TGIF

TGIF- Thank God I’m Focused.

Hard though that may be to read in the photo above, it is what I am feeling as I write today. There are so many wonderful things to share and I’ve been away for too long. Happily I’m back. My right hand was the size of a basketball on the 4th of July, when I learned I cannot text and walk around the block at the same time. It is such a shock to get these reminders that one is not invincible. This made typing a bit challenging but happily I am back with more good data. 

Today is a fun deep dive into the Selection Tool. 

The small museums in DC have started to reopen and a friend invited me to go out and play at the ARTECHOUSE - Washington, DC. Strolling through a gallery for an hour or two is one of my favorite things to do on a weekend. It’s great in summer when the ultra-cool air conditioning makes it a haven. It’s great in the dead of winter when all the tourists are home. But really the inspiration is delicious all year long. If it’s a favorite of yours too, then you might be curious to know that the Selection Tool helps you find the places with the most museums. 

(If you already know what handful of places you want to compare, then the museums section of each Place Report lists the arboretums, botanical gardens, nature centers, art museums, children's museums, history museums, natural history and natural science museums, science and technology centers and planetariums, zoos, and aquariums by name.) 

NY City and Washington DC areas have the most museums by far. 192 in NY and 112 in DC vs the US Average of 10 per place. 

What if I want a place with an above average number of museums, near an ocean beach and with warm winters- are there any options? Absolutely!

So, selecting within the Selection Tool, each time I make a choice or change a weight, the change is seen highlighted in light purple. 

Because I am being picky, I am going to refine this list more. Independent radio stations for the music and the public safety are required for me. I am a 3d printing fanatic and love makerspaces and the communities around them, so that is preference. Independent bookstores are a must. In the Selection Tool, I chose these options. 

Given climate change, I’d prefer to be somewhere that is below average in the U.S. Climate Extremes Index. 

There are 120 criteria in the Selection Tool that you can pick and weight to score but I am keeping it simple with just 7 for this example.
 

Then when I’m done with my criteria for this round, I click the Refresh all button under the Data drop down menu.

This step is essential to get the correct scores! 

Then peak to see the Top 10 Report to Print tab! 

In this case, there are more than ten places listed. That is because the top score had less than 10 places but the next top score put the total over ten places. This is an Excel feature in their Top 10 lists and is actually helpful so you don’t miss any good matches.
 

What is interesting: I chose to weight each of the seven criteria I chose at 1000 so the scores would really stand out clearly.  SO, if I choose places with all those things, what might work? California.

Well that list really doesn’t look like most Best Places to Retire list, does it? 

If I then look at the See All Places tab, I can see how all the other places ranked. If I am okay with fewer than 6 or 7 criteria met then the other places are scored on down the line. I had been thinking of Dover DE or Salisbury, MD beach areas…as I look in the last tab of the Selection Tool, I can see those only scored with only 4 of 7 criteria met. (scores in the 4000s)

 

The data may surprise you!

And it may make you question how much is essential versus nice to have. 

If I’d prioritized house prices, CA places would not have been the outcome. 

The Selection Tool makes choosing so much easier! 120 criteria to select and weight your way. Ranked results across 382 places. You save hours of research. You avoid expensive road trips or moves to places that won't even come close to having what you want. This is a giant shortcut to get you closer to your happy place faster and easier. And it is just plain fun to keep experimenting with criteria and seeing the outcomes.

Hope you like my show and tell posts. If you have any questions, or feedback, please send me a note at Hello @ ChooseMYHappyPlace.com
 

Best wishes,
Rose Thun, CEO and Creator of the Choose MY Happy Place Method©
www.ChooseMYHappyPlace.com

 

PS- If you'd like to see a sample Top 10 report from the Selection Tool,  or a sample Place Report, with over 600 attributes for one location, take a look here at the new Try before you buy page https://www.choosemyhappyplace.com/try-before-you-buy You can view and download them without logging in, for free.