::: bisonium.com :::: Sketches of a catastrophe: Proactive Relo

damage Having lived in Florida most of my life, hurricanes are just a part of life I have learned to deal with. Last year was the roughest year yet though. I wasn't even affected by Andrew when it devastated Homestead (given I was away in the military), but my parents home was fine after Andrew. So for me, last year was definitely the worst. We got a pretty good scare and all things considering, it could have obviously been a lot worse. A LOT worse. Today the Miami Herald is running a story that gives us a good idea of just exactly how much worse it can get. I have to tell ya...I don't like it one bit. Last year having lived for a measly 3 days without power nearly drove me mad, I can't imagine what would happen in these given scenarios. What really makes you stop and think is that this isn't something that might happen, it is a CERTAINTY that it will happen. The only variable here is when.

Well folks, like any good IT guy would do, I think that a little proactive relocation planning is in order. Being the digital nerd that I am, the thought of no power for months on end is enough to get me out of here. But add in the mad chaos, idiots that can't drive and generally FUBAR state we were in last year (after a fairly benign hurricane compared to what's being forecasted), I am not waiting around for the day the "big one" hits south FL. I can only imagine what the mass exodus would look like. Add to that the fact that the housing market is just ridiculously STUPID expensive at the moment, the decision is pretty easy. This calls for a complete relocation and getting the hell out of south FL. When will I leave? Well - that's a matter of what options present themselves, if any. Might be a month, might be a few years. One thing's for certain, the search has officially begun. Areas of particular interest would be: WA (Seattle and surrounding areas), OR (Portland / Bend and surrounding areas), TX (Austin / Dallas), AZ (Phoenix, Sedona), NM (Santa Fe, Albuquerque), CO (Denver), TN (Nashville, Knoxville), NC (inland areas), SC (inland areas). Although those would be my ideal locations, I would be open to places like San Diego, San Francisco and the Washington DC Metro Areas. My main beef with those areas is the cost of living (but then again, Santa Fe and Sedona aren't exactly cheap either). With a little one in tow, good schools and affordable housing are key concerns. An area with a solid base of IT jobs is also a consideration, should an unforeseeable event occur with any given employer. Being an IT guy in a small town with one main employer probably isn't the smartest thing for career longevity.

I am leaning heavily towards the Pacific Northwest. I have traveled the US extensively, and although I haven't had the chance to visit the Pacific Northwest as of yet, I just feel that something out there is calling my name. My wife tends to agree and likes the idea. I am a big fan of the outdoors, camping and photographic scenery. Living out there would be the excuse I needed for justifying an RV. After taking a short survey on findyourspot.com, I was given a list of places that would be suitable based on my preferences. It was pretty close to what I was targeting - actually, it was almost dead on! I listed the places after the jump (to minimize the length on the front page).

So that brings me to the discovery phase of my plan of action. I have a pretty extensive background in everything from sales / marketing to new media design and IT engineering and support. Although I am a Mac guy at heart, I can hang with Windows and *nix. For a good overview of my background, head over to LinkedIn and check it out. If you have a LinkedIn account and want to network with me, go ahead and send me an invite to join your network! I can fit right in at a start-up or a well-established F-500 enterprise. The ideal gig would challenge me to create something that is revolutionary in the industry and allow me to work with some incredibly talented people that are tops in their field. A creative, fun and exciting atmosphere, great benefits and career advancement opportunities round out the perfect gig. I know - I don't ask for a lot now do I? ;-) Does such a gig even exist? If any of you loyal readers out there in the blogsphere have an inside line on a great gig outside of Florida, drop me a line: frank [at] bisonium [dot] com.

Technorati Tags: Real Estate, General

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Although I don't think I can see myself living in some of these places, most of them are right on target with where I would like to live...

My Top Spots (according to Findyourspot.com)

Portland, Oregon City of Roses
This Oregon city has the nation's largest forested municipal park, the aptly-named Forest Park…
Population: 2,000,000 | Average Home Price: $259,000 | Precipitation: 36" | Snow: 5"

Chattanooga, Tennessee City of Vision
The beautiful former depot of this town's famous Choo-Choo is now a unique vacation complex…
Population: 155,000 | Average Home Price: $146,000 | Precipitation: 54" | Snow: 10"

Greenville, South Carolina The Rising Star of the South
The Peace Center for the Performing Arts presents theater and concerts in this South Carolina city's rejuvenated downtown…
Population: 56,000 | Average Home Price: $204,000 | Precipitation: 51" | Snow: 7"

Fayetteville, Arkansas Light of the Ozarks
Near the University of Arkansas campus, this town's Dickson Street is filled with lively bistros, night clubs and galleries…
Population: 62,000 | Average Home Price: $193,000 | Precipitation: 42" | Snow: 10"

