Seattle, the "Emerald" (or moss covered) City
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12/31/2018
Lived here 20 years. I won't bore you, but the weather stinks. I will be leaving after my youngest graduates HS in 2020. Both kids have no intention of staying. We live just east of Redmond. Weather sucks most of the year, say like 9 months: rainy, cloudy, muddy. If you like mud, this is your place. Folks here in our town are fairly nice, but forget Seattle. In fact, I would say Washatonians are generally cold. There really isn't much to do besides hiking trails clogged with a million other hikers, skiing packed slopes that get fair to midland snow, and markets and fairs. Fishing and hunting? Forget that, too. They will charge you an arm and a leg, but is so poorly managed. Rivers are closed to fishing all the time. (Unless you are a native Am, then you get free range and are not impacted by Fish and Game laws. Net the rivers? Sure, why not.)
I really don't get the excitement over this state. I think, "Great, move here!" There the rest of the country won't be so crowded. And the homeless problem in Seattle? Mind boggling. Don't be fooled. They are not a result of high cost of housing, they have moved here at the beckoning of the Seattle mayor. If you are down on your luck, you should have plenty of time to work two jobs so you can pay rent (because apparently you are adamant about staying in Seattle), right now Amazon has over 8000 job openings - most of which do not require a high level degree or even a degree at all.
That's my two cents. Please move here if you like it this kind of weather and life, like I said, it will lessen the impact in other states across the US.
C Jones | Duvall, WA