Haven't posted much since returning from vacation, since I am frantically finishing up work here in New York.... and preparing to move out to Seattle!
As the actual date of moving approaches, I'm starting to realize that it will be a big move in many ways. I'm moving out to Seattle to go to graduate school -- in urban planning, of course -- but I'm also moving for a number of other reasons. As you all can probably tell, I have a growing interest in environmental issues, and Seattle seems like a fertile place for interesting work. Also, I've lived most of my life on the East Coast, and spent the past eight years in big cities, ten if you count Boston, and I wonder if the West Coast is indeed more open and less conservative.
There apparently is a rather one-sided web rivalry between Seattle and New York of some sort, but I'm just happy to try something new. Maybe I'll write about what I'll miss in New York next time, but here are five more reasons, in no particular order, of why I'm looking forward to Seattle:
1. Food: I hear the quality of the vegetables, food and seafood in Seattle is great. For the past eight years, I've been eating out, eating at my desk, and shopping in grocery stores that have bad to mediocre (and usually expensive) produce. Returning to my small hometown, I can pull over at the side of the road and buy produce straight from the farmer -- it's not necessarily organic or particularly fancy --- it's just that one realizes that the process that brings produce to cities has already sorted out all of the good stuff. However, I hear that Seattle has great produce, and I am really excited to cook again.
1a. Food, Part 2: Even if I do lapse into eating out again, I hear Seattle has really good food. The New York Times and Chowhound say so, as if they're inciting or inviting me to leave.
2. Bicycling: I rode the subway this morning to get to work. Later, I will have to ride the subway back. I once loved subways. Enough said.
3. Voluntary Simplicity: I've been studying garbage in New York, which is gross.... and also a completely engrossing topic. However, in New York, the city actually hires consultants to produce reports, usually hundreds of pages long, to explain why they can't try new things, like recycle more, why waste prevention can't be quantified, and so on. I've been intrigued by reports that mention Seattle, and King County, are actually engaged in programs to reduce people's consumption, or to do more with less. How great is that?
3a. Voluntary Simplicity, Part 2: I am moving to Seattle with very few things, since I realized that the only things that I have that I like are my computer, a few clothes and my books. I got rid of all my furniture. Purging feels good.
4. The Ocean: OK, I concede that New York is on the ocean, it's just not the cleanest one. Even if I and others are always touting the improving water quality of New York Harbor, I'm curious about the Pacific Ocean and the islands. Also, as much as I advocate for kayaking on the Hudson, I have to admit that it's not the cleanest water or the best kayaking experience, since the kayaks are limited to a small area to avoid being struck by gigantic garbage barges. I'm not kidding.... and I hear that Seattle has great kayaking.
5. Things to Read, and Hopefully, Write: Lots of things that I've been reading lately that I like from Seattle. I mention Grist magazine often here, for grim political news leavened with humor, City Comforts is always looking around there, and some of WorldChanging's writers are also based there. Over vacation I started reading Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle, and started wondering how he became quite so geeky, and.... ambitious. It's great! I'd explain what it's about, but the three books are 944, 816 and 892 pages long, respectively, so you can read reviews here. So, I'm hoping that the writing is in the water in Seattle.
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