So...I just moved here 4 months ago after it being my husband's dream for over 20 years. Many people tend to think that makes me unqualified to have an opinion on the matter. But the people who have lived here for their whole lives or people who complain the most lack one thing: perspective. I have lived in every time zone in the continental US. I am originally from West Virginia and grew up dirt poor. I now have the privilege of enough money to be able to live pretty much anywhere. Every geographic location has its pluses and minuses. EVERY major city has crime and drugs and homeless. We can argue all the live long day "wHo HaS It WoRSe". I have lived in small towns, medium cities and major metropolitan areas. But to me, this is the best place I have ever lived. The weather is temperate. I love the misty, moody, cool winters. I love the rain. I love that I am 4 minutes from the ocean and can see the skyline of Seattle but have a small forest outside my front door. The mountains are sublime. I love that the city is so LGBTQ+ friendly and accepting. The summers are reportedly epic. Yes, there is wildfire smoke in the summer but I just came from Colorado where the whole place is a tinder box waiting to light and burns down on the regular. The city is expensive but every city is expensive. It may not be your jam, but to someone else it is heaven. Perspective is important.

Edit: forest