WARPed

Sound like Lion Fish in the Red Sea. A pride of them would follow behind you during a night dive. You'd turn around and find 5 of them looking at you, all adorned with poisonous barbed fins. They weren't interested in me though. They used to wait until you spotlighted a shrimp to look at. Then they would creep in under you, surround it, and one of them would pounce and gobble it up. It was good fun unless they followed too close for comfort.

Bob

Not really that cold though....Maine, that gets cold, MA, not so much unless you go western MA, but Boston and the surrounding burbs aren't to bad, do get a chunk of snow and that does get tiresome I'll agree, but we got next to nothing this year...plus it doesn't take long before you think 40F is shorts weather

But of the east coast, Maryland and parts of PA might also be worth considering, lot of tech jobs to be had.

penguinsix

Couple of other thoughts:

Is Silicon Valley an option? Warm weather, politically middle of the road to liberal. Expensive, but tech jobs out the wazoo and what you have done counts as much as where you went to school. San Fran nearby for the big city lights.

The Washington DC area is actually quite a tech area, but much of it is government contracting (which will hurt your chances). But it is relatively liberal in parts and rather well-off (something like 8 of the top 25 wealthiest counties are suburban DC counties in VA and Maryland). A strong international community with the embassies, World Bank, media, etc. Might get cold in the winter though.

I was also going to recommend the research triangle in NC, but it might be too 'red' for you politically. Warmer than DC and again, quite a few tech jobs. Many expat NY'ers so a bit of a big city culture developing, slowly.

Boston is out as you said, and the other big tech area (Austin) would probably drive you a bit bonkers.

Are you looking to work in a tech company, or are you looking to be the 'tech guy' in a company (i.e. not necessarily a tech company--the computer guy in a law firm, etc). Certifications will go quite a bit further in the latter than the former.

My only other thing to mention is that Seattle is far from Florida, about as far away as you can get in the US. I mention this in case your wife has family in FLA and that is why you were there. It's probably as long a flight from Seattle to Florida as it is from the UK to the US (pretty close).

I've only been to Seattle once, and I thought I would love it, and well, I didn't. For me I think it was a case of it being too hyped and my expectations being too high. It was only for a few days but I just didn't get the 'buzz' / 'wow' feeling that I thought I would. I still would consider it, possibly, for a relocation, but it's more of in the top 10 rather than say the top 3. I'll probably visit again one day with more of an eye toward 'could I live here' rather than 'is this all I thought it was'.

WARPed

It has certainly been considered, however I have seen that while Seattle rates as being expensive to live, Silicon Valley/San Fran is absolutely extortionate when average earnings are related to cost of living. Our financial situation is precarious as it is that I think trying a move there right now could be suicidal. Never say never though, especially further down the road.

At the moment DC hasn't really factor in our decision making. i will look into it.

I think the wife was put off the Carolinas when she lived in Charleston.

To be honest I'd take almost anything right now. Historically I have been the Tech Guy in a company. My last position was supporting the trade environment servers in the HQ of HSBC in Docklands. it is good to have on the resume but doesn't seem to be packing much punch here. You're feelings are the same as mine, hence concentrating on certs right now. Faster to obtain and grab attention.

This is a concern. Especially as she has already lived all over the US in the past. This is a bigger concern too as Tallahassee only has a regional airport with a disappointing array of flights. Most trips would be via Atlanta, Tampa or Jacksonville. None of which are close.

I appreciate your honesty. I may feel the same. This adds more weight to the need for a sightseeing trip in the near future.

meauxna

You're so cute. My favorite suckup.
.... is freezing, Arctic cold in the winter!
bleah.
aha, you're well suited (so to speak..) for PNW diving then. But I simultaneously laugh at your Red Sea drysuit and envy your dives there! I WILL make it there one day, Jacques!
the thing to add about shore diving up here.. it's Be Fit time. Lots of hiking with all your gear on over a shingle beach.
But, seeing Vancouver on the list.. there are always boat dives going up off Vancouver Island that are supposed to be terrific too. The Portland shops are always going up there.


I'm going to bail on work here now too and go work in the yard.. it's going to hit 70 again this week!
Yes, ratfish is right, they're weird looking. And wolf eels!

haha.. we had huge great Tarpon doing that with us on a night dive in Bonaire (whooo.. warm water diving heaven!). They used the lamps as hunting tools and then whooooosh in past you to snag whatever was in the light.
hmm, I ended up with a moray down my back on that dive, which is what I usually remember about it!

This is really worth mentioning because as much as I love it in the PNW, Seattle itself never really does it for me.. I just prefer Portland.
I think you are right about the hype, and for just getting around/being around, I find it spread out and like the compact way Portland is.

Warped, the other thing about work is, if you want to be The Tech Guy, I think you'd have equal oppty anywhere in the region. If you want to work in a high tech firm, Seattle may have more specifics for you.

For all you techies looking, by the way, there is an interesting story about Insitu at wweek.com; they are doing *incredibly* well if you are interested in stealth drone flying machines. Google also has a facility out there in Hood River, where they are located.

WARPed

Portland looks about 100 miles from Seattle. Am I right in suggesting it would be about 2 hours each way from Seattle if we decided to pay a visit while up there?

meauxna

3 hours, I think. Depends on which part to which part. It used to be 3.5 hours but they raised the speed limit.

