New Life #876 Currently Loading

Hi. I'm going to go ahead and just jump right into it as this may (will) get long. I'm a 44yo sbf w/ 3 adult sons. I was born in SC, moved to the NE as a teen and spent 25 years in New England. It's home to me. My sons still live there, but 3 years ago, I made a decision to relocate to the south because I hoped I could spread my salary a little bit further and wanted to reconnect with my estranged family. In hindsight it was foolish considering how much I hate the south (and family tbh)/how much the col had increased, and truthfully I had reservations about returning.

I normally work in tech, and typically I make 65-75K a year. However, this most recent relocation, (because I've tried it before 10 years ago 🫠), has been a failure. I've been laid off twice in the last 3 years, and I'm currently still unemployed 😬. Right now, my lease will be ending at the end of February, and it will not be renewed as the owners need the space for their own family members relocating here.

I have always been drawn to Seattle. Since I was a kid. I've never been there, I've never even been on the west coast, but I have lived up and down the east coast and I feel very comfortable moving to new places alone. For whatever reason, I've just felt a connection to Seattle. I can’t explain it. And recently, (don't judge me 🤭) I did a astrocotography reading for fun, and shockingly, Seattle popped up as being where I could be most happy successful in overall. I know, I know. But I’d never expressed my feelings of living there so it was pretty surprising when it came up.

So, even with everything I have going on, I made the decision in my heart that I want to go ahead and chase the dream of living in the PNW. Seattle is where I want to start over. It’s pretty locked in for me at this point.

Right away, I know lots of people will tell me that the cost of living and the weather are huge cons. But having lived in New England, and also now living in Atlanta, I feel like the cost of living probably won't be THAT much of a shock to me. (Atl is where I relocated ten years ago when it was much cheaper but I actually hate it here and only came because I found easy housing after my first year long layoff of 2024)

I'm going to be leaving my car behind, at least initially , and that will eliminate a huge amount of money that I spend monthly(gas/maintenance/insurance) that will allow for a higher rental budget . I don't have a problem with rainy weather. I actually love it. And I am very much looking forward to all the beautiful nature, access to water 😍, and what I THINK is the overall vibe of the area. It seems like it could be pretty similar to NE minus the harsh winters. Rain is cool, snow and ice - not so much.

Saying that, I do want to know what people, who actually live there, who have experience there, could tell me in terms of what they think are pros and cons. Or just random opinions about living there overall. I think it’s good to be realistic and prepare myself.

I feel really good about a few recent interviews but if I don't have an offer by the end of my lease, I'll probably be spending a little time in San Antonio, living with my brother, until I land a job. But as soon as I have a job, whether that's before my lease ends, or be, afterwards, I'm going to make the jump and move to Seattle. I’m also ok with working a side gig too. If needed.

I am a very practical person, and so even typing this plan “out loud”, gives me some pause. But I just feel so strongly in my heart that this will work out to be something good for me. I'm just gonna take the leap. I know it sounds a little reckless but I dunno, I don’t have a lot to lose at this point.

In terms of where I want to live, because I won't have my car, I want to be somewhere with a high walk score. But not too far from public transportation, so I am able to do weekend exploring. Areas that I've researched so far are Ballard, Beacon Hill, Capital Hill and a few other places. I think so far, Ballard may be in the lead. I've seen tons of apartments that seem decent, within my budget of up to $1,700 max. I’m ok with a smaller place to start, like a studio or 1 bedroom.

I'm perfectly fine with not having a lot of friends as I have always been a bit of a loner. Im very outgoing but also very ok staying to myself. I really want to come there and just focus on work and some creative outlets that I have. And just live a peaceful life. I’m pescatarian and 420 friendly. I’m single, but I would be interested in dating at some point. I love diversity and living in a mixed neighborhood but I do want some access to my own culture too. I’m a homebody but good local spots for hanging out sometimes would be nice. I think that's about it in terms of details.

Of course there are tons of posts and vids I’ve read and watched, but I wanted to give as many details of my personal wants to get more accurate feedback. Sorry for the novel, but thanks in advance for any input. ☺️