(no subject)
You guys! So much to say and I can't talk about it on Facebook because our families haven't been told yet and we're still working out job details. SO HELLO AGAIN, LJ!
TL;DR: We're moving to Portland in less than a month - Please don't mention on FB.
We've been idly talking about it for years, but in the last six months or so it got more real. A few things lead to it: the most acute being that both of us feel like our lives are completely dominated by our work because the cost of living here requires it of us. Your mileage may vary, but for us it's been feeling like a treadmill without enough payoff.
From this point I won't attempt to speak for Randall, only for myself.
I grew up in San Francisco from age 14. That's almost 30 years here. I moved here away from the first true friends and stability I ever had, but towards the big city full of artists, punk shows in parking lots, new wave dance clubs, all stripes of alternative culture, and beautiful old buildings. I went from child to adult here and I LOVED this place. I discovered my own independence here, love and loss, a career, and the craziest experiences you can imagine. I never felt more at home than I did here.
But things change like they always do. I know SF is a boom town and history just keeps repeating. I got through the 90s and 2000s with some sadness over the changes big money brought, but it was alright and somewhat thrilling to be part of a new industry. A lot of us fled to the east bay when the city got to be too much, but now it's gone past my threshold. Maybe I've just gotten old and nostalgic (or maybe wiser), but it's not fun for me anymore. This is a rich man's playground and I'm not interested in what that has to offer. SF has turned into Manhattan, and I didn't want Manhattan. Plus I've never really moved anywhere as an adult. Why not try it?
It's crazy to me that I'm actually someone who CAN afford to live here (if barely), and yet the fact that working class people and artists can't makes it too bitter to bear. And the truth is, I AM one of those people and I would rather live out my life being true to my nature than making $$ in an environment I hate. I don't know what I'm going to do but I can't do it with full time corp job and two hours of commute each day.
Anyway, you know all this. How many articles have you read about the douchebaggery of SF? About evictions and tech bros and google buses? It may be true, but we're all tired of hearing about it. I just don't have the energy left to carve out my own vision of San Francisco and the Bay Area anymore. I'm stretched too thin just getting by. To those of you who stay and work to keep the torch of culture and free thinking lit here, I salute you with all my heart. I know I sound like a cranky old hippy but it's hard not to be hyperbolic when talking about the factors leading to a sea change in life.
I know magical Portlandia isn't a panacea, and I have a feeling in 10 or 20 years it will be rife with the same issues SF has, but right now it's pretty great. It's got a lot going on and we can sell our house here and live for less there. It's pretty simple. The people are nice. Have you seen the trees? The amount of bikes and shows and good food? My company has an office up there - that makes an easy transition for me. Randall is still figuring out how he can keep working his job. We rented an apartment so we can get acquainted with the place before we decide to buy again. We'll be going some time in June.
I will miss my people and my house. However I'll be back at least twice this summer for work, so stay in touch. I'm sure I'll have a lot to say about Portland soon. If you have any questions, ask.
ETA: I know Portlandia is for real, but I've spent a lot of time in Berkeley so I know the drill. Also - Cats: Drive or fly them? Advice?
AETA: I may not be able to handle the weather! I'm not sure. But it's worth a try! VISITORS SUPER WELCOME.
Again, please do not mention this on Facebook. Discretion is needed for a while.
Read Similar:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/07/new-york-1percent-stifles-creative-talent
http://www.citylab.com/housing/2013/10/san-francisco-exodus/7205/
TL;DR: We're moving to Portland in less than a month - Please don't mention on FB.
We've been idly talking about it for years, but in the last six months or so it got more real. A few things lead to it: the most acute being that both of us feel like our lives are completely dominated by our work because the cost of living here requires it of us. Your mileage may vary, but for us it's been feeling like a treadmill without enough payoff.
From this point I won't attempt to speak for Randall, only for myself.
I grew up in San Francisco from age 14. That's almost 30 years here. I moved here away from the first true friends and stability I ever had, but towards the big city full of artists, punk shows in parking lots, new wave dance clubs, all stripes of alternative culture, and beautiful old buildings. I went from child to adult here and I LOVED this place. I discovered my own independence here, love and loss, a career, and the craziest experiences you can imagine. I never felt more at home than I did here.
But things change like they always do. I know SF is a boom town and history just keeps repeating. I got through the 90s and 2000s with some sadness over the changes big money brought, but it was alright and somewhat thrilling to be part of a new industry. A lot of us fled to the east bay when the city got to be too much, but now it's gone past my threshold. Maybe I've just gotten old and nostalgic (or maybe wiser), but it's not fun for me anymore. This is a rich man's playground and I'm not interested in what that has to offer. SF has turned into Manhattan, and I didn't want Manhattan. Plus I've never really moved anywhere as an adult. Why not try it?
It's crazy to me that I'm actually someone who CAN afford to live here (if barely), and yet the fact that working class people and artists can't makes it too bitter to bear. And the truth is, I AM one of those people and I would rather live out my life being true to my nature than making $$ in an environment I hate. I don't know what I'm going to do but I can't do it with full time corp job and two hours of commute each day.
Anyway, you know all this. How many articles have you read about the douchebaggery of SF? About evictions and tech bros and google buses? It may be true, but we're all tired of hearing about it. I just don't have the energy left to carve out my own vision of San Francisco and the Bay Area anymore. I'm stretched too thin just getting by. To those of you who stay and work to keep the torch of culture and free thinking lit here, I salute you with all my heart. I know I sound like a cranky old hippy but it's hard not to be hyperbolic when talking about the factors leading to a sea change in life.
I know magical Portlandia isn't a panacea, and I have a feeling in 10 or 20 years it will be rife with the same issues SF has, but right now it's pretty great. It's got a lot going on and we can sell our house here and live for less there. It's pretty simple. The people are nice. Have you seen the trees? The amount of bikes and shows and good food? My company has an office up there - that makes an easy transition for me. Randall is still figuring out how he can keep working his job. We rented an apartment so we can get acquainted with the place before we decide to buy again. We'll be going some time in June.
I will miss my people and my house. However I'll be back at least twice this summer for work, so stay in touch. I'm sure I'll have a lot to say about Portland soon. If you have any questions, ask.
ETA: I know Portlandia is for real, but I've spent a lot of time in Berkeley so I know the drill. Also - Cats: Drive or fly them? Advice?
AETA: I may not be able to handle the weather! I'm not sure. But it's worth a try! VISITORS SUPER WELCOME.
Again, please do not mention this on Facebook. Discretion is needed for a while.
Read Similar:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/07/new-york-1percent-stifles-creative-talent
http://www.citylab.com/housing/2013/10/san-francisco-exodus/7205/