But you can easily do both in one short visit. Whirlwind, but can be done.

nettlebed

I agree too that the city is hyped, if everyone thinks there are Kurt Cobains and Microsofts and Starbucks cramming every inch of the city.

In terms of the feeling of a big city, it is full of fail, as far as I am concerned - Vancouver BC wins hands down there, and Seattle is far too parochial.

In terms of being a cool city, it is not quite so full of fail, but (and it pains me to say this), Portland beats it comfortably. Hell, in terms of cool, even Spokane beats Seattle, but I couldn't stand the climate.

In terms of it being in a beautiful location geographically, and in terms of connectivity (international and national), and in terms of the climate, it is full of win.

nettlebed

And, and this is a big AND, they are upgrading the slower sections of I-5 from two to three lanes, which improves travel times significantly. We have family in Longview, WA, about 50 miles north or Portland, and we can reliably do downtown Seattle to Longview in around 2 hrs 15 mins. That is around 120 miles, and all but the last 2-3 miles is I-5.

Zonie

That's good news Ian but how is the holiday in Australia going?

LBR

Here are my two pennies worth on Seattle as someone who has lived here for 8 months. Before that I lived in Bellingham, WA for 8 months, Buenos Aires for 1 year and London for 5 years (just to give you a perspective on what I am comparing it to).

Pros

• Loads to do outdoors – lots of mountains nearby for hiking, camping and skiing, near the sea for fishing, sailing and crabbing, lakes for swimming, islands to visit, whales to watch etc.
• Weather – summers in Washington are great, much better than England
• Good restaurants – particularly seafood.
• City is not too crowded or busy – I can always get a seat on my bus to work and it is always on time.
• Excellent cycling trails throughout the city.
• Near to cool places like Vancouver BC, San Juan Islands, Vancouver Island, Portland, Eastern Washington

• Really beautiful when the sun shines – the city is surrounded by snow capped mountains.
• More of a liberal political outlook than other states

Cons

• Weather in winter is very English – grey skies and lots of rain (but this does mean that the skiing is good!)
• Seattle lacks the quality and quantity of cultural things which London or Buenos Aires have.

I know nothing about Florida so what I am comparing Seattle to may not be so relevant to you. Also, I work in HR/recruitment and the word on the street is that the job market is picking up and many IT companies are hiring recruiters again which must mean that these companies have some recruitment for them to do!

Basically I think if you have to/want to live in the US, it can't get much better than the PNW. One of my absolute favourite things to do is to take out our little boat with some crab pots and a case of beer and float around the islands in the summer - bliss!

nettlebed

THANK you, Your Majesty!!!
Wolf eels are cute: they even snuggle up together in crevices. Never been diving, but I've seen them in tons of aquariums. Very cute indeed!
With all the rain you get down in OR, you probably need a tarp on...
Well, you know what Dean Martin said:

"When you're swimming in the creek, and an eel bites your cheek
That's a moray"

Given my druthers, purely for the cities it would be Vancouver BC > Portland > Spokane >Seattle > Vancouver WA. But my job and family are here, so... The other cities are easy-peasy to get to from here, and the scenery here is SO much better. The Olympic peninsula is truly a wonderful, wonderful place, even before they forked up Forks, and it's so easy to get to from Seattle.

Cool. You too can help build tech to kill wedding parties 10,000 miles away!!!

Not ragging on you, Meaux, but the "drone" mentality that pervades the US military is a horrible spymptom.

jackattack

[QUOTE=WARPed;8428126]It has certainly been considered, however I have seen that while Seattle rates as being expensive to live, Silicon Valley/San Fran is absolutely extortionate when average earnings are related to cost of living. Our financial situation is precarious as it is that I think trying a move there right now could be suicidal. Never say never though, especially further down the road.



I have to say that I'd agree with the Silicon Valley comment from you. Great place for techies (and you don't have to have Uni credentials since there are more than a few movers and shakers here who set up companies in their parents garage and are too young to even be at uni) but living costs are frightening.

If you have a precarious financial situation, best avoid Silicon Valley until you can get some big company to pay for you to come here.

That being said the diving is great (Monterey kelp dives are amazing), countryside is stunning (highway 1, Yosemite, Tahoe), international perspective, liberal outlook, weather is fabulous (4 seasons but never too cold) and a bunch of Brits around so I can find someone to watch the rugby with me.

So further north maybe better for your financial situation right now.

nettlebed

[QUOTE=jackattack;8428749] And for the peninsula, while diving may be great, driving is completely shite.

WARPed

Thanks LBR for the Pro/Con list. It is good to see more Pro's than Con's from someone who has experienced several different cities. I never did mind the rain though. If it rained 24/7/365 then it would be different. I enjoy changeable weather and signaling it brings of the various seasons. Your point on culture is well made, but I feel most US cities would have a hard time living up to London with regards to that
This is very good to know. I have only been watching the job boards in WA for a short time so don't know enough to build a trend, but I personally feel Tampa job offerings are still in decline based on the number of relevant positions I see coming available each day, all while the unemployment for the my county now stands at 12.7% for Jan 2010, up 0.7% in one month. Apparently it is 8.9% in Seattle. (Sources:
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2...10/593192.html
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seatt...1/daily13.html )

Sounds wonderful. Thanks for your time and comments.

T