Hi Guys - I hope you have a wonderful Christmas back in the PNW. My hubby and I have done the opposite - we are enjoying a warm Christmas this year in Chiang Mai. We're really enjoying being in shorts and flip-flops this time of year! Anyway, I have a question for you. You mentioned a year's worth of mail needing to be sorted. Is that mail that you have sent to a personal home address? And you're using a mail scanning service too, correct? If you have both, is there a good strategy for what mail should go to a mail scanning service address and what mail should go to a physical address for once-a-year sorting? Thanks and Merry Christmas!
I think nomads need someone checking mail, but private scanning services are really expensive, and unlike a home address, the USPS won't forward mail for a year after you "move" (so you have to keep paying the private mail service for a while even after you stop using them). As a result, we use Informed Delivery (which is a free service from the USPS), where they send a scan of all deliveries to a certain address, and if something is important, we have friend open it.
We use our friend's physical address and they are nice enough to store it for us. The post office offers a service where they scan everything and if we think it looks important, our friends will open it for us. So all of our stuff goes to the same address.
Welcome back. I’m having the opposite experience- getting ready to leave Seattle and trying to appreciate all its beauty before our move to Portugal next month.
Do tell what phone you decide on, if you're comfy sharing. Nearing the end life of mine and on the fence about the next one. Unlocked, of course, I suppose it doesn't matter, but love to learn from others on this!
Welcome back! We visited the Overlook Walk for the first time recently. Thought it very cool! The waterfront in general is getting tidied up and re-greened (I especially liked the new trees and flowers) and has become more walkable. I’m encouraged by this trend.
San Francisco is still one of the great cities. Yes, it has fallen on hard times, with empty storefronts, crime, etc.—and you can blame COVID and rising rents for the mass exodus of tech folks and others who can’t afford to live there anymore (that’s happening all over California unfortunately!). Yes, stronger action on retail theft is warranted and maybe will take place under its new mayor. BUT San Francisco is still one of America’s and the world’s greatest and most breathtaking cities. We visit there often and stay in the North Beach area and eat incredibly well and never tire of climbing up to Coit Tower, visiting the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and admiring the jaw-dropping vistas of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, Alcatraz and the city itself from so many places. With all due respect—I love your newsletter and wish I could be a nomad too—but the continual bad press this city is getting is only hurting it more and is unjust—aren’t there any other cities to pick on with similar problems? The criticisms overlook its amazing history and continuing charms, attractions and diverse and fascinating neighborhoods. I for one will never cease to visit and to love it.
::unusual Christmas tradition: getting terrible tacos at Jack in the Box::
I love Jack-in-the-Box tacos! They're absolute garbage—pre-frozen, JitB wedges them open just enough to slip a half-slice of American Cheese inside, fries them in the deep fryer, then adds a bit of hot sauce and iceberg lettuce and sells them in pairs—and I can easily eat a dozen of them in a single sitting.
As for what happened, both Covid and the George Floyd protests did huge amounts of damage to downtown areas and they haven't really come back. Shoplifting is out of control and there are security guards everywhere. There are a lot of empty storefronts and a lot of homeless people.
Well, it depends on who you ask! Some say capitalism, billionaires, white supremacy run amok, some say progressive government that refuses to enforce laws regarding basic civility. I think it's a bit of both. The tech thing has REALLY screwed up the local economy (massive winners and massive losers) but that that's not excuse for incompetent government.
Hi Guys - I hope you have a wonderful Christmas back in the PNW. My hubby and I have done the opposite - we are enjoying a warm Christmas this year in Chiang Mai. We're really enjoying being in shorts and flip-flops this time of year! Anyway, I have a question for you. You mentioned a year's worth of mail needing to be sorted. Is that mail that you have sent to a personal home address? And you're using a mail scanning service too, correct? If you have both, is there a good strategy for what mail should go to a mail scanning service address and what mail should go to a physical address for once-a-year sorting? Thanks and Merry Christmas!
I think nomads need someone checking mail, but private scanning services are really expensive, and unlike a home address, the USPS won't forward mail for a year after you "move" (so you have to keep paying the private mail service for a while even after you stop using them). As a result, we use Informed Delivery (which is a free service from the USPS), where they send a scan of all deliveries to a certain address, and if something is important, we have friend open it.
We use our friend's physical address and they are nice enough to store it for us. The post office offers a service where they scan everything and if we think it looks important, our friends will open it for us. So all of our stuff goes to the same address.
Welcome back to the PNW! I'm sure you got plenty of stuff in the works but if you're down for coffee or something let me know!
Thanks so much, Skylar! Alas, this is a short visit with a lot of folks to see. But perhaps when we're back in March I can swing something.
