I’ve recently been discussing the art scene in Winnipeg with Maureen and the social scene in Toronto with Adrienne. They find working-age people in Victoria to be uninterested in art and socially challenged.

I have a general sense that adults in Victoria have very scheduled lives (as if still being driven around by their soccer-moms). I don’t think it’s that they are more scheduled than adults in Winnipeg or Toronto. The reason Victoria is different is that schedules are never disrupted by winter.

In the east, the kinds of things you can do in the summer are different from what you can do in the winter. The transition between seasons creates opportunities for spontaneity. Having to throw your life out every six months keeps people from getting too habitual.

In Victoria the archetypal activity is running, but all sorts of sporty things can easily be done in the winter rain. And it creates a vicious cycle: the more people that “run”, the fewer people there are to do cultural and social events. Bored on a Friday night? Go for a run. Want to give back to the community? Run for the Cure. Want to meet more people? Join a running group.

The reason I love living in Victoria is that I feel you can balance outdoorsy and cultural events better than any other city. Lately I’ve been neglecting outdoorsy pursuits to try to improve my social life. But I can see that if I poured myself into physical activity that would at least distract me from that void.