Why did you move to Seattle? (Bellingham: find a job, camps, live in)

[5chevin5]

I moved to Seattle (1988) as a teenager looking for a bigger city to play in (went to high school ..kinda... in Eugene) Played in bands all through the glorious grunge days, had some minor success, band fell apart. I was pretty upset with Seattle (I had to blame something!!) So I escaped to Phoenix, thinking sunshine and palm trees would be a nice break from the grunge. Oooops! my mistake Its like the surface of the sun!! So I left and moved around the US, being a chef in Miami,SFO and Puerto Rico. Again too hot for my blood!!

So I returned to Seattle, left again for work in Portland...and now I find myself in Tokyo, with a desire to someday return and settle in Seattle. For me, my opinion, I find Seattle to fit my needs weather included. I have traveled enough in my 39 years of life to know sometimes a place speaks to you like a dog whistle that only you can hear...and calls you back home. Good dog.

This is my story...and Im sticking too it.
5

[Topaz]

My husband and I moved to Seattle because it is gorgeous in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is an extremely romantic city for two people in love. My husband proposed at Kerry Park in Queen Anne, a beautiful spot. We loved wandering around Pike Place Market even when it was raining. And the drive out I-90 toward the mountains was breathtaking. For years my office was in Mercer Island and I had a wonderful view. When the sun is out, there are postcard moments everywhere.

[nwraider]

My dad lives in the Portland area and my brother and I visited him several times growing up, and always wanted to live up in the PNW. Wife and I moved up here in 2004 from SoCal (Riverside area) after her daughter graduated, and we were both lifelong natives wanting to desperately get outta dodge, for all the reasons most people leave SoCal- smog, traffic, overall crowdedness, extreme summer heat, housing prices (at least back then).

After looking for jobs from Eugene to Portland to Tacoma proper, I found one in Fife, and came up in Aug '04, got an apt; wife and our 10 yr old daughter came up three months later. Six months after that we bought a house in the nice little town of Milton that we've been in for the last three years, and abso-F'ing-lutely love it. Just remodeled, and we got a nice back yard for our dog (who we stumbled across a couple years ago), live on a cul de sac and the schools are great. We both have nice jobs close to home (no freeway time for either one of us) and have made some good friends, have family (my side anyway) up here (including my brother and his wife and kids) and some down in the Portland area (Dad's still there, along with my little sister), so we can't complain.

We plan on being here for the rest of our lives, although I do miss all my family and my old buddies down in Riverside, and my wife's two adult children are still down there, I just can't see us ever moving back, despite the weather and housing prices down there coming back to Earth somewhat. I don't miss 100 degree Riverside days AT ALL, and even though it's a bit chillier than normal for June, doesn't bother me that much really. Rather this than scorching hot I.E. heat...

Though I do miss hitting up the local sports bars to watch my beloved Lakers in the Finals, but that's what a 46" LCD with surround sound (and cheaper beer) at the newly remodeled house is for..

[doulamama]

I moved out here in 2001 with my mom. She grew up here and wanted to move back and I didnt want to stay with my dad in NY so I decided id try the change. But now that im out here, and I want to move back I cant because of the whole money issue! EEEK!!

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by 5chevin5

I moved to Seattle (1988) as a teenager looking for a bigger city to play in (went to high school ..kinda... in Eugene) Played in bands all through the glorious grunge days, had some minor success, band fell apart. I was pretty upset with Seattle (I had to blame something!!) So I escaped to Phoenix, thinking sunshine and palm trees would be a nice break from the grunge. Oooops! my mistake Its like the surface of the sun!! So I left and moved around the US, being a chef in Miami,SFO and Puerto Rico. Again too hot for my blood!!

So I returned to Seattle, left again for work in Portland...and now I find myself in Tokyo, with a desire to someday return and settle in Seattle. For me, my opinion, I find Seattle to fit my needs weather included. I have traveled enough in my 39 years of life to know sometimes a place speaks to you like a dog whistle that only you can hear...and calls you back home. Good dog.

This is my story...and Im sticking too it.
5

What a delightful story! So you're a wanderer too, eh?
Thanks for telling us of your roamings, Good Doggie!

