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When you look at the PNW in general it's not very lucrative for DIY types of people. It seems like LA area is more of the types who like to build stuff and work on stuff on the weekends, and I'm like that. A disadvantage I see in Seattle is say I want to run down to Home Depot to pick up something, It's easier to do that when you live in a typical sprawly place. In typical America you don't have to circle the block 5 times to find a parking spot. I would argue that that's why there's so much real engineering industry going on in LA, not just indoorsy type software stuff like the PNW, save for Boeing of course.
You have to think about the psychological impacts like the above. I know that in the construction industry in the rest of the country a site will shut down in a rain and all workers will be sent home.
Anyone who's ever worked on a major construction site in the SE knows the feeling of working under the sun and walking along the dry earth and how good that feels.
I'm really just talking off the top of my head, but you have to look at the big picture... maybe this has to do why the PNW seems so stagnant as far as infrastructure improvements.
I would be priviliged to work on the viaduct project (from an in-office design standpoint). That would bring me great satisfaction and pride. The DOT generally scares me though (in every state) because the DOT's design offices aren't likely to be located in the urban area downtown. I do know of some arch/eng. firms in downtown though.
ANyways, If anyone actually in the development industry could ring in that would be great. I'm actually currently working for one of the best design firms in Atlanta with the most experience in urban redevelopment and multifamily/infrastructure design.
As a hobby i'm actually very passionate about filmmaking, and my dream is to one day create a documentary film. I know for fact there there are some very talented filmmaking type people in Seattle.
LIke I said I'm gay, so most of these negative people with families hate on Seattle, but us single people looking for excitement I think there are a lot of us there. We have bigger dreams than having children and a single family home.
I'm just afraid to going to another Atlanta... Seattle and Atlanta are similar in that they are both 500,000 people yet the "metro" area is several million. However the difference between the two is that Atlanta is still suffering from white flight, and SEattle doesn't have the history of this. Also another big difference that I'm HOPING exists is that Seattlites like to get out and walk around or take a bus somewhere, wheras here in Atlant the only people you will see on the bus are the underprivalidged going back and forth to work because they have no choice... doesn't make for a very exciting saturday stroll if you ask me
Last edited by blondandfun; 03-03-2009 at 06:13 PM..
Blondandfun,
I think you're a little off base here. Plenty of people in Seattle build stuff and work on stuff on the weekends, and there's a busy Home Depot south of downtown Seattle and a busy Lowe's a few miles further south. Both of them have big parking lots, and nobody is circling around looking for a parking spot.
As far as why infrastructure doesn't get done here, it's known as the "Seattle Process", where everybody has to have input into the process, and they drag this on for years to make sure that every peripherally connected group gets to have their say, they have countless, unending meetings, and then they end up doing what they'd planned on doing all along, despite what the people want.
I've lived in Seattle for 20 years. I think it does get old, probably any city would for me. I've done every high-value hike off I-90 multiple times, for example. I don't like to drive too far. For people who like to backpack and don't mind driving a few hours, there are options galore. When I visit other cities I usually come back to Seattle with renewed appreciation for it.
LIke I said I'm gay, so most of these negative people with families hate on Seattle, but us single people looking for excitement I think there are a lot of us there. We have bigger dreams than having children and a single family home.
Two of my closest gay friends left Seattle because they found it boring. It's tough to generalize based on marital status or sexual preference. And do tell us what is a bigger dream than having children or a single family home? I sense a value judgment there.
Have you been to Seattle for a few weeks to really get a sense of what the city is like?
BTW, in additon to the HD and Lowes that Ira mentioned. Just a few miles north of downtown are the same with huge parking lots -- they are in-city.
I moved to Seattle in the last year and feel it's a good fit for me-I'm an introvert, happy to stay indoors, not bothered by the gloom and actually prefer clouds and drizzle over sun, and work in the aerospace industry.
I love meeting new people, making new friends, spending time with friends either outdoors or indooors.
At the same time, I also value "alone" time when I am just lounging at home or out somewhere with my ipod and/or laptop.
I enjoy the finer things in life and take pride in my looks. I dress nicely and enjoy sophisticated things as much as I enjoy dressing down for a day at the beach or a hike through the mountains.
I really hate hot weather. If the temperatures are above 85 for more than a day I don't like it. I also don't like to be buried under mounds of snow. Another thing I don't like is 365 days a year of a bright, scorching sun in my face. I do like cloudy days with partly cloudy and/or sunny days sprinkled in.
