Thank you so much for the shout-out, Garrett! I feel honored to be among such a fantastic crowd! And all these recommendations are intriguing me. I shall dive in soon. Thanks so much!
Of course! You're a lovely writer and that piece really struck me. With my recent trip, and then with my kiddo being sick this past weekend, I'm feeling behind in my reading! But I'm always excited to read what you're posting ❤️
I'm so sorry your kiddo got sick. I hope your child recovers fast. Strength to you and your family. You are so kind. A lovely human and writer - you are too! I'm enjoying listening to the stuff you recommended. The gentrification video is thought-provoking. I noticed a lot more apartment complexes being affordable, which is always a good thing. We have a few here. I frankly would want to see more condo-like buildings popping up. So instead of one single-house which takes up so much space but fits only one family, you can have a tall building fitting so many more. It was odd for me to move to the States and only see that in cities only.
Thanks Nadia, she's feeling much better now! And I'm glad to report that I am too! (took me out for a couple days, ouch)
And, back at you -- I'm so glad we were able to connect here :)
We need more affordable housing here in Seattle, very badly. I don't know the last time it was a secret that we have incredibly high rent (just looked it up: $2,231 average rent, with 691 sq. ft. being the average apartment size), but it's something I can certainly attest to. My wife and I work full-time, and in jobs where the pay is okay, and even for us it's incredibly hard to make everything work financially (childcare here is NUTS). So picturing, say, a single parent losing their job, or a couple where one of the two were suddenly laid off, etc... it can get really dicey, really quickly.
So, in a hypothetical scenario (sorry for the length haha)... that single parent has to look for housing pretty far outside of the city. But they also then need to get a car, because they previously didn't need one. Realistically, they can't afford said car (car itself will cost $1,000+, plus registration in Seattle is incredibly expensive, plus insurance, etc.), so they opt to instead rely upon public transit. Well, post-COVID, the Seattle downtown has taken a big hit economically. Tech companies and their employees have ballooned the city's population--and subsequently its economy--for decades, and maybe 60-75% of those companies are now fully remote (so that their talent pools can be wiiiide open, AND they don't need to pay the overhead included with leasing and operating an office).
Because these companies (and non-profits, etc.) opt for remote, the city loses the money it'd taken in for so long from commuters, as well as the tax dollars it'd have taken in from, say, restaurants that used to feed said commuters, or stores that said commuters would jump into for a quick purchase before getting on the bus home, etc.
In turn, public transit is no longer seen as deserving of the budget it once commanded. There's an employee shortage. Bus schedules, train schedules, ferry schedules, they're all more spaced out than they used to be.
And the single parent, if they want to stay in the Seattle area, have to carve out an INCREDIBLY nuanced situation to make it work. I mean, maybe their gut instinct is to be like, "I have to find and work at least two jobs to cover rent." But, again, if it's difficult to even get to Job A, how can they be expected to get from home to Job A, back home, then to Job B with any sort of predictability, let alone be the reliable parent they want to be?
Again, so sorry for the length haha. I think I just get a little fired up over it. It's a really complex problem to try and solve.
Oh, no, I'm sorry you got sick too. I hope you're all okay. My goodness, it makes zero sense for a 691 sq. ft. apartment to cost $2,231. No wonder people are stuck and sometimes resort to two jobs. It's especially difficult with the way the economy is these days. We got lucky to have bought our condo when prices were still low during the pandemic. We live in NJ. In some parts of NJ housing isn't disastrously expensive, but still a bit expensive. We do have quite a few affordable housing apartments where we live in the suburbs, which may help people move out of cities where the rent is unjust. We may someday move further north (like where Glens Falls, Vermont, etc. are). Housing is so much cheaper there, and to be a bit closer to my parents in Canada. Thanks for sharing your insight with me. I'm sad for anyone in such unlucky circumstances.
