civil unrest
I've been thinking lately about a Big Move. As much as I love Chicago (and believe me, I really enjoy living here), it hasn't been all that great for me. The (ongoing, unproductive, rejection-laden) job seach continues to get me down and I'm at the point where I feel like an employment leper, a phrase I've recently coined. I've started to think about moving back east, not back to my parents' house in NJ (or anywhere in NJ, for that matter), but to Philly, DC (the horror!), or Boston. I'm not even considering New York, because it's just completely unliveable and I know how hyper-competitive the environment is, especially in the fields I'm looking into. And I'm not considering cities on the West Coast (LA--no interest in living out there; San Diego--no reason to go down there besides good weather; San Francisco--not affordable; Seattle--as much as I would probably like it as it's such a progressive city, there's not much going on out there for me)
Chicago
Pros
Reasonably liveable
Navigable sans car
Have made some good friends and connections
I'm already basically "settled" here
I've gotten to know the area pretty well
I just really, really like living here.
Cons
no real support system out here
no luck on the job front (since we're going on a YEAR since I've first started looking, this is a major problem)
I'm afraid I've already dug myself into a rut with all of the negativity and crap that's been going on.
Philly
Pros
lots of close friends already out there (this is key)
close to family
employment situation MIGHT be better for me
Cons
not my favorite city
close to family
I'm pretty sure the employment situation wouldn't be all that much better than Chicago
DC
Pros
Close(r) to my support base
much more interesting stuff down there with nonprofits (ugh) and media outlets (NPR, etc)
Cons
I don't like DC
a super-competitive, cut-throat environment
doesn't strike me as affordable or navigable as Chicago or Boston
So yeah, any thoughts from anyone who still reads this journal?
Chicago
Pros
Reasonably liveable
Navigable sans car
Have made some good friends and connections
I'm already basically "settled" here
I've gotten to know the area pretty well
I just really, really like living here.
Cons
no real support system out here
no luck on the job front (since we're going on a YEAR since I've first started looking, this is a major problem)
I'm afraid I've already dug myself into a rut with all of the negativity and crap that's been going on.
Philly
Pros
lots of close friends already out there (this is key)
close to family
employment situation MIGHT be better for me
Cons
not my favorite city
close to family
I'm pretty sure the employment situation wouldn't be all that much better than Chicago
DC
Pros
Close(r) to my support base
much more interesting stuff down there with nonprofits (ugh) and media outlets (NPR, etc)
Cons
I don't like DC
a super-competitive, cut-throat environment
doesn't strike me as affordable or navigable as Chicago or Boston
So yeah, any thoughts from anyone who still reads this journal?