Bay Area Lovefest
I moved to the Bay Area 9 years ago and never looked back. I knew this was the place I belong. And that despite the incredible cost of housing (having come from the Midwest, it was truly staggering — now I’m numb to it). Today I was reading a thread on the BACFUG email list (a group I ran from 1998-2002) prompted by someone from outside the area asking about relocating here. It prompted a flurry of folks sharing stories about how the increased cost of living is well worth it. My friend Nancy Tubbs summarized it so nicely I couldn’t help but post what she had to say:
While deep down people are people, at least on the outside people _are_
nicer here (even I’m nicer here). It helps not to be jammed into each other
on the subway/bus every day. Many are fulfilling a dream by being here so
are in a good mood overall. It’s easy to get a breather by getting into the
nearby open space preserves or the beach. People are healthier, fruits and
vegetables are fresher. Work can be stressful, with long hours and
unpredictable plans, but in general it’s more challenging and interesting as
we are building new products, vs maintaining mature ones. There are daily
opportunities to hear about new technologies and ideas, and the area is full
of creative, brilliant people who are curious and open to new things. Some
of the world’s best minds are here, and they have no interest in office
politics or posturing (although they might be a little nuts in other
interesting ways).