How do I feel about Seattle? I love it. There are so many things to do here and in the surrounding area. The people are great and friendly. I'm sure each person's mileage will vary but I have yet to encounter this so called "Freeze"
I have a large group of friends for every occasion. Some are the group I go out with in the evenings or during the day for the finer things. Other friends are the ones I go kyaking or biking with. Then there are the hundreds of people I know from the places I frequent such as coffee shops, stores, etc.. who are always there when I am there. We always engage in conversation, sit back and talk the day away.
The weather is perfect for me. I can't remember what humidity feels like. I have never been happier.
Oh, and I also have a number of friends who are gay and lesbian. They all do very well here and are very happy. Coming from Dallas, which also has a large gay population, Seattle it seems is very Gay friendly... actually I think the correct description is that Seattle is very open and accepting of others.
In any case, I don't see Seattle ever becoming boring. Keep in mind tastes change with the years. So living in a city which provides a great variety of things to do assures that no matter what you are into in this moment of your life you are sure to be pleased. Seattle is like that. There is nature, the city, the food, the surrounding area....so many things to do.
When you look at the PNW in general it's not very lucrative for DIY types of people. It seems like LA area is more of the types who like to build stuff and work on stuff on the weekends, and I'm like that. A disadvantage I see in Seattle is say I want to run down to Home Depot to pick up something, It's easier to do that when you live in a typical sprawly place. In typical America you don't have to circle the block 5 times to find a parking spot. I would argue that that's why there's so much real engineering industry going on in LA, not just indoorsy type software stuff like the PNW, save for Boeing of course.
You have to think about the psychological impacts like the above. I know that in the construction industry in the rest of the country a site will shut down in a rain and all workers will be sent home.
Anyone who's ever worked on a major construction site in the SE knows the feeling of working under the sun and walking along the dry earth and how good that feels.
I'm really just talking off the top of my head, but you have to look at the big picture... maybe this has to do why the PNW seems so stagnant as far as infrastructure improvements.
I would be priviliged to work on the viaduct project (from an in-office design standpoint). That would bring me great satisfaction and pride. The DOT generally scares me though (in every state) because the DOT's design offices aren't likely to be located in the urban area downtown. I do know of some arch/eng. firms in downtown though.
ANyways, If anyone actually in the development industry could ring in that would be great. I'm actually currently working for one of the best design firms in Atlanta with the most experience in urban redevelopment and multifamily/infrastructure design.
As a hobby i'm actually very passionate about filmmaking, and my dream is to one day create a documentary film. I know for fact there there are some very talented filmmaking type people in Seattle.
LIke I said I'm gay, so most of these negative people with families hate on Seattle, but us single people looking for excitement I think there are a lot of us there. We have bigger dreams than having children and a single family home.
I'm just afraid to going to another Atlanta... Seattle and Atlanta are similar in that they are both 500,000 people yet the "metro" area is several million. However the difference between the two is that Atlanta is still suffering from white flight, and SEattle doesn't have the history of this. Also another big difference that I'm HOPING exists is that Seattlites like to get out and walk around or take a bus somewhere, wheras here in Atlant the only people you will see on the bus are the underprivalidged going back and forth to work because they have no choice... doesn't make for a very exciting saturday stroll if you ask me
Seattle and Atlanta are NIGHT and DAY! Just cause the cities have a similiar "city population" doesn't mean they are "similiar" in ANY other way. That's like saying that a 'sunbelt sprawl city' like Phoenix is similiar to Philly cause they have "similiar city populations". Nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, could be further from the truth!
Seattle beats Atlanta hands down anyway. Seattle has alot of dense, walkable nabes. You REALLY need to take a flight to Seattle to see the BIG differences between the two cities.
Only a kid, or someone who's very nieve, would move to a city they never visited 'first hand'. And they'd probably end up feeling very overwhelmed and probably disapointed. You can't just show up in some city you've NEVER been to, with suitcases, and hope things will 'pan out' for you. You need to do 'boots on the ground' research before comitting yourself. Now if you were talking about moving to somewhere like Jasksonville, Fl or something similiar, maybe, but not to a city as far as Seattle is from Atlanta, and as different as Seattle is to Atlanta.
