Joe, i'm really sorry for your loss. I've said it before on MSN, if you need a shoulder to cry on, i'm here for ya. I might be useless at what to say in these situations but i'm honestly a good listener. I've never really been in your situation, but the best thing really to do in any situation is stay with your friends. Think about me. How many times did i say i was going to quit RV when my dad had one of his moments or my mum moved up to Manchester? When did most need my friends and family? How many times did i crawl back?

Trust me, You probably need your friends the most when you want to step away from them. Yes, you do probably need some time just to come to terms with what's happened, and i agknowledge that, but it's so much harder to drop things and start over again than it is to pick up the pieces and rebuild what's been broken.

Stick with your family. They need you as much as you need them. As much as you might despise your step-mum, she's still a "relative" so-to-speak, and she's just lost her husband, just as you've just lost your dad. I really don't want to sound unsympathetic, but you really should stick with those close to you, at least for the forseeable future. When you really think you're ready to go, then make it so. But make sure you've got a clear head before making your decisions. I've made rash decisions when i've been pretty confused, and nearly got outlawed from the village due to them. Don't do the same with your future

Your loss is in my thoughts.

Take care bro