I was born and raised in NJ until I went in the Air Force. All of the family I had in NJ have passed on or moved out except my brother in law. I only go there for funerals and since there isn't anybody left for that I don't have to go back there anymore.
If any body asks where I am from I tell them but in a very low voice. My sister asked me why i didn't move back to NJ. I told her if I had some terrible illness and the only cure was in NJ, I would rather die here in TEXAS.
Amen brother. The gun laws, food and music are a whole lot better (at least if you live near Austin). The Texas Hill Country is the Promised Land. Jaybet, my advice? Quit trying to sell your house, put the damn thing up on Ebay and move to Austin. Take the $500 bucks you get for it and rent a place in South Austin or Hyde Park. You'll come out miles ahead in terms of quality of life. Its the one city in America where a good bluesman will never go a day without a job, and people with letters behind their names will defer to you when you say, "I'm Jaybet, and I play blues guitar'. Go West, not so young man.
FQ13