It has been about five months since I've moved to the greater Seattle area from the Midwest. I live in a town of about 12,000. Big enough to have some stuff but not big city. Seattle proper is a very scenic ferry ride or a short traffic choked drive away. In additional to the many outdoor recreational activities I moved here for, there are other things that have added to my enjoyment.
Beer festivals are high on the list. There's at least three per month in the summer and at least one per month in the winter. And, that's just in Washington.
Having more than one REI store within an hour's drive is another. It's hard not to spend major bucks every time I go in one.
My local, actually County, library rocks! The patrons are generally courteous and quiet. But, the librarians do shush people if they make the mistake of thinking they are in a coffee shop instead of library. And, they send me a reminder email about five days before a book is due! This helps avoid overdue fees and gives me a reminder to renew online if I have to.
There's a noticeable lack of smokers here. Smoking places are severely limited. Some places don't allow it outside of their business. It's illegal in bus stop shelters. And, riders have no reservations about letting those who ignore the law have it.
There is such a thing as West Coast Laid Back Attitude. Drivers go out of their way to stop to let pedestrians cross. I almost never here a horn honk. And most people are quite friendly. There's a nice sense of community. It's not just the dregs of society who use public transportation (that's the smokers, unfortunately). There are public transportation users from all castes.
Not everything is roses here. But I feel I made a great choice when I moved here. I'm a bit far away from family but I've never a dull moment. Usually my dilemma is deciding what I'm going to do next. That's a "stressful" problem I can deal with.
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