How true is seattlesucks.com (Pacific, Republic: housing, rent, travel)

[SeattleTaz]

I'm reminded of a story. An old guy was sitting at the city gate. A young man arriving there eagerly asks the guy, "Your city, Sir, what's it like?" And the old guys says, "Well, what's your hometown like?" "Oh! It's just awful! The people are rude, the merchants are cheats, the wives are gossips, and the youth are running wild. That's why I left, in fact." "Well," says the old guy, "that's too bad because I expect you'll find this place to be pretty much more of the same!"

The next week, same guy same gate, different traveler: "Your city, Sir, what's it like?" And the old guys says, "Well, what's your hometown like?" "Oh!" says the traveler, "It's just wonderful. You know, people are people wherever you go and my hometown folk are like that: kind and helpful. The merchants have often given me fair employment, and the women are beautiful! Still, I thought I'd come out to see the rest of the world and make some new friends as well. But please, tell me what it's like here." "Well," says the old guy, "as you say, people are people and I expect you'll find this place to be pretty much more of the same!"

When I reviewed those sites I was stricken by two things: The persistent obscenity and lack of substance in the posts made them seem more the emotional flatulence of a chronically unhappy person than a coherent argument in favor of a particular position. The other thing was that their referents were dumbfoundingly superficial, as though they had never actually been here. Starbucks? Please! Unfriendly? Probably to folks who come at me - as these do - with anger, criticism, complaint, and self-pity. Nothing to do? Probably, if you aren't invited anywhere.

Hours definitely are different. Most folks are in bed between 11:00 pm and 1:00 am, even on weekends (even especially on weekends).

"Nightclubbing" is hardly high on our list of things to do after the age of, say, 19. Okay, I'll lean out my window and watch this fabulous nightlife that our transplants have established in Pioneer Square and Belltown. Okay. Race up and down First Ave in 2nd gear and listen to the noise the engine makes between the buildings, drive over the curb (that's always fun). Make as noisy an entrance to a night club as possible, say "f--k!" as loudly and as often as possible, and rub your genitals against a few strangers. Sa-a-ay, that's hot. Mmm. What else? Oh, yes of course. Stop in the doorway of a condominium or highrise to hike your skirts and take a leak. Better yet, a dump if possible. It looks just great on security camera. Geeee, I wonder why we didn't think of that! And barfing! Now there's a measure of a good time if ever I saw one...

So I'll fess up, not our thing to do. Tend not to do a lot of parties, either. Meet for coffee in a bookstore or billiards room or shopping mall or hardware store or volunteering or pursuing sports gear; go to a movie. Mostly we may be friends for years and never know each other's surnames or addresses unless we're neighbors or went to school together; that's more western frontier, though, than Seattle. Traditionally and culturally folks came out here to get away from the law or the in-laws. Maybe we'll roof each other's houses (got to work fast, you know) or go skiing or hiking or boating or see each other at the bus stop.

We are still remarkably frontier. A picture of my grandmother shows huge ocean-going Chinese junks in the background. In grade school I met people whose grandparents were born pre-contact and my 8th grade textbooks marked the North Cascades and the Olympic Peninsula "Unexplored."

Lots of homeless folks? Yup, thank goodness we're just down I-90 from Detroit when winter comes; folks don't get frostbit or freeze to death in the winter here. We're also up the freeway from southern California which is very handy if you have racial problems in SoCal or, say, felony warrants. Our seaport is the fifth busiest in North America (46th in the world), the largest confluence of railroads until you get to Chicago, and the last big city between here and the Canadian border. It has always had a large population of adventurers of one kind or another, on the way to the Yukon or to Alaska, and has always rather subtlely had more in common with Canada than with, say, Idaho or California. We were, after all, Canadian until a Black man named George W Bush settled here from the United States and thereby made us a part of that undertaking. Mexicans have been a part of us since Juan de Fuca sailed from Nayarit.

