Thank you for sharing your experience. I recently became a midwest developer myself having moved to Chicago 2 years ago and I've wondered about the lives of colleagues in this part of the country as we've explored a little of Wisconsin and Indiana. They warned me that 6 weeks of the year I would wish to be anywhere else. 2019 was fine - I found the cold invigorating, and with like more than a few inches of accumulated snow, I thought reports had been exaggerated. The winter of 2020-2021, disabused me of that - 3 feet of snow piled outside for 2-3 months has humbled me.
I started as a southern developer 30 years ago, but in Texas I was considered a hippie. When I moved to Silicon Valley to fix that, I was considered too much of a Texan. After 10 years in CA we went back to Texas which felt more like home, but paradoxically was more isolating, because I knew very few software developers (working for myself). I must have thought this adventure in Chicago was going to be my happy medium.
So I wish you continued good luck in Minnesota. Say hello to Al Franken and Garrison Keillor for me (two Minnesotans I've enjoyed listening to for years).
I started as a southern developer 30 years ago, but in Texas I was considered a hippie. When I moved to Silicon Valley to fix that, I was considered too much of a Texan. After 10 years in CA we went back to Texas which felt more like home, but paradoxically was more isolating, because I knew very few software developers (working for myself). I must have thought this adventure in Chicago was going to be my happy medium.
So I wish you continued good luck in Minnesota. Say hello to Al Franken and Garrison Keillor for me (two Minnesotans I've enjoyed listening to for years).