I've never visited NJ, or anywhere on the east coast, but my wife and I are very eager to! We've casually thrown Vermont out as a possibility for something more permanent, just based on great things we've heard about it (I've also heard that NJ is quite beautiful). We love Seattle in many ways, and the Pacific Northwest at large, but something like home ownership is one of many things we've tried to prioritize but seem so far out of reach if staying. We shall see how things unfold!
NJ is very nice, especially Princeton and neighboring quaint, cozy small towns. And Vermont is definitely a great place to settle down and save your monies, but probably winter will be annoying, unless it is like in Seattle, then not much will change lol. I hope you and your loved ones have a lovely weekend full of rest and recovery!
So much stuff in here to add to my reading list. I will definitely start with the NY article about Stanley Robinson. Thank you for including my story in such good company. 😄
Have you never seen a redwood? You can have mine - it stood in the front yard of our house in Oakland, took three people clasping hands to reach around it, and it dropped a dump truck worth of needles on our heads from August to December every year. They are magnificent! And messy AF. Thanks for the shout out! 🖖
I haven't! Isn't that nuts!? Oh I'm sure they're soooooo messy 😂 Growing up we had four mature oak trees (I think they're oak anyway; I am no dendrologist [had to look that up haha]) that every fall just DUMPED their leaves all over the yard. As a kid usually stuck on the days-long clean-up crew every year, I definitely didn't appreciate them as much as I should. I didn't loathe them or anything. Just was indifferent.
Coop me up in an apartment in a major metropolitan area? Gah, the cravings. They're constant.
“From my point of view, 99% of the resources one can find on the topic are, well… they’re bullshit. Here’s why: if you’re a creative person—and Rubin here argues (and I tend to agree with him) that we all are creative people, primed to produce art—you are going to develop routines and processes all on your own, that only suit you.”
Thank you so much for the shout-out, Garrett! I feel honored to be among such a fantastic crowd! And all these recommendations are intriguing me. I shall dive in soon. Thanks so much!
Of course! You're a lovely writer and that piece really struck me. With my recent trip, and then with my kiddo being sick this past weekend, I'm feeling behind in my reading! But I'm always excited to read what you're posting ❤️
I'm so sorry your kiddo got sick. I hope your child recovers fast. Strength to you and your family. You are so kind. A lovely human and writer - you are too! I'm enjoying listening to the stuff you recommended. The gentrification video is thought-provoking. I noticed a lot more apartment complexes being affordable, which is always a good thing. We have a few here. I frankly would want to see more condo-like buildings popping up. So instead of one single-house which takes up so much space but fits only one family, you can have a tall building fitting so many more. It was odd for me to move to the States and only see that in cities only.
Thanks Nadia, she's feeling much better now! And I'm glad to report that I am too! (took me out for a couple days, ouch)
And, back at you -- I'm so glad we were able to connect here :)
We need more affordable housing here in Seattle, very badly. I don't know the last time it was a secret that we have incredibly high rent (just looked it up: $2,231 average rent, with 691 sq. ft. being the average apartment size), but it's something I can certainly attest to. My wife and I work full-time, and in jobs where the pay is okay, and even for us it's incredibly hard to make everything work financially (childcare here is NUTS). So picturing, say, a single parent losing their job, or a couple where one of the two were suddenly laid off, etc... it can get really dicey, really quickly.
So, in a hypothetical scenario (sorry for the length haha)... that single parent has to look for housing pretty far outside of the city. But they also then need to get a car, because they previously didn't need one. Realistically, they can't afford said car (car itself will cost $1,000+, plus registration in Seattle is incredibly expensive, plus insurance, etc.), so they opt to instead rely upon public transit. Well, post-COVID, the Seattle downtown has taken a big hit economically. Tech companies and their employees have ballooned the city's population--and subsequently its economy--for decades, and maybe 60-75% of those companies are now fully remote (so that their talent pools can be wiiiide open, AND they don't need to pay the overhead included with leasing and operating an office).
Because these companies (and non-profits, etc.) opt for remote, the city loses the money it'd taken in for so long from commuters, as well as the tax dollars it'd have taken in from, say, restaurants that used to feed said commuters, or stores that said commuters would jump into for a quick purchase before getting on the bus home, etc.
