First Contact

Eric and I have been contemplating his meeting with the Toronto employer scheduled this Monday.

Probably of more significance is that we are "out of the closet" with our families regarding not only our desire to move to Canada but the active nature of it. I think this is a bigger deal because my brother, sister-in-law and nephew also live in the bay area. We'd be leaving them. My parents both live on the East Coast - Long Island, New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their location might not seem a significant factor except that they are both over seventy years of age and, I think rightly, having both their sons in the same area is comforting to them. We all wonder if they'd ever relocate to the S.F. Bay Area. The cost of living is prohibitive for them both. I am, however, a strong believer in human nature and circumstance and figure that it's just a matter of time before necessity of their age makes it an inevitability. Does my moving out of the area make the situation more difficult? Hard to say.

I recently had a chat with friends of ours who had a job offer in London, England. One of the reasons they mentioned for not accepting it was their older parents who live in the Los Angeles area. I could sympathize with this immediately. One would like to think that they will be able to take care of their parents properly in their old age but it's really difficult to know exactly what that will involve. Or where.

In any case, my brother seems understanding. His wife and he recently had to make a similar decision regarding whether to relocate. Their situation allowed them the option of staying - which they chose to do. My brother's concerns for Eric and I were mostly of a professional nature.

Eric's brother and sister have also been informed of our intentions and I am told they took the news well. They are significantly younger than the two of us and I believe I am warranted in wondering if they have completely contemplated the significance of our moving out of the area.

The meeting between Eric and the Toronto employer is this Monday...