How do you like living in [location name]?

I moved a few times in my life. I moved when I started college, I moved when I started my first full time job, and I moved when I got a new job. One of the common questions I get from people that I haven’t talked to in a while is “How do you like living in [location name]?” There are several trains of thought that go through my mind when I try to respond.

One is that this person doesn’t know me very well because I think that I can live in most places perfectly fine, especially since I don’t do much. I can’t really say this to them because that’s somewhat rude and they made an effort to socialize with me.

Second thought is that this person is interested in the setting surrounding my apartment. I say something relating to the public transportation or the weather or how accessible the food is or whether it is nice to walk around, etc.

Third thought is that this person is interested in the apartment that I’m living in, so I should tell them about the layout and amenities of my apartment.

Fourth thought is that this person is engaging in small talk and is not interested in my answer, so I should say something brief and change the topic.

Fifth thought is that this person is genuinely interested in learning more about this location. In this scenario, I try to think of this person’s interests and describe how this location offers or lacks opportunities to pursue those interests. I rarely answer this way.

With these thoughts running through my head and the person staring at me, I alternate picking between thoughts two, three, and four and hope that this response is good enough.

But then, do I enjoy each place I’ve lived the same amount? No. I’ve spent varying lengths of time in each place so I’ve become attached to some places more than others. Do I have a favorite place I’ve lived? No. I don’t have a favorite *anything*. If I’ve ever told you I have a favorite something, then I’m either lying to you or I’m using that word loosely to seem more relatable. Are you even living life at this point? That’s a good question. I am wandering through time waiting for things to happen and hoping that I do not bother or offend anyone. Definitely wouldn’t make for a great biography, but hey, I’m just a normal guy doing normal things – nothing to see over here.