I hope Seattle is falling in love with you.

A friend of mine wrote this in an email to me shortly after the New Year. At the time, I could honestly say neither Seattle nor I were having any kind of love affair. I was in rent-sticker-shock; it was in the middle of a 28 day rain steak; the hills were not stick-shift friendly; I was having a few difficulties with a co-worker and I only had five friends. I wasn't sure quite what I was doing picking up an moving out to Seattle at too-young-for-any-kind-of-crisis age of 32.

Three months later I can tell you: the rain does stop eventually and when the sun comes out it's spectacular. Patience is a virtue, even if it's not one of mine. I've found places like the Wonder Bar to dance; museums such as the Henry to visit; Discovery Park to explore and interesting people at the Lock and Keel to meet. I'm not sure Seattle has fallen in love with me yet, but I sure think she's getting use to the idea of having me around -as well at the 86,000 other people who migrated to this city last year.