After 24 yrs wife wants a divorce and half. Always wanted to move West.

So if I can't afford to buy her out and keep the home ( live on the mnt with acres).

Which state should I really consider. ( Im an RN and can get a job anywhere)

Looking at WY , CO , MT.

All opinions Welcome! and reasons appreciated


Just fishin for some info!

Hi Swift, oboy life changes. I'm a semi-retired RN, and have lived in WY for 24 yrs or so. If you have a certified specialty, especially in ICU, cardiac, ER, there's well paying jobs in WY.
Otherwise hospitals are cutting staff to the quick, and pay poorly with crappy hr/standby etc. We can thank Obamacare and cuts in medicare reimbursement, and unreimbused care for ER visits. Rural hospitals are financially hurting. So if you have a good job where you are, you may want to stay there for now. Wyoming is great for the outdoors, but really lousy socially. People tend to be clannish
and a bit zenophobic. A boom/bust state currently in bust, means folks are in competition with each other for what jobs are available, and can be downright brutish about it. Don't expect intellectual stimulation, as many folks never emotionally graduated high school. But cost of living fairly ok, open carry, conceal carry without permit a plus. Wyoming has the highest suicide rate per capita in the US, so...

I also lived in Colorado. Jobs paid more, but cost of living higher and there's state income tax. Its a good outdoor living state. I absolutely loved the social atmosphere, and always found folks, co-workers etc to do things with. People were just friendlier than those in Wyoming, and had a little more going on upstairs. Now, I was there before pot got legalized, so have to qualify that. There's bigger towns, hence bigger hospitals, so I would think better RN opportunities. And those hospitals generally have a higher standard of care, as some of them are magnet hospitals, and nationally recognized specialty hospitals. JMHO

I'm not in your situation and I know you will make the best choice, for you, but... I would think twice about Co., as long as Chickenfugger or any of his crowd are in charge.

Must be something in the water. Its seems to be happening all over.

Get a PI!!!
Thers another man.
Women are like monkeys.
Not letting go of one vine till they have hold of another.
The 2-3k you spend catching her will seem like chump change compared to what you'll save down the road.

I would look at Nebraska or South Dakota? Good hospital systems in Nebraska. South Dakota has always intrigued me but don't know much about it. Sioux Falls possibly or Rapid City?

Consider South Dakota because they have almost no unemployment and are paying workers very well.

Do you realize what a pompous ass you sound like?
You'd probably like WY better if you climbed down off your high horse and stopped looking down your nose at everyone else.

Don't overlook Utah or Idaho, either. Both are deeply conservative, gun friendly, great economies, and smack in the middle of the Rockies.

Utah has many great hospitals and research centers, the Huntsman Cancer Institute being just one.

My thoughts as well.

I'm too old to care. For several years I was a cheerleader for Wyoming, until I began to see the veneer peeling away. Facebook exposes the underbelly and general attitudes of homogenous Wyoming, its layers upon layers of nepotism, the myth of the cowboy way, how its seniors are actually regarded/disregarded.
The mantra of conservative, freedom loving, no nonsense state is a culture of stagnant, good ol' boy back slapping basement dealing
with your own. City governments are run by generations of extended family, and disagreement amounts to personal attacks, and threats to get those who don't stay in lockstep fired. I've been in Wyoming long enough to speak my mind, without having to offer platitudes, or act like a "lady." I'm sure Wyoming will survive. Me, I'll retire somewhere else. Famous last words of
Doctors, many who have recently left Wyoming..."this is a toxic place." For many reasons.

Were it me, I'd have to consider Texas. Having lived there, I can't think of another Western state with as much to offer - though driving across the state is like crossing the friggin country!

That aside its a pretty apt description.

thats if you enjoy heat. I don't. its tougher and tougher to make each summer.

I'm betting from PA though, you hate cold so TX might be an option.

I would not consider CO as much as I like the state, I could not live there.

Good luck.

Give the marriage a go with counseling though IMHO.

Not an option. Shes an addict and has torn the family apart.

