So, I’ve been accumulating a mental list, as one does when they move from one city to a new one, a list of differences between cities, in this case, the burbs of Seattle versus the burbs of San Diego.

San Diego Versus Seattle: Let’s Rumble!!!

–The burbs of San Diego have big, expensive libraries, which have no books on display, and the librarians seem unfriendly-to-hostile. The librarians do not know about advertised readings nor can they help you find a particular book. (This is my experience thus far with North County libraries. If you are a San Diego librarian, please do not be offended.) In Seattle, even the smallest towns have expensive, well-stocked libraries, friendly, helpful librarians, book displays for librarian-recommended fiction, non-fiction, young adult, and “topic-of-the-week.”

–The new doctor I went to for my b12 shots, who must have been at least in her mid-forties, had nary a line on her face, was a size two, had a deep fake tan and long bleach-blond hair. There was an ad for botox in the exam room. Does this inspire confidence? No. In Seattle, my doctor was mid-fifties, had many wrinkles, like a normal fifty-year-old doctor, was a size two, and had dark hair and no fake tan. The ads in her exam room were for diabetes check-lists and domestic abuse awareness.

–The burbs of Seattle have better shopping options than the burbs of San Diego, though San Diego proper has better shopping than Seattle proper. Many women here dress like Hooters girls all the time. Without being paid. My all-black wardrobe is definitely out-of-place. On the plus side, I’m not the only woman here who walks around with an umbrella up when the sun in shining.

–Independent bookstores? Seattle wins this one hands-down. Same with coffee shops. And so far, the burbs of Seattle win the restaurant contest too. I’ve only tried a handful of places here, yet, so maybe I’m shortchanging San Diego. Maybe this is why all the women here are so thin.

–San Diego has sunshine every day. Seattle has rain every day. Despite the occasional giant fire, it is much more pleasant to wake up and go outside in the morning here, go check the mail, run errands, etc. The walking trails here have “Beware of Snakes!” signs everywhere, though, which is a little unnerving. I’m told the warning signs are for rattlesnakes. Hmmm. I don’t remember encountering any rattlesnakes in the Seattle environs…

Conclusion: I miss my poet-friends, my poetry-only bookstore, my coffee shops, and the many wonderful libraries. Also my doctors. However, San Diego does have meerkats, palm trees, new hummingbird species, and an abundance of blooming flowers year round. Plus, I have met a few poets here (Hi Lorraine!) so it’s not totally poet-unfriendly. And it has way more universities and teaching opportunities than Seattle did. I guess we’ll call it a draw…