Life is sometimes sort of okay because...

[SmallBlueThing]

You guys are bastards and I haven't missed you at all!

Actually, last week I also bought my first music CD in about fourteen years- The Cure Greatest Hits- and while playing it I realised that in my head it was La Puttyface Burton singing, and not Mr Smith. Helena Bottom-Farter was on drums, and Patrick Stewart was on bass. "It's Friday, I'm a c*nt" was what sprung to mind.

SBT

[Frank]

I also enjoy the work of Mr Burton.

That version of Planet of the Apes with Marky Mark is clearly the best instalment of the franchise. The ending makes so much sense.

[SmallBlueThing]

Started my read of 2013's progs last night with the first six. So far, all good with Savage being the highlight. Skipping Red Seas and Stront though.

SBT

[Theblazeuk]

Why skip Stront? s'good.

[Theblazeuk]

I just realised that some of the writers I scoured the libraries of Lancashire for in my early teens, who also wrote for 2000AD, are on this board too.

Bit daft but I remember flicking through my hardwon copy of Inferno when I was 10 or something and seeing "Gordon Rennie". And today I see him making fun of someone on this board that I faff around on!

Cor.

[radiator]

Well, that's it then - after 2+ years of uncertainty and false starts my visa is approved and I'll be moving to the West Coast of America within a matter of weeks, for an agreed period of three years (it's for work).

Is there a word for being simultaneously excited and terrified?

There's a lot of pressure to make this work, and I'm really worried we'll get homesick and want to come back.

Gutted too that my sister is due to have a baby a couple of weeks after we leave.

On the other hand, it's a great opportunity and we're incredibly excited about the location and potential for holidays, road trips and weekends away. So yeah, strange times.

[Trout]

Well, that's it then - after 2+ years of uncertainty and false starts my visa is approved and I'll be moving to the West Coast of America within a matter of weeks, for an agreed period of three years (it's for work).

Is there a word for being simultaneously excited and terrified?

There's a lot of pressure to make this work, and I'm really worried we'll get homesick and want to come back.

Gutted too that my sister is due to have a baby a couple of weeks after we leave.

On the other hand, it's a great opportunity and we're incredibly excited about the location and potential for holidays, road trips and weekends away. So yeah, strange times.

Congratulations!

[von Boom]

Fantastic news rad! Well done.

[Recrewt]

Great news radiator.  Sounds like an adventure is coming your way!

[judda fett]

Good news Rad, enjoy the left coast.

[TordelBack]

Good luck, Radiator!  Congrats on finally getting the move sorted, and congrats on the imminent nephew-niece: there'll be plenty of time to spend with them in the future.

[Frank]

Is there a word for being simultaneously excited and terrified?

No matter how things play out, I don't think you'll regret it; if you didn't take the opportunity, I'm sure you would. Congratulations, neebs.

[Link Prime]

Nice one Radiator.
Coincidentally, those Visas got approved 24 hours after you got bored with GTA V. Who'da thunk it?

[Hawkmumbler]

Wahey! Nice one dude! Happy times ahead!

[radiator]

Thanks chums.

No matter how things play out, I don't think you'll regret it; if you didn't take the opportunity, I'm sure you would.

Yeah, that's what I keep telling myself! This whole process has been dragging on forever, and every time it looked like it wasn't going to happen, I'd be disappointed, and every time it looked more likely to definitely happen, I'd start to freak out and have Gob Bluth saying "I've made a huge mistake" flashing through my brain.

Others might remember I was a little underwhelmed when I visited Portland (which is where I'm going) around this time last year. I think that was largely down to severe jetlag and a bit of culture shock (which sounds silly, but if you've never been outside of Europe in your entire life you too might be overwhelmed by just how vastly different America actually is). Portland has a reputation as being this kind of vibrant, liberal hipster nirvana but it didn't seem that like at all to me - more than anything I just wondered where everyone was it was so quiet. I'm sure I'll settle in eventually - the location is frickin' amazing and we fell in love with the incredible countryside, national parks, forests, mountains and coast - and we're going to use every single opportunity to explore and take it all in. Thinking about getting a dog too, to help us feel less homesick and give us something to do!

I would definitely welcome any and all advice from other expats - what to expect, what to bring etc. I suspect that I'll only realise how much I miss certain things when it's too late.