Moving to Mo update... [View All]

[sfwriter]

Well, I'm learning a lot about my new home in Springfield. MO. On Feb. 1 we'll be heading there from San Francisco. They have all sorts of stuff in SW MO that we don't have here in the bay area, Army of God, evangelical schools, and Bass Pro Shops. Of course, we have things they don't have, like African Americans. They ethnically cleansed our new home with a wave of lynchings in 1906, so I expect the place will have a different cultural feel to the city by the bay.

There is one Indian restaurant within about 100 miles of Springfield, so it had better be good. I'll get to find grits and sausage and biscuits on a regular basis again. They'll have country ham in the stores there, That's a big plus for a Tennessee boy like me.

The crime rate is about a third higher in Springfield based on a Zip Code comparison of where I live now. My father-in-law says that's all fed by meth addicts there. Oh Joy. Of course, we can buy a house there. That's not even a remote possibility here in SF. The crime rate is still lower than my home town in TN, so that's a plus.

I have three scheduled meetings with potential employers at a magazine, movie theater, and radio station. Likely ALL that work would be freelance or part-time, but it is nice to hit the ground running. I have 45 resumes out to various potential jobs spanning the gamut of my skills.

By Feb 15, I'm already planning to attend a Science Fiction convention in town, hosting a party, and scheduled to play a D&D game with a group there, so I'll hit the ground with something of a social life. I have a line on the local DFA meetups and will seek out what few pagans and atheists are in the area to offset the evangelical dominance.

Any other suggestions? Should I plan on seeking out any great parks, shops or eateries?

All the best,

Sandy