Husband is finalist for dream job in Chicago

[Anonymous]

I would live in the city. Chicago is such a great town! Best food in the world and so beautiful.

But if you have to live in the suburbs, my vote goes for Lake Forest as well. I was born and raised there and it is a great place to be a kid. Beautiful lakefront parks, great schools, bike paths and a cute little town square.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The weather is absolutely brutal in Chicago many months of the year. I wouldn't move. I like someone's idea for your dh to commute.

LOL Oh please - it is not that bad, Princess. You bundle up.

Not PP, but it really isn't super pleasant. I'd rather not spend months of my life going from my car, to a building, to my car, to home and never spend time outside. It wears on you.

[Anonymous]

Go go go. A frien just moved there. They LOVE it.

[Anonymous]

Watch out for da property taxes in da city! But yes, go and move to a suburb--MUCH nicer than this dump.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's Chicago vs DC so much as your dream job vs his. Who is going to compromise here? Who will make more and does that factor in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Watch out for da property taxes in da city! But yes, go and move to a suburb--MUCH nicer than this dump.

Property taxes suck everywhere in Chicago and the state finances are in ruin. The teacher's pension problems are bankrupting the state.

[Anonymous]

I'm the type that gets depressed during the winter, so for me it would be a really bad move.

Is he unhappy in his job? If not, then I don't see why you would have to sacrifice your dream job for his.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I don't think we would make the move unless he could delay moving until I finish my project. I've actually been at my current job for 10 years, but just moved into this position recently. It would not be good to bail on this project-- would definitely burn bridges. I could also pitch doing my job remotely, which is not going to be easy.

We've both been to Chicago many times and do love the city, but not the winters. We've lived in cold places before and it sucks.

I'm also worried about living in the 'burbs and having an hour+ commute.

It also seems daunting to start over in a new city at this stage.

If this is your attitude towards cold weather, I wouldn't move. IMO people do best in Chicago and points north if they can take more of a "no bad weather, just bad clothing" attitude.

--Chicagoan with Wisconsin family who has been in DC for 10 years.

[Anonymous]

I would move to Chicago in a hot New York minute!

Millions of people survive cold winters. People on this board make it sound like OP is considering a move to the North Pole!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would move to Chicago in a hot New York minute!

Millions of people survive cold winters. People on this board make it sound like OP is considering a move to the North Pole!

But that's what it feels like to some people surviving. I don't want to just survive...I'd like to have a bit of fun doing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The weather is absolutely brutal in Chicago many months of the year. I wouldn't move. I like someone's idea for your dh to commute.

LOL Oh please - it is not that bad, Princess. You bundle up.

Not PP, but it really isn't super pleasant. I'd rather not spend months of my life going from my car, to a building, to my car, to home and never spend time outside. It wears on you.

Funny, that's EXACTLY how I feel about summers in DC. Except for winter I can wear more clothes and make it easier to handle, I can't compensate for crap summer weather that way.

--Chicagoan in DC

[Anonymous]

I live in Chicago, in the city. CPS does have some great options. I would look at housing in the Blaine, Burley, Audoubon, or Waters boundaries.

If you do go for the suburbs, plenty of close in suburbs will have an easy commute on the Metra. Elmhurst, for example, is a 25 minute ride to downtown. That is actually less time than I spend commuting in the El in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love Chicago - and I think it would be easy to settle there. People are much friendlier there and more open. My BFF of 25 years lives there. I would generally move there in a heartbeat.

In your position, I would take pause. If you're really in your dream job, I'd want to have a good long talk with DH about his dream job vs. yours. Are your respective jobs a once-in-a-lifetime chance? What's the pay differential? Would moving give you a dramatically improved quality of life. (COL is probably about the same if not higher in Chicago) Are either one of you able to get a similar dream job in DC/Chicago respectively. I also would be concerned that your resume would take more of hit if you left your job in such a short time. (Easily explained in person and understandable - if you get an interview)

Another option is for him to commute for year. You can get easy, quick flight back and forth from Chicago.

This is a really hard decision - for me, there would have to be some tremendous benefits for the family to make the move.

Having him commute for a year or so gives you the time you need for your current project and him the time to see if it is indeed his dream job. Then you could reassess and see what works better. Would it suck on other levels? Yes. We have friends who have spent the last 15 years like this- in Germany. He works during the week in Berlin and comes home FSS nights in the town where she works. The kids stayed in the home town. His job has quite a bit of travel, so he would have been gone some of that time anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The weather is absolutely brutal in Chicago many months of the year. I wouldn't move. I like someone's idea for your dh to commute.

LOL Oh please - it is not that bad, Princess. You bundle up.

Not PP, but it really isn't super pleasant. I'd rather not spend months of my life going from my car, to a building, to my car, to home and never spend time outside. It wears on you.

Funny, that's EXACTLY how I feel about summers in DC. Except for winter I can wear more clothes and make it easier to handle, I can't compensate for crap summer weather that way.

--Chicagoan in DC

Eh, to each his/her own. I'm also a Chicagoan in DC and while I find that DC is usually only about 5 degrees warmer than Chicago at any given time, Chicago has to deal with the annual dump of snow, which I just don't want to invest time in moving or driving through anymore. It's so much fun when DC has snow and the city shuts down because "ERMAHGERD, SNOW!" Moving here has made snow such a fun novelty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The weather is absolutely brutal in Chicago many months of the year. I wouldn't move. I like someone's idea for your dh to commute.

LOL Oh please - it is not that bad, Princess. You bundle up.

Not PP, but it really isn't super pleasant. I'd rather not spend months of my life going from my car, to a building, to my car, to home and never spend time outside. It wears on you.

Funny, that's EXACTLY how I feel about summers in DC. Except for winter I can wear more clothes and make it easier to handle, I can't compensate for crap summer weather that way.

--Chicagoan in DC

Eh, to each his/her own. I'm also a Chicagoan in DC and while I find that DC is usually only about 5 degrees warmer than Chicago at any given time, Chicago has to deal with the annual dump of snow, which I just don't want to invest time in moving or driving through anymore. It's so much fun when DC has snow and the city shuts down because "ERMAHGERD, SNOW!" Moving here has made snow such a fun novelty.

I agree that snow is way more fun here than there. but IMO "only 5 degrees warmer at any given time" is a nice demonstration of how mindset affects our perception of the weather. the humidity pattern is so different...humidity here isn't cleared out by thunderstorms like it is there. Often it's just as humid, if not lots worse, after the rain than before.