I don't like California

[Th1onein]

I'm sorry, but I don't. The traffic is terrible; there are too many people packed into too tiny a space. People drive like absolute maniacs. And they seem to think, it SEEMS, sometimes, that they are better than other people. They are standoffish. I don't like that. And I don't like California.

[Oeditpus Rex]

1. We're sorry

:(

[unsavedtrash]

2. As soon as I finish my MLIS I am heading that way.

I might end up coming home to Alabama but I have to give it a try.
Sometimes as much as we want a place to fit it just doesn't. I tried the NE but had to head back to the south.

[Th1onein]

32. What is an MLIS?

n/t

[LostinVA]

68. Master's of Library and Information Science

It'a a librarian degree.

[NashVegas]

83. Well That's Culture Shock

I went from the other direction, NE to Tennessee. For the first few years, I hated it, but now I'm glad I stuck it out.

[Shakespeare]

3. Aawww....

I've found folks in my adopted hometown here in LA to be groovy, friendly people. I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Hope you'll give us another chance!

[Book Lover]

4. California is huge

I am positive there is a place here you will like. We just have to find it for you... May I ask where you are now?

[Th1onein]

33. I am in a place called Hysperia.

It is by Victorville. And Barstow. I hope that I can find the way to my new office, tomorrow morning. I am the only person I know who changes offices every two or three weeks.

[KitchenWitch]

34. I have been through that area

It is kind of depressing there.

I just moved here (Orange County) from Minnesota. Very different, culturally. There are things I love about living here (fewer arthritis flareups, fresh produce, great seafood, fewer overcast days); things I am indifferent about (the abject vanity of people here, austentatious displays of wealth); and things I hate (traffic, the lack of real rain, the pollution, the fact that all errands seem to take 1.5 times the amount of time they should, how rude many of the people I encounter are, and the fact that I can never accurately gauge when I should leave to arrive on time.)

I love living close to the beaches, and the fact that I will never have to turn on my furnace.

[devilgrrl]

38. Well, there you go.

If I were stuck out near Victorville I'd hate it too!

BTW, that's serious freeper territory out there.

[nini]

53. Exactly

that is one of the worst parts of the state. ugh

[SoCalDemGrrl]

39. Hesperia is not truly California... at least it's not what we natives

call California... Victorville, Bakersfield, Hesperia -all of

these towns are pretty conservative and backward when compared

to Los Angeles, San Francisco and the more cosmopolitan areas of the state.

My advice to you is get a job transfer out of there to L.A., Santa Monica,

San Fernando Valley, Berkeley, San Francisco etc. ASAP!!!!!

[laheina]

65. Ahh. You are close to Hell-Ay.

I don't like SoCal much myself, and I've lived in California for the vast majority of my life.

Northern California is very different. :)

[huskerlaw]

70. Hesperia isn't close to L.A.

Nor is it anything like it. :eyes:

[laheina]

91. Isn't "close" a relative term?

Granted there are parts of LA county where the streets aren't paved--edges of Lancaster--so, we both seem to be making generalizations. :shrug:

[Shakespeare]

95. I live in LA, and I don't consider it close at ALL.

It's two hours away (traffic permitting), and culturally speaking, about three or four galaxies away.

[huskerlaw]

97. I'm not making any sort of generalization

You said nothing about L.A. COUNTY, nor did I. I assumed that when you said "Hell-A" you meant the city. If you meant the county, perhaps you should have said that, rather than referring to it with a childish nickname.

That said, Hesperia is nothing like the city of Los Angeles...no generalizations necessary.

[Shakespeare]

105. Hesperia isn't even in LA county; it's in San Bernardino county.

Not sure why anybody would try to lump that hellhole in with our lovely LA. :-)

[SammyWinstonJack]

67. I lived there for 25 years and my brother and sister still live there

It is a depressing place and ugly too. I don't miss it! We used to call Hesperia Hysteria. :rofl:

[Taverner]

103. Ahhhh...almost on the NV Border

Come up to Berkeley for the meetup, stay a few days and you'll sing a different tune.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. My dear Th1onein.........

I'm sorry to hear it!

What part of California are you in?

Perhaps if you got out of the big cities you might find it more to your liking?

The countryside is lovely, and much less crowded.....

Sorry........:hug:

[Th1onein]

36. I've been to the countryside.....it IS beautiful, BUT

I couldn't get my laptop to get connected, or my cell phone, out in that countryside. I know that it's not "in vogue" in this venue, to be connected by technology, in so many ways, but I am, and I have to be. I had to stop by the side of the road, with my cell phone, and my laptop, and call all of my offices. I am not used to not having a fax machine.

It was a terrible day in California, to be sure. Maybe tomorrow will be better, but I know that I will always have it better than many. I do not forget that. I am grateful to have stupid, inconsequential problems.

It was just a bad day. I would like to hope it's not California.

[SammyWinstonJack]

81. Take a drive up to Big Bear Lake! Smell the pines, play in the snow!

I lived where you are for many years, just went back for a visit two years ago, The place is depressing, ugly and overcrowded. This is not the best that California has too offer, trust me. Plus, moving to a different part of the Country can be a bit of a culture shock. I remember when I moved from California to Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh in the dead of winter. I was so shocked! I grew to love Pennsylvania, in time and remember it fondly!

[LeftyMom]

6. Not all of California is the same.

There are parts I love and parts I can't stand. California's big and complicated and crazy enough it really ought to be it's own country, and parts of it are just as different as different parts of a nation would be.

