San Diego, a hedonistic party city? (Fortuna: apartment, school, live in)

[AmberLamber]

I feel that the nature of this topic is very interesting and reading this actually worried me more than reading about bad areas of SD etc.

I live in Vancouver, B.C. and I absolutely love it here. However, we are most likely going to move to California for weather reasons (six months of gray skies and rain can get to you) and San Diego is at the top of our list.

I think that I can relate to what Funky Monk has been saying - I feel deeply connected to Vancouver and one of the main reasons for that is what you might call the vibe or energy or spiritual connection. People here (generalizing of course) care about the environment, are laid-back and into nature and exploring the outdoors. There is a real peace here that comes from the type of mindset many people have. I don't feel that I could describe Van as a materialist city or plasticy or anything else like that. My description of Van would always be about how connected many people are to nature, the enjoyment of the amazing scenery, caring about our parks, trees, etc.
(for example, when considering opening a cosmetics store here after relocating from back east, I had many people in the industry tell me that generally speaking in Vancouver, women can be much more natural, and go without make-up and that I would have to adjust my thinking to market to that aspect of the demographic. Nobody in Toronto would ever tell you something like that!)

So, in reading these posts I think there is something very legitimate about feeling the need to connect on a deep basis to the place you live. I would be very disappointed and feel that I was missing something if it were true that SD is more shallow, obsessed with consumerism etc.

I hope I'm making it clear that (having never been to SD) I'm not saying I believe that SD is a bad place, just that it is very important to me to be able to make a "spiritual" (for want of a better description) connection with your city.

Thanks for all the great info on these forums.

[FunkyMonk]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Wait a minute.... you've only been here a month? And now you can't afford to leave? How did you get here? What brought you here?

I gotta be suspect of anyone who can formulate such a complicated diatribe based on a month of living somewhere.

I lived here from late 2002 until mid 2006, moved away and just came back.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by FunkyMonk

I lived here from late 2002 until mid 2006, moved away and just came back.

Why did you come back?

[FunkyMonk]

Originally Posted by beth65

Funky Monk, Just a little food for thought!I lived very briefly in San Diego in 1991. I really loved it! Whenever, I think about relocating, I ponder returning to San Diego.

...............

The city was beautiful and I believe still is! Life is what you make of it! meet like minded people! I am sure there are preserve San Diego groups, City planning groups! Clean up SD groups etc…

The competing with the Jones’s complex has been around forever. Just don’t get sucked in and enjoy all of the people who are not!

San Diego in 91 and San Diego in 08 are two totally different places. It might as well be a completely different city. nowadays it's much bigger, faster and meaner.

There are some cool people here. But they are few and far between, and often they start to let thi environment affect them slowly. And we are all stuck here in SD, we all feel stuck here together, like meeting some real cool friends in prison.

Almost everyone who I meet that is intelligent, spiritual, inquisitive and artistic is troubled by this city and wants out, or they stay in small neighborhoods and are hesitant to venture out into the jungle. Because the vibe in this city is all about getting money and aggressively moving up in the world. It's not about just being happy and being a decent human being. And this vibe spreads like a mold or fungus, that's human nature.

[FunkyMonk]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Why did you come back?

Cause I just finished college, I was broke and my family is here. So i'm here until I get established enough to move on.

[Shnikee]

Sounds like you're in a position you don't want to be in (finished with college and moved with fam cause you're broke)... In a city you seem pretty set on hating. If you walk out the door in the morning with your I HATE SD rant running through your head, people can tell that kind of thing, and your thoughts shine through. I've lived in many different cities and man... you just can't do that. You run into some a-holes, some snobs, some inconsiderates... no matter where you are!!! I PROMISE!!!

[Shnikee]

---I posted so people who are looking at your opinion/experience in SD don't let it sway their decision to move there.
Military means a lot of young soldiers, but it also mean a lot of families... same with tourism. When I went to the san diego zoo and sea world when I was little, I didn't really have partying in mind.(I still have the buttons!)... and sure, young college kids are a pain in the ass, but they are getting an education in a city with great weather and well, more pain-in-the-ass college kids. But, hey, at least they are getting a damn education. Your statements seem very one sided.
The city in which you live doesn't make you an artisitic or outdoorsy person, or even a peaceful person. YOU do. duh.

[pizzicato66]

If it reads like a troll and smells like a troll - it's a troll. ;-)

[TaJasMi]

Hey...cheer up ok?

[SanAntoQT]

I think being happy and content is a choice you make regardless of your circumstances and surroundings. I don't think you can make a blanket comment can be made about a city, unless you're very well acquainted with EVERY person who dwells within it. Granted, you will find shallow, plastic people in San Diego, but you'll find that anywhere you go. The place in which you live is only as good as you make it for yourself.

I'm originally from San Antonio and, let me tell you, that is a world away from San Diego, but both places have their positives and negatives. Fortunately, I can adapt easily and only concern myself with my own attitude/behavior. I'm a friendly, outgoing individual, but I understand that others may have their own agendas. If they're more concerned with my outward appearance and what I have or don't have, then they're missing out on the best part of me. I don't let that color my judgment of the entire city, though. I think it's sad that you allow others to have that much control over you.