island of misfit toys
Sep. 1st, 2010 01:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_siobhanI've been thinking a lot lately about the viability of moving to the country.
The fact that I'm even thinking about it is is a pretty massive thing for me. I'm an urbanite born and raised and I've always just assumed that would be the case for my entire life. A lot of this recent change of heart has to do with the fact that my breathing just gets worse and worse every year and I don't really see a big political push happening to do anything about the lousy air quality in this city. Much as I resent the idea that people who clog up the streets with their cars every day are going to drive me out my home, my lungs aren't likely to be sympathetic to the idea of breathing smog as a matter of principle. And I'm tired of being sick all the time.
Which brings me to the second reason. The breathing issue has a major impact on my ability to self-medicate via exercise. One of the most difficult of symptoms to manage when my brain-meats aren't doing well is just how stressed out I get by other human beings - not anthropophobia necessarily but pretty bloody close. And given that just walking out my door means I have to interact with dozens of the damn things, living in a place with such a high population density means I have already tapped into limited resources before even arriving at work or a friend's house or a concert. If I don't have to deal with massive numbers of people every single day, then maybe I'd actually be able to come into town for a weekend once in a while and hang out with the ones I know and like without being exhausted for days afterwards. Instead of the situation now where I'm spending all my free time hiding inside my house.
The big downside to this idea is, of course; what the hell would I do for a living? It's not like I have the skill set to be likely farmer material.
When I mentioned this to Axel he suggested moving to Vancouver instead. Which would clear up most of the breathing problems. Not the people-stress, but then if I could breathe all the time I might be in better mental health. And it would put the kibosh on hitting Toronto for the weekend more often than once or twice a year. But I'd have a job.
So I don't know. At this point fall will be coming Any Day Now and the discussion can continue to be theoretical for another year. But if nothing changes in this city eventually I'll be forced to do something about it. I just don't know what.
The fact that I'm even thinking about it is is a pretty massive thing for me. I'm an urbanite born and raised and I've always just assumed that would be the case for my entire life. A lot of this recent change of heart has to do with the fact that my breathing just gets worse and worse every year and I don't really see a big political push happening to do anything about the lousy air quality in this city. Much as I resent the idea that people who clog up the streets with their cars every day are going to drive me out my home, my lungs aren't likely to be sympathetic to the idea of breathing smog as a matter of principle. And I'm tired of being sick all the time.
Which brings me to the second reason. The breathing issue has a major impact on my ability to self-medicate via exercise. One of the most difficult of symptoms to manage when my brain-meats aren't doing well is just how stressed out I get by other human beings - not anthropophobia necessarily but pretty bloody close. And given that just walking out my door means I have to interact with dozens of the damn things, living in a place with such a high population density means I have already tapped into limited resources before even arriving at work or a friend's house or a concert. If I don't have to deal with massive numbers of people every single day, then maybe I'd actually be able to come into town for a weekend once in a while and hang out with the ones I know and like without being exhausted for days afterwards. Instead of the situation now where I'm spending all my free time hiding inside my house.
The big downside to this idea is, of course; what the hell would I do for a living? It's not like I have the skill set to be likely farmer material.
When I mentioned this to Axel he suggested moving to Vancouver instead. Which would clear up most of the breathing problems. Not the people-stress, but then if I could breathe all the time I might be in better mental health. And it would put the kibosh on hitting Toronto for the weekend more often than once or twice a year. But I'd have a job.
So I don't know. At this point fall will be coming Any Day Now and the discussion can continue to be theoretical for another year. But if nothing changes in this city eventually I'll be forced to do something about it. I just don't know what.
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Date: 2010-09-01 06:09 pm (UTC)Victoria is a little mellower, but you are "stuck on a rock" if you go there. Still a city, but not as much nightlife, though there are a lot of motorcycle aficionados, including my uncle-Dave-by-marriage. Another of my aunts spent a few years there, but didn't find it lively or cold-weather-sport friendly for her, moving to Calgary several years back. Still, she did dragon boat races, and made the most of opportunities.
I have an aunt living out in Maple Ridge, east of Vancouver, in addition to the four other aunts and an uncle on the island (plus spouses, and children), and my grandparents, too, so I've spent a lot of time up in the Vancouver Island area, and a little in Vancouver proper.
Visit a few times as you can afford it. The whole area is very out-doorsy, lots of camping, skiing, kayaking, fishing, hunting, snowboarding, etc., so if that sounds remotely appealing, there you go. I know they've implemented some smog control regulations over the past decade, and the climate is generally milder than Toronto for heat or cold.
Good luck.