2005 January 29

As many people know, I grew up in Iowa – and eventually outgrew it. By saying that, I'm certainly inviting a cavalcade of Iowan apologists… but you don't live my life, and you certainly didn't face the same frustrations I did when I was trying to help people and other businesses along when living there. Its population (generally) isn't a forward-thinking, risk-taking crowd. For a “regular” life, there's probably no better place to be on earth. But I really don't want to work for someone else – and I don't want to be in the business of agriculture or insurance.
Now California? It's certainly on the opposite end of the spectrum. I spent two years in San Francisco, and one year in Woodland Hills (the Valley). Great cities, great opportunities, great events, great options, great expense. Getting anywhere seemed to be an ordeal, especially if it involved a car. I started to feel the geek part of me slipping away – and that inner conflict culminated en route from LA to SF for the UFO conference early last autumn. Lucky for me, Ponzi is an understanding soul – and we were both faced with a few very tough decisions. “If not here, then where?” I didn't know. I really didn't know.
A few months later, when we stepped off a plane in Seattle, I got the feeling that this was… home. I'd only been to Seattle one other time, but it apparently wasn't “the time” (according to the universe or whichever light being guided me to this point). Seattle. Why was I feeling something inside of me – a pull that no other place on this tiny planet has put forth? Was it the buildings? The people? The weather? The traffic? Indigestion? Regardless, I was smitten. Months later, we're now Pacific Northwesterners – proudly. Ponzi was worried that she wouldn't like it as much as I did, but that changed after she started to meet new friends. Great friends. She also doesn't mind the view in the morning – the kind you'd pay millions of dollars for (but we're not – in fact, this house is cheaper than our apartment was in LA). Bellevue, Redmond, et al – I love them, too.
What am I saying? It's simple: I hope that one day you, too, discover YOUR “Seattle.”

Read more on Location, Location, Location…