For some reason, Andi and I have both started thinking about the pending possible move quite a bit. A move, if it happens, would most likely unfold throughout late spring/early summer of next year. At this point, the top candidates for our next place to live include:
Portland - The earlier compromise, as it has strong potential for Andi's career, as well as great proximity to my family. On the downside, we're not too sure about the city and the relative value.
Seattle - My slight preference over Portland, as it's significantly better for my career, but it's also expensive and further away from my family.
Albuquerque - This is the new dark horse, based on a rumored job possibility, the closeness of some old friends, and the ability to easily drive to - and from - Colorado. Not really my first choice, but Andi prefers the climate and concept to the idea of the Northwest (not to misrepresent her commitment one way or the other -- this is all still in the concept-phase for us both, anyway).
Boulder / Denver - A return to the old homeland is also a potential move, although the job prospects are slightly more complicated for both Andi and me. Also, the relative expense-to-quality ratio is a somewhat hard pill to swallow. I really don't want to commute much, but that's going to be pretty much inevitable, wherever we end up.
Chapel Hill - Staying in this area is also a consideration. We like the climate, the cost is reasonable, the people are great and, honestly, this is now our home. There's also the ol' inertia factor.
London, Paris, New York, Syndey, Hong Kong - I have a long-simmering, unrequited, dream of living abroad (or at least in a big, cosmopolitan, city), but I doubt that's really very feasible. Between the expense, the logistics, the pets, and the job scene, it's just not in the cards, I fear.
The variables, of course, are many: Career, family, friends, sanity, excitement, difficulty, preference, etc. etc. The solution to some of these factors will reveal themselves in time, but others require a bit of reconnaissance, research, and reflection. This kind of thing would be easier if we just had tons of free time and disposable cash for some scouting travel (as well as amelioration of any end-point difficulties like, oh, expensive frickin' real estate).
