Follow up poll -- what deters you from Seattle or why would you leave? (Shoreline: job market, university)

[HistoryAficionado]

Originally Posted by seattlenextyear

That's all very nice and L.L Bean catalogish. I've spent 21 years in the North. Those things are all well and good right after a snowfall, but, in about 20 minutes, you get cold and have to go inside. And pretty soon the snow turns into dirty slush.

How many years have you lived in Seattle, then? Obviously one doesn't need to live here to know that it is just about perfect!

Look, it's great to be optimistic and excited about moving some place new, but come on, live here for a few months first before you begin mixing up a pitcher of Kool-aid.

[Katarina Witt]

My brother and I loved the snow. We would drag our sleds out at the first drop of a flake and wait to be able to go sledding. He (bro) never ice-skated, but I did and loved it (still do). Bro and friends used to play a variation of football called "Mud Football", which required a muddy field and preferably inclement weather. I know this latter point b/c I typed a paper on the subject for him once. DH used to play pick up hockey on the creeks in Omaha, NE.

Yes, with my own kids it was an in and out thing, but they could amuse themselves for an hour or two with sledding, snowman building, etc. And of course I took them ice skating.

So, back to topic, snow is not a bad thing. Of course, you can play "Mud Football" in the rain, as well. But it's hard to ice skate or sled in the rain.

[Kmag2OOO]

Why close a poll after only 66 votes?











mod note: The reason is that the OP set it up for it to be open for only 30 days. When you create a poll, you can specify how long you want it open.

[Haakon]

Originally Posted by lijohy

Well if you actually get up and do something on a rainy day, there is a lot to do if you live in Seattle.

IF you live in Seattle. There are well over a million people in King County alone who don't live in Seattle, or even all that close to it, who have to deal with the same rain and bad weather Seattle gets. Many of them don't have a bus route within walking distance, especially not with children. Have you ever tried taking a bus from east King Co to Seattle? It takes hours.

[xcalgal]

We are leaving Seattle. I love it here but hubby is not happy. I love the rain, he gets depressed. I have made tons of friends through a "newcomer's" group (some people in my group have been here 10 years and still they feel like newcomers). They are all very eager to get together, make friends, and laugh (I think this is outlawed in Seattle). He loved So. Cal sailing and does not feel the same about sailing here. Politics...don't get me started. Hubby has felt very isolated. We vote the person not the party but we are economically conservative, but when we tell people we are not Democrats, you'd think we had come from a different planet. I am an Independent, but a friend of mine said upon hearing that my hubby was a registered Republican said, "Oh, I know another Republican." That gives you an idea of how isolated one can feel here. We respect the environmental fervor here, but not the decision making capabilities (the viaduct decision for example). It was my dream of 20 years to live here, so there will be teardrops falling, not just rain, when we leave.

[Saggia]

When it's 95 degrees and the humidity is 95%, believe me, your kids won't be romping around outside. Hot, humid weather is so much worse...if you truly like that sort of thing, more power to you and I hope you find a great place to live soon. Sun stroke, overheating, sunburn, and just plain feeling like you need a shower 10 minutes after you took one ....I'll never understand what it is about that kind of weather people actually like. Still, it's a good thing everyone doesn't like the same thing or we'd all be bunched up in the same place! Sunny, hot and NOT humid, like New Mexico, was fine...I love it, but day after day after day of sun can get to you after a while, too.

Hmmmm...guess I'll just have to live 6 months in Washington and 6 in New Mexico. First, though, I just need to find that pot of gold at the end of one of those rainbows to afford it!

Incidentally, one of the most beautiful rainbows I've ever seen was when we were in Seattle...it was in 2000 and it caused a bunch of fender benders because everyone was looking at it instead of the road!

[LexusNexus]

I hear a lot of great things about Seattle, but my God, excessive precipitation is something that I don't care for. I don't care how beautiful and great the place is.

[obsidian97]

Lack of tolerance/give people the benefit of the doubt.

Just because someone doesn't share your exact pattern of daily life doesn't mean they're a member of the axis of evil. Give people the benefit of the doubt!

You might simply not be able to afford buying a new eco-friendly, organic, recyclable, electric powered bicycle to work, rather than being a stooge for the oil lobby.
You might simply want to spend the extra time it'd take to take the bus to work with your kid instead because you love your kid and would rather get to know them better than the bus driver.
Living on eastside because you can't afford to live in Seattle and you'd rather live closer to work (to minimize your impact on the environment and spend more time with your kid rather than going over the bridges), rather than being some completely uncool, uptight, strip-mall loving, yuppie. The strip malls and condos were here before I got here. Yes, Bellevue Square is obnoxious.

... things like that.

I think people would find that they agree on more than they thought, and it'd be a nicer place to live if people cut each other a bit more slack.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Alexus

I hear a lot of great things about Seattle, but my God, excessive precipitation is something that I don't care for. I don't care how beautiful and great the place is.

Actually, Seattle receives less rain than almost any of the cities on the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S.; even most of the Southeast gets more rain than Seattle.

The difference is that in Seattle we get most of our rain in the form of drizzle and mist, while cities on the East Coast and the Southeast get most of their rain in heavy downpours.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by Saggia

When it's 95 degrees and the humidity is 95%, believe me, your kids won't be romping around outside.

Sure they will, by swimming or playing at the splash park! We did that all summer (our first in the Houston area) and it was so much fun. I am sad that the community pools are starting to close (way too early in the year, in my opinion).

After almost 10 years in Seattle, I literally go outside and stand with my face tilted up toward the sun and just bask in the warmth and heat. And I never thought I was a "sun person" until now.

The poll was tough since it wasn't multiple choice. Our reasons for moving include People/Culture, Weather/Climate, Lack of Affordability, and Economy Not Kind To My Husband's Profession.