California Complaints...... (Orange: relocation, real estate, apartments)

[whowants2know]

we all read ongoing debates about CA. It's too expensive, it's too crowded, there is too much crime...etc., etc., etc. I grew up in SoCal and loved it...but for whatever personal reasons, we left in '94. I don't hate CA and never will. I just don't understand why people have to "knock" CA or any other state. I guess I'm just not a natural complainer and don't believe in putting down anyone, or anyone's choice of where they live.

Yes, housing is expensive in CA...so? It has been that way for a long time and will continue to be that way for a long time. Crowded? Sure, but so are other places in the country. Crime? Yes, there is crime, as there are in other places.

We can all find something wrong with living any place on the planet.

I just don't see the need to tell anyone that the place they choose to live is a lousy place to live. Where we live is a personal choice and is no one else's business.

CA has MUCH to offer, as well as every other state. There are pros and cons for living anywhere.

I happen to enjoy where we're living now...NE sector of KS. It has it's good points and bad points. But, it is where we chose to live and that pretty much says it all.

[Livewire]

Originally Posted by whowants2know

we all read ongoing debates about CA. It's too expensive, it's too crowded, there is too much crime...etc., etc., etc. I grew up in SoCal and loved it...but for whatever personal reasons, we left in '94. I don't hate CA and never will. I just don't understand why people have to "knock" CA or any other state. I guess I'm just not a natural complainer and don't believe in putting down anyone, or anyone's choice of where they live.

Yes, housing is expensive in CA...so? It has been that way for a long time and will continue to be that way for a long time. Crowded? Sure, but so are other places in the country. Crime? Yes, there is crime, as there are in other places.

We can all find something wrong with living any place on the planet.

I just don't see the need to tell anyone that the place they choose to live is a lousy place to live. Where we live is a personal choice and is no one else's business.

CA has MUCH to offer, as well as every other state. There are pros and cons for living anywhere.

I happen to enjoy where we're living now...NE sector of KS. It has it's good points and bad points. But, it is where we chose to live and that pretty much says it all.

Very well put!

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by whowants2know

we all read ongoing debates about CA. It's too expensive, it's too crowded, there is too much crime...etc., etc., etc. I grew up in SoCal and loved it...but for whatever personal reasons, we left in '94. I don't hate CA and never will. I just don't understand why people have to "knock" CA or any other state. I guess I'm just not a natural complainer and don't believe in putting down anyone, or anyone's choice of where they live.

Yes, housing is expensive in CA...so? It has been that way for a long time and will continue to be that way for a long time. Crowded? Sure, but so are other places in the country. Crime? Yes, there is crime, as there are in other places.

We can all find something wrong with living any place on the planet.

I just don't see the need to tell anyone that the place they choose to live is a lousy place to live. Where we live is a personal choice and is no one else's business.

CA has MUCH to offer, as well as every other state. There are pros and cons for living anywhere.

I happen to enjoy where we're living now...NE sector of KS. It has it's good points and bad points. But, it is where we chose to live and that pretty much says it all.

I can understand people's dissatisfaction with California. But you hit the nail on the head that most us make a choice to stay or move here.

What I don't understand is why people claiming to be happy with their choice to leave CA would spend so much time telling those who choose to stay or move there how bad it is. I suspect there is some latent dissatisfaction of another sort there.

[Roma]

I love California and my only complaint is that the real estate prices in Orange County along the coast are way to high for us right now to get what we want. We want back in. I guess we better start finding a way to make more money. Hmmm...

[JerZ]

Okay, call me crazy, but I thought that was what this site was for--to tell people the realities, good and bad alike, of living in a given area so that people can make informed choices.

Or, like I said, maybe I'm just crazy.

Also, how many people, really, do you see who have already moved out of CA but regularly go on the CA boards to "bash" (the California board term for pointing out negatives as opposed to singing about all the wonderful sunshine)? I mean really. Count them up. I think I may have seen one or two. Plus a whole host of people who have never even lived in CA but do in fact bash it in presumably knowing terms, but if you look up those people's posts, generally they're doing it on other boards too. That's the know-it-all (but really know very little) syndrome.

The vast majority of people I've seen, at least on the LA board, who are pointing out negatives, currently live there. Perhaps they/we also listened to the "Oh don't be so negative! It's not so bad, so-and-so is just whiney" arguments, came here and were vastly disappointed that the whiners were in fact right. Craigslist doesn't after all hold thousands of fabulous $900 apartments in wonderful areas "if you are just willing to do your homework". There really is an hour and a half commute to anywhere safe. Yes, home prices are outrageous. I've heard SO MANY complaints that people "must not have done their homework" if we didn't realize various aspects of LA. But then these same people turn around and say "Stop whining! Only post great stuff." Ermmmm....If we only post the faboo sunshin-ey girls-on-rollerblades happy ha-ha stuff, how in heck can people do their "homework" legitimately?

