2 ms·

I left DC for Maine. So far, the novelty hasn't worn off. I like to think of cold, snowy winters as the natural repellent that prevents us from getting too cro

I left DC for Maine. So far, the novelty hasn't worn off. I like to think of cold, snowy winters as the natural repellent that prevents us from getting too crowded. I am screwed if my job goes away (screwed in that I'd have to move). For one, there aren't a lot of fortune 500 companies up here, and I've noticed a desire for smaller companies to prefer people with small/startup experience. I don't blame them, some of the challenges are unique. Also, given where I'm at in my career on the low end of the executive ranks, there just aren't a lot of laterals available up here on a good day. All of those downsides and it's still the best move I ever made.

eropple 10y ago
For a different viewpoint, I moved away from Maine after college, to Massachusetts, and wouldn't move back. The politics of the area are backwards and profoundly broken in the "boy, I hope you're a straight white male or things are gonna get rough" sort of way you don't expect from the general oasis of New England sanity, the drug issues in the places I grew up are rampant, and the public schools are being actively choked to death (because who needs that, yeah?). It's a beautiful place. I'm glad I left and I'm glad the few people in my family still there are either retired or working on escaping.
- SmellTheGlove 10y ago
  I'm in the Portland area, which I think helps. Occasionally we miss city life, so we head down to Boston, which is a pretty reasonable 90 minute drive. I don't think I could live too far north of Freeport or Brunswick, and I'm not very interested in living too far west of 95. Parts of this state are certainly backwards. Actually, the majority is if you go by land area, but I think we have a nice thing going in York and Cumberland counties.
  - eropple 10y ago
    Portland's okay. I enjoy visiting for a few days here and there. But it's attached to a state that elected Paul LePage, which is...a problem.

eropple 10y ago

For a different viewpoint, I moved away from Maine after college, to Massachusetts, and wouldn't move back. The politics of the area are backwards and profoundly broken in the "boy, I hope you're a straight white male or things are gonna get rough" sort of way you don't expect from the general oasis of New England sanity, the drug issues in the places I grew up are rampant, and the public schools are being actively choked to death (because who needs that, yeah?). It's a beautiful place. I'm glad I left and I'm glad the few people in my family still there are either retired or working on escaping.

SmellTheGlove 10y ago
I'm in the Portland area, which I think helps. Occasionally we miss city life, so we head down to Boston, which is a pretty reasonable 90 minute drive. I don't think I could live too far north of Freeport or Brunswick, and I'm not very interested in living too far west of 95. Parts of this state are certainly backwards. Actually, the majority is if you go by land area, but I think we have a nice thing going in York and Cumberland counties.
- eropple 10y ago
  Portland's okay. I enjoy visiting for a few days here and there. But it's attached to a state that elected Paul LePage, which is...a problem.