Big News

I'm moving home, back to Minnesota.

Some of you (who are friends or family from back home, or around here) have known for a while that I've been hoping to leave Texas to go back home. Dad's survived two bouts with cancer, grandpa is looking more and more unhealthy each time I see him, and I have over 100 relatives all living in Minnesota. Basically, I'm tired of never being around or seeing family, and no one is getting any younger. Also, I miss my friends from back home tons. So I made the decision to start finding a way to move back home last Fall.

Before I go any further, I should mention that I'm going to continue to work for REAL Software -- I'll just be working remote.

This winter, just before taking my Christmas vacation I decided it was time to get serious about moving back. So I interviewed with a company down in the Twin Cities for a programming position. They offerred me a job, but I decided to turn it down because I really enjoy working with REAL Software. I figured I would check with Geoff about working remote and he came back after thinking about it for a weekend and gave me the go-ahead. So that's the work situation side of things.

I plan on leaving Austin in late April or early May (it's looking like the last week of April to be closer to the mark). This gives me a chance to get RB 6 out the door, speak at Real World 2005, get the planning meeting for the next version done, as well as be around for Elissa's 21st birthday. More than likely, I'll be moving into my parent's basement while searching for a house. I figure I'll get a jump on house hunting while I'm down here, but there'll probably be a month or two lapse between the move and actually closing on a house. I am thinking of looking for homes around St Augusta, Clearwater, Big Lake, that general area. I'd like to be out in a more rural area (but I still need high-speed internet access, obviously) but still be close enough to civilization that I can trek in if I feel like it. If you have any suggestions of good towns to go check out, lemme know. ;-)

I am sorry to be leaving many good friends behind in Austin, but am looking forward to seeing old friends and family (as well as making new friends) in Minnesota. This is going to be a big, but exciting change in my life. I moved down to Texas and it was a real leap of faith. I didn't realize just how hard it would be to live without ever seeing relatives or friends. Now that I get to move back home, I have to find a way to say goodbye to my friends here -- not an easy task to do. Leaving Texas means I make a lot of people back home happy, but it also means I made people in Texas sad. Myself -- I'm torn. There are a lot of great things in Texas (both in terms of people, and just the state itself) that I am leaving behind, and there are a lot of great things in Minnesota that I am going to. So while I'm happy to be moving back home, it's still bittersweet.

Thanks to everyone for your support!