Please keep the opinions coming I appreciate!

Colorado = Kalifornia East

The summers here can be brutal but I find the extreme amounts of pollen the worst part.

I've been thinking Wyoming would be a nice place to go when I get laid off but now I'm wondering. Alaska seems too expensive and remote but I think I'd enjoy it for a while. I haven't crossed Idaho or Montana off my list either.

Right now I have MT and WY on my short list.

What's the guys name she's addicted to?

I too would consider Idaho.

Actually, it sounds like an apt description for most of small town America. Doesn't make it a bad place...

People are people wherever you find them. Always figured that if a new neighbor shows up neighborly, has something to offer, and tries to fit in, they usually will.

I've been the new guy here and there. I try to avoid the pitfall of reminding everyone how we did it back where I came from.
There are a few things that I am particularly good at. I try not to overemphasize what I can do and concentrate instead on what needs done.

Sounds like Wyogal found her niche there, but is now itching for something new. Luck to her.
If Swift winds up there, I'll wish him well.

Comment- Swift, you mentioned above that your wife wants a divorce and her 1/2. Sounds like you're every bit as ready as she is for this.
Anyway... Move somewhere else for a bit before you decide where you want to settle in. You'll likely have some rough, raw edges after the divorce dust settles. Maybe smooth a few of them off on neighbors who you don't figure to be with for long.

Just my 2 cents...

OT, a bit anyway, but whats with folks married 20 plus years all of a sudden splitting...

I can see it 5 years or so.

Is it hormones in women? Mine sure wouldn't want anotehr man ever again after me. But not all are the same. I"m same, I love my wife and marriage, but dang if I'd want to do it again. Especially after 20 some years invested.

Good luck.

I"d nix CO for sure just because what all liberal is going on there... great place to visit, not sure I could handle the politics and costs of living.

RE moving west for social life ain't it, I agree, but if I wanted a social life I"d be one that lived in NYC or such and could stand it... UGH.

This is not necessarily condemnation in my eyes. My family has divided into those who settled close to home, and those who went military and or college and moved elsewhere for work.

The area I'm from tends to be clannish and xenophobic. The way they do things works for them, and they are not much open to new ideas, or ways. Even when suggested by kinfolk who have lived elsewhere, and/or experienced different things.

In areas that are more sparsely populated, guys tend to be in tune with others from their area. Not so much with others who talk, dress, and act differently.
And you won't tune in with them by trying to talk and dress like them. Some places you can be there for 25 years and everybody considers you "the new guy".
Live with it...

youtube seems to have made more difference around my home area than the interstates ever did...

keep the opinions coming boys and girls

Much uncertainty in my future also.

I thank you all for contributing to his thread.
I've always leaned toward western Wyoming but have good friend in Belgrade Montana with an open invite which keeps me interested.
He does very well hunting and slays the coyotes, averaging 60-70/yr.

Another close fiend lives in the epicenter of Oregon's best hunting and fishing and taunts me with photos of big fish, giant blacktails and piles of dead waterfowl.

Best of luck to you Swift, hope you find your place.

well, since you asked, come to Louisiana, Lafayette has some great hospitals and some of the most beautiful ladies you'll ever see, I promise. Plus we have great fishing all over the place and Hunting too, but you would have to find a club to join for hunting, I hunt both LA and Mississippi - Great Whitetail hunting in the Natchez MS area and since you have a good job, I am sure you can afford it.

the Social life down here is awesome, lots of festivals year round, New Orleans French Quarter is only 2 hours away.

Lots of good food, restaurants and Live Music, lots of Seafood, Nice clubs, bars etc.. very friendly people - thats for sure

This past weekend was the Crawfish festival in Breaux Bridge LA, 15 min from Lafayette

yeah it gets hot in the summer, but you'll get used to it, we very seldom get snow, Winters are mild, we have 4 seasons hear.

never understood why SteelHead left :-)

Trust me, I miss it.

If I were an RN and footloose and fancy free, I'd sure give the "travelling nurse" gig a shot: from what I hear, good money and a chance to see the country. I wouldn't be looking to put down roots for a while.

