{{sj}}

I really like the idea of moving to be near family.

Whereas I really like the idea of not living anywhere near family. I guess it depends on the family. I think it's healthier for Mal to be around his self-selected "family" than his biological one.

The moving constantly is odd; I never feel like I really leave people behind, because we're just as likely to serve together at an onward assignment or keep in touch via the Internet. But because of the moving, we never commit anywhere. We always sit lightly, like oil on water. It's not a bad feeling; I suspect I would chafe if forced to remain in one place forever. And there are all kinds of cool experiences and people.

It would be nice to have my own furniture, and not furniture bought in bulk, though.

It's not a bad feeling; I suspect I would chafe if forced to remain in one place forever.

When we were in our third year out of college, DH became incredibly cranky and itchy for several months. Growing up, the longest tour his family ever had was 4 years, so to be in year 3 and not know where we were going next was very difficult.

We get to take our own furniture (yay DoD!) but it's starting to get pretty banged up after so many moves. There are definitely family I would *not* want to live near.

I guess my complaint really has to do with where we end up moving to. Ft. Lewis, Ft. Carson, Ft. Benning, and Ft. Bragg are all about 1-2 hours from some really cool places. We are always far enough away from the fun places that I feel like I live in the sticks. Rio and Monterrey were both cool places in and of themselves and I liked that. I'm hoping San Juan will be the same.

Toto keeps trying to sit in the sun, but it keeps moving, and he's getting so confused. It's kind of funny.

We had nice long tours. But around year six I do start to wonder...not looking for an answer about where I'm going next, because we never seemed to find out where we were going next until the last possible moment.

I'd like to make it happily past year seven here -- as opposed to the trapped feeling I got in MI (I did bolt, but practicality pulled me back).

I noticed recenty that I've been doing about three years and out for the last decade or so. I'm just getting into year three here in Chicago, but I'm hoping to make this one stick. For sure I've never felt so at home in any of the other cities, cool as they all were in one way or another.

Wired news has an article on a couple-based game that sounds...interesting... [link]

Stephanie, will you guys be in Puerto Rico by May?

I've been overdue for move for so long, I think it's starting to build up exponentially. It was one of the things I loved about the Navy. New place every 3 years and I didn't have to do my own packing! Now, though, I've gotten to where I hate the moving process so much from moving myself 8 times in the last 13 years that I don't want to move again even though I want to move again.

That, and more of my family is here with me and I'm torn between staying close to them and between moving where I really want to be, California. Still, I've been in the same spot for 10 years, now, and that urge to get out. get out. get out. has been overwhelming for about the last 3 years.

{{sj}} That's sucky. But, it sounds like you''ve got a solid plan in mind. You'll make it work.