Tail Between My Legs
I have moved three times in less than three years. I'm about to make that four times. After debating about it for the last couple of months, I've decided to move back to Richmond. I called up my old news director a month ago and asked if he had anything for me. He did, and after a month of back-and-forth, I accepted. I won't be making as much money as I do here, but it's still a heck of a lot more than I was making before. Cost of living in Richmond is unbelievably cheaper than Virginia Beach, so let's call it a push.
Here's the faceoff that helped the decision:
Job:
Richmond: Less stress.
Here: More stress.
Winner: Richmond
Salary:
Richmond: Less money.
Here: More money.
Winner: Here, but cost of living makes this a push
City:
Richmond: Character everywhere.
Here: Stripmalls as far as the eyes can see.
Winner: Richmond
Food:
Richmond: Unique restaurants and freaking Chipotle.
Here: Chain restaurants and no Chipotle (the hell?).
Winner: Richmond
Commute:
Richmond: Ten minutes to anywhere.
Here: Thirty minutes minimum to anywhere.
Winner: Richmond
Friends:
Richmond: Tons of friends.
Here: Zero friends.
Winner: Richmond
I could keep going, but Richmond is far and away a better area than Hampton Roads. The only things this area has that's better are less crime and beaches. Still, when it comes to beaches, the best time to hit them up is when the tourists come flocking. Not cool. At least we can still swim in the James River in Richmond, not that I really want to.
It's an easy decision. I love Richmond. My job here sucks. At least I dominated my job in Richmond. I miss my friends. This city is boring. I miss actually having a kick-ass music store to go to every Tuesday. I miss Carytown, and the Fan, and Shockoe Bottom, and Stratford Hills, and Church Hill, and Manchester. Ukrops, Legend's Brewery, meatloaf at the Hill Cafe, PBR tallboys at the Triple, sushi and tator tots and more PBR tallboys at Sticky Rice. I even miss Baja Bean, even though the last time there I almost got into a fist-fight with the bartender and demolished their patio (it was his fault). I miss getting a buzz at one in the afternoon at BW3's, even though the food always makes me horribly ill. Fuck yeah, I miss Richmond Lucha, where I can watch one of my best friends there get horribly injured all summer long. It all sounds weird, but Richmond is a weird town. And I'm a weird guy. It's natural.
I do love my apartment here in Virginia Beach. Our new apartment in Richmond is pretty darn nice though. It's about the same amount of space. Here our apartment goes straight up, while the new apartment is a flat. Also it'll be nice to have a private balcony that faces the woods, rather than our balcony here that faces the rest of the neighborhood. All-in-all, our new apartment is almost half as expensive as this one. Richmond wins again.
By the way, this is definitely a mutual decision for both me and Molly. Richmond is her home. Really, Richmond feels more like home to me anymore than Kirksville does. I haven't been back to Kirksville in almost exactly a year, and there's nothing left there but mom and dad. No more friends back home even. Richmond is my home now.
My last day of work here is June 11. We move June 13. I start my new (old) job on June 18. Damn, I'm really excited.
Here's the faceoff that helped the decision:
Job:
Richmond: Less stress.
Here: More stress.
Winner: Richmond
Salary:
Richmond: Less money.
Here: More money.
Winner: Here, but cost of living makes this a push
City:
Richmond: Character everywhere.
Here: Stripmalls as far as the eyes can see.
Winner: Richmond
Food:
Richmond: Unique restaurants and freaking Chipotle.
Here: Chain restaurants and no Chipotle (the hell?).
Winner: Richmond
Commute:
Richmond: Ten minutes to anywhere.
Here: Thirty minutes minimum to anywhere.
Winner: Richmond
Friends:
Richmond: Tons of friends.
Here: Zero friends.
Winner: Richmond
I could keep going, but Richmond is far and away a better area than Hampton Roads. The only things this area has that's better are less crime and beaches. Still, when it comes to beaches, the best time to hit them up is when the tourists come flocking. Not cool. At least we can still swim in the James River in Richmond, not that I really want to.
It's an easy decision. I love Richmond. My job here sucks. At least I dominated my job in Richmond. I miss my friends. This city is boring. I miss actually having a kick-ass music store to go to every Tuesday. I miss Carytown, and the Fan, and Shockoe Bottom, and Stratford Hills, and Church Hill, and Manchester. Ukrops, Legend's Brewery, meatloaf at the Hill Cafe, PBR tallboys at the Triple, sushi and tator tots and more PBR tallboys at Sticky Rice. I even miss Baja Bean, even though the last time there I almost got into a fist-fight with the bartender and demolished their patio (it was his fault). I miss getting a buzz at one in the afternoon at BW3's, even though the food always makes me horribly ill. Fuck yeah, I miss Richmond Lucha, where I can watch one of my best friends there get horribly injured all summer long. It all sounds weird, but Richmond is a weird town. And I'm a weird guy. It's natural.
I do love my apartment here in Virginia Beach. Our new apartment in Richmond is pretty darn nice though. It's about the same amount of space. Here our apartment goes straight up, while the new apartment is a flat. Also it'll be nice to have a private balcony that faces the woods, rather than our balcony here that faces the rest of the neighborhood. All-in-all, our new apartment is almost half as expensive as this one. Richmond wins again.
By the way, this is definitely a mutual decision for both me and Molly. Richmond is her home. Really, Richmond feels more like home to me anymore than Kirksville does. I haven't been back to Kirksville in almost exactly a year, and there's nothing left there but mom and dad. No more friends back home even. Richmond is my home now.
My last day of work here is June 11. We move June 13. I start my new (old) job on June 18. Damn, I'm really excited.
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