Hey Swift,

Sorry to hear about the end of your marriage.

With regards to where to live I'll second Rocky Raab's suggestion of Idaho or Utah. I've been in Cache Valley Utah for 23 years. You just have to accept the idiosyncrasies and life is easy. At this point I don't want to change what the Mormon's have going, it works plenty ok for me; they're conservative, against crime, pro family, good neighbors and I have the mountains pretty much to myself on Sundays.

Dittos, if I were to move to a new local I'd be in no hurry to set down roots. Give any new local two years to see what it's really like to live there.

RN's always seem to be in demand and well compensated in Alaska. Yes, Alaska is expensive but done right it offers a lifestyle and quality of living you won't get anywhere else.

My niece & nephew are both RN's (as is my wife), & they both recently got jobs easily in Bozeman.

Missoula or Billings will be about the same availability.

Idaho Fall & Pocatello should be easy to find work & are both nice places to live & close to plenty of hunting.

Utah is nice too if you can tolerate the Mormons.

MM

Thanks for the responses. I have lazily delved into tax stuff and am making a list of the most tax friendly western states. I know I can score a job anywhere. Been an ER RN 20 out of my 25 yr career.

When my now ex wife said she wanted a divorce... I said sure and went out and slept with her best friend.

Too bad that Colorado is considered to be all Denver by people that do not or have ever lived there. The rest of the state is top notch, especially southern, northern, and western parts. And get east of the front range a few miles and all is well. Chickenpooper's rules are ignored in the good parts of the state.

Wyoming is just another beautiful state with more antelope than people and they don't cause any problems. Lots of public land there that really is open to the public. Excellent fishing holes abound. Weather is very seldom extreme one way or another and when it gets that way, it's not for a long period of time. Life is good there. Wages are not over the top but neither are living expenses. Great place.

Montana isn't much different but lots of genuine open public land is harder to find. Seems like nearly all the ranchers have their land posted but most will grant permission to hunters at least once.

I have lived several years in each state and the main reason I live in Billings is because this is where my family live. To choose which of the three states would be the better or the worse would be very hard to do. Roll the dice and good luck.

Forget Colorado. It is turning into a bunch of pot smoking liberal morons begging to kiss the government's A$$. There is still good in Colorado but we are losing it fast.

Idaho is great, but I'd miss the salt.

Get ya a place in Idaho and also a little casita in Baja Sur for 3-4 months every winter.

Wyogal is exactly correct and VERY observant, particularly about the WY workplace.

Lived in WY for 6 years after spending my younger ones longing to live there since it's a hunter's paradise.

Ignorant, sleazy, schitty, sorry people...particularly the Casper crowd. Won't even drive thru there now.

As a degreed professional, had 4 jobs in 6 years trying to find one where the people at work (including the company owners!!!) didn't feel threatened by a talented, qualified, outsider and wouldn't make me do the stupid kid schitt while they took the important stuff.......all in the interest of their job and ego protection.

Fawk the WY scumbags. Pi$$ on them. Stay away if you're qualified, competent, and worth a schitt in the workplace, cuz you'll end up leaving anyway.

Grand Junction, CO pays the same as WY and is a MUCH nicer area with MUCH better folks and climate and you are actually allowed to succeed in the work place if you've got talent. Plus....politically isolated from the front range.

Thanks for the message about Wy.!!!!! Send it to all you can..

Do you drive to Denver for quality medical care...........or quality anything for that matter?

Where do you go to get your 3 teeth cleaned??

Good to see Wyoming hasn't changed, and neither have the scum that move in and hate the place where they are making a living but refuse to leave while bitching the whole time. When called on the carpet they will resort to name calling or other derogatory comments like every other liberal that doesn't get their way. So here's some of your "degreed professionalism" back at you.

Like I've been telling folks for past 35 years I've lived here. If you didn't move here to become part of what Wyoming is and you don't like it, go back to where you came from and take your piss poor attitude with you.

