Why are two lifelong Alaskans moving to the big scary city?
Alaska is the largest state in the union. It’s filled with wildlife and trees and nutty people who are trying to get away from the law or society at large. It’s cold. It has two seasons summer and winter. The cost of living is high and the government gives you money for being a resident (actually there is a very good state constitution based reason for that).
New York City is one of the biggest cities in the world. There are more than ten times the number of people in NYC as there are in the entire State of Alaska. Rumor has it they have four season spring, summer, fall, and winter. It gets cold but it also gets warm. The cost of living is high and the government takes away your money in the form of taxes.
So, there are positives and negatives to both places. Still, why move?
First, Sean wants to make movies. Specifically he wants to write for film and television. Funny thing, this comes up with friends of my family and they make comments about someday seeing my name in the Oscars. Yeah, no. Sean doesn’t watch “good” movies. Sean likes movies with things like boobs and car chases and explosions. He likes movies starring Christopher Lee as Dracula. He likes zombie movies. He loves the idea of Tribal Cannibal Biker Punks. He likes referring to himself in the third person. So, he’s going to New York to go to film school and learn the writing trade and make some connections so he can get jobs doing that which he so desperately wants to do.
Second, I’m tired of living here. I’ve lived here 20+ years and I don’t enjoy 9 months of the year (the winter months that dominate the year here in Alaska). I’ve seen pretty much everything here I wanted to see. I don’t do the “outdoors” so much. I like the nutty people here. I have a good number of friends who I’m going to miss and if I didn’t spend so much of the year hating the place I would probably never leave.
Why does Jess want to leave? It’s up to her to say, but the above is why I’m ready to leave my home for the scary big city.
