pricey ass hook.

It's All Clad.

Hey, does anyone live in Oakland?

I think that Javachik does

Hey, does anyone live in Oakland?

I think that Javachik does

And maybe Consuela?

And didn't Suzi just move from there?

I'm counting how long I have on my Mirena--just a tad over a year left. Not sure I want to go back to actually having periods.

I have less than a year. This makes me sad! I am debating its fate with myself a lot now. I mean, I want to make Certain People go get outpatient surgery, but OTOH, no bleeding!

Can you only have it once? They can't take it out and put a new one back in?

Oh, they can totally swap it out for a new one. I'm just trying to decide if I should give my body a break from the thing.

Wow, taking the plunge into Bitches to say, Nora, I live in the East Bay. Oakland is a great town full of fun neighborhoods but as with most places you have to be selective about choosing where to live. I think Oakland offers a lot of options depending on what you're looking for. Some neighborhoods I love include Lakeshore, Glenview, Piedmont Ave, and Temescal. Are you looking to buy or rent?

The city is broke and increasing their revenue any way they can - extending meters to 8 and handing out parking tickets like candy. If you won't have a car that won't be an issue. Some neighborhoods are close to transportation, but not necessarily the most livable ones. If you're after the urban lifestyle there are lot's of options in the Downtown area; otherwise at least consider a zip car or some backup transportation.

Are public schools a factor? If so, I'd consider some nearby cities instead, Albany, Alameda, etc. Not to say there aren't some good schools in Oakland. I'd be happy to give more thoughts via email. I think I have a profile address. If not, I'll make sure to add it.

Hey, does anyone live in Oakland? We are considering an initial move there (cause... cheaper and looks to be pretty well connected by the transportation system.) Thoughts? Pros? Cons? Perkins and PC, do you live in the East Bay?

I love Oakland! Because it is indeed cheaper, and it's easy to BART into the city when necessary. Truth be told, I haven't really figured out what Happens in the East Bay, since most of the concerts and theatre and whatnot I go to are in SF, but I like living away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. My area is pretty nice too, since I'm right by College and Piedmont, both of which have lots of nice eateries and bookstores. Consuela lives closer to Lake Merritt, which is also a good area. This is so exciting!! Oakland is good times, and it positions you better for the rest of the East Bay, whereas San Francisco positions you better for the South Bay, which can seem much farther from Oakland (places like Belmont and Mountain View and Palo Alto).

And didn't Suzi just move from there?

Suzi was in Alameda. Which is a quieter part of the East Bay and on an island and I don't really know what's really...there besides houses. And a naval base.

Nora - I lived in Alameda, which was right next to Oakland. Alameda is a fantastic place to live in the Bay Area. Small town feel but with easy access to everything.

With Oakland, it really depends on what neighborhood you end up in. Some parts are fantastic, others are extremely sketchy. Javachik or Consuela would probably have clearer advice to offer.

So should I move West too? What's the job market like?