Sorry, Seattle - I've found somewhere else

[The Tim]

[rose-colored-coolaid]

It was a good read. I just can't understand why anyone would leave a world class city; London, NYC, Tokyo, Seattle, Moscow, Paris, Hong Kong, Sydney. This guy must have no taste.

[Cougar]

I'm not alone! Did we have an extra long winter here or what? Or could it be I am facing a midlife as well. I am turning 50 this month and took a "gap" year, the kind you usually take before college, to explore ideas for my future. Living here all of my 50 I was surprised at how dark this winter was and how it really took a toll on my sunny outlook. Today is the first warm overcast day worthy of shorts. Can Seattle ever become world class with this weather, can the four months of great beauty override the eight months of soggy gray? Gray skies, gray buildings, gray everwhere!

[ira s]

It sure gets to me too, but I never had that sunny a disposition to begin with.
Now, when we've had weeks without sunshine, and near daily rain or hail, I scream out loud " I can't take this f***ing bull****!"

Just don't know how well I'd fit in in St. Paul. I'm not much for ice fishing, I don't think.

[Lake Hills Renter]

I love it here, even the climate. The rain doesn't bother me at all, I rather like it in fact. It's getting dark at 4pm that starts to wear thin after a while. But we make up for it with dark at 11pm in the summer.

[PublicEnemy#1]

As someone who moved from Seattle last July to a city in the Midwest, all I can say is, "Don't knock it 'til you have tried it!".

A Midwest city which, by the way, recently was shown to have more Fortune 500 companies than Seattle and ranked in the top 10 percent (out of 373) for quality of life.

We quit having snow weeks ago, what about you?

It was 75 yesterday and 65 today...

We are expecting rain tonight though, through part of tomorrow, so those of us who grew up in Seattle can feel at home for a day or two.

I am not knocking Seattle's high cost of living and insane governmental decisions. The high cost of living in Seattle (e.g. property taxes, housing costs, utilities, etc.), combined with a ridiculous commute, forced me to eventually sell my house in the south end and allowed me to pay cash for my 1929 Tudor Revival here.

Life's too short for high blood pressure.

[Lake Hills Renter]

[PublicEnemy#1]

Nope, wasn't referring to you, just a general reply to the posting...



I quit enjoying the mountains when I lived in Reno and had to time my trips to SFO in the winter to ensure I wouldn't get stuck up there for a day or two.

Nice to look at, but a pain to drive over in winter.

Snoqualmie is a piece of cake by comparison, but I still wouldn't want to live in Cle Elum and commute to Seattle, as some people are doing.

[Markor]

[Robroy]

I've lived in the Seattle area since 1967.

I'm looking at SW Kentucky. Seriously.

Just can't take the politics and culture here any more, although I do enjoy feeding the gulls at Ivars and riding my bike down the second avenue express.

It just aint worth it any more.

It might crimp my bike style a bit, but Kentucky and surrounding areas are a motorcycle paradise.

[WestSideBilly]

Complaining is universal.

We complain about the rain/gray/dark all winter, then complain when it's sunny & 85 that it's too damn hot.

Midwesterners (and Northeasterners) complain from November through March that it's too cold, too much snow, they're sick of shoveling, their skin is dry, etc - then complain from June - August that it's too hot, too humid, the thunderstorms are screwing up their plans, and at least this year, their house is under water.

Southerners complain from May through October that it's too hot, and they wish it was February again so they could stand to be outside.

I won't even get into Californians complaining about the weather.

As for dysfunction, well that's pretty universal too. Though I must give credit to Seattle for being so vocal about how bad traffic is (which is understandable) while out the other side of their mouth being so adamant that someone else should pay for it.

[Robroy]

Actually, if my gas taxes and license fees went to actual road construction, I'd be happy.

[Markor]

[PublicEnemy#1]

Part of the fun of moving to a new part of the country are the inevitable questions from locals when they find out you are from Seattle, (e.g. Do you miss having a Starbuck's on every corner?)

There are some AMAZING parks and forests and woods here that make you realize that forests don't always consist of just coniferous trees.

And the roads go everywhere. Six different ways until Sunday to get somewhere. If a road is congested from construction, get off of it and take another one that will get you there.

But, at least, the traffic is almost non-existent and yes, people DO complain at rush hour because they can only go 45 or 50 mph on the freeways, lol!

[WestSideBilly]