Northerner problems

[Cyborg Girl]

Oh hey, it's August now. Gonna be winter soon...

[Thumper]

Winter is coming. I guess it depends on your definition of "soon."

[Rommie]

Yeah, it's a bit weird. We've had an awesome summer, where I've probably only grabbed a light jacket once in the past month or so (which I didn't even wear). But my inner dialogue keeps thinking "don't believe it, it's going to be winter soon!"

Sun is definitely setting a little earlier. Boo

[Cyborg Girl]

TBH this summer has been almost intolerable, especially now with the heat wave. But the end of summer always makes me sad, and I suspect this winter is going to be a really bad one.

IDK, I love Boston, but I just have trouble dealing with the short summers, and some day I'm probably going to move down to the DC area and stay there instead of just visiting. It's where a lot of my close friends are now anyway. (And also politically a lot more liberal than Boston, though that's a whole other matter.)

[SciFiFisher]

Well, there is the West coast where summer does last a little longer. Especially California.

And winter is more like a rough spring.

[Thumper]

Around here, since after the July 4th week, it's been really pleasant. Almost cool a few evenings and mornings. That never happens in July and August. I certainly have noticed the days getting shorter, it's very easy for me in the mornings. There's only a couple months a year where it even starts to get light before I get to work, and that's over now. As for "bad" winter, I guess I need a definition. A "bad" winter for me is one where the temps hang between the mid 30's and 40's, the sun never comes out and it's raining most of the time, often a windy driving rain. That's the worse season ever.

It took me a long time to finally embrace fall. I used to really mourn the end of summer because it meant the fun was over and I was going back to school. Luckily, I've come to enjoy the fall for all it's beauty and often great weather.

[Rommie]

(And also politically a lot more liberal than Boston, though that's a whole other matter.)

I don't know if I'd agree with that. But then, my sister lived in Cambridge when she was in Boston, and I guess they call it "the people's republic of Cambridge" for a reason.

I mean, sis has also lived in Dupont Circle area (as if anyone could afford that now!) and that was just as liberal as Cambridge, with a great view on the gay pride parade each year. These days though she and her friends are all of the age where they've migrated out to the suburbs a bit to have more space (and have a vote that counts), be it MD or VA, and plenty of her friends have commented on a neighbor with an "all lives matter" flag and such, and the gay couples unfortunately have had to deal with some homophobic comments. Turns out there are assholes in a lot of places.

[Swift]

Oh hey, it's August now. Gonna be winter soon...

Good

I don't have any problem with that. I like seasons. I hated living in a place that didn't have them. Fall is my second favorite season (Spring is first). I look forward to all the changes.

[Cyborg Girl]

@Rommie

Boston is one of the most segregated cities in the US right now, and despite their supposed liberalism a lot of white Bostonians want to keep it that way. (And make it even worse, thanks gentrification.) There's plenty of liberalism here, but a lot of it IME is the kind that sips expensive wine and watches GoT on a plasma TV from a $2000+ a month apartment; IOW, the kind that has trouble putting its money where its mouth is.

Some history on this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_bu ... egregation

That said things vary a ton by location. And yes, there are assholes everywhere if you're unlucky. I've run into *so* many aggressive drunk guys in this city, ugh.

@Fisher

Maybe if I get a job at Google... And maybe SQL databases will fly.

I'll probably visit there with my partner some time though. She went to college there, and has indicated she wants to give me a tour of her old stomping grounds some day.

@Thumper

In Boston, a "bad winter" involves blizzards that leave several feet of snow, often the dense, wet kind. Temperatures aren't as bad as in the Midwest (usually), but the amount of precipitation can be insane; Boston gets more rainfall than London, and things usually go below freezing all day every day for much of the winter.

Boston in a snowstorm is really pretty, at least. But not as pretty as Boston in midsummer IMO. But I've always been a summer girl so *shrug*.

[SciFi Chick]

If you get a job at Google, plan on really long commutes, lots of roommates or homelessness. San Francisco is a literal shit hole right now.

As to the OT - I'm really looking forward to seasons this year. A solid year and a half of humid summer with no air conditioner made me appreciate winter all of a sudden. I agree with swift. I love all the seasons, although fall has always been my favorite.

As to segregation, I seem to have found a town that is doing it right. Everyone gets along here. I've never seen so many blacks and whites together. Everyone is so friendly. Friendliest place I've ever been in my life.

[Thumper]

@Thumper

In Boston, a "bad winter" involves blizzards that leave several feet of snow, often the dense, wet kind.

That sounds absolutely wonderful. Now you're getting my hopes up.

[SciFiFisher]

FWIW there are some good tech jobs outside of "slick con man" valley.

[SciFi Chick]

FWIW there are some good tech jobs outside of "slick con man" valley.

Amen!

[Rommie]

@Thumper

In Boston, a "bad winter" involves blizzards that leave several feet of snow, often the dense, wet kind.

That sounds absolutely wonderful. Now you're getting my hopes up.

You guys are all getting distracted from the buried lede that needs more discussion:

I'll probably visit there with my partner some time though. She went to college there, and has indicated she wants to give me a tour of her old stomping grounds some day.

Sounds serious. Is she cute? Do we get to meet her?

[SciFiFisher]

@Thumper

In Boston, a "bad winter" involves blizzards that leave several feet of snow, often the dense, wet kind.

That sounds absolutely wonderful. Now you're getting my hopes up.

You guys are all getting distracted from the buried lede that needs more discussion:

I'll probably visit there with my partner some time though. She went to college there, and has indicated she wants to give me a tour of her old stomping grounds some day.

Sounds serious. Is she cute? Do we get to meet her?

How did I not see that? Okay, Cyborg Girl, have you been out past your curfew?

[Thumper]

Agreed, totally missed that. But you did start talking about heavy, wet snow and I completely lost my focus.

[Cyborg Girl]

LOL

@Rommie yes she's cute, and yes we're serious, in our own way. She's incredibly geeky and I love her dearly. We've had steady a long distance relationship with occasional visits for ~2 years now, but might be seeing more of each other if I can't find new housing in Boston. Housing in the Boston area is brutal, and unlike in DC the suburbs aren't well connected by subway or bus lines.

[Rommie]

LOL

@Rommie yes she's cute, and yes we're serious, in our own way. She's incredibly geeky and I love her dearly. We've had steady a long distance relationship with occasional visits for ~2 years now, but might be seeing more of each other if I can't find new housing in Boston. Housing in the Boston area is brutal, and unlike in DC the suburbs aren't well connected by subway or bus lines.

Lovely- I hope it works out! Long distance sucks, but the funny thing after doing a long stint of it is how we are both soooo not interested in repeating it, ever.

And yeah, not sure what suburb the gal lives in, but you definitely have to choose your location carefully if you care about public transit down there. Perfectly fine if you're in the Virginia/Maryland suburbs near the Metro to rely on, otherwise not so much. (My sister explained to me once that the DC Metro is the only in the world that relies on funding from three regions, which means they usually get way less from local governments than they normally would as it's not streamlined...)

[Cyborg Girl]

Yeah, GF is a transit buff and is always complaining about the Metro. But I assure you it beats the MBTA in terms of actually getting places.

And hmm. I feel like distance relationship has actually worked really well for us, maybe because of how our personalities interact. The situation is kind of complex.

(And weekends together after spending months apart are pretty fuckin' awesome.)

Edit: oh yeah, I'd definitely plan on being near the Metro. But in any case that's probably not going to happen, since I think I finally secured housing in Boston!!! Boo ya!

[Rommie]

Sweet!

And yeah, those weekends are good. But imagine how much better it is when you're together all the time!