With Ghirardelli and Rice-a-Roni to Its Name, Who Wouldn’t Want To Stay?
July 13, 2007
This decision would be so much easier to make if we hated the city. The problem, though, is that we fell in love with it the moment we stepped foot off the transit system escalator. Laden with our suitcases, we hiked a nearby hill to our hotel. It was the dead of the night, and considering how vibrant the city was at that hour, we couldn’t wait to see what awaited us the next morning.
We sat in bed talking about the job, and the longer we talked, the more obvious it became to us that we needed to get ourselves to the city where the position was located. We powered up the laptop, made flight arrangements and reserved a room at a hotel. We wanted to show potential employers that we were serious about making the move and while we were there we needed to line up as many interviews as possible. In a week’s time, I had six interviews lined up – all of them backup positions to the one I had been pining over.
When I discovered that the job that had been the catalyst for this flurry of travel was filled, reality set in, mainly in two forms: concerns about the high cost of living and questions about raising a family in the city. And why were we making plans to move there before we had even visited together?
The morning of our flight, in perhaps one of the more brazen moves I’ve made over the last several years, I canceled all but one interview. That one I kept was with a headhunter. You see, things were just moving too fast. I had already had one phone interview that went exceedingly well, and it seemed likely that I would have secured a position quickly, but it was a backup job – not what I really wanted to be doing – and I couldn’t justify moving to a new city for a job I didn’t want to do. Roger was the deciding factor. If we moved, we decided, it would be because he was hired at a killer design firm. There are a lot of great design firms, so it should have been easy enough, except that he had only five days to make arrangements. It proved to be too little time.
So here we are, me having canceled nearly all my interviews, him dropping off his portfolio with the most prestigious firm in the city (a firm, by the way, that had offered him a design position many years ago, which he turned down in favor of another). My face is slightly sunburned and my belly is full of clam chowder (the bread bowl was delicious, too).
Last night, just as we fell asleep, Roger murmured, “I love it here. I want us to move here.” As I listened to him, I didn’t feel the fear about money and family that I had felt before. I was both excited and content, and I squeezed his hand a little bit tighter.
Comments
Welcome to my city. You will love it here every single day, forever.
Posted by: abbersnail | July 13, 2007 03:26 PM
you. will. love. it. here.
i guarantee it. when j. and i decided to move out of new york, we basically looked at a map and both simultaneously chose san francisco. it was easy as that, and we haven't looked back since.
good luck!! =)
Posted by: mcgee | July 13, 2007 03:35 PM
We honeymooned in SF. I would be homeless and live there. Try Pleasanton as a spot to live and SF to work. Train takes about 30 minutes to get to either Oakland of SF.
~Jef
Posted by: Edge | July 13, 2007 03:38 PM
That is the exact same way I felt about Dallas. You know it's right when you get that feeling and you'll do anything to get yourself there. I know I did.
Posted by: Mo | July 13, 2007 03:45 PM
Awww! That feeling is AWESOME. Never be afraid to trust your gut.
And be sure to give me a call -- my belly could use some clam chowder and a bread bowl. (My hips, not so much, but that's what all those hills are for!)
Posted by: Daily Tragedies | July 13, 2007 04:29 PM
You should get what you both really want.
Moving to new city, do a new job, seem totally adventurous.
Wishing you all the best in live, jes. =)
Posted by: PRETTY IN THE CITY | July 13, 2007 10:02 PM
Congrats! I have always wanted to live there.
Posted by: Heather | July 14, 2007 09:17 AM
That's so awesome! Chris and I had a brief moment last year when we thought we might move down there too for his job, and we were kind of excited about it but then the plans fell through. It wasn't the best timing anyway, but sometimes I wish for the sense of adventure of moving somewhere completely new. I hope you enjoy it and can't wait to hear how the plans unfold.
In completely unrelated news, this week I picked up my prize from the Storage Closet O' Goodness from you! I had totally forgotten about it, it was so exciting to receive. Thanks! (If it seems like it took forever for me to get it, don't be alarmed. I got a "final notice" that my package was only going to be kept at the post office till July 14, and we were all, huh? Where were the original notices?? So I figure it had been there awhile and we didn't know.)
