Can't stand being back here (Seattle: fit in, activities, friendly)

[seattlefun]

It's all a matter of perspective isn't it? For instance I live in Laguna Beach, CA. Personally I hate it here. I can't wait to leave this small minded town and move to Seattle. The locals here say "how can you hate it... it has everything you need". To them it does. To me it doesn't! So I'm excited to move to Seattle where Seattle has what I need. Maybe the OP has exhausted his Seattle needs. Sometimes it just time to move on. He has the right to his own opinion as we all do. But I totally get where he is coming from if I relate it to where I'm currently living.

The only thing I can say to OP is.... Life is short! Make a move at whatever cost. I have a husband and three kids and will be moving to Seattle with No Career and starting from scratch. But, that is because having a better life is so much more important to me than being stuck in a place where I'm not happy.

[Kayela]

"Where you came from is gone, where you thought you were going to weren't never there, and where you are ain't no good unless you can get away from it...." -Wise Blood

I always thought that last part was particularly true. It doesn't matter how pleasant the surroundings are if the walls feel like they're closing in on you, and you feel trapped.

That very sentiment is one of the biggest reasons I went into the field I did and why I'm very driven to be competitive professionally. I wanted out of where I grew up, but I had no money and no skills that anyone wanted, and I didn't want to be at the mercy of nutjob roommates and minimum wage. I wanted to be in-demand enough professionally that employers would be willing to pay me to come to them, and I didn't want to ever have to depend on anyone else to get the bills paid. Everyone has their own way of exerting control in their life and that's mine.

Good luck finding your own way.

[Seacove]

IMO, the OP's problem is moving back to where he grew up. Once you leave, it can be hard to go back and not feel like you've lost ground or even maturity. We grew up in Colorado, a great state by most measurements. We moved back briefly thinking it would be great fun and instead felt disappointed. The beautiful greenery and water of Seattle we had grown accustomed to were gone and replaced by brown flat lands all the way west to the mountains and the east was flat all the way to Kansas and beyond! The weather we remembered as freezing cold in the winter now had hail storms so strong it destroyed the roof on our brand new house within a year.

After a year and a half, we were done with the experiment and ultimately returned to our beloved Seattle. For us, this was where we chose, not where we grew up. For the OP, New York may be where he chooses and there is a big difference. This isn't really about Seattle.

[Bimmerfanboy]

I agree with the others OP; move where you'll be happy. Just make sure you'll be doing well career-wise. I didn't choose to move to Seattle, I had to because of economic conditions. That's why Seattle's population is skyrocketing right now, it has a strong economy with plenty of well-paying jobs. People are coming here because of work, not because it has great weather or tons of entertainment. People would be flocking to Miami or LA in that case.

While I do think this is a great place to live, in the long-run I may want to re-locate in San Francisco, SoCal, or somewhere along the east coast. But career comes first, and that's why Seattle is doing so well right now.

[RotseCherut]

Originally Posted by Seatown1

I agree with the others OP; move where you'll be happy. Just make sure you'll be doing well career-wise. I didn't choose to move to Seattle, I had to because of economic conditions. That's why Seattle's population is skyrocketing right now, it has a strong economy with plenty of well-paying jobs. People are coming here because of work, not because it has great weather or tons of entertainment. People would be flocking to Miami or LA in that case.

While I do think this is a great place to live, in the long-run I may want to re-locate in San Francisco, SoCal, or somewhere along the east coast. But career comes first, and that's why Seattle is doing so well right now.

You forgot to mention Seattle has a lot nicer scenery and a lot more outdoor recreation activity offerings for those who are not surfers or bodyboarders.

[kaoticfury]

Seattle is not for everyone; side effects may occur

[bloom]

Can you stand yourself?

[X.G.]

Wow. Guy leaves Seattle for NYC, comes back having failed and is unhappy to be back, especially because he's feeling alienated here -and (most of) you pricks only reaffirm his point: the Seattle freeze is alive and prosperous! Listen, the guy is down. You've never been down? As one who grew up in NY and moved here over 7 years ago, I think I can speak to the pros and cons of both places. Yes, Seattle is cleaner, greener, more civil and safe. However, the entire Northwest social scene and way of socializing is crap compared to the forwardness of people in NY (city and state), Montréal and wide swaths of New England/Atlantic Canada. A lot, lot, lot of people here ARE reclusive and/or drunkenly. So, stop being what we Nor'easters would call 'dickwads', k? Portland has its trite arrogance mocked accurately on "Portlandia". Seattle doesn't need the same. BE what you say Seattle is, not the opposite nastiness that only proves 206travelers point. Anything less is hypocritical.

[206traveler]

Thanks XG. Actually, considering that most of the replies are from the same 10 or so people that post on this site 7,000 times a day and seemingly never leave their computer, I don't take much stock in their opinion. It reaffirms my beliefs about the types of people that love it here, and motivates me to try to strike out on my own again.

[GatsbyGatz]

Just woke up after a night of partying in Pioneer Square. Went with a bunch of friends, made many new friends. It was a blast.

The problem is the individual, not the location. Lighten up a bit, 206traveler. I don't mean that to be rude. I just think that you're in a really foul funk right now.