It's people like you, SBH and Wyogal, that make Wyoming seem unfriendly, and it's no wonder when you place yourselves so much higher than those around you. Especially you SBH, with your holier-than-thou elitist attitude, to wit: "As a degreed professional (who can't hold a job, so like any good narcissist, blames everyone but himself), had 4 jobs in 6 years trying to find one where the people at work (including the company owners!!!) didn't feel threatened by a talented, qualified, outsider (yup, narcissism at its finest, if only everyone could see him the way he sees himself. There's the problem, no one can recognize perfection when they see it.) and wouldn't make me do the stupid kid schitt while they took the important stuff (then there's throwing the good old childish temper tantrum to make a point, regardless of the fact that all work needs to be done by someone. Except someone with a degree, which makes them somehow special and above others.).......all in the interest of their job and ego protection".

If you are such a "talented, qualified, degreed professional outsider who doesn't want to do stupid kid schitt while others do the important stuff", why didn't you just go into business for yourself and have others work for his holiness? (That's a rhetorical question).

Contrary to your misguided perception of yourselves, Wyoming isn't enhanced in any way by the presence of either of you and Colorado has nothing to offer Wyoming.

Small towns, sparse populations can make for a bit of insularity, sometimes a lot.. Accept it for what it is, or don't move there.

Personally, I'd travel around for awhile before throwing out the anchor. Lots of great places to be found in this country, and overseas, that thankfully aren't discussed on forums (yet).

David I put that douche on ignore. He isn't right in the head. You might as well beat your head against the wall as debate with him...you will get the same effect...a headache.

He isn't worth the time it takes to respond. He is just a troll.

Great, classic stuff posted by a classic Wyoming man who is a proud, card carrying member of the Little Weiner's Club.

Your post full of obvious talented, educated person envy reinforces precisely the things we stated. Thanks for doing that.

Just like the Doctors and medical professionals who ran like hell that Wyogal mentioned, I did the same. Began to succeed the day after I left. I'm quite certain the others have as well.

Got a buddy who lives in Casper who is from Michigan. He's 60 now and still doing the same kid schitt that he did when he was 20. Can't believe he stayed. I can't.

Been to Cody and have hunted the area many times. Isn't that the town where you can't even get a McD's hamburger made correctly cuz the 'Wonderful Wyoming' workers and managers are sooooooo threatened by any worker who can do so that they keep them from doing so?

Big Wonderful Wyoming. Little Weiners Capital of the West.

Yes Keith, I see your point. Don't know what I was thinking. At least he's gone and hopefully to never return.

I was born and raised and lived most of my life in Montana, but have also lived in Wyoming and, briefly, in Idaho, where I have relatives. Also have relatives in Colorado (where my mother was originally from) and have spent plenty of time there was well.

There are good areas to live in all four states, but some places can definitely be more insular than others. I've even lived in one small town in Montana that wasn't all that friendly--or some of the people weren't, while others were great.

It all depends on what you want. The better-paying jobs are usually in bigger towns, while the better outdoor opportunities are usually in smaller ones. Being self-employed I tend toward the small-town end myself, but unless you live in one of the cities, such as several in Colorado, or Boise (none in Montana of Wyoming qualify as real "cities") then you're not too far from good fishing and hunting.

Most of Idaho is warmer in winter (and still not too bad in summer) than the others. Most of Wyoming is colder than most of Montana, believe it or not, because it's higher in elevation. Colorado varies considerably depending on location.

SBH we have fine health care in Wy.. As for going to Denver, I seldom if ever visit that pit.. As for Wyo.folks, we would all be really happy if all the Greenies fished in Colo. as stayed the he!! out of Wyo..

To the OP, having played the travel nurse thing myself for several years when I knew where I was wanting to move to, I will say it is a GREAT way to get to know an area and hospital systems before you commit to them. With 25 years in I'm sure you know the politics involved in most hospitals. Also, the end result of the pay is greatly higher than regular hourly pay. Where are you at in PA? From Western Pa originally myself. Looking at a move in the future for myself and want to avoid winter.

SouthCentral PA