It's that time again

... when I get itchy feet. I am about to have a big performance and salary review and I think it will force me to make some tough decisions about where life is taking me, or where I am taking life. I love my job, I really do. And the people I work with. But Boston is getting ever more expensive and I would like to stop renting someday.

This made me look at CNN's top places to live in 2005. Think you could guess what they are? Nope, I couldn't.

10. Mill Valley, CA
9. Chatham, NJ
8. Peach Tree City, GA
7. Middleton, WI
6. Barrington, RI
5. Louisville, CO
4. Vienna, VA (I've actually lived part-time there and don't see the attraction at all!)
3. Naperville, IL
2. Bainbridge Island, WA
1. Moorestown, NJ

These all sound like fine places to live if you are married, have the cash for a down payment on a home and are ready to start having kids. Doesn't Peach Tree City sound downright pretty? But what about the top 10 places to live if you are single? I somehow doubt that PTC has a great dating scene.

Well, the answer depends on who you ask. If you ask Forbes, they'll tell you the top 10 is:

10. Philly
9. Dallas-Fort Worth
8. New York
7. Houston
6. San Fran-Oakland
5. Atlanta
4. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
2. Miami
1. Washington D.C.-Baltimore
(Boston came in at #16)

If you ask AOL, they'll tell you:

10. Las Vegas
9. Milwaukee
8. Twin Cities
7. Baltimore
6. Detroit
5. Cleaveland
4. Atlanta
3. Chicago
2. Columbus
1. St. Louis

Clearly, only people in the Midwest voted in that poll. But it is interesting that Chicago placed #3 in all three polls (Naperville is in the suburbs of Chi-town). Hmmm. Interesting.

It shouldn't be too tough for me to get the real scoop on Chicago given that I have a grandmother, an aunt, an uncle, multiple ex-aunts and uncles and about 9 cousins between the ages of 16 and 35 living the Chicago metro area. In fact, my cousin Matthew, is getting married in Chicago on New Year's Eve and there is a rumor that I am invited even though I haven't seen him in at least 5 years. That should be a damn good time.

If I haven't linked to it before, this is a good time to link to my cousin Tim's production company, Dark Tag Productions. One of his recent plays, The Safety Date, won Chicago's "Last Play Standing" competition.

I haven't given up on my dream to move to London... I'm just looking to see what else is out there for now.