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After 22 years here, I know I can't stay in NE Ohio if I want to use my degree (BFA in creative writing), but I've popped into the boards of places I've considered and of course it's mostly people's opinions, but everywhere seems to have people who are unhappy about something....actually, a lot of things.
I think I can find a way to be happy most anywhere; it's just deciding where to go and which negatives are the least.
If I want the warm weather in FL/CA, I have to deal with the fact that everything's overblown in price, the warmth will be extreme, I may not have any more luck than I've had here with jobs (but I might), and my boyfriend is pretty against the constant heat (and therefore against moving), I worry about the excess of sun, and I wouldn't have mountains. I'm leaning toward CT for proximity to NYC jobs without having to live there; I'd like the changing seasons, and the mountains; I'd still have a beach (although I think they'd pale compared to FL's and I couldn't swim year round) but then from what I hear it's at least as expensive as CA, and the potential for about as much crappy winter weather as here makes me bulk a little bit when I think about the likely hour's worth of driving to and from work or at the least getting to the train station when it's freezing out (and then there's that spending at least 10 hours a day between working and commuting...right now, it's about a five minute drive to work so it would be quite an adjustment).
There's something to dislike/worry over everywhere uniquely (and some things universally like crappy house costs, gas, and crime) I'm wondering how people picked where they're living (or why they're picking where they plan to move) and what you did to decide what's most important? Obviously every situation and person's views are unique to their own move and we're not all going to agree whether high taxes are equal to high hurricane insurance, or three months of freezing winter being about the same discomfort as three months of blistering summer, just interested to see what people weigh and how they picked where they're going. I'm starting to think I should just cut all the states I'd consider out of a map, shuffle em up, draw one with my eyes closed and see what happens.
After 22 years here, I know I can't stay in NE Ohio if I want to use my degree (BFA in creative writing)
Just what is it that you want to do with your degree that you can't do in Ohio? I would think someone could "creatively write" from just about anywhere nowadays with all these newfangled internet-computer things . . .
If you don't like Ohio because you just don't like Ohio, that's one thing, but it would seem to me your job could be done from home just about anywhere, no? Unless maybe you are planning to teach at the college level and the job market is too tight where you are. In which case you need to be prepared to go where the jobs are, which might not necessarily be where you want to be . . .
Well, Ive basically narrowed it to 1 main state and areas of 4 others.
Most important is my choose carreer: Paper carrier so a city that was big enough to have an opening for big enough routes and pay enough was needed...I'd say min of 20K unless readership was higher than say 40%.
Second was climate: I hate extreemes can tolerate both ends for a bit though. I really dont want 7+ months of winter and no real spring(Minnesota) nor do I want not much greenery and birds and water(Nevada) so mild on both ends with some extreemes was what Id be looking for. Leaves me with northern parts of the most southern states up to about where you live to the east coast and west border would be the rockies.
Third was political cultural views: Yes, the Reps are very strong state wise in what remained when looking at Purple maps there is actually strong in blue or purple blue in the parts that I will mention later.
After that I have housing costs etc a concern and education and whether transgender lesbians coming out will be ok as far as saftey and job security as a concern. So, I came here and have a thread open asking for guidance.
The places that I am basically am down to are:
Chicago but winters can get bad so I'm leaning no
Nashville but reading this forum seems as if its not quite my cup of tea
Memphis but being transgender lesbian by reading this forum might be bad place
Little Rock but no Costco and I am reading in this fourm the Dems are more Rep than they are true Dems
Eastern Oklahoma but it is a Red state except for that region which has no major city so #1 priority might be extreemly hard to find
This Leaves Missouri major cities:
Kansas City in some regards less than St Louis and some better
St. Louis again so far both cities seem both pos and neg but in general real good Pos
Jefferson City havent read the MO forum much but not much/any chatter in Gen US
Springfield same as Jefferson not much if any chatter though it is a college town with a college atmoshpere which many ppl like
So, I still havent got it down pact but I made a top 3 priorities which brought it down significantly and then need to do more research and get better idea on my top 1 plus my top minor priorities from opinions from residents etc.
Hope that helped you listening to my thought proccess.
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
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I'd figure out what I wanted to do with my degree first of all. What kind of job I wanted. Do I want a nice, quiet place to write or do I want to actually work as a writer? What kind of work? Editing, tutoring/teaching, nonprofit work? Where do I see myself next year? Where do I want to be five years from now? Set goals and work toward them. Where you make things happen doesn't matter so much, just that you do. Think job and career goals and go from there.
Just what is it that you want to do with your degree that you can't do in Ohio? I would think someone could "creatively write" from just about anywhere nowadays with all these newfangled internet-computer things . . .
If you don't like Ohio because you just don't like Ohio, that's one thing, but it would seem to me your job could be done from home just about anywhere, no? Unless maybe you are planning to teach at the college level and the job market is too tight where you are. In which case you need to be prepared to go where the jobs are, which might not necessarily be where you want to be . . .
Well, yeah I can write from anywhere but getting a job that involves the degree, not so much. Didn't realize I didn't specify in my OP, but I'd like to get into editing, probably copy editing at least to start off with.
Thanks druth8x and houstoner.
Twinkletoes...I know, I threw in CA after the initial post because I'd considered there...I was also thinking in proximity though. The beach and mountains in CT are closer to each other....not that that's a huge dealbreaker, but I think it's kind of nice.
Double edge sword where ever you go. Live some where the professional jobs abound, you pay for it with congestion, high prices, and high taxes. You live some where quiet and serene, hope you don't end up in the unemployment line.
exactly. I'd pretty much narrowed it to CA, CT (commuting to NY) and possibly FL and MA. My mom was like 'you're never going to afford a house in any of those places, rent's sky high...etc, etc.' This is true, but then I told her that it seems to be like that anywhere. If there are a lot of jobs, there are more people and things get more expensive. But if I live somewhere it's cheaper, it won't matter if I could afford the housing there if I can't even find a job, at least not a job doing what I want to do.
Dont deny yourself Chicago because parts of the winter are really bad. The positives outweigh the negatives 100 to 1. Nowhere in the USA has perfect weather. What Chicago has to offer shouldnt be missed, trust me on that.
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
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Why don't you look at cities with writers-in-the-schools programs? California has CPITS, Portland, Chicago, Houston, and Seattle have WITS, and NY state has the Teachers & Writers Collaborative, and those are just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are more.
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