Considering moving to Bellingham

[waviking24]

Originally Posted by trixie09

Old thread, but couldn't disagree with you more on the weather. I think it's rather strident to accuse people who cannot handle the lack of sun for 9 months as being at fault here. You were there for two weeks... Seriously. Try living there for a few years. You cannot know at all until you've been somewhere for a few years if you will develop SAD. It's not a fake illness... I am living proof that I have never had a depressed day in my life until moving to the PNW. The lack of sun actually changes your brain chemicals, as does the lack of vitamin D, and the lack of full spectrum light.

Being affected by the weather is not a choice, and it's not a personal failing. I am an entirely different human being when the weather is normal. 9 months of gray skies drives many people mad, take it from people who have posted her and lived it. I've never had trouble making friends in my life.. ever. Until I moved up here. The Seattle Freeze and the Bellingham Curse are real. I think it's the lack of normal outdoor interaction most of the year, and that people seem to be fairly unhappy with cold, wet socks. Trust me... after you've had to dry your dog off for the 14th time in one day, so they can come inside, you'd be singing a different song.

So let this reply be a message to anyone who finds this thread, and thinks "oh I love rain!" it will be fine. You cannot know until youve' been here for a few years, if the rain will get to you. Usually it's the 4 year mark that has people knowing if they need to flee. Most people who move here from sunny places, do return home. It's not the rain, it's the dark skies and gray drizzle from mid-september to late June, that gets ya. Also, the warmer the climate, the warmer and more outgoing the people. So please don't look at pictures of a super green and lush place, and not realize that it takes 50 inches of rain (spread over 9 months, one drip at a time) to make it so. There is a reason why the real estate is cheaper up in the PNW.

I agree with this 100%. My family moved here 10 years ago from a sunny climate and except for the 3 months of summer and the occasional fall storm the weather here blows. You don't realize how much better you feel with a little sun every day until you experience it vs here. Other than the weather and some stuck up people bellingham isn't so bad.

[west seattle gal]

It's necessary for good mental health to take a vacation to a sunny locale around Feb!

[lovingthegreen]

I feel so weird - lol. I absolutely love the Northwest climate (I spent three years in Tacoma and one in Seattle) and cannot stand the climate of, say, Las Vegas, where I live now. I cannot handle sunny days for weeks on end. I want cloudy weather. I want constant drizzle.

I moved to Tacoma from a really sunny city in Reno and absolutely loved my first winter there and the two that followed, wondering why it didn't rain more - lol. Maybe I am strange ...

[Pahn]

I don't know what the Bellingham Curse is, but I've made plenty of friends here. People aren't as outgoing as other places, but they're still friendly.

[waviking24]

Originally Posted by lovingthegreen

I feel so weird - lol. I absolutely love the Northwest climate (I spent three years in Tacoma and one in Seattle) and cannot stand the climate of, say, Las Vegas, where I live now. I cannot handle sunny days for weeks on end. I want cloudy weather. I want constant drizzle.

I moved to Tacoma from a really sunny city in Reno and absolutely loved my first winter there and the two that followed, wondering why it didn't rain more - lol. Maybe I am strange ...

Are you a red head?

[adora_coquette]

We are moving there soon. We have spent a lot of time there in the past 5 years. We are coming from a sunny area and I have and still do worry about SAD, but we intend on putting full spectrum lights in our home and hopefully taking a vacation to a sunny area each year. I think there are ways to cope.

What I find funny is that people immediately assume sunny = better. It does NOT. There are only about 2 months here that are enjoyable to be outside (October and April). Other than that you get a day here or there in winter that is 65 and sunny. The rest is all rain, overcast or sweltering heat (100+ degrees). And "warmer climates equals warmer people" is an absurd comment. When it is hot, people are straight-up bitchy and miserable. Besides, people seem to be a lot more aloof and in competition with everyone they meet around here (Northern CA). Every time we are in B'ham people are very nice, quirky (in a good way) and seem to me to have a lot more character.

I think you just have to be willing to put yourself out there and make conversation with a smile on your face. I do, however see that the weather could effect a lot of people, so you would have to take precautions.

[waviking24]

Having lived half of my life in Miami and half in Bellingham I definitely realize that the sun is not for everyone. Some are built for the heat while others are not. I still think vitamin d is necessary for everyone though. Ideally I'd like to get mine from UV rays instead of vitamins.

[lovingthegreen]

Originally Posted by waviking24

Are you a red head?

No ...

[waviking24]

Originally Posted by lovingthegreen

No ...

Interesting...

[Pahn]

Not really. Plenty of people don't like the sun.