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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

I think that's a little unfair. How many people post on here complaining about boring jobs, wondering how people end up in jobs they love, etc? I know the work will get done without me - I don't think  *I* am important. I find my work really challenging and my coworkers are smart and fun to work with. That's hard to walk away from when you know you're kind of lucky to have found it in the first place. The only think missing from my life is affordable housing that's not two hours away from my job![/quote]

It's absolutely true though. D.C. in general lives to work, it does not work to live. Everybody is important! [/quote]

I'm not saying it isn't true for some people, but[b] it is also true that some people want jobs that are challenging, stimulating, and generally enjoyable.[/b]  That's a separate issue and, I think, a legit one that factors into this decision. I just don't think it's fair to be dismissive of that concern and pretend like you're not giving anything up when you walk away from this life. Yes, those of us struggling with it need to prioritize and decide what it's worth to us, but that's what's hard. 
[/quote]

Another PP jumping in.  As I argued above, I think a lot of the people who want challenging jobs either have never lived somewhere without a challenging, a-type life and just simply don't realize how good life is in the absence of that job (because they've never had the pleasure of living somewhere else). Or alternatively, use their "love of job" as a defense of other issues going on in their life. Maybe they aren't really that comfortable with who they are. Maybe they don't love going home to their spouse and kids. Maybe they have a hard time understanding who they would be without their job defining them.  Maybe they've always had a lot of family pressure to succeed and it's so ingrained that they can't fathom walking away.  All I know is that when I lived in an awesome chill non-DC smaller metropolitan area, none of the former DC people who had relocated there (and there were many) missed their old life in DC where their job was their life.  It is pretty easy to get over once you leave it behind. [/quote]

I disagree.   A job is a job.  If I'm going to work I may as well be challenged, have upward mobility and get paid well.  I would still work if I moved to a smaller town but lose a lot of these things.  I work for a US wide firm and see how much faster employees are promoted in bigger cities.  I'm much younger but the same level as many much older employees in smaller cities.

I feel like with a smaller city or town you're just swapping one set of challenges for another.  Maybe you face less traffic but then you have to drive greater distances to go where you need to go.  Maybe work is less hectic but then there are fewer opportunities and other employers.  Maybe childcare is cheaper but then more women stay home and there's a stigma to working.  I have lived in a few different cities and think DC is great.  There are a ton of jobs here and the cost of living isn't that bad compared to NY or SF.

I think many of the people who complain about DC have never lived in a place like NY or London and have no idea how good they have it here.  [b]Unfortunately, life as an adult is hard and will be hard anywhere[/b].  Having kids and working isn't going to be easy no matter where you are.  [/quote]

And there in lies the weird DC attitude.  "Life is just going to be tough from ages 25-65, and DC is better than NY, so just suck it up for 30 more years until you retire."  Well, life wasn't tough at all for us when we lived in a small town with kids. Everything was SO EASY.  And because we had DC home equity, and DC resumes, we were pretty well paid relative to a lot of people living there.  Even if we were making less than we would if we stayed in DC.  Most people I know who move elsewhere find that life is a lot easier.  It's a DC/NY/SF myth that life has to be shitty and tough while you have kids. [/quote]

I'm the PP.  I don't find my life tough at all.  I have a high standard of living here.  I was trying to point out that life has to be shitty but more that I think some posters have unrealistic expectations.  Regardless of where you live having a two income household with two parents working full time isn't easy.  Commuting isn't easy.  Paying for college isn't easy.  Having kids isn't easy.  These are things you'll most likely have to do regardless of where you live.  I am a firm believer that your problems follow you.  I wouldn't assume that leaving DC is going to solve all of your problems.  I think you'll simply be trading problems.

That's great you found life easier in your small town but I wonder what happens as you try and advance or as you want to find another employer.  It might not be so easy anymore.  Or maybe you'll face different challenges with your children growing up in a small town. [/quote]

I totally agree and I think you nailed it. There are a few people on here saying life is SO much better in small town USA, but I know others who have moved away and have the same struggles. I have a friend who enjoys working but most women in her town stay home, so she constantly gets comments from them asking why she works when her husband makes plenty of money. No concept of working for intellectual stimulation. I know she has day are issues too in small town, and the struggles of getting multiple kids to multiple activities, just like I do here. She has a larger, much nicer home, but much harsher winters, limited advancement opportunities, and no cultural activities. The entertainment we see here just isn't there. Maybe some washed up band that doesn't play in large cities. Extremely limited restaurants, no real shows like we get at Kennedy Center, no Indian food- they love coming here to see and do things. Is go crazy if I were there. And I have other friends in other small towns who have many of the same complaints. One is trying to get his DC job back. 
So, I used to think life is easier elsewhere. I no longer think it is. I enjoy my job here and work very reasonable hours, commute is decent. 
Not everyone is living some horrible DC life here. [/quote]

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