Welcome back. I’m having the opposite experience- getting ready to leave Seattle and trying to appreciate all its beauty before our move to Portugal next month.
How exciting! I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time!
Check out the Lonely Siren at Pike Place market. Delicious Portuguese food and cocktails in a lovely setting
Wonderful!
Do tell what phone you decide on, if you're comfy sharing. Nearing the end life of mine and on the fence about the next one. Unlocked, of course, I suppose it doesn't matter, but love to learn from others on this!
I'm a Pixel fan so I went with the latest. Yes, definitely unlocked!
Gratitude! Our favorite, too. Mine is old enough I must manually switch between eSIMs. I'm guessing you only use non-Google eSIMS/cell service now?
Yup, no longer use GoogleFi. We use Airalo esims.
Let's meet for coffee if you guys come up to Vancouver!
That would be lovely! We’re only here for a few weeks, but we love Vancouver, so will definitely be back.
Looking forward to it!
We might be up this summer! 🙂😍
Excellent!
Love your writings
Thanks so much!
Thank you! 🙂
Have a wonderful time back home with friends and family - and happy holidays!
You as well!
Fun and comforting to read! Cheers to the holidays!
Thank you! Same to you.
Happy holidays, you two! <3
Back at you! Enjoy that Rocky Mountain Christmas!
I'm curious about that Johnnie Cab... err.. I mean, Way Mo? I suppose you use an app?
Just like Uber, except the robot voice yelled at us when we did something wrong. LOL
(Actually it was a live operator.)
What's the deal with cranky robots? I had one chide me in Helsinki last week.
They are getting fed up and will soon rise up and rule over us!
Yup!
Welcome home! Let me know if you make it out to Port Townsend.
Ironically, not this visit. But in April!
Not this visit! It's a short one, so we're sticking to this side of the Sound to see friends and family.
Love this post, guys. Enjoy your time at home (and maybe we should go back to no politics or religion at the dinner table! )
Happy holidays, Annette!
Thank you, Michael! And to you and Brent! ❤️
Thank you!
Welcome back! We visited the Overlook Walk for the first time recently. Thought it very cool! The waterfront in general is getting tidied up and re-greened (I especially liked the new trees and flowers) and has become more walkable. I’m encouraged by this trend.
I kinda wish there was no above-ground road, but i guess that was inevitable.
And thanks! it's fun to be back.
San Francisco is still one of the great cities. Yes, it has fallen on hard times, with empty storefronts, crime, etc.—and you can blame COVID and rising rents for the mass exodus of tech folks and others who can’t afford to live there anymore (that’s happening all over California unfortunately!). Yes, stronger action on retail theft is warranted and maybe will take place under its new mayor. BUT San Francisco is still one of America’s and the world’s greatest and most breathtaking cities. We visit there often and stay in the North Beach area and eat incredibly well and never tire of climbing up to Coit Tower, visiting the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and admiring the jaw-dropping vistas of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, Alcatraz and the city itself from so many places. With all due respect—I love your newsletter and wish I could be a nomad too—but the continual bad press this city is getting is only hurting it more and is unjust—aren’t there any other cities to pick on with similar problems? The criticisms overlook its amazing history and continuing charms, attractions and diverse and fascinating neighborhoods. I for one will never cease to visit and to love it.
An important perspective! Thanks for adding it, Ruth. 🙂
::unusual Christmas tradition: getting terrible tacos at Jack in the Box::
I love Jack-in-the-Box tacos! They're absolute garbage—pre-frozen, JitB wedges them open just enough to slip a half-slice of American Cheese inside, fries them in the deep fryer, then adds a bit of hot sauce and iceberg lettuce and sells them in pairs—and I can easily eat a dozen of them in a single sitting.
😂😂😂
I think they're literally the least healthy fast food item in America!
Less healthy than a chicken McNugget?
Or a Jumbo Jack—?
::remembers that Jack-in-the-Box tacos use pink slime as their "meat":::
Okay...yeah, you're probably right....
What’s happened to San Francisco? I’ve never been, but I’m curious.
As for what happened, both Covid and the George Floyd protests did huge amounts of damage to downtown areas and they haven't really come back. Shoplifting is out of control and there are security guards everywhere. There are a lot of empty storefronts and a lot of homeless people.
See my comment in response to your husband ☺️
Well, it depends on who you ask! Some say capitalism, billionaires, white supremacy run amok, some say progressive government that refuses to enforce laws regarding basic civility. I think it's a bit of both. The tech thing has REALLY screwed up the local economy (massive winners and massive losers) but that that's not excuse for incompetent government.
Per usual, it seems like the extremes on both sides have aided in the collapse of the city. What a shame. What an absolute shame.
Agree.