sorry, Team Boston

[swan_tower]

Despite the best efforts of our east-coast friends (and they *were* good efforts, believe me), the decision is done: kniedzw and I will be heading west. He's accepted a job offer from Akamai's San Mateo office.

Timetable is still fuzzy. His work starts June 16th, but I won't be following until (probably) August, along with all our stuff. Yes, this means moving in the middle of writing a book. On the bright side, Akamai is helping out with moving expenses, which means that for the first time in my life I can pay somebody else to do the heavy lifting. This makes me happier than I can say.

And I'm going to live in California! I confess that one thing which swung me toward the west coast was looking at the area in the satellite view of Google Maps; seeing San Mateo nestled between the blue of the water and the thick green belt of the hills made my heart sing. Nature! A bike ride away! kurayami_hime has been waxing poetic about the eucalyptus forests, and I'll get to see them for myself. And redwoods! I adores me some redwoods.

It'll be a new experience for us both. We won't necessarily stay there forever, but I'm glad we'll be staying there for a while.

Comments

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The thick green belt of the hills will be the thick brown belt of the hills most of the year, but you can think of it as golden if it helps.

So alas, you'll be arriving out there after we've made our second and last visit for the year. Ah well; I'm sure we'll be back at some point.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

It's still nature, within easy reach. And that is a good thing.

And definitely let us know the next time you're in the area!

[janni.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the west! :-)

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Danke! Whereabouts are you, again? You're in the desert somewhere, right?

[difrancis.livejournal.com]

Congrats! Did you get that email I sent not too long ago about things to do before you leave academia? And yanno, World Fantasy is going to be in San JOse after Calgary. Right in your back yard pretty much.

Di

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Er, I think so, but I'm not sure, and Gmail is failing to be helpful. Which one was that, again?

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

BTW, love the icon. That's James Purefoy in A Knight's Tale, right?

[raisinfish.livejournal.com]

That's awesome! I'm from that area (a half hour south or so) and I loved it. It's truly beautiful. Wish I could afford to move back.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

It's going to be expensive, yeah. But my husband works in IT, so it's where the jobs are.

[shveta-thakrar.livejournal.com]

Ooh, lucky. I do love California. :)

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I've only visited very briefly. This will be an interesting change!

[ombriel.livejournal.com]

Congrats to kniedzw! You two will be missed 'round these parts, but I'm happy for yous.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

And we're going to miss the folk 'round these parts. The social landscape was definitely the best part of living in this town. (Which is not to say there were no others -- but you know what I mean.)

[sarcastibich.livejournal.com]

I am sad that you are leaving.
I am happy that you know where you are going, that a question of such importance has been answered and settled.
I am jealous that you get to have this adventure and live in such a pretty area.
But mostly I am sad that you are going.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

We will definitely miss people.

But we will also come back for visits! (Especially since there's a guy at IU researching something likely to be VERY relevant to the novel I write next year.)

[milbrcrsan.livejournal.com]

I bet that's going to be hard, I know myself from leaving a place I called home. But California isn't too bad. Not quite sure where San Mateo is located at, whether north or south goes, but it sounds like a beautiful place. :)

...just try to ignore the horrid gas prices. I don't know what they are on the East, but here in California, they've already reached four dollars. *heavy, heavy sigh*

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

It's the Bay Area, just a bit south on the peninsula from San Francisco. And while gas prices may suck, my husband won't be driving an hour each way for work, so it might just balance out.

[elizaeffect.livejournal.com]

Sweeeet. Good luck with the move!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[dyrecorn.livejournal.com]

Well, congrats to you both, although we'll be sorry to see you leave.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

We've always known that we would eventually be leaving, but the suddenness of it is making it a tad harder.

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the move to a new climate! I second what was said about the green hills . . .

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah. But still: nature! Yay!

[sora-blue.livejournal.com]

You'll love California. :)

(And it appears the universe is balancing itself by you coming to CA after I return to Canada.)

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Well, we don't want it to tip over!

[ckd]

Congratulations, even if we Bostonians would selfishly prefer that the offer be for Akamai's Eight Cambridge Center office (which you can't see from my office[1][2]).

Enjoy California!

[1] Because I don't have an external window, for one thing. Argh!
[2] I might be able to see it when I start my new job a week from Monday. I don't know where I'll be sitting yet or if I get a window there either.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

It was a tough decision, believe me. We've got a lot of friends and family in Boston.

[akashiver.livejournal.com]

Well congrats to kniedzw, boo-hiss to the fact you guys will be leaving us, and thumbs up to the West Coast. It sounds like you'll be living in an interesting area. Remember to post photos!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Oh, we will!

[danielmc.livejournal.com]

well, i visit the west coast at least once a year, sometimes more.

oh...i have to chat with you.

ahem: http://www.gameeducationsummit.com/ges_speakers.php

[kwaller.livejournal.com]

Huzzah for employment! Hooray for knowing where one will be!

Maybe Boston will get you back with the next move. : )

[zellandyne.livejournal.com]

You'll be very close to me. San Mateo is 15, 20 minutes from my house. I'm in Palo Alto, my bf is in Menlo Park (which is actually in San Mateo County). Both of our areas are great.

The weather out here is generally lovely, there are great Farmers' Markets all over the place. You're close enough to San Francisco that you can go there if you want, but far enough away that you aren't in the city environment. There's great hiking in easy distance. There's also a really healthy SF community out here, which is one of the main reasons I moved to the area.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

You're listing many of the reasons we wanted to move there. ^_^

[sapphohestia.livejournal.com]

Yay for job, sad for moving so far away. I have a friend out there, she might be able to direct you to fun, arty events.

*hugs*

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

But it means that you have people to visit, if you come out there!

[tltrent.livejournal.com]

Congrats! Wonderful news!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[lowellboyslash.livejournal.com]

Woo California! You're going to LURV it!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I suspect I may, yes.

[d-c-m.livejournal.com]

I am very happy for both of you and sad for B-ton. Thank goodness for the Internet! And being able to pick-up your books from B&N.