In turn, public transit is no longer seen as deserving of the budget it once commanded. There's an employee shortage. Bus schedules, train schedules, ferry schedules, they're all more spaced out than they used to be.
And the single parent, if they want to stay in the Seattle area, have to carve out an INCREDIBLY nuanced situation to make it work. I mean, maybe their gut instinct is to be like, "I have to find and work at least two jobs to cover rent." But, again, if it's difficult to even get to Job A, how can they be expected to get from home to Job A, back home, then to Job B with any sort of predictability, let alone be the reliable parent they want to be?
Again, so sorry for the length haha. I think I just get a little fired up over it. It's a really complex problem to try and solve.
Oh, no, I'm sorry you got sick too. I hope you're all okay. My goodness, it makes zero sense for a 691 sq. ft. apartment to cost $2,231. No wonder people are stuck and sometimes resort to two jobs. It's especially difficult with the way the economy is these days. We got lucky to have bought our condo when prices were still low during the pandemic. We live in NJ. In some parts of NJ housing isn't disastrously expensive, but still a bit expensive. We do have quite a few affordable housing apartments where we live in the suburbs, which may help people move out of cities where the rent is unjust. We may someday move further north (like where Glens Falls, Vermont, etc. are). Housing is so much cheaper there, and to be a bit closer to my parents in Canada. Thanks for sharing your insight with me. I'm sad for anyone in such unlucky circumstances.
I've never visited NJ, or anywhere on the east coast, but my wife and I are very eager to! We've casually thrown Vermont out as a possibility for something more permanent, just based on great things we've heard about it (I've also heard that NJ is quite beautiful). We love Seattle in many ways, and the Pacific Northwest at large, but something like home ownership is one of many things we've tried to prioritize but seem so far out of reach if staying. We shall see how things unfold!
Hope you have a great weekend, Nadia! :)
NJ is very nice, especially Princeton and neighboring quaint, cozy small towns. And Vermont is definitely a great place to settle down and save your monies, but probably winter will be annoying, unless it is like in Seattle, then not much will change lol. I hope you and your loved ones have a lovely weekend full of rest and recovery!
Thanks for the recommendations. Looks like a great list to work through. The Creative Act: A Way of Being sounds like a must read. 👍
My pleasure! I'm really loving that book so far ❤️ If you check it out, let me know what you think!
So much stuff in here to add to my reading list. I will definitely start with the NY article about Stanley Robinson. Thank you for including my story in such good company. 😄
Of course! It's a wonderful story ❤️
💚💚💚
Have you never seen a redwood? You can have mine - it stood in the front yard of our house in Oakland, took three people clasping hands to reach around it, and it dropped a dump truck worth of needles on our heads from August to December every year. They are magnificent! And messy AF. Thanks for the shout out! 🖖
I haven't! Isn't that nuts!? Oh I'm sure they're soooooo messy 😂 Growing up we had four mature oak trees (I think they're oak anyway; I am no dendrologist [had to look that up haha]) that every fall just DUMPED their leaves all over the yard. As a kid usually stuck on the days-long clean-up crew every year, I definitely didn't appreciate them as much as I should. I didn't loathe them or anything. Just was indifferent.
Coop me up in an apartment in a major metropolitan area? Gah, the cravings. They're constant.
And of course! Love what you do, Troy! ❤️
Thanks so much for the recommendation, Garret.
It really is a honor to be mentioned, especially by a writer whom I've quickly come to admire.
Of course, Scott! I loved that piece ❤️
“From my point of view, 99% of the resources one can find on the topic are, well… they’re bullshit. Here’s why: if you’re a creative person—and Rubin here argues (and I tend to agree with him) that we all are creative people, primed to produce art—you are going to develop routines and processes all on your own, that only suit you.”
Boom. Agree 💯
Oaks are funny - the coastal oaks of California don't drop their leaves in the fall...