Moyer -- I hope you don't take offense to this, but I feel I need to say it:

If you wait to make the leap, you'll never make it.  When I was a road musician, we had a saying.  "There's drugstores everywhere."  In other words, wherever you go, the same stuff is there -- maybe with different company names, maybe different chains -- but no matter where you end up, there'll always be a drugstore.  So don't fret if you forgot your toothpaste, or run out of saline, there'll be a place to buy that stuff in the next town.

For you -- there's good jobs in San Diego, too.  Be where you want to be and don't make excuses. 

This is all out of love, Moyer, my little bro.  Live the dream -- this is your only life to live it in.

And Ed -- I'm glad to see you back, too (here and on Facebook).  Since I'm so busy being a big brother today, can I stick my nose in for you, too?

One of the most difficult times of my life was a year I spent unemployed in the early '90's.  My self-worth was low, my self-love was nearly non-existant.  And I wondered why that stuff was so tied into employment?  Is it really so deeply ingrained in us (Thank you, stupid Protestant upbringing) that our value is somehow tied into our employment status? 

Well, it's not, you know.  Some of the most brilliant of artists and the freeist of thinkers have been unemployed.  Mozart -- unquestionably the most genius composer in Western music history -- died destitute, penniless, buried in a pauper's grave.

Your value is greater than your employment.  Even in something as ridiculous as this thread, we miss your contribution -- we miss you.  Not your job, or lack of job.  You.

Work will come and go.  Careers dry up and die.  We change vocation sometimes as easily as our wardrobe.  But you'll still be you.  And that has more value than anything else.

Some heavy shit from Tom today.

Heavy shit is important and people need to hear it -- its the delivery that is so, so important.  And you delivered, man.  Honest, caring friends are what get us through the tough times.  Its why you're a mensch, Tom.

"Mensch" is Latin for -- outstanding human being.

Not looking for thread drift, but, hey, Geoff... how 'bout all the NJ scandals, eh? Not exactly a shocker, but still -- wow.

Its been a wild summer in NJ. 

Welcome back, Ed!  I hope things went well for you back in WMass.  Though, personally, I've found the area induces more stress than alleviating it.

I empathize with being dejected while unemployed.  I was unemployed for over a year and it was aggravating applying for jobs and not being given even a basic reply back.  An acknowledgement goes a long way. 

Tom made a good point (as usual) about how our sense of self-worth being so tied into our employment status.  It's unfortunate, but our careers shouldn't define who we are.  I'd like to think we're a bit more complex than that.  Know who you are, not what others think you are.

Take care and keep us posted.