So through a very long and convoluted series of events which I shall not recount here, it appears that I am moving again. This time I’m not just moving across town, though. I’m actually returning to my birthplace and moving to:
Specifically the whole island part in the middle of Puget Sound there.
What’s really funny is that I was actually born there so it’s a homecoming more than anything, but I moved away when I was like, 1, so I don’t remember anything. I do remember snatches of the Seattle area, where I lived for a few years after, but even those memories are sketchy. So instead my paranoid brain last night came up with a list of things that scare me about this impending move:
1.) Slugs. They don’t have those here in Podunk Montana. I was looking forward to never seeing one again, but…
2.) Trees. According to my allergist I am allergic to “All trees, all molds, all grasses, and all weeds”. Actually as I type this I have a kleenex stuck up my nose. My solution is clearly to move to the Evergreen State, apparently.
3.) Being at sea level, which freaks me out for some reason, possibly because I’m used to being a mile high and surrounded my mountains. Did I mention that deep water terrifies me?
4.) Traffic/highways etc. I love driving. I do not love billions of cars. Tailgaters scare the daylights out of me. “Rush Hour” here in Montana means I’ll be waiting an extra twenty seconds at the stop light and I might be a few minutes late. I don’t wanna think about how it will be when I’m like an hour from Seattle, especially since commutes and such seem to be likely.
5.) Nobody knowing how to drive in the snow, and me not knowing how to drive in anything BUT snow. Actually I have no idea if that’s true or not, it’s just my guess. When I took Driver’s Ed, there were raging snowstorms going on, the roads were a solid sheet of ice, and I was constantly swerving to avoid hitting deer. I am the master at that sort of thing, but unfortunately they don’t teach us rednecks how to survive in the city. I still don’t know how to parallel park.
But! I am making myself think of the positives, such as:
– More job opportunities
– SteamCon
– More school opportunities
– SteamCon
– Being closer to a ton of friends/family
– SteamCon
– Actually being close to a real city with real stuff
– SteamCon
…who me, one-track mind? *innocent*
Anyways this whole thing is apparently happening next month or something, so this will be exciting.
Meep! That sounds a little scary, but I hope it’s a good opportuity. More people need to get to know the Pike and offer her an awesome job so she can spend more time writing for us *nods*
One great thing about the internet, no matter where you move or how far away you have to go, you are never moving away from your friends.
Hopefully everything goes smoothly with the transition and the evergreens don’t conspire against you. Maybe the damp up there will even help keep the pollen down and make allergy issues better instead of worse. *doing his level best to be optimistic*
As far as parallel parking, this country boy’s solution to that has always been a simple one. Don’t. =) Yeah, I might end up walking a couple more blocks for it, but then I’ve found some neat little shops that way that I never would have noticed driving by.
I hate to tell you that 4 and 5 are pretty much true. 3 is awesome, 2 is easily combated by allergy medication (because now that I’ve moved from a state of only pine trees to one full of all sorts of greenery, I can’t BREATHE! but yeah, allergy meds). As for 1, I really don’t recall there being a bunch of slugs O_o.
There is definitely going to be a lot more opportunity there for you that doesn’t involve you having to move away and leave your family though!
May I be the first to say welcome! I’ve lived in the Seattle area for the past 15 years and I still absolutely love it. The rain can be a bummer sometimes, but then the summer comes along and you see why it is worth it to be here.
You mentioned island… Are you moving to Bainbridge? I take that ferry every morning to Seattle, and I usually read your blog(s) on the way in. Small world. 🙂
@ Paul – Well thank you! And it’s Whidbey Island. *nod*
Welcome back 🙂 I live in Olympia and work in Bellevue (soon to be Seattle proper, by the waterfront).
I have to say, driving in the middle of Seattle is actually not bad. I hated driving in Boston when I lived in Mass, because all the drivers were dicks. People in WA state tend to be… nice, scarily enough. They let you merge in when you need to if you have your signal on, and aren’t honking the horn 2 seconds after a traffic light changes. Everything is just so much slower-paced than Mass, it took a bit to adjust– but I love it. Rush hour in Seattle is better than 2am in Mass.
Early welcome to the west coast tawtaw 🙂
I’m pretty sure you’ll find more things to like then to hate.
The Pacific Northwest (will) welcomes you! Oregonian here. Seattle isn’t as cool as Portland, but I’ll give it a close second best. 😉
The freeways in Seattle are kinda freaky. I’d avoid them as much as possible if you’re allergic to intense traffic. Lots of lanes, overpasses, tunnels and some ramps are actually in the fast lane instead of slow lane.
I’m an occasional tourist in Seattle, I guess not living there gives it a different aspect as I’ve always enjoyed being there. If you can find work close to where you live you’ll do well – Whidbey Island is a nice place. Good luck with the move.
In the pros list you forgot spying on Eddie Vader and the Penny Arcade guys and maybe attend a PAX or two.
Were a little above mile high in colorado here, and i get the rare oppertunity to trive in non snow. snow melts july, everything is a mudpit, snows first of september. big citys creep me out. i live in a county that has 1000 people in the county. i went to washington dc this summer and i about had a cardiac arrest. be careful there pike. lots of people there :/