Why I moved to Maine

I moved to Maine two weeks ago and I still haven't seen a single moose. Where are they? "WATCH FOR MOOSE IN ROADWAY" proclaimed a sign, right over the border from NH into Maine. And oh boy, did I watch. I watched and waited. But no moose appeared. Why?

THE MOOSE is the tallest and second-largest land mammal in the continental United States, with the first-largest land mammal being your mom. The shortest land mammal is me. Moose eat mostly twigs and other small trees. Occasionally, they also eat water plants. They are also known to eat pancakes with maple syrup.

I moved to Maine because I read a book about the history of Maine and I really liked it. Yes, that is the real and only reason. If you are from Maine, I read a book about your culture. I know all about your history and struggles and way of life. I know about all the wicked cool slang you guys use. I know what you think about people "from away," and that "downeast" actually means the northernmost coast of Maine.

The book also discusses Maine's ongoing housing and culture crisis of over two decades. You see, many New Englanders enjoy spending time in Maine. So it's no wonder people are moving here en masse. But the consequences are serious: native Mainers who lived here for generations are getting priced out of their own homes. Some give in to the pressure and sell family property for millions. Others are forced to leave when property taxes become insanely high. The surge in population growth is a stark- and often disturbing- change in the eyes of lifelong Mainers. "In 20 years," author Colin Woodard asked in 2004, "...will Maine be indistinguishable from any other New England suburb?" It's a serious question.

I wondered what I could do to help the situation. I wondered if there was a way I could raise awareness of what's happening in our nation's most beautiful state. Is there a solution, or in the words of Eragon from the play Waiting for Godot, is there "nothing to be done?"

Reader, I wasn't sure. So I moved here

Originally published on Instagram