[quote=Russell]Went speechless there for a moment.
I am also a native Southern Californian. Sometimes I wonder if the shine wearing off of California isn’t more attributed to innocence lost and the hardships the responsibilities we bring on as adults. I think it has as much to do with this as with the hordes of invaders from other states.
Remember when your entire little league team could ride in the back of a pick-up truck for ice-cream…or when you could ride your bike around town to various gas stations…no helmet on and ask the gas attendants for stickers for your bike…when you didn’t know how ill a lot of people are or how bad everyone in government is?
When I get up early and take my kids to walk from dead mans down to the cove, for instance, I understand that nothing has really changed but perception. They can’t perceive kelp beds almost empty of sea life or barren sand where there used to be pismo clams or see that the abalone are gone. They don’t know how freakish these big box stores and strip mall after strip mall with the same 10 stores in them are. It’s all exciting. California is just as wonderful to them as it was to me…and I still like it O.K.[/quote]
Echoing this.
I was born in San Diego – grew up here, went to SDSU, moved out in 1990 in my late 20’s. (yes, I’m old.) I’ve lived in 3 other states – and was out of San Diego for almost 12 years. 3 years in the Northwest, just shy of 9 years outside Philly, and a few months in Atlanta. (That was NOT a good fit for me. Crime too high!!! in 3 months I made 3 police reports for thefts/car break ins.)
When I left San Diego it was in large part because of the collapsing defense industry reducing jobs for engineers. Plus houses were too expensive for an engineer to afford.
Washington State is wonderful – no income tax, lots of outdoor activities… you just have to do the biking/hiking/kayaking in the rain! But I liked it.
Philly has the seasons, the culture, the cheap flights to Europe, the opportunity to go see opera and broadway shows in NYC on the weekends… I liked it too.
But, now that I’m back – I like that I can take my kids to the beach year round. Sure they have to wear wetsuits to boogie board during the winter, but the air temp is still warm. I like that we NEVER get housebound due to weather. Weather is a big factor in the quality of life here. It doesn’t get too hot and humid in the summer if you live close enough to the coast. It doesn’t get freezing in the winter.
Having lived in 4 regions of the country I can definitively say I like San Diego best. But that’s just for me. My brother liked Colorado best. My best friend likes WA state best. Everyone has their preference.
