The Daily Post asked what it would take to get me to move out of state. “If someone you trusted offered you $1000 to move to a different city, would that be enough? More? Or would you need other things (the promise of friends or better weather?) What would they need to offer you before you’d instantly say yes?”

That’s a lot of questions. And those questions only breed more questions.

First, is $1000 just bonus money or do I have to pay moving expenses out of it? If I have to move on only $1000, I’d say it can’t be done or it can’t be done easily at least. It costs about that much to move out of state. That’s not worth it. However, if it’s just a signing bonus and my moving expenses aren’t included in that, then maybe.

Second, where am I moving? If you ask me to move to Iowa or the North Pole, $1000 isn’t nearly enough, but if we’re talking somewhere civilized like New York City, London, Tokyo or Paris, then maybe. It all depends on where.

Third, would I have a job or an apartment when I get there? If not, $1000 is not enough to move out of state and support myself while looking for both a home and a job.

In summary, if you ask me to move to Iowa with no job or apartment, my minimum payment would be $50,000. If you ask me to move to London with a job and apartment lined up for $1000, sure, I’ll be ready in an hour.

I’ve already uprooted myself twice. I’m originally from Detroit. I lost my job there, and on a whim, applied for a job through the same company in Boston. I moved a month later (only to find out there was no job after all). I didn’t know a single person in the city. I stayed there for four years until pretty much the exact circumstances that made me leave Detroit happened again.  I moved to Los Angeles with no job, no apartment and I didn’t really know anyone besides a few acquaintances. I’ve been in LA for a dozen years.

In both instances, no one paid me $1000 to go anywhere, so maybe I’m being a little too picky about the hypothetical moving circumstances. The thing is, I moved to Los Angeles too soon. I should have hopped around the country or the world a little more before I settled here, because now that I’m here, I don’t really want to go anywhere else. This city feels like home… that is, unless you’d like to make me an offer I can’t refuse (cashier’s check or money order, please).