of friends and leaving them was very tough.  I began to tear up just as I walked away from the bar.  At that moment, the reality of leaving Massachusetts finally hit me.

A good thing about this scenario is that it has given me a glimpse of what it actually feels like to be leaving Boston.  I’ve also been able to tell some of the people that mean a lot to me how much I will miss them.  Another positive is that this experience has sparked ideas for some new blog entries.  With a hat tip to Erin McCarley, I had my story to tell.

I am grateful for all the offers to help and all of the sage advice I have received.  It has also been very humbling to hear all of the kind words and encouragement from many of you over the past week.  Sometimes, news of a cross-country move will elicit feelings that are often left unsaid.

Oh yeah, as for my hint:

It was triply good and here’s why:

1) Schwarzenegger is the Governor of the State of California.

2) Before he was Governor, Ahhhnold was a big Hollywood actor.

3) In his most famous line he says, “I’ll be back.”

I have been thinking about moving to California for the past seven months.  Moving back to Massachusetts at some point has always been part of that equation.

Where does all this leave me now?

I am going to take Conan’s advice and not be cynical.  I am going to remain hopeful that things will eventually work out.

Stay tuned….

because there have been a few inquiries….

….it’ll be all right.

I’m going to use this space today to plug Monday’s upcoming blog entry.  If things fall as they should, I think you’re not going to want to miss it.  Please do not email/text me asking for hints.

In the interest of fairness, I will give you one, somewhat vague, yet quite brilliant hint:

“Schwarzenegger”

Lastly, let’s try this again: Jets/Saints

Have a great weekend, everyone! Make the most of every day.