10.) Weather. That fact that our seasons change so drastically is one of the things I love about it here. The cold can be absolutely biting in the winter, but mostly it's not too bad. What I love best about winter here is the potential for those "white death" snow storms that shut the place down. It's a metropolitan area, so the idea of having so much snow that the city is paralyzed for a day or two (or five) is pretty exciting. Similarly, summer can be out-of-control hot and humid, but we get some nasty storms. I could live without the hail, but the rest of it can be a pretty good show. My goal is to always live in a home that has a porch where I can sit and watch storms (I have to settle for a ghetto-fabulous greenhouse right now). Falls are gorgeous here. Springs usually give us more cold and rainy days than anything else, but those warm days in late April-early May make my whole yard bloom and smell wonderful. See?
9.) Location. It's a small town with a big-city-wannabe complex! This means it's hard to be anonymous here. I like that. It means that people really can change the way things are done here. I like that too. In contrast, we have nationally recognized universities (well, just one really) and hospitals. Since we are the capital city, we also have neighbors that literally come from all over the world. Small town? Kind of. Homogeneous? Not at all. In addition, I could literally take care of all daily errands (groceries, banking…wait, banking?...does anyone really ever go to the bank anymore?) on foot. Yet the grocery stores are the only chain-businesses in the area.
8.) Non-regional diction. I really do strive for it (though I secretly wish I had a cool Jersey accent or slow, southern drawl). That’s not to say that our region isn’t full of people who say “hee-appy” instead of “happy” (ahem…Mike!) or talk like Bob from That 70s Show (like my Uncle Joe), but it’s an easy habit to break.
7.) Restaurants. While our state isn't exactly high-profile, this city is when it comes to restaurants...and retail. We have a Lush (uh. mah. gah. LUSH!!!), multiple Aveda stores, J. Jill, and Anthropologie. Whole Foods (two of them!) & Trader Joes are my favorite groceries. The choices of restaurants here are outstanding. It's quite possible to live here your whole life, dine out frequently, and never set foot in an Applebee's, Fridays, or Max & Erma's. I guess it's no coincindence, then, that this city is among the fattest in the country. Nevertheless, this family likes to go out to dinner and this city makes it awfully easy.
6.) Cost of living. Housing costs are reasonable. Sales tax is reasonable. Groceries are reasonable. Of course, I’ve never lived nor spent any extended time away from here, so I have nothing to which I can compare it.5.) My education. I’ve invested countless hours and dollars (well, it’s really not countless since my age and debt tell me EXACTLY how much I’ve invested) into my higher education. While life and a period of total indecisiveness got in the way, I have to say that I’m glad that a reputable school has been available to me when I was ready to commit (this was, of course, pending my acceptance…which I was…obviously, since I’m about to graduate…again).
4.) Family. I was born two hours from here where my entire family still resides. My ex-husband's family is also from the same area. This means my girls have all kinds of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents (their favorite) whom they are able to visit as often as time permits. Unfortunately, Mike's family lives out of state so we don't get to see them nearly as often. They all still live in this region of the country, so it's a reasonable driving distance.
3.) Memories. I had a good childhood. I have great memories of certain places and traditions surrounding the holidays. I really value having the ability to not only revisit those whenever I want, but also being able to recreate those for my girls. There is just something so cool about watching your children play in park where you played as a child. Of course, that hasn’t actually happened, but I still like the idea J
2.) No Drama-Mama. I suppose if you had a childhood full of events you’d like to forget, this would not apply. For me, however, I have mostly good memories of my childhood. I’ve led a pretty good life that has remained relatively free of high-drama. That’s not to say that I haven’t seen my share of adversity. I have. But it was what it was. All in all, things were good. Being the non-adventurous gal that I am, I think staying close to what has worked (family, friends, etc.) has translated into a support system and protective factors that have allowed me to continue to lead a drama-free life. Am I financially secure? Oh, hells no! Is my extended family dysfunctional? You bet. Yet I go to sleep every night feeling as though there are people that have my back and are no more than a short drive away.
1.) It’s home, ya’ll! Both of my babies were born in hospitals just a few blocks away. They love their school. I love my friends (my very best friend moved away a few years ago, but I still have some great friends here), I am (mostly) happy with their school, our neighborhood is awesome, and this just feels like home. Every time Mike and I come home from Vegas, I spend the airplane ride planning our next trip, but the second I walk in the door, I think “it’s so good to be home”. This is how I know it’s right for us.
1 comment:
I love your list! Thanks for participating and joining in.
Oh, and I see you're finishing up your social work degree. What are you specializing in? You know I love to talk social work talk. :)
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