Snowing today - FUN; 80 degrees - Boring.

[Guest from New England]

Snowing here today in New England. Boston could get up to 12". It's fun as long as the power doesn't go out.

I hate the winters - the cold weather, the big chunks of ice in the gutters, a house on fire every week from a faulty stove or chimney, a house exploding once a month due to a gas leak, slipping on the ice and having to sleep in a Lay-Z-Boy recliner for weeks because of a bad back, the flu, the colds, going through boxes of Scotties tissues at the rate of one a day, hearing the oil furnace running, the dryness, the hoveling, the worrying about the kids and their driving, hands frozen to the steering wheel, the possibility of the water pipes bursting, the swimming pool winter-cover falling into the pool, running errands in a zero degree wind chill, just not being able to putter out in the garage because it is so damn cold ... etc. and etc.

AND YET, doesn't this stuff get ingrained in your fabric? Today is sort of fun. I knew the storm was coming so I planned to simply watch the Orioles-Marlins on ESPN, eat/drink a little junk food, pizza, and beer - and not feel guilty about relaxing. I could do some work but the snow gives me an excuse.

If I was in a warmer climate today, this could be the 19th straight day of sun and 80 degees - certainly not fun or anything to look forward to - same old same old.

Will I miss complaining about (sometimes enjoying) the weather when I move to a softer, gentler climate? Is "the pissing and moaning about the weather" culture possibly ingrained in me much like the smell of smoke is ingrained in the furiture and walls of a smoker's home.

Might I actually miss complaining? Might I have to be deprogrammed as if I had been brain-washed by a cult? It worries me. I hope not. I hope I can enjoy a winter-less climate in the near future.

 

[billart]

Guest from NE:
Wow, do I feel your pain & share your concerns! As Cut-Throat indicates, Spring & Fall up here sure are nice, & I'll really miss those seasons when we move to FL. I'll sure be bummed if one of us discovers we can't adjust to life without those. I think not having to battle all the challenges you mentioned, particularly the "hoveling" - although I use a snow lower as much as possible myself - will more than offset that loss.

Bill

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

As a former Bostonian (now living in northern CA...82 degrees. sunny and a nice breeze blowing) I understand the syndrome. We new englanders like that crappy weather, we taunt it, and then taunt it a second time! Almost a pride of being able to stand up to it.

It took me about 9 months to "adjust" when I left in 1992. I arrived in late october. Getting up the first morning, I stuck my head outside to determine apparel. Felt like a sweatshirt and jeans day, and I was dressed and out the door for the train to SF to look around. Everyone on the train was in long wool coats, hats, mittens, boots. I leaned towards another rider and said "Hey, I just moved here...looks like everyone is pretty well bundled up...is it a lot colder in san francisco than out here?" "oh yes, its pretty chilly" he said. As it turns out, these folks consider 50 to be "pretty chilly". In Boston I didnt consider wearing a coat until it dropped under 35 and then only if I was going to be out in it for more than a half hour at a time.

Six weeks of "winter" later (about equivalent to typical Boston late april weather - wet and 50), and on into august, I realized one morning on my way to get into the new convertible that I no longer even thought about the weather, I just automatically assumed it was going to be great. No more "stuffing the summer stuff into june/july/august before winter comes back". No more weekend plans of "well if its nice and warm enough, we'll go to the beach, otherwise if it rains or its cold we'll go to the movies". Now the winter months just mean longer dog walks because they dont get hot, and an occasional afternoon inside watching it rain.

My parents moved out here from boston two years ago. My dad estimates he added ten years to his life because he isnt shut in for four+ months a year and can take walks and play golf year round. I think thats a fair assessment.

Hard. Very hard to get used to.

 

[haha]

Will I miss complaining about (sometimes enjoying) the weather when I move to a softer, gentler climate?

If you are anything like me, it would take 1 day to get used to California. Florida may be different because of the humidity. I moved to LA from Boston years ago, as a young man. I can still remember my increasing sense of wellbeing as I went west. Not only is the weather wonderful, the ocean is swimmable most days.

Another thing I noticed, at least back then, was that every punk I passed on the street wasn't out to unload one on my nose. Oh yeah, did I mention valet parking? Found at any medium quality LA restaurant (which would equal 5-star in Boston, home of the scrod.)

Boston is a beautiful, great, historic city, and I am very glad I spent 5 years there. But I am even more glad that I got the hell out of dodge.

Mikey

 

[wabmester]

I lived in SoCal most of my life, including coastal San Diego and Orange County. I thought it was perfect at the time. But since moving to the semi-rural Pacific Northwest, I find that I can barely tolerate visits to SoCal.

I don't know if I just aclimated to the temperate rain forest or if it's gotten warmer in SoCal, but it sometimes just seems too hot for comfort down there. And now it seems *wrong* to have temps in the 80's during xmas.

And the traffic has gotten worse, and the people seem more 2-dimensional. Maybe it's just senility setting in, but I don't miss it.

 

[John Galt]

I have lived/traveled/worked all over the country.
I enjoyed my time in so. Calif., but was mostly on
expense account then. Wouldn't want to live there.
The places I enjoy revisiting the least have crowds and
traffic, although I never noticed it much when I lived there. Hot weather does not bother me at all. I recall
my first year in Dallas, I really enjoyed Christmas shopping in shorts and T shirt.

John Galt

 

[sgeeeee]

I usually don't make many comments related to these "best place to live" threads. I've lived in Illinois (West Frankfort), California (Mt. View), North Carolina (Raliegh), Iowa (Shueyville) and Arizona (Chandler & Mesa).

Crowds can get old, but so can isolation from anything cultural. Winters can get old, but so can 110+ degree days. . .

I've enjoyed every place I've ever lived and am glad that I've had a chance to move around. It will hit 90 today in Mesa and I'll be out in the desert enjoying a hike. If I were living in the NE, I imagine I would find another activity that would be equally pleasing to me (of course I might have to pull on the silk long underwear and goretex boots first).

 

[BUM]

Its 8pm in upstate NY. Do you know where your snow shovel is? ITS BEEN SNOWING FOR 48 hrs....But old man winter has lost his grip. Only a few inches on the ground, none on the roadway.

N. Carolina here I come...2 weeks of fishing, shrimpin, etc.

BUM

 

[John Galt]

Hey salaryguru! I've enjoyed every place I've lived also.
That's pretty cool. How many people can say that?

On the other hand, it took years for me to realize
what sort of place would be best for me to locate.
Many folks never find their "spot". Indeed, many never
even ask the question. I'm not suggesting these
good citizens are missing anything. If they are happy,
then staying put obviously works for them. But, I'm
glad I have traveled around a bit and thus have a frame of reference vis-a-vis geographical options.

John Galt