Quote:
Originally Posted by emathias
I just accepted a job that will put me in that highest income group, but requires I commute to and likely move to Miami. Ideally I'd do it long enough that I could prove out that I can do the work and then take a job back in Chicago at even higher income. On the off chance Amazon lands in Chicago that would become easier. I'm 44, though, recently divorced, and gay, so I don't really fall into the "starting a family" category despite the fact that I would have loved to have kids - I know gay couples can adopt or do surrogacy, but it's so much harder that for straight couples that can just accidentally start a family. It's really the only thing I'm still conflicted about when it comes to being gay.
Even if I do actually move to Miami, I will almost certainly keep my condo here in Chicago, maybe renting it out, maybe not, because I have enough ties here still that I'd like to keep a base even if I don't live here 100% of the time. I wonder how many other people are like me.
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As someone who lived in Miami for close to 2 years after law school, I don't envy you at all. Miami is VASTLY overrated. A country/party city in many respects but more than that... a city that caters to sleeze... clubs, strip clubs and little run down hole in the walls are king. And somewhat surprisingly the downtown is virtually lifeless. The beaches are where the action is at but even those get old as they are often overcrowded and flooded with teens and twenty somethings on drinking binges. It is easy to see why Miami is glamorized on TV and movies though - the party atmosphere and beaches - but it offered very little outside of that. The whole Miami scene was a rude awakening for me - I could not wait to get out of there.
On the plus side, if you have big money... and I do mean, BIG money (
millions in disposable income) you could have an entirely different experience down there. You know, the whole yacht/club VIP room treatment thing. It is sort of a "haves" versus "have not's" place with a giant gulf dividing the two worlds. There is no real middle ground unless you are into strip clubs and partying all the time. For you, as a gay man, I honestly can't say what that experience would be like in Miami. I will say that although Miami is a party city there is a streak of red-neck culture down there of intolerance that you will want to keep an eye on.
Good luck to you no matter what you decide.