So now, dear viewers...

[chaoswolf]

I have determined that it is inevitable I move north. Most likely to the Seattle region, due to circumstances. selkit covers it pretty well in his post, but for sake of argument I will cover the highlights of what I'm looking for/at:

Anyone with the following information, -please- share it;

- Leads on fandom folk of the sci-fi, furry, or filk variety with open housing space
- Also, mundane households tolerant of such oddity
- Job leads for a young adult who has recently acquired an English-focused associate's degree with a smattering of HTML, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver on the side
- Advice regarding how to handle the Immigration Bureaucracy Beastie on either side of the border (Survivor stories will help!)
- Any other general advice regarding helping someone out with their first away-from-home move

Advice, moral support, immoral support, and maybe athletic support, will all be of great use and great interest to us.

Oh by the way...mdlbear reports on the most recent medical involvement with flower_cat. Fistula again.

Comments

[egoldberg.livejournal.com]

Personally I think Seattle is a piss-poor excuse for a city (although arguably no worse than you'll find in the U.S., which my experience living in Europe leaves me of the opinion that Americans are culturally incompetent in urban design). But you can find a large fannish community in the area.

The emeraldforest filk list is probably a good starting point.

[chaoswolf]

The point is not to observe the scenery, Eli. The point is that if I can find jobs and living essentials temporarily/permanent that it will put me in a position to move to Canada if that becomes an option or in a position to go to the NW cons that I normally don't get to if it doesn't. I am more concerned about jobs and living circumstances rather than the "piss poor" quality of the city.

[egoldberg.livejournal.com]

If you're adequately inured to ugly places from living in San Jose, you can definitely find employment out here right now.

I'm sure that will be harder in the coming months as companies downsize (and it's certainly less plentiful than even 6 months ago), but things still look pretty decent right now.

You presuambly know about Craig's List, monster.com, etc, and how to Google for social networking organizations that relate to your profession, so I'll defer to you on that part.

[egoldberg.livejournal.com]

P.S. One bit of advice for the Canadian border: don't go to Amsterdam 5 times in 5 months.

Now they treat me like a frigging drug smuggler.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

Not much I can do to help you with the living connections, but if you do get up there by this Easter, I hope we'll see you at Norwescon, where I've been asked to put on Match Game SF and host a party for the Westercon San Jose 2011 bid.

Hope something good works out for you.

[nightshade1972.livejournal.com]

Aww, I'm sorry about your mom. Hope she's better soon! *hugs*

[bobmage.livejournal.com]

As a member of 2 of the above(sci-fi and filk), there is a pretty big fannish community up here. I recommend joining the Emerald Forest Filk mailing list, and also looking/posting at the filk, conflikt, and norwescon lj communities. I don't know everyone's living situations, but someone on those lists may have room in their households. I know a couple of people who might, I will forward your post to them.
If finances permit, you might want to come up to Conflikt at the end of the month - it will give you a look at the area in the worst season to be here, a chance to meet the local filkers, and possible housing connections.

General advice for first time living away from home:
Pay rent first - It's very stressful dealing with an angry landlord, particularly when they started out as a friend. Stock up on healthyish canned/dry goods when you have money - you may go through a lean spot, it's nice to know you have food.
Meet the people in the new household before committing to moving in - if someone "creeps you out", don't put yourself under the same roof.

[pnthrmgck.livejournal.com]

As for some advice for the fist time away from home move..
Pack Lightly. Only what you REALLY need.
You never know what might happen till you settle in and its not fun draggin a huge box of stuff around when you need to get back home again for reasons unforseen.