Heading south?

Portland, ME just made #1 on Forbes magazine's list of most livable cities. This is pretty funny because Baltimore, MD, Des Moines, IA, and Harrisburg, PA also made the list. I'm guessing climate was not factored in to the rankings-- winter in New England is awful, especially for someone (me) whose wardrobe revolves around ballet flats. In summer, temperatures range from "wear two sweaters" to "my it's warm in here, let's put on the fan". When the weather is truly beautiful, there are 8 million tourists clogging all the best places to enjoy truly beautiful weather-- and you can't upset them, they finance the entire state. Eric and I frequently discuss moving elsewhere-- but where to start? The lovely and talented Sarah has presented her top ten reasons we should move south-- specifically to the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. This deserves a point-by-point response!

10. I will bow to the superiority of a short winter. I'm a bit worried about "long, sultry summer nights"-- after your wedding in May 2006, I spent an hour straddling the air conditioner in my hotel room. Humidity and my hair do not get along. But who am I kidding, it was 38 degrees here today! That is just plain wrong.

9. I have been a cardiac nurse at the same hospital for almost three years, and before that I was in nursing school. I haven't really experienced the wide world of nursing. To be truthful, I'm a bit nervous about leaving the safe cocoon of my floor. I love the people I work with, we have a great manager, the work is generally pretty clean, and we have plentiful staff. People talk about the nursing shortage like it's just a matter of training more nurses, but there are some pretty scary places to work out there. I would have to do some thorough research of the available options.

8. To be honest, I don't get out much, though I frequently bemoan the lack of things to do around here and mock the idea of Portland as a cultural Mecca. But self-professed cultural Meccas and university towns tend to attract the thoughtful, book-reading people I enjoy spending time with (and mocking-- what can I say?). It makes me worry less about Southern-fried Bible-thumpers. And Eric's job is portable!

7. COL is a big topic around the kitchen table here. Not that we're poor. Just cheap. Cheap and curmudgeonly. Are you sure you want us moving near you?

6. Ok, so Portland is also (amusingly) referred to as "The San Francisco of the East Coast" because of the ridiculous number of restaurants per capita. The food scene is pretty much the only scene that deserves the name in these parts. Eating out is a year-round sport. In my opinion, the "New American Comfort Food" genre is WAY over-represented-- please do not charge $20 for meatloaf and expect me not to mock you! But if I must be separated from Green Elephant, Evangeline, Cinque Terre, Silly's, Flatbread, Hot Suppa and Local 188, there had better be some dining options-- game on.

5. Um, I live in Maine. AKA, natural beauty capital of the USA. Polar fleece capital of the USA. People move here so they can kayak more. If I cared a great deal about outdoor activities, I could not ask for a better place to live. And I would wear ballet flats less frequently. I do enjoy running outdoors. It would be funny to run on a tobacco trail with you. But let's be honest-- I'm more of an indoor person.

4. Farmer's markets kick ass. I would LOVE to live somewhere with a year-round farmer's market. You're winning me over!

3. Ok, now you're talking-- though A.P.C. is more my taste/fantasy. I could happily spend a lot of time in Anthropologie, even though I have never purchased anything there that I didn't return after having second thoughts.

2. I can't argue with 60-70 degree weather in April. Now you're just showing off. And biscuits? Below the belt, Sarah. I'm ashamed of you.

1. Do you promise?

So we'll see. If I go forward with my plans for grad school, I may need to look out of state for a job-- Maine has more NPs than jobs for them. In the meantime, would you like company?