Please do tell us what you'd prefer. Truth, which includes negatives that don't seem to be changing soon. Or foofy fun lies about how very like Real Housewives living in SoCal is like...so that people come here...and then whine. Make up my mind.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by JerZ

Okay, call me crazy, but I thought that was what this site was for--to tell people the realities, good and bad alike, of living in a given area so that people can make informed choices.

Or, like I said, maybe I'm just crazy.

You are correct it is about the good and the bad. But what I see happening is blanket statemens - not specific information.

It's one thing to say "LA is an expensive dump, don't move there" and something else to offer additional info about good and bad areas.

What I see here is a few people with a bit of an "agenda" - namely bashing California. That seems to lead to posts which are less about helping people make relocation choices and more about expressing personal unhappiness on the part of the basher.

[JerZ]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

You are correct it is about the good and the bad. But what I see happening is blanket statemens - not specific information.

It's one thing to say "LA is an expensive dump, don't move there" and something else to offer additional info about good and bad areas.

What I see here is a few people with a bit of an "agenda" - namely bashing California. That seems to lead to posts which are less about helping people make relocation choices and more about expressing personal unhappiness on the part of the basher.

You don't think the "basher's" (love that term for saying anything negative) personal unhappiness is legitimate, then? You don't feel personal unhappiness, and sharing that experience, could be a significant factor for other people too, if nobody speaks up about it?

Not trying to be a pain; I'm still just trying to get a handle on the Don't talk about bad things, that's whiney or an agenda/Do your homework, which includes the bad things dichotomy so prevalent on the CA boards.

[krudmonk]

It's like people hating the Yankees. We're perceived as being popular and loved by so many, so that creates backlash from everyone else.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by JerZ

You don't think the "basher's" (love that term for saying anything negative) personal unhappiness is legitimate, then? You don't feel personal unhappiness, and sharing that experience, could be a significant factor for other people too, if nobody speaks up about it?

Not trying to be a pain; I'm still just trying to get a handle on the Don't talk about bad things, that's whiney or an agenda/Do your homework, which includes the bad things dichotomy so prevalent on the CA boards.

The question is whether or not a persons unhappiness becomes a driving force in their advice. Whether or not the person can get past that unhappiness and still attempt to contribute to the forum in a helpful way. And yes I believe that dissatisfaction and unhappiness can result in a positive contribution, if it includes specific information.

There appears to be a line between genuine dissatisfaction at specific issues and an unhappy person's emotional rant.

Maybe I find it difficult to understand how a person can "hate" a city or state. Sure you could dislike a house or a block or even a town, but a city or a state has so many different good and bad things it seems irrational to just write off entire swaths of the country like that.

[whowants2know]

Originally Posted by JerZ

Okay, call me crazy, but I thought that was what this site was for--to tell people the realities, good and bad alike, of living in a given area so that people can make informed choices.

Or, like I said, maybe I'm just crazy.

Also, how many people, really, do you see who have already moved out of CA but regularly go on the CA boards to "bash" (the California board term for pointing out negatives as opposed to singing about all the wonderful sunshine)? I mean really. Count them up. I think I may have seen one or two. Plus a whole host of people who have never even lived in CA but do in fact bash it in presumably knowing terms, but if you look up those people's posts, generally they're doing it on other boards too. That's the know-it-all (but really know very little) syndrome.

The vast majority of people I've seen, at least on the LA board, who are pointing out negatives, currently live there. Perhaps they/we also listened to the "Oh don't be so negative! It's not so bad, so-and-so is just whiney" arguments, came here and were vastly disappointed that the whiners were in fact right. Craigslist doesn't after all hold thousands of fabulous $900 apartments in wonderful areas "if you are just willing to do your homework". There really is an hour and a half commute to anywhere safe. Yes, home prices are outrageous. I've heard SO MANY complaints that people "must not have done their homework" if we didn't realize various aspects of LA. But then these same people turn around and say "Stop whining! Only post great stuff." Ermmmm....If we only post the faboo sunshin-ey girls-on-rollerblades happy ha-ha stuff, how in heck can people do their "homework" legitimately?

Please do tell us what you'd prefer. Truth, which includes negatives that don't seem to be changing soon. Or foofy fun lies about how very like Real Housewives living in SoCal is like...so that people come here...and then whine. Make up my mind.

There is no need to "bash" anyplace to make constructive pro or con commments. It's the "CA is a trashcan" comments that are a waste of time and non-beneficial; and are usually posted by those who are just miserable with life in general and need a place to vent. No one said you have to limit your comments to Pollyannaish...you can give constructive advice without getting ludicrious.