It's like comparing my hometown of Pittsburgh to Cleveland, or Philly, or Buffalo. They have similiar looks and feels to them, as do the people, therefore the 'differences' ain't that dramatic. But try and compare Pittsburgh to Dallas, or Phoenix, or San Diego, MUCH different story.
The internet is good for getting an idea about certain things that pertain to a city. Things like weather, cost of living, etc. But you really NEED to visit and spend time somewhere to really know it's going to look and feel.
blondandfun, keep in mind that Seattle is very liberal. Based on some other comments I've seen of yours, you might have a hard time with that. The Eastside (of Lake Washington), and south & north of Seattle, is more conservative.
First off, let me say that I do not really see Seattle in a positive light - but that does not mean the city doesn't have its normal pluses and minuses. Its a very subjective-feel.
I agree with others when they say its tough to generalize a city. Neighborhoods even within Seattle can be very different from each other. Capitol Hill for instance is very different than Fremont.
I also agree with the person who said that the difference between Seattle and Atlanta is night and day; Atlanta is the very definition of urban sprawl and the car-culture; while Seattle is much more nature-friendly.
Having said that, I do think the personality that fits in best here is:
1) Ok with more than normal cloud cover. (2/3 of the year)
2) Have some interest in the outdoors.
3) "Socially awkward" is a reasonable stereotype of the Seattle culture; The south really prides itself on openness and friendliness. When I used to take the bus commute in Atlanta for instance I could talk to any of the people there without a real reason - here its much more difficult, and I've even been ignored. That being said - people here are nice and polite.
4) I personally have found it difficult to make friends here - but it might be the fact that I'm in an engineering profession that by default is generally categorized as "socially awkward."
I personally found it very difficult to transition from Atlanta sun to Seattle clouds; but I will say that on sunny days here its absolutely beautiful.
In the end though, I don't think Seattle is for me. I don't think I'll be staying here much longer.
Sometimes you can't really choose where you go, especially if its your first job!
From LA originally, moved to denver for 15 years, in seattle for 3. For me it goes like this:
The rain makes me come to this forum and look for alternatives every winter. then spring comes and I cant think why I would want to live anywhere else accept that I miss to some extent, beach culture (besides alkai).
The freeze does seem to be areal thing for me. I have alot of "work frineds (Im also in film making and video production) who are great to have drinks with after a shoot ect but they never really do much past work. I think it was much easier for me t make friends in Denver. but there everything was centered around Larimer square for me and with everyone congregating in a busy central place its easier to see people often. Seattle has better chance for making friends in your local neighborhood niche coffee shops ect. but many of the people here are definelty into thier privacy and it can be hard to approach them.
There is no better place in america for Parks. there are almost more parks than houses it seems, from the big to the small and with all kinds of flavors, seattle is a dog / park lovers dream. just expect them to be wet parks.
Mountain views everywhere you go and in 360... cant beat that!.
Water views everywhere you go, and in 360, cant beat that!
The City view in the evening on I-5 coming in from the north makes seattle the prettiest city I have seen in N america. and Ive seen most of them.
Film work here is hard, cliquish and dominated by the weather, I make all my money in the industry in the 4 to 5 months where its not rainign all the time... jan through april is a dead standstill. most work here is expected to be done for free and the film scene its self is VERY closed off. But there are many many opportunities in the corporate sector for staying somewhat busy. I will say you most likely wont be able to make a living in film here, even though there is a huge appreciation for it, there just no pay. Towheras in denver there was no appreciation AND no pay. So its a step up for me.
as for the people, despite it being alot harder to approach people here in general, they are some of the smartest and hippest people Ive met in the nation. good values, great at making shabby shic work for them, you can dress to the 9's and look good, or you can rock the funky boa lines jacket and all will be accepted. it has a somewhat new yorkish sense of fashion as you will see many people with their own style and thats the norm... no social uniforms here other than a tendancy toward darker and muted tones downtown ect... but then again maybe the grey sky makes the colors seem drab.
If you like dogs and pets this is the best city Ive found, dog parks everyhwere, everyone loves the pooches here.
OVerall seattle presently is one of the few cities I feel comfortable in... past the weather though, which is a reality. it gets cold, really bone deep cold, and the lack of sun can definetly be depressing, especially for those of us who have seen it before moving and know better.
So In short... great place, but the the winter weather sucks.
Oh and a good place to start with film would probably be the NWFF (north west film forum)
Cheers!
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