u/HoodEscape

Im looking to move my family to SC. We're from Long Island, im a plumber, and my wife is a nurse. We have family in Conway that's been there for about 10 years. We've always wanted to move, but fear held us back. I just want to say quickly I know northerners moving to your area is something locals dont like, or at least that's my understanding, but we're not bringing any of that bullshit to you, I promise. Politics or otherwise.

To my question for my fellow plumbers. I have my masters plumbing license test in july of this year, which I expect to pass and receive. Idk if that matters to the plumbing employment market down there? And whether it does or doesn't, what is the work like down there? I've been doing this a long time. I have an extremely large amount and variety of experience with new construction in commercial and residential. That includes service work, selling jobs, and service titan. I've legitimately done it all. What could I expect to make? I see ads on Indeed for service techs offering 100k in the description, which is what I roughly make here (more in service work). Which to me sounds great because obviously my cost of living in NY is much higher than SC, so if im making close to the same pay, on paper, that should be perfect. What is operating your own business like? I have a plumbing friend in NC who says hes making so much doing service in his area that guys dont really care to get their license. Does that sound accurate? Any information on the whole job market and field overall would be super helpful. I can't live in this shit hole communist miserable state anymore. I want trees, grass, guns, dirt bikes, beautiful weather, and my kids to grow up outside.

Thank you for any info. I really appreciate it.

Ill try to keep this short. Im 36 as of this past March. I've been consistently training for 1.5 years (on and off very unseriously when I was younger except for wrestling in school). When I joined my gym I was 320lbs, now im 213, the goal is to fight at 170 (i think, we will see where I am at in 15 more pounds or so and go from there).

My friends, wife, brother, are pretty consistently questioning why im doing this. To a point where ive decided I won't talk about it anymore. The problem i am having is my body seems to be having trouble keeping up. Its injury after injury. Little ones, but enough to keep me in consistent pain. Tennis elbow on both arms, inflamed ribs, something possibly torn in my shoulder thats on and off. And the other day I pulled something in my back at the end of a 2 hour training session. These injuries are driving me crazy. I dont remember what its like to be 100%. This is why im lacking support from the people around me. They see me in pain and are wondering what the point is.

I have to do this. I've been blue collar my whole life. Im a Plumber. Long hours and hard days are what made me fat and depressed. Training, weight lifting, and my health is all I have now. I know my body is beat up. But am I crazy to think that just one time before its too late I want to use my body for the purpose which I want? With everything going wrong am I stupid for thinking I can do this? I do not want to go my whole life regretting this and this is the last chance I have. When I was younger I wanted to be a fighter but I didnt have the means or the drive. I was a loser. I missed my opportunity to do what I wanted to do and thats on me but im not looking to go pro here. I just want to experience the thrill of it all. Put my mindset, body, and skills learned to the test. I can't go my whole life without exploring that after putting in all of this work. I just can't.

Does anybody have any experience or advice for me? Im asking myself if these hardships are God's way of testing me or his way of saying to stop? But i do not want to stop. If anybody has anything to say about this i would appreciate the input. Idk if I have an official question or if im just looking to vent with feedback. Thanks for your time.

(Im looking to fight towards the end of the year, coach agrees I can do it by then. Forgot to mention that)