Charleston, West Virginia The Home of Hospitality
For a taste of yesteryear, catch the boat races at this West Virginia city's annual Sternwheel Regatta...
Population: 248,000 | Average Home Price: $216,000 | Precipitation: 41" | Snow: 26"

Little Rock, Arkansas Where America Comes Together
All Maybelline products distributed in the U.S. are made in this fashion-conscious spot…
Population: 595,600 | Average Home Price: $177,000 | Precipitation: 48" | Snow: 5"

Hickory, North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountain Home
This area in North Carolina is known as the nation's furniture manufacturing capital…
Population: 39,500 | Average Home Price: $195,000 | Precipitation: 41" | Snow: 9"

Medford, Oregon Gateway to the Pacific Northwest
This gorgeous spot boasts the West's only operating water-powered grist mill, located on the banks of Little Butte Creek since 1872…
Population: 190,000 | Average Home Price: $238,000 | Precipitation: 19" | Snow: 8"

Salem, Oregon The Heart of Oregon
This capital city is the home of the Oregon State Fair, as well as the state's largest on-going fine arts & crafts fair…
Population: 143,000 | Average Home Price: $180,000 | Precipitation: 39" | Snow: 6"

Knoxville, Tennessee Gateway to the Smoky Mountains
In the shadow of the Great Smoky and Cumberland Mountains, this spot served as Tennessee's capital from 1796 to 1812…
Population: 704,400 | Average Home Price: $180,000 | Precipitation: 47" | Snow: 11"

Frederick, Maryland Where The Past Comes Alive
This Maryland city's Great Fair is one of the nation's oldest county agricultural fairs…
Population: 56,000 | Average Home Price: $305,000 | Precipitation: 36" | Snow: 21"

Asheville, North Carolina Land of the Sky
This Blue Ridge town's annual "Shindig on the Green" is an evening of informal, impromptu bluegrass jam sessions…
Population: 69,000 | Average Home Price: $205,000 | Precipitation: 48" | Snow: 16"

Eugene, Oregon The Emerald City
This Oregon city is home to the Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden, famous all over the world for its beautiful blossoms...
Population: 142,000 | Average Home Price: $226,000 | Precipitation: 48" | Snow: 7"

Johnson City-Kingsport, Tennessee Two Natural Wonders
This Tennessee city's lively annual Springfest includes a JazzNite, golf tournaments, a chili cookoff and a beach party...
Population: 100,000 | Average Home Price: $110,000 | Precipitation: 45" | Snow: 17"

Corvallis, Oregon Heart of the Willamette Valley
This Oregon city hosts "da Vinci Days," a festival of unique events revolving around art, science and technology...
Population: 50,000 | Average Home Price: $225,000 | Precipitation: 43" | Snow: 6"

Clarksville, Tennessee The New South
This Tennessee city calls itself the "Gateway to the New South"…
Population: 103,455 | Average Home Price: $132,000 | Precipitation: 50" | Snow: 8"

Seattle, Washington The Emerald City
The game "Pictionary" was developed by a waiter in this town in 1986…
Population: 2,500,000 | Average Home Price: $422,000 | Precipitation: 35" | Snow: 15"

Olympia, Washington The Evergreen Capital
Set on a magnificent peninsula in the South Puget Sound, this spot was originally called "black bear place" before being renamed after nearby mountains…
Population: 222,000 | Average Home Price: $225,000 | Precipitation: 51" | Snow: 10"

Tulsa, Oklahoma A Blend of the Best
This technologically important Oklahoma city hosts a low-tech Blue Grass and Chili Festival each year...
Population: 388,000 | Average Home Price: $135,000 | Precipitation: 43" | Snow: 5"

Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana Cities of Three Flags
This spot on Louisiana's Red River was named for a steam boat captain who cleared a logjam known as the "Great Raft" in the 1830s…
Population: 392,000 | Average Home Price: $123,000 | Precipitation: 45" | Snow: 0"

Roanoke, Virginia The Heart of the Blue Ridge
This Virginia spot rests in a beautiful valley, surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains…
Population: 95,000 | Average Home Price: $139,000 | Precipitation: 41" | Snow: 22"

Tacoma, Washington Port City of the Cascades
This city's name comes from the Native American name for Mt. Rainier, "Tacobet," meaning Mother of the Waters...
Population: 193,600 | Average Home Price: $207,000 | Precipitation: 39" | Snow: 16"

Kent, Washington The Heart of Puget Sound
This family-friendly town is centrally located in the heart of the Puget Sound region…
Population: 79,500 | Average Home Price: $240,000 | Precipitation: 35" | Snow: 15"

Albuquerque, New Mexico The Pulse of New Mexico
This city's International Balloon Fiesta features 850 hot air balloons each October…
Population: 471,900 | Average Home Price: $211,000 | Precipitation: 8" | Snow: 15"