move to seattle

It all started when my best friend married into the military. She and her husband are going to be stationed in the Seattle area and started trying to talk me into moving with them last January. I’ve always wanted to go somewhere new and experience a different living experience. i’ve spent my whole life in the chicagoland area and now its finally time for me to get my taste of adventure. I decided in April that i was going to move with them FOR sure! I already bought my one way ticket, i got my luggage, and i’ve been going through all my stuff trying to decide what’s going and what’s not. I already made some contacts and friends via the internet up in the area and i’ve been keeping an eye open for jobs in the area on craigslist. My family is completely unsupportive of my adventure, but i’m totally gung-ho for it! I feel as though i’m finally starting to live! I have no idea whats waiting for me there, i’ve never been there, but i only hear great things and what’s the worst that can happen? I don’t like it and i come back home… doesn’t sound too bad does it?

One of my biggest goals at the moment is to live in Seattle. I don’t know why I feel so attracted to this city, but it just seems like an awesome place to live. I have never been there before, but I would really like to visit before I even decide to do this. I have a co-worker who also wants to live in Seattle, and we’ve even spoken about being roomies. I’ve heard that it rains a lot, but that’s not a problem for me. I plan to live there for at least a year, because I want to have the experience of having lived in a West Coast city, and to me Seattle is the best of the West Coast Cities. I don’t know if careerwise Seattle would meet my requirements, but if it does I might even consider staying there for good. If any Seattleites come across this entry and have any tips or advice, feel free to post it.

I fell in love with Seattle when I was a sophomore in high school. I am now a sophomore in college and I still think about living there. I will make it happen no matter what, I just have to graduate first…

I went to Seattle April 24 – 30, and got to visit Vancouver too! It was awesome. The entire experience was great, and here’s why. Instead of a crazy swooning for the city, it felt good and right and simple. Instead of head-over-heels in love, I felt calm and ready. This is a great way for me to feel; you see I am ready, and the city seems ready too. I took tons of photos, drove about a thousand miles, and was able to really feel the vibe, the traffic, the streets, the people, and the weather was very much to my liking. Did it rain? yes – at night. Was it hot? Nope. Was it warm? Yep. While I was there with a buddy we stayed with friends in the Roosevelt area off the Ravenna exit, I like this area a lot, it’s not far from the 5, and you can get downtown without a freeway too, which I prefer. The overall vibe was relaxed like San Francisco, with less techno-glitz. I was happy to see few people with iPods in their heads, and more people on bikes and walking in whatever little town-let in which they lived. Pike Place was great as ever, I had been once before, and the flowers still made me smile for hours. So, now I am sorting out the logistics, and plan to make the big decisions in June and go from there. I know in my heart, that once we set our intention with clarity and love, the universe conspires to create that which is our hearts desire.

I wish you all the best on your journey and hope to see you along the way as you too follow your heart.

Peace be with you!

PS – This is one of the many photos I took on my visit.

Phoenix

Hello everyone, I’m a graphic/production designer and a recent casualty of the newest economic trend, laid off. I’ve been researching the Seattle area and there seems to be opportunity there but just curious if anyone has any thoughts or info on the employment scene, especially after hearing the recent Microsoft news…

Thanks,
Jason

I am not sure why, but I cannot get Seattle off my mind. My nagging feeling began in 2004, upon graduating from college. I actually visited Seattle in March of that year, began looking for an apartment and a job; then decided to move to San Diego three weeks before I was to move to Seattle. I loved San Diego, but deep inside I felt I was supposed to be in Seattle. I only stayed in San Diego for two years, Then moved to New Orleans and began graduate school. I will be finishing school next May…so here I am again, at cross-roads. The question is—should I move back to San Diego or to Seattle??? Dear Universe, give me a sign. I have to decide this summer in order to begin bar application.

The signs keep hitting me. A lifelong curiosity with the place, and a need to live somewhere coastal. A general dislike for the sun or heat. An inclination towards moist, gray weather. Having never been to the West Coast. And the yearning for a new city and reinvention.

Let’s go!

I WANT TO STAY IN PORTLAND AND NOT MOVE TO SEATTLE (CAPS!!!).

I am from NorCal, have lived in SanFran, LA, and Indianapolis IN. I actually lived in Indiana (not my choice) in High School with an Unlce. Then I moved to SanFran after High School in 1996, moved back to Indianapolis in 1998, then moved to LA in 2002, and came back to Indiana in 2004 to sell my house (tenant trouble) and now I am about to pay-off the last bit of the house so I’m stoked!!! Anyhow, I’ll be in Seattle to visit friends this April 24-30 and can’t wait to put it all together for the summer – I will be in Seattle in September as my new home. Why? Well my Dad lives in Grants Pass, my Sister lives in Montana, my Brother is in Las Vegas, and my best friend is in Mendocino CA, plus I have about 10 friends in Seattle from High School in Cali. I can’t wait to Kayak!!! That is the big personal reason about lifestlye that I can’t wait to be part of. Plus the city is walkable, the people are creative, more people read books in this city than most. Plus, I’m a writer so I’m taking my business with me and can’t wait to write in the living room of my new apartment, looking out the front window toward the trees and the sunlight, while hanging out with my cat Moxie, all the while planning the trip to the shore to kayak with the sunrise. I can’t wait to meet awesome people like you who are taking a hard look at thier life and saying, “Yes!” “I can create the life I want!”

Well, I’ll be back to add more thoughts from time to time! So far, I have turned off my Cable TV, quit the Gym membership (to workout at home) and I will be paying off more debt in the next 30 days to get me lined up for a successful landing in my new home town of Seattle!

Much love!

Phoenix C.

This is my first post on this site, and what i have seen from this site, will not be my last. I wish i would have found this site a bit earlier in the evening so i could actually type out something worth reading, but at this moment in time i heading to bed. Then to work, to make money, to save, to use toward my move and countless other things i would like to have to accomplish my other goals. So until the next time i am on this site to read about and share some goals.