Pandemic, civil unrest and my future

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As some of you know, I have posted here and there about plans to possibly relocate to Seattle. My primary reason for wanting to move there is that there is a huge animated sitcom fan base.

However, I am worried that the impacts of the pandemic, the civil unrest in response to George Floyd's death, and the high costs of living have permanently prevented my plans to relocate from coming to fruition.

1. the pandemic: Nearly every cultural event has been canceled in Seattle this year. Almost none of these events have an equivalent in Houston, due to the influence of the religious right.

2. Civil Unrest: As a political moderate, and after reading about Capitol Hill being an "autonomous zone", would I be rejected for not being far enough to the left? Rejected by the very animated sitcom fans who are the reason for me moving there in the first place?

3. Costs of living: My degree is in geography, and because of this, I worry I am not qualified for any job that would pay enough for me to afford Seattle. The average price of a home up there is $700,000, vs. $200,000 in Houston.

(Seattle is actually my third choice, after permanently being priced out of NYC and the Bay Area)

What do I do? Do I give up? Do I keep pressing on?

I would suggest calculating your expected living expenses. These days most single people can't afford a single family home. Most couples can't either. Then see if you can get a job that can meet your expenses.

You may also want to look for localities with political views similar to your own. Typically there is wide variation between the views of those in big cities and the outlying rural areas, even though they aren't that far apart.

Get a job in Seattle first.

That was the plan.

Here is what info I have re: rent in Seattle

$1,500/month for a micro-studio

$4,300/month for a 2 bd/2 bath

3x what they are in Houston--if you can even find one.

That’s Seattle itself.

You can get rentals for less in suburbs of Seattle. Though it’s still more expensive than Houston.

Because of what‘s going on with the rioting, would I be safe in Seattle?

I‘ve seen videos of Antifa people harassing people in restaurants and other business—not Klansmen, Proud Boys, or any other alt-right provocateurs—just regular people trying to enjoy a good meal.

I worry I will be labeled a Nazi just for trying to protect myself and my property.

Yeah. being neutral in times like these really sucks. People hate us for not wanting to pick a side. I feel for ya.

Honestly if you're truly safer where you live now I wouldn't recommend moving, at least not yet. Wait a while and see if this mess calms down first. Where you live may be boring but at least it's probably safer than Seattle.

I live in the middle of nowhere in Georgia and I hate how far right this state can be, but because I'm in a small town I don't see the drama or the violence going on in places like Atlanta. People here may be mostly Trump supporters but at least they know how to be civil and aren't attacking the police or burning buildings down.


Sorry if I'm not the best at giving advice but that's what I would do in your situation.

Thurston county (Olympia) in Washington is where the State capital is. It is south of Tacoma and still close enough to Seattle, but way cheaper. You might also find a State job there related to geography.

i'm sure you'll be safe there.
how important is it for you to be in the city itself?

would you consider any of the suburbs? tacoma or olympia maybe?

I wouldn't have thought events in a large city such as Houston would be impacted by the influence of the religious right?

I'm not American but it doesn't sound like a good time to relocate to Seattle or nearby areas just yet. Perhaps after 2020 is done? As Kip says, there are sure to be nearby places that aren't as expensive.

There (used to be / normally is) a lot of great culture in Seattle. But yeah, the virus pretty much put the kibosh on that. There's definitely no hurry to move here, and jobs are scant right now anyway

I did want to mention that not everyone is super interested in talking politics (regardless of which way they lean), so if you're hanging with a group who's common ground is other than politics, you should be fine.

Heck, I know a lot of LGBT+s but it's never been a topic of conversion. It's just not that important to everybody

I worry that I'll be considered fascist scum if I don't live in the city itself. There are many people in many big cities that won't even associate with people outside of their neighborhood.

By influence of the religious right, I meant certain cultural events that exist in Seattle (or maybe the Bay Area or NYC, which are even more expensive than Seattle), that don't exist in Houston.

Examples:

1. Erotic Art Festival (sponsored by the Center for Sex-Positive Research--people in Houston will not support anything that condones premarital and/or non-procreational sex)

2. Naked Bike Ride (if such a ride were done anywhere in Texas, participants would be hauled into paddy wagons, sent to jail, and required to register as sex offenders--just like rapists and pedophiles)

3. Independent Film Festival (because some indie films have cussing and nudity)

1. Everything is cancelled everywhere, that’s not unique to Seattle or the USA. 2020 is cancelled. Maybe 2021, too.

2. Why would anyone you meet in Seattle know your political leanings? You’re under no obligation to tell them you’re a centrist or a conservative etc. However, if you’re a hardcore trump supporter and like it to be known.. well, you may have some social issues in Seattle or anywhere along either coast.

3. So don’t buy a home there. Rent the smallest cheapest place that meets your needs if being there will make you happy. Seattle is still much more affordable than where I live.. so people in my generation who haven’t bought a home have almost all given up on that dream - that ship has sailed.. no sense in stressing about it. Either rent (even a room in a large house) or don’t move there. You Could live in your cheapie cheap neck of the woods and take a few weekend trips to Seattle for conventions. You could also own a home in Texas that’s a rental property and then rent a place in Seattle. Etc

Capitol Hill is a very small part of the Seattle area.

It’s like saying that Times Square is all there is to NYC.