California: An earthly paradise?? (Los Angeles, San Leandro: homes, to buy, high school)

[rubyskye]

Yes, Pizzicato66 .... or in other words, "no matter where you go, there you are."
Finally, after years of longing and searching for the perfect place, i realize this ... that the enviroment that we live in can be more or less supportive to us but ultimately there's nothing "out there" , ie; outside of us, that can give us true peace and happiness.
That said, I'm still a nomad and wishing to settle down and I'd rather do it in California than anywhere else in this country.
There is a spirit of California that is increasingly overwhelmed by over population and the silly things that humans do, but it still exists!!!
I'm an idealist and California, to me, represents new beginnings, new frontiers, a future orientation that isn't so insistent on old ways that no longer work. (like I said, I'm an idealist) It's a crazy place in many ways and I feel that in order to be happy in California one must let the place change you as opposed to insisting on imposing yourself on the place.
And there is so much natural beauty and the Pacific ocean is, for me, the most revitalizing thing I've ever known. As I'm forced to be out of state at the moment and somewhat stuck in the freezing north, I'm "California dreaming on such a winters day"

[jeepejeep]

No, Liberals have ruined it! It's now "The Peoples Republik of California"! You couldn't pay me enough to live there.

[rubyskye]

How have liberals ruined California?
Let's go back to the Fransicans that converted the Indians.
Or let's talk about the whole process of world empire/domination which may be more visible in California but it's happening everywhere.
"Liberals" haven't ruined anything for anyone. We are all responsible in some form or another for this world that we live in. We can generate and encourage openness and tolerance and understanding or we can generate an us vs. them mentality and continue hating and warring.
Alot of people love to hate California. What's that about?

[junkman18]

Originally Posted by Isaysos

So, I was bored the other day and was reading some from my old collection of encyclopedias (1936 to be exact) and it described southern California as "an earthly paradise". Back then the population of the whole state was 6.7 million (close to 40 million today).
Now, I have been to SoCal on many occasions, and would personally not label it as "an earthly paradise", although it is a nice area.
I was just wondering, would any one still label SoCal that way? Why or why not? It seems to me that the area probably was very paradise like when it had a fraction of the people and CARS!
Has the influx of people over the last century ruined paradise forever?

Maybe in 1936 you could call SoCal an An earthly paradise, But today I would call it a cesspool. I was not their in 1936 but I was their from 1950 to 2005 so I know what it was and what it turned into. I can't understand anyone wanting to move to California these days. Even if you can afford to move to a nice area or north California you still have to pay the California price tag to live their

[pizzicato66]

Ruby, I'm looking you up if/when I get to LA. You're my kind of person!


I have no stars in my eyes about California. No place is perfect, and I've moved a bit in my time, but have always found positives in every place I visit or live.

California's crowded and expensive, but it's also diverse, beautiful and next to the ocean. I'm happy to tolerate people different from me, as long as they respect me and my rights. I see this as a chance for adventure and to learn more about a new place and about myself!

I keep wondering why people out here post the slams on California but stay there (although I think some of them have left or have never even lived in CA - not sure why they post at all). Must be easier to stay put and b*tch about things, I guess.

I've got a very nice Townhome in Minnesota that's up for grabs, if anyone's interested, but there are immigrants, people from different incomes etc. around and the commute to town can get hairy at times (even without the rain, snow, tornadoes, ice storms...).

[rubyskye]

well, you won't find me in southern california. i'm a northern girl .... born in truckee, love santa cruz, san fran and counties north of.
why L.A. ? just curious.

[pizzicato66]

Interestingly, I just backed out of a final interview with the City of SF because I couldn't afford to move without a hiring bonus or reloc package. Rent in San Francisco scares the bejeezes out of me too (I can handle LA metro rent but SFO really pushes the top end). Nice job opp though, oh well..

I guess I'm partial to the area and made quite a few trips out while my sister was living in Long Beach (not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, in my opinion). The more trips I made to LA, the better I liked it.

Beaches are great, I love the blooming trees and greenery, the cultural diversity. It all calls me. I could see myself in the Monterey area too but there aren't many job opportunities for me there and LA is chock-full.

[18Montclair]

If California only had 6.7 Million people, what a glorious place this would be. Wow...I drool.

[roxiemack]

i'm only 50 and i remember when cerritos was called dairy valley and there was a two lane hiway from norwalk to the beach. driving thru yucaipa towards cherry valley thru wildwood park, seeing golden poppies blooming on acres and acres of land. that has all changed. i live in the mtns of so cal and it is gorgeous. i love california and am having a hard time thinking of leaving. i want to relocate to a less expensive area, but i'm so cal born and raised and its home
to me, there are certain places in california that are still paradise.

[junkman18]

Originally Posted by roxiemack

i'm only 50 and i remember when cerritos was called dairy valley and there was a two lane hiway from norwalk to the beach. driving thru yucaipa towards cherry valley thru wildwood park, seeing golden poppies blooming on acres and acres of land. that has all changed. i live in the mtns of so cal and it is gorgeous. i love california and am having a hard time thinking of leaving. i want to relocate to a less expensive area, but i'm so cal born and raised and its home
to me, there are certain places in california that are still paradise.

I was born and raised in California,And no problem moving out when I retied. It's not home any longer. HA RAY