[seakid]

job ==> money ==> bmw z4 ==> chic ==> contentment

==> leads to

[wsugrad03]

So I grew up in the PNW over in eastern Washington. I moved to Seattle because of the software jobs here. My parents tried to brainwash me into staying here by saying that the PNW is the best place to live in the entire country. Well, I won't argue that it isn't the prettiest place in the country, but I wasn't expecting the effect of the rain and cloudy weather. Eastern washington is a whole different country.

My wife and I have identical stories. We both moved here for excellent job opportunities. We loved the culture and the style of the city. We stayed here for grad school. Now that we're done, it's looking like time to change cities for some place warmer and sunnier.

[Xonenine]

What can I say...I wasn't born in Western Washington, but I got here as fast as I could. I moved here from the Austin, TX area and have lived in DFW also. I never really thought about living in WA state until work sent me here for 8 months about 6 or so years ago. I went back to TX and wanted to come back...so I got a job here and moved. That was over 5 years ago...can't believe it's been that long. I haven't actually lived IN Seattle (yet). I started out in Tacoma and now live in the Olympia area. I do not regret for one minute moving to the Pacific Northwest. This is home to me.

So you get a constant drizzle for days during the mild winter...there are states (like on the east coast) that get more rain annually than WA does...so it's not bad. (did I let the cat out of the bag?) The fabulous summers have more than made up for it! Think about it...where else can you have Mountains with snow skiing & snowmobiling & hiking & camping (etc), ocean beaches to the west and a desert in the east, weekend trips to Canada...it goes on and on. On top of that...the cities are rich with culture, art & diversity. How can I forget...coffee shops! I love me some coffee...gimme a triple, Venti, non fat, sugar free Caramel Macchiato. YUM!

[Wishin4sun]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

I moved here when I was 18 (my family moved to Spokane when I was 16) went to the UW for both undergrad and graduate school. Used to love it here back in the 80's when I could really afford to live here.

My main complaint is that the COL has become so unmanageable that we cannot afford to live here any longer. I've a six year old son and we cannot afford to put money away for his education. Plus, over time, people seem less and less friendly. Also, I've noticed that each year the summers seem just a little bit shorter. Don't know if that is accurate or not or if as I get older, the weather just has more of an impact on me. Plus, all the really wild and crazy friends of my youth have moved on to bigger and brighter places.

Honestly, if I didn't have a husband, kid, and house, I would have been out of here a couple of years ago. That's the thing about having a family. You have to make sacrifices for them and all. I am willing to bet that many of the people that whine on this board (me included!) are anchored here because of family.

I am a native born & raised & yes I am unfortunately anchored here with 3 children 17, 14 & 8 . I wished we would have left while they were younger. I can not imagine growing too old here (just turned 39 yesterday lol)
For now I guess I'll just have to daydream about leaving

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by nwraider

My dad lives in the Portland area and my brother and I visited him several times growing up, and always wanted to live up in the PNW. Wife and I moved up here in 2004 from SoCal (Riverside area) after her daughter graduated, and we were both lifelong natives wanting to desperately get outta dodge, for all the reasons most people leave SoCal- smog, traffic, overall crowdedness, extreme summer heat, housing prices (at least back then).

After looking for jobs from Eugene to Portland to Tacoma proper, I found one in Fife, and came up in Aug '04, got an apt; wife and our 10 yr old daughter came up three months later. Six months after that we bought a house in the nice little town of Milton that we've been in for the last three years, and abso-F'ing-lutely love it. Just remodeled, and we got a nice back yard for our dog (who we stumbled across a couple years ago), live on a cul de sac and the schools are great. We both have nice jobs close to home (no freeway time for either one of us) and have made some good friends, have family (my side anyway) up here (including my brother and his wife and kids) and some down in the Portland area (Dad's still there, along with my little sister), so we can't complain.

We plan on being here for the rest of our lives, although I do miss all my family and my old buddies down in Riverside, and my wife's two adult children are still down there, I just can't see us ever moving back, despite the weather and housing prices down there coming back to Earth somewhat. I don't miss 100 degree Riverside days AT ALL, and even though it's a bit chillier than normal for June, doesn't bother me that much really. Rather this than scorching hot I.E. heat...

Though I do miss hitting up the local sports bars to watch my beloved Lakers in the Finals, but that's what a 46" LCD with surround sound (and cheaper beer) at the newly remodeled house is for..

all the sports bars will be showing the Lakers. Lots of Laker fans in Seattle, don't worrie you wont be alone.