(1) metropolitan areas outside California can still be pretty interesting culturally (Indy has a burgeoning Latin American community and plenty of ethnic restaurants of all kinds by now);

(2) the cost of living is so much lower (I have a 2BD, 2BA apartment for a little more than what I was paying for a room in a house in SF, and I could definitely buy a house here on a nonprofit salary… in CA, not so much);

(3) if you have computer/web skills, they may be worth a lot more outside of tech-savvy CA — I am much more indisposable out here to my employers (which is a very good thing right now); and

(4) I enjoy cultural tourism, and the “stranger in a strange land” aspect is endlessly entertaining. And scary, for a liberal, but I hear it’s good to know your enemy.

I’d definitely say, give it a try if you can afford the move. You can always move back… and there are always vacations.

As for your job… you need to schedule a meeting to sit down with your boss and explain your situation. Tell him/her that you are looking to advance out of that position. Go in “fully loaded” with all of your accomplishments and ask to discuss a career path.

Everything happens for a reason - good luck, bad luck - who knows?

I can’t offer any helpful advice or parrot any bumper stickers to help you deal with your parents. Sometimes I feel like mine like Katie better, too, but the situation is different and it can’t possibly be true, anyway.

As for Kay: what the hell? Her responses kind of sound like she feels the same weirdness about your relationship as a result of RAM’s reading issues. She doesn’t WANT to have a huge argument with you over it. Maybe she just expects you to step up and fix it because that’s what she asked you to do; meanwhile, she isn’t really taking any decisive action unless it’s to reschedule RAM’s lessons. Not cool.

But I also think that had you told Kay when she asked to reschedule “No this is the time, have him here or we are done”. Instead of just quitting, it would have added value to your free time. If you want to help tell her that you have time set aside twice a week at blah blah time and if he is there great, if not, he doesn’t get to learn that week. you stick to the schedule and if she can’t you can only be there for RAM.

Family ALWAYS get nicer the further from them you are.

How sad is it you can see what Kay’s kid needs better than she can?

My parents started being a hell of a lot nicer to me when I moved three hours away, and I became the good child when I moved 2,500 miles away. Just so you know.