How To! | If You Could Live Anywhere⁠

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3.8 • 546 Ratings

🗓️ 18 November 2025

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Kerry is ready to leave rural Virginia and move to a walkable, vibrant city. The only problem? She can’t decide which walkable, vibrant city is right for her. On this episode, How To!’s Courtney Martin brings on Melody Warnick, author of This Is Where You Belong and If You Could Live Anywhere. Melody asks Kerry what she’s really seeking in a new place—and introduces a process that can help make such an important decision. Next week, we’ll talk with Melody about learning to love where you live. Can’t wait for part two? Slate Plus members can listen to that episode in their feeds right now! If you liked this episode check out: Moving Stories from Slate’s Death, Sex & Money. Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Sophie Summergrad. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Get more of How To! with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of How To! and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the How To! show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus for access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	My kids were like, what do you mean?
0:01.3	This is our home.
0:02.6	We can't move.
0:03.3	And I'm like, of course you can.
0:04.4	Pick up.
0:04.8	Like, fuck up, kids.
0:05.7	You'll make new friends.
0:07.1	Like, let's go.
0:12.0	Welcome to how to.
0:13.5	I'm Courtney Martin.
0:15.2	So much of our lives are tied to a specific location.
0:19.2	We set down roots based on our jobs, our family, our kids' school,
0:23.1	heck, even our favorite restaurants. Sometimes we uproot that life in order to create a better one.
0:29.1	We find a new job. We move somewhere cheaper. We relocate to take care of family.
0:34.5	But other times, the reasons for moving aren't so concrete.
0:38.6	You know what I'm saying.
0:39.8	Sometimes you just need a change.
0:42.1	It's time for a new season, and that season will be seated by a new place.
0:47.0	Which is where we find today's listener.
0:50.1	I'm caring.
0:51.0	I'm middle-aged, although I don't love that term. And I have lived in the same house in rural Virginia for over 20 years. And I'm looking for a new place to live and trying to figure out how to do it.
1:03.9	Carrie, so we want to just get to know a little bit about your life now. Will you paint a bit of a picture of where you live and who lives with you and what your
	...

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