Weather or Not

Once in awhile, probably more often than I'm willing to admit, I find the part of my brain that processes information unable to sleep.  With my computer playing an old sitcom before bed, I sometimes find it nearly impossible to not go searching for answers to some random subject that has popped into my head.  This then leads to additional searches for more information about another intriguing or maybe boring topic.  A typical search for me on let's say the Civil War, leads me in two paragraphs to the Mason-Dixon line, which takes me to the coordinates of the line, how did they measure the line and who was Mason and Dixon.  That then goes to where were they from, what did they do and who is related to them that might be around today.  Chances are it snowballs from there.  An hour later and I'm wondering how I even got to this point.  Well, the other night I had one of those nights.

It started off as innocent as always.  A few weather maps here, a couple watches and warnings there.  It's my basic sports, news, weather combo and I was hitting the last one.  But I saw one thing on the NOAA watch map that I hadn't seen since early October.  The only winter storm warnings posted were for the Sierra Nevada range.  And you know when they get hit, they get hit hard.  Sure enough, the call was for 1-2 feet at lake level with higher amounts at peak level.  Notice I use the term lake level.  That's because every time I look at warnings for the long mountain range in California, I always click on Lake Tahoe.

See, I've always had this fascination with that area.  I'm an east coast guy, but the town of South Lake Tahoe gets to me.  My last laptop had the lake as my desktop background.  Perhaps it's the imagery (and snow) that intrigues me.  The landscape is astonishing.  Tall mountains in the background, a tree-lined beautiful lake and an actual town as in 23,000 people.  Okay.  The amount of snow they receive also plays a big role.  This certainly has not been the first time I've done some digging on this area.  By digging I mean looking at potential job openings or careers of some kind, local real estate, average incomes... you catch my drift.  It was always one of those, could it be places.  Then I got to thinking.

It's not a simple place to pick up and move to.  As picturesque as the area is, it is what it is.  And it is a tourist location.  This is a place for skiers, hikers, bikers and campers.  The people that live near the lake might only be part-time residents who aren't looking for work in town.  They have money.  Chances are if you want work you will be working in the service industry be it at a restaurant, casino, hotel, ski lodge, boat rental shack or any other form.  That's not exactly me.  And I have my doubts if the people in this industry even live in South Lake Tahoe.  One can always dream.

Once I finished reading how many ski resorts in the Tahoe area passed 600 inches of snow for the season, I started down a different track.  I'm a lover of winter.  Never grew out of it.  Never will.  I don't need bone chilling cold or arctic winds.  A 30 degree day with light snow is like white sand, blue water, 80 degrees and sun to most others.  Bermuda is a likely destination for one of those, but what about the other?  Tahoe gets the snow (albeit not nearly the 600 inches the resorts see) and is large in size compared to other western locations that get high snow amounts but logically is not a suitable location.       

An older gentleman has told me numerous times, "RD, move to Syracuse."  The thought always rolled right off.  As big of a geography buff as I am, the first thing that comes to mind when hearing Syracuse is orange.  I've never been there, never looked at pictures or took much of an interest in it.  I know where it's located and quite frankly, my knowledge ends there.  But after realizing Tahoe was all but a crazy dream, the thought of Syracuse emerged as if never mentioned before.

It has the size I am looking for in that it's a city with over 100,000 people so you know there is opportunity.  And being realistic with the economy and everybody else looking for work, an opportunity is all I can ask for.  Then there is the snow.  I'm not sure, but could venture a guess that there are very few other cities of this size that get the kind of snow Syracuse does.  In fact, I don't think anybody tops them.  They average 121 inches a year.  For comparison, Allentown averages just over 30.  Those of us who "survived" the record breaking 93-94 season of 75 inches, well they received that much this past December.  Assuming the season is over, Syracuse will finish the year with a solid 177 inches.  We rarely get into math here but that is slightly below 15 feet... for a city on the east coast...not in a mountain range...that you could drive to in a day from here.

My intrigue has ballooned.  Now I want to know information about the area like crime, the local job market, biggest employers, real estate and rental prices, family income, even the future direction of the city and suburbs.  Can you see how one simple search turns into something big?  A brief search later and I see Syracuse is ranked one of the best places to raise a family and one of the most affordable.  A check on rental properties quickly reaffirms the latter.  Crime rate is rather low compared to most cities the same size which is a likely reason for the other ranking.  They are suffering through the same economic downturn as the rest of the country with an unemployment rate right at the national average and have only a few major employers.  So where do you go from here?  Deeper searches will surely follow as I can never get enough information.  But what after that?

I've always had this notion of picking things up, moving and changing the daily routine.  When that got old, I'd do it again.  At some point, whether you believe or not, somebody has probably read to you your zodiac traits.  For some they are accurate and others not so much.  I always remember the one that said my sign hates being tied down and likes to travel and thought, there is the one trait that doesn't fit me.  Then I recalled my answer as a high school senior in the class year book regarding future plans nearly ten years ago.  "Attend college and move far away."  Verbatim.  It's as if even back then I had this same notion.  Yet only one of those was accomplished.

It's easy to understand why people in situations like mine have a difficult time relocating.  It's an intimidating idea.  I often think about where I'd go if given the opportunity to work and earn a living.  And weather plays a major role as not many people are looking for colder and snowier climates.  However, given the opportunity and making/creating an opportunity are two very different things.  

I have a job.  It takes care of the bills and provides what I need.  I have few complaints.  It's no more than five miles from where I graduated high school and graduated college.  Is it a career?  Yes.  If you let it be.

I fully believe certain individuals with a strong passion can accomplish anything within the realm of possibility.  It's not easy.  That's why I say certain.  My mind has been racing over the last few days.  I'm fully aware of what lies in the road ahead.  But deep down I've always wanted to make a change.  So what is stopping me?

Oh yeah... Nothing.