My Year in Seattle (Vancouver, Rainier: credit, how much, new home)

[angelenogirl]

So I'm coming up on my one-year anniversary and thought I'd check in with the kind folks who helped me make informed decisions about moving here.

1. It's true, the weather must really suck for most people, but my scale is very different. I love the weather. It was a bit too hot this summer, with many 90+ days. If I had a nickel for every person who said, "You don't need AC but three days a year," I'd have at least $.70. If you tend toward being warm, you will want to buy a unit for at least one room of your house. But winter? Ah...darkness, cloud cover, misty rain. Totally romantic. I love, love, love it. Now how about some snow?

2. There are so many cute places to explore. We've gone to wine country, concerts, museums, yummy restaurants, up to Vancouver. I've discovered that I love village life, and there are many quaint little villages here. The entire region has a very nautical feel (which is probably why so many cute little antiques are decorated with anchors). But the water does not feel like the water elsewhere on this coast. Initially I tried to make neighborhoods here correlate to those I knew in L.A., but it's just not possible. It feels almost east coast to me, in the best way.

3. The schools are not what I'd hoped. Yes, some are good on paper, but SPS is just ridiculously disorganized and schizophrenic. This has been a real disappointment. I've also found that, at least in the school we're in now (a '10' on greatschools), there is almost a hesitance to discipline, as if it may stifle the little ones, or cause actual dialogue between school and parents. It matches the hands-off/tight-lipped nature of a lot of people I've met here (not all!). Both of my kids have been physically bullied and the lack of meaningful resolution is disheartening. The student-teacher ratios are also insane (and do not even closely resemble what is stated online).

4. I'm becoming a Seattleite. The other day while getting coffee, a gentleman randomly struck up a conversation with my husband in the middle of a packed but mostly silent coffee shop. He was chatty, explaining he was visiting, and then talked about his summer travels. I realized that not only was I staring at him like he was insane, but my mouth was open. So I guess I've gotten used to the "quiet nature" of the citizens (though the passive-aggressive stuff can be bizarre). That said, I will never drive 55 in the fast lane when the speed limit is 60. God help me, someone please explain this phenomenon to me.

5. When I see the Space Needle in the sun, or drive across a floating bridge, or see Mount Rainier, or take in the forest outside my window...my heart still stops. And then melts. I don't think I'll ever get used to how beautiful it is here, or take it for granted. Did you guys know that you have tress in your downtown?! We only had two things on our list when looking for homes: a spectacular view, or crazy walkability. You can get both here, and you can often do it affordably.

6. The Eastside is actually kind of nice.

It would be very difficult to leave this place, because now it feels like home. Thanks for all of the help, and for having such a fantastic city! It is truly world class in my book.

[Seacove]

For all the years we've been here, we've never taken the beauty for granted.

We are getting AC installed. We feel a little wimpy for doing so and it was funny seeing the condenser out on the pad this weekend with the rain coming in sheets around it but there it is. There really are people who prefer the cool temperatures of Seattle. Who love mist and sweaters and dark green in December. But I'm fine with the snow staying in the mountains where I can visit it.

I'm not sure what makes Seattleites become a little more quiet and contemplative but it happens. It became very clear to us how much Seattle was home for us when we did a couple of work moves. We missed it so much and trips back were a clear reminder.

So glad you like your new home!

[loveagrey1]

Thank you so much for your anniversary summary.....we will be hopefully arriving late spring/summer of this upcoming year and I am a bit nervous but mostly excited!!! We have spent 10 miserable years here in the south, so I guess it will be great even if folks are mostly quiet?.....as long as they are mostly educated.....I crave to be around intelligent folks again......so may I ask where did you move from?

Also, where in Seattle would you suggest for us to live if we have a huge retired racing greyhound and I want to feel "safe" when walking him? My husband will be working in the law enforcement field with crazy hours and I will be alone a lot.......we can afford "nice" but I do not think Capitol Hill "nice".....what neighborhood is about second in line? Again thanks so much!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by angelenogirl

So I guess I've gotten used to the "quiet nature" of the citizens (though the passive-aggressive stuff can be bizarre). .

Could someone explain the "passive-aggressive" thing? I still don't get it. What is the behavior that people label passive-aggressive" in Seattle?

The one thing I miss about Seattle is the grove of cedar trees in my backyard.

OP, I, too, thought the grey and misty rain were kind of romantic, quiet, meditative. After awhile it gets old, though.

[fnh]

Apparently I can't rep you again angelenogirl but I love reading your posts. Thanks for the update!

[angelenogirl]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Could someone explain the "passive-aggressive" thing? I still don't get it. What is the behavior that people label passive-aggressive" in Seattle?

The one thing I miss about Seattle is the grove of cedar trees in my backyard.

OP, I, too, thought the grey and misty rain were kind of romantic, quiet, meditative. After awhile it gets old, though.

