I make a circuit around the southwest US based on the season and which friends I would like to visit. In the past it was based on a combination of weather and

I make a circuit around the southwest US based on the season and which friends I would like to visit. In the past it was based on a combination of weather and available glass studios, but now I’m more concerned about urban flavor. I spent too long living essentially in an Arctic cabin, and like being in the city. I assume my criteria is like that of anyone else, but I have great flexibility with no spouse, children, no home ownership and self-employment. Naturally, I look for cities that have culture that I like. I’m drawn to cities like Denver, Austin, and Portland for their strong art cultures, area tech businesses, and a healthy concentration of educated middle class people under 45. I also explore and ‘live’ in places like Vegas or Tucson for a couple of weeks or months, or if I go somewhere for a convention, start there for a couple of weeks. I enjoy staying in ski resorts for a couple weeks in the off season, or hanging out at a state park for a while. I practice and appreciate art and music, and enjoy establishments such as industrial chic coffee shops and semi-hipster cocktail bars, cideries, distilleries and wine bars. Cities that have a lot of people moving in and out are good for me because then you’re not trying to break into closed social circles - many people are new and looking for something to do. Weather is a big deal to me, as I spent years slogging through snow despite being from the southwest. I can schedule my life like a snowbird and go north in the summer and south in the winter. Currently, I am deciding whether to stay around Colorado, or head to Texas and Arizona followed by Oregon and Washington when that gets too warm.