Potential move overseas

"Suburbia in Japan isn't American Suburbia. I lived in a city of 500,000 and we were only 15 mins from Yokohama. There are plenty of younger people and plenty of a nightlife regardless of where you live. There are tons of little bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, etc… in every neighborhood."

That's good to know. When I get a chance to go I'll scope out both the urban and sub-urban areas.

"The other thing with Calgary is that it is sunny during the winter. So there are very few dreary days. They might be short but they are nice."

That would certainly be a mitigating factor.

Heath: I do NOT want to know why a toilet has four buttons and two electrical circuits.

Only four buttons? Must be a low end model! Probably doesn't even have real time urinalysis.

And is the top of the tank also a sink? Brilliant!

David, this is a low end model. There are/were more expensive toilets. The buttons are for male/female as in where to spray the water hot/cold water and the intensity of the spray. Americans don't get bidets but they are quite popular in most of the world and honestly I feel they are a more sanitary way of cleaner your nether regions after using the bathroom. The sink toilet combo is great you wash your hands after you flush with the water that is filling the toilet back up. The Japanese are ingenious about recycling everything. It is one of the things I love about Japan. That and I miss vending machines full of hot/cold coffee/tea on every street corner. Oh and Japanese baths or furo are awesome. It's electronic as well. You push a button to fill the tub to a preset level with a preset temperature. Once it reaches both it beeps to let you know its ready and it recirculates the water through a heating system under the tub and your water always stays hot. Japanese tubs are for soaking not bathing. You always bathe before you get in the tub.

One of the coolest things I saw was my neighbors had a Panahome built by Panasonic. It had electric everything; solar panels on the roof, electric storm shutters, the windows would turn dark at the press of a button and on and on. It was a sweet house. Stuff you would never ever see in the USA. Japan is decades ahead of us when it comes to most technology/transportation.