"Oh, is that where you're going to park?" = Don't park there
"Isn't that funny" = That's not funny at all, are you making fun of me?
"I'll just sit over here" = I was going to sit at that table
Almost hit you in their car, followed by smug smile = you shouldn't have been in the crosswalk/stop signs don't apply to me

Or you ask innocently, "Is this my coffee on the bar?" and you get a dirty look instead of someone just saying it's theirs. It exists, and it's weird. To be fair, there are people like this all over the world. It's just a high concentration here. I did not give much credit to the freeze thing before moving here, but I do see how this behavior could be interpreted as cold, rude or uncaring.

I read a scathing (and unintentionally hilarious) one-star Yelp review by a girl who didn't receive any assistance in a shop. Did she ask for help? No, she stated in her review that after giving SEVERAL non-verbal cues for about 15 minutes she just up and left, never to return. That so perfectly encapsulates what I see nearly every day.

My mother is the queen of PA behavior, so I'm used to it, but the fact that it's so rampant can be annoying on a bad day. I am not a confrontational person by nature, but here I feel like the most direct, assertive person in the world. It's actually kind of good for my ego!

[angelenogirl]

Originally Posted by loveagrey1

Thank you so much for your anniversary summary.....we will be hopefully arriving late spring/summer of this upcoming year and I am a bit nervous but mostly excited!!! We have spent 10 miserable years here in the south, so I guess it will be great even if folks are mostly quiet?.....as long as they are mostly educated.....I crave to be around intelligent folks again......so may I ask where did you move from?

Also, where in Seattle would you suggest for us to live if we have a huge retired racing greyhound and I want to feel "safe" when walking him? My husband will be working in the law enforcement field with crazy hours and I will be alone a lot.......we can afford "nice" but I do not think Capitol Hill "nice".....what neighborhood is about second in line? Again thanks so much!

I tend to romanticize the south because I haven't spent much time there. I'm glad you're able to leave it, though! Don't be nervous. Seattle is really special.

People here definitely are and seem smart, which makes the quirkiness seem quaint. Smart people can just be weird. I just read a very long L.A. vs. Seattle thread here on C-D, and the qualities people championed about L.A. (where I grew up) seemed goofy and shallow compared to the ones championed by the Seattle voters. For example, people thought Disneyland, celebrity culture and hot women were important factors for voting L.A. The Seattle folks liked access to nature, good schools, architecture.

Do you want to be in Seattle proper? Where will your husband work?

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by angelenogirl

"Oh, is that where you're going to park?" = Don't park there
"Isn't that funny" = That's not funny at all, are you making fun of me?
"I'll just sit over here" = I was going to sit at that table
Almost hit you in their car, followed by smug smile = you shouldn't have been in the crosswalk/stop signs don't apply to me

Or you ask innocently, "Is this my coffee on the bar?" and you get a dirty look instead of someone just saying it's theirs. It exists, and it's weird. To be fair, there are people like this all over the world. It's just a high concentration here. I did not give much credit to the freeze thing before moving here, but I do see how this behavior could be interpreted as cold, rude or uncaring.

I read a scathing (and unintentionally hilarious) one-star Yelp review by a girl who didn't receive any assistance in a shop. Did she ask for help? No, she stated in her review that after giving SEVERAL non-verbal cues for about 15 minutes she just up and left, never to return. That so perfectly encapsulates what I see nearly every day.

My mother is the queen of PA behavior, so I'm used to it, but the fact that it's so rampant can be annoying on a bad day. I am not a confrontational person by nature, but here I feel like the most direct, assertive person in the world. It's actually kind of good for my ego!

And the sad part is it goes even deeper than that. People here are so used to dealing with passive aggression that they assume there's some ulterior motive behind relatively straightforward actions.

But yeah, it's everywhere. Just a bit more common here. I suppose it goes hand in hand with the predisposition of people to avoid conflict and not get involved.

[kyled]

Why would you be going under the speed limit in the fast lane? I just find that incredibly rude. Even if I'm going over the speed limit but traffic is going faster I wouldn't be in the fast lane and even then, if the circumstance warrants, I'll change lanes to let someone pass me...that's just good manners.

I'm glad you've made an update, though, I enjoy seeing people come back to the CD forums after they've moved to an area and make a report...as someone who is seriously considering moving to the Seattle area I find it very helpful to see people who were in my situation reporting on what they think now that they've made the move and have lived there for some time.

[angelenogirl]

Originally Posted by kyled

Why would you be going under the speed limit in the fast lane? I just find that incredibly rude. Even if I'm going over the speed limit but traffic is going faster I wouldn't be in the fast lane and even then, if the circumstance warrants, I'll change lanes to let someone pass me...that's just good manners.

I'm glad you've made an update, though, I enjoy seeing people come back to the CD forums after they've moved to an area and make a report...as someone who is seriously considering moving to the Seattle area I find it very helpful to see people who were in my situation reporting on what they think now that they've made the move and have lived there for some time.

I don't drive that way, but I see it all the time. Everyone seems to drive around five miles under the speed limit. Sometimes I'm driving on the freeway and there are a whole pack of cars driving the same, slow pace behind me across all lanes. It looks very Twilight Zone, and sometimes I get scared my speedometer is broken.