Posted by: Laura | July 14, 2007 02:45 PM
San Fransisco? Isn't that placee really hilly and windy and hot and the weather is all weird and crazy? What is so special about San Fran other than Rice A' Roni - that San Fransisco Treat???! What could make you want to leave this place we currently call home - other than the heat and the traffic? The people are what make a place special - not the scenery.
Posted by: EDDDDOOOOOOO | July 14, 2007 09:16 PM
Happy Birthday by the way!!!! Check your messages - I can't believe I got your voicemail and Roger's voicemail! how dare you put me on ignore. HOW DARE YOU! ugh.
Oh, and tell Roger so sorry about his hard drive case thingy - my life has been a whirlwind lately.
Posted by: EDDDDOOOOOOO | July 14, 2007 09:18 PM
It is your birthday!? Happy! Day Of Cake, my dear. And I am SO EXCITED for you two. Chris and I are on the verge of something so! similarly! exciting, but I have yet to spill the beans. Hurrah! for big new exciting changes.
Posted by: kerrianne | July 15, 2007 09:44 AM
I LOVED SF when I visited there a few years ago. As bad as it sounds like you want to try some place new, I think moving to SF sounds like a fab idea!!
I'm also a big supporter of living in as many different places as you can! I have only lived in three states and I'm definitely getting antsy to try something new.
Posted by: Giselle | July 15, 2007 09:56 PM
Good luck with the job search. Change is good.
Posted by: Lia | July 16, 2007 07:45 AM
YES!!! Moving is good! I'm trying to get my CSI job through the power of willing it, but since it's a county job they move slowly. Ohhhh NM sounds so awesome. Ammar is scared to move, but I think if he left and got there, he'd like it.
Posted by: Julianna | July 16, 2007 12:00 PM
Ugh like I told you on the phone I'm bittersweet about this post. SWEET that you and Roger found a new opportunity and place that you love. BITTER that it takes you all the way across the country from me. Cause I would miss my friends but hey there is always vacas with Jes and Roger.
Posted by: Katie | July 16, 2007 12:43 PM
San Fransisco is beautiful! I loved it there when we went a few years back.
Change is definitely good.
www.TasteLikeCrazy.com
Posted by: Taste Like Crazy | July 16, 2007 01:37 PM
How awesome! I love it when people are excited about making changes in their lives. I'm sure this will be an exciting one for you. :)
Posted by: Zandria | July 16, 2007 08:57 PM
Now we will have someone else to see in Cali, but we won't have someone to have dinner with here. My tears of sadness are also tears of joy.
Posted by: Julie | July 16, 2007 09:44 PM
Awesome! Congrats, Jes!
Posted by: metalia | July 16, 2007 11:23 PM
Grew up near SF.
Moved away for college.
Had to come back to SF, Baby!
It is a wonderful place.
Posted by: Kari | July 16, 2007 11:35 PM
You are a brave woman. I would have been holding my husband's hand while simultaneously wetting my underpants. I do love love San Fran this year.
Also, lets make sure I get to see the new nose pin this year!
xoxoxo
Posted by: jenB | July 17, 2007 02:58 AM
YAY!!!!!
I was SOOOO Awesome to see you and finally meet Roger. How was your Saturday??
Posted by: Courtney | July 17, 2007 01:59 PM
Whatever! I agree with Eddie, it's the people that make a place special, and how could you leave me (even if I did wish you happy birthday 3 days late :(
Nooooooooo!!!!!!!
My only recourse is to pray that Roger doesn't get offered a job, and how could I possibly do that? :(
Sad, and I was having a good day...
Posted by: Erica | July 18, 2007 02:04 PM
SF IS beautiful. You could ride cable cars all the time. And make excuses to drive up to the coast to Napa Valley for wine tastings. And invite your Texas friends to join your for said wine tastings and wine vineyard visits.
I'm just sayin'.
Posted by: Amstaff Mom | July 18, 2007 10:21 PM