"Salmon everywhere!" one post complains. Yeah. We do salmon, the Salmon People, the Boldt Decision. Whole lot of fishing. Look at how much coastline we've got, and rivers, and lakes.

[goldengrain]

SeattleTaz,

I just love your comment on 'Nightclubbing' -
All the things I hate about New York.

[chris]

Originally Posted by goldengrain

Also, there are a lot of IT jobs in Seattle. I worked in that field before retiring. Sometimes there just is not a lot of time for socializing. You are often on call, sometimes work long hours, and in your spare time you like to unwind with people you are secure with. New relationships take effort and thought and energy.

I've often thought this works in conjuction with the weather, adding to the particular atmosphere you get here in Seattle. It's easy for work to become your life (especially in IT/Software development). Also, computer people are not especially known for their interpersonal skills.

[goldengrain]

Originally Posted by chris

I've often thought this works in conjuction with the weather, adding to the particular atmosphere you get here in Seattle. It's easy for work to become your life (especially in IT/Software development). Also, computer people are not especially known for their interpersonal skills.

Yes, yes, and yes.

I am a big proponent of full spectrum light and vitamins A & D supplements.

Some professions are peculiar. I had heard, several years ago, that doctors were some of the worst dressed people, and that financial con artists would target doctors because they can earn money but had no training in investing it.

True, computer people, on the whole, may not have the best interpersonal skills, but the people I have the fondest thoughts of are those very individuals. There is a special something about knowing a thought is expressed honestly and not funnelled through a mental filtering mechanism.
Often, in an environment of that sort, offense is not easily taken because the crassness is equally distributed.

Gates freely admits that he is not a 'people person', but he is not a man without heart.

Now, however, most companies are purchasing software for most of their needs, and the dp people mostly interface with users and do have people skills.

Many dp functions are being in and out sourced to citizens of other countries. I know one guy who is now working as a headhunter and another who opened a bagel store.

This is a lesson for everyone to save and invest as best you can, and to try to instill these good habits in children. The earliest dollars invested reap the greatest rewards.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

Right, pittnurse. I can't remember where we were talking about it but it's true, Seattle doesn't get the most rainfall in inches/yr. but it's one of the top for DAYS of rain/yr. If I recall, Olympia takes the honor of the most days of rain per year than any place in the nation.

Hey Scirocco22, we meet again. Just my input on the rain. In Austin where I currently am trapped, I have been here for 131 days. Of those 131 it had rained nearly every day. I have seen rain for about 119 days out of 131. You guys have been hearing about all the floods in Texas. I get to enjoy them. Everyone tells me this is not normal here. I think it is normal now. I think weather patterns have changed. Rain puts on a better show in texas, as its HUGE. It blinds my windshield. We get freaky lightninig storms (the one thing I will miss when I escape). At least in Washington, I got the beautiful summers. When I get there, Im going to errect the Wa state flag on my house, kiss the Wet washignton gound. Remember, God may have made texas, but HE LIVES IN THE PACIFIC NW . YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!

[scirocco22]

*thumbs up* hey, sberdrow, hurry back! You may even miss this winter-like summer we're having right now. I guess it's suppose to be in the 80s later this week but right now, it looks just like winter out there.

I never knew Austin got that much rain. Ya learn something every day.

--'rocco

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

*thumbs up* hey, sberdrow, hurry back! You may even miss this winter-like summer we're having right now. I guess it's suppose to be in the 80s later this week but right now, it looks just like winter out there.

I never knew Austin got that much rain. Ya learn something every day.

--'rocco

I coming on a jet plane (friday), I knew that Id be back again. Cant get that John Denver outof my head. Going to check out Bellingham. Lived there once. This web site has a lot of anger about it, so it must be pretty darn good. Ironically, it will be good to go to a place that does not rain as much....never thought that state would be washington. Ill be leaveing Muggy/rainy Austin to Sunny 75 degree PNW weather....aw life is GREAT!!!!!

