4 ms·

I had to chuckle a little that this mentions Grand Rapids. I grew up there and moved to Silicon Valley 18 years ago. I hated it there: brutal long winters (Goog

I had to chuckle a little that this mentions Grand Rapids. I grew up there and moved to Silicon Valley 18 years ago. I hated it there: brutal long winters (Google "lake effect"), hot humid summers, mosquitos, and a socially conservative monoculture. I definitely understand people's frustration with the real estate situation around here, but there's more to an area than just jobs and houses.

goda90 10y ago
Some people enjoy the snow, green everywhere, no water restrictions, and less traffic. Sure mosquitos suck, but so does having everything be more expensive. There definitely is more to it than jobs and houses, so I chose to return home to the Midwest to get paid a little less(though not much in terms of cost of living) than I would at a Silicon Valley firm.
- jeffbush 10y ago
  Yeah, there are millions of people who live in the midwest who obviously disagree with me. :)
cponeill 10y ago
I also grew up in GR and moved to Seattle a little over 16 years ago. Reading the term "lake effect" cracked me up since it has been so long since I last heard it. Have you been back recently at all? Downtown has a bit more going on but wouldn't want to move back at all. Those winters are brutal.
- jeffbush 10y ago
  I haven't been back in seven years. Relatives usually come out to visit me. I'm too soft now to survive a winter there. :)
  - cponeill 10y ago
    I went back for the first time in ten years about a year ago and was surprised at how much downtown has changed. I also went back during ArtPrize which is very overwhelming. I have never seen so many people in downtown GR at one time in my life. Also, some of the new breweries there are great. But I still refuse to go back and visit during the cold months. Like you, there is no way I could survive a winter there.

4 ms·

I had to chuckle a little that this mentions Grand Rapids. I grew up there and moved to Silicon Valley 18 years ago. I hated it there: brutal long winters (Goog

by jeffbush 10y ago

goda90 10y ago
Some people enjoy the snow, green everywhere, no water restrictions, and less traffic. Sure mosquitos suck, but so does having everything be more expensive. There definitely is more to it than jobs and houses, so I chose to return home to the Midwest to get paid a little less(though not much in terms of cost of living) than I would at a Silicon Valley firm.
- jeffbush 10y ago
  Yeah, there are millions of people who live in the midwest who obviously disagree with me. :)
cponeill 10y ago
I also grew up in GR and moved to Seattle a little over 16 years ago. Reading the term "lake effect" cracked me up since it has been so long since I last heard it. Have you been back recently at all? Downtown has a bit more going on but wouldn't want to move back at all. Those winters are brutal.
- jeffbush 10y ago
  I haven't been back in seven years. Relatives usually come out to visit me. I'm too soft now to survive a winter there. :)
  - cponeill 10y ago
    I went back for the first time in ten years about a year ago and was surprised at how much downtown has changed. I also went back during ArtPrize which is very overwhelming. I have never seen so many people in downtown GR at one time in my life. Also, some of the new breweries there are great. But I still refuse to go back and visit during the cold months. Like you, there is no way I could survive a winter there.