[noplacelikeWA]

Originally Posted by sberdrow

....In Austin where I currently am trapped, I have been here for 131 days. Of those 131 it had rained nearly every day. I have seen rain for about 119 days out of 131. You guys have been hearing about all the floods in Texas. I get to enjoy them. Everyone tells me this is not normal here. I think it is normal now. I think weather patterns have changed. Rain puts on a better show in texas, as its HUGE. It blinds my windshield. We get freaky lightninig storms (the one thing I will miss when I escape). At least in Washington, I got the beautiful summers. When I get there, Im going to errect the Wa state flag on my house, kiss the Wet washignton gound. Remember, God may have made texas, but HE LIVES IN THE PACIFIC NW . YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!

SO TRUE SO TRUE!!!

I have been here soaking up the the great PNW summer weather since 6/29, leaving behind soggy San Antonio, TX! The rain in TX is brutal compared to the gentle drizzle of the NW. It has been raining and thundering and lighnting in SA since March, more days of rain then not, I can't even imagine what the total accumulation is for the year so far. Funny thing is that just last week here in North Seattle it drizzled and was overcast all day for 3 days straight and the accumulation was less then half and inch! Unfortunately I have to return to SA in just 2 weeks and I sure hope the storms let up before I get back. Summer in the PNW is heavenly!

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by pwright1

I'm another east coast transplant. Yes it took some getting use to but I do love living up here. I was that guy who walked fast, drove fast, ran to the subway to get a seat and honked my horn all the time. I tried bringing that here and it soon wore out fast. As someone mentioned, not a perfect city but one I do enjoy living in.

Ok, I don't live in Seattle (obviously by my name) but wanted to comment on the idea behind pwright's comments.

I grew up in West Virginia. Economically depressed, slower paced, some would say "stand offish" West Virginia. I moved to Atlanta a number of years ago. Vastly different culture here. Faster in terms of driving at least, more congested, and growing so fast it is mind boggling. The people intown at least are faster paced and those in the burbs are slower and more ultra religious. There's so much money here you'd think everyone was millionaires. Overall people here talk A LOT more than I was used to, and I learned that you can't even leave a quarter laying outside without it being stollen within seconds (crime). In other words, two completely different worlds.

Well, you (New York transplant) won't ever FULLY assimilate to Seattle if you spent so much time in NYC, but I do agree with everyone that you need more time to "adjust yourself" internally to your new climate. It took me a good year and a half before I was out of my awkward stage here, and started to truly absorb it. Now, I will NEVER like Rap or Hip Hop junk (unfortunately far too famous here), and I will never drive 85mph in a 55pmh zone (common around our beltway), but, whenever I go home to visit now, I realize I'm more "Atlantan" than I am West Virginian any longer. I suspect if you chill out a bit and wait and give it time, and then go back to NYC for a few days in a year or so, you'll see it (and you) through different eyes.

Few people truly love 100% of everything about any city. There will be things you will always hate about Seattle, but, I think over time you'll find more things to like, too. Maybe it will take moving to a different part of the city or metro area, or maybe just time.

[WazzuCoop21]

Well, as a born and raised 509'er, I have to admit ragging on Seattle-types quite a bit. But, in reality, all of us native WA residents really love the city, although we could do without some of the snooty attitudes that we love to complain about. Oh, and there was mention of Seattle and education. It was ranked as the Most Educated Big City in America last year. Here's a few quotes:

College graduates are flocking to Seattle, lured by a captivating combination of work and what's available after work.

It's the best-educated big city in America, according to Census Bureau estimates: 51.3 percent of all Seattle adults 25 and older hold bachelor's degrees or better.

Between 2000 and 2004, according to the bureau, the number of Seattle residents with college degrees increased by 11 percent — three times the rate of the city's overall population growth.
...
The Seattle Times: Local News: Seattle ranks as nation's best-educated big city