[mykpart]

7. It's a big state.

I get upset when people trash Texas because they have lived in one area of the state and have judged the whole state by it. Same goes for California. I lived in a small-to-medium sized town in southern California, but inland, no beaches. I thought the people there were very nice and friendly, even though I speak with a Texas accent! I would probably hate living in Los Angeles or San Francisco, though.

[Th1onein]

37. You are right, of course.

I should not pre-judge. I have not been here long enough to make a judgement, I don't think. It was just a bad day.

I have hired someone to take me to my office, tomorrow, though. I will never find my own way, without panicking, in this traffic. And I just got here, and have to be THERE, at 8:30 tomorrow morning. There's absolutely no way that I'll find my way, on time, in this traffic. Maybe you live in a different part of California? Quite frankly, I am geographically retarded, and the only thing that I know about where I am is that it's south, and that it is somewhere near Los Angeles. Los Angeles is southeast from here, I think (but am probably wrong about).

I hope I like it here, but I am making very hasty plans to get the hell our of here, as soon as possible. I am not sure that it is my cup of tea.

Melanie

[kwassa]

44. Google maps are your friend.

I love California, all of it.

and if your problem is with traffic, and map-reading, you'll have problems in any major metropolis.

Spend time looking at a good map, and it will reduce your panic level.

[KitchenWitch]

86. Buy yourself a Thomas Guide for San Bernadino County!

It will really help you.

[begin_within]

8. Too bad you didn't see it in the 1950s and 1960s, when it was a lot less crowded.

And ordinary middle-class citizens could afford to buy a 4-bedroom house in a county that borders the ocean. California was a type of paradise in the 1950s and 1960s, when it had just enough development and culture to maintain a society but the natural landscape was still unspoiled.

[Taverner]

104. Hell I remember the 70's!

I grew up in South San Jose, which at the time was new developments surrounded by Apricot and Walnut orchards. The actual "San Jose" proper didn't start for a while down 101 at the time.

I remember seeing lots of cows, going to old ghost towns (Fremont area), playing up near the city at Fort Funston (back before they sealed it all up)

It's changed...and I miss that bay area, but I still love it here.

[UrbScotty]

9. Come to Michigan!

Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Governor!!

;-)

[Sequoia]

58. Great cold.

Great Kalamazoo.

[UrbScotty]

80. Our winters are cold... but not our Governor!! (nt)

[Sequoia]

85. We should be so lucky with our gov who can't even say California.

[reyd reid reed]

10. I didn't like it, either.

Same reasons. Plus a few. Earthquakes spring to mind.

Besides...it just didn't seem like Christmas or Thanksgiving if I could walk to the corner for film in shorts.

Somehow...that's just....wrong.

[Oeditpus Rex]

14. Not if I get to watch, it ain't

[SPKrazy]

19. Bwahaaaahaaaa!

whistling in the dark

walk to the corner in shorts in December doesn't sound bad to me

But California is too crowded

Of course Arkansas is too...

:cry:

[Oeditpus Rex]

20. Where in Arkansas?

[SPKrazy]

25. Fort Smith

on the border of Arkansas and Oklahoma on I-40

[Oeditpus Rex]

27. Always the wrong area

My folks were from around Warren. Southeast Arkansas.

[SPKrazy]

29. Hey It Is The Wrong Area!

even for me

been here 15 years

used to live in Little Rock for grad school, wish I'd stayed there.

[reyd reid reed]

22. Well, get out your x-ray glasses...

it was warm enough over the weekend. We were in the fifties.

'course it snowed this morning.

But no earthquakes.

:)

[SPKrazy]

26. Got My X-Ray Glasses ReidiSweeti!

don't know if they really work though

everyone looks the same

:rofl:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

11. Lived in CA for many years

and am in AZ now. As with any location in any state, there are friendly pockets, and there are places I wouldn't return to again in my life. Sorry your experience was a bad one.

IMHO though -- I'll take drivers that want to get somewhere vs. the adrift wanderers on the road here in Tucson. :hide:

[Tyo]

12. Thank you for sharing n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

69. Not all places in California are nice and the High Desert area, especially

Victorville, Hesperia are among those that are not so great. I miss the mountains and coastal areas. I love the fact that one is able to go snow skiing and visit the beaches all in one day.

[Beausoir]

13. I did like Monterey and that farm country out there.

Gorgeous weather and not so crowded once you get away from the coast.


'Course, I live in northern Minnesota...so Monterey is ambrosia to me.

[Oeditpus Rex]

15. Aha!

You were in my 'hood. :hi:

[Beausoir]

17. Ever been to Georis Winery?

Was a great tasting for us.

And there is a restaurant called Fresh Cream in Monterey that is THE FINEST restaurant I have ever been to. Absolutely incredible food.

[Oeditpus Rex]

23. Nope

Only wineries I've been to are around Gilroy, and when I eat in Monterey it's usually at a little place. There's a deli/store on Del Monte across from Wharf No. 2 that's just fabulous.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

16. I'm not particularly fond of Southern California, but

I adore San Francisco. It's the only city other than Chicago in the US that I'd even consider living in.

Great city and great people....

[FredStembottom]

21. Wow. I've had the exact same thought!

San Fran or Chicago. I'd consider moving to one of them.

I also love to vist NYC but I would live upstate if I was out there.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

42. Hey Fred, great minds think alike...

I've only visited NYC once. The one thing I couldn't get past was that the native NYC people were really rather rude. When I tried to explain to them that I was born and raised in Chicago and I was quite sure I could handle anything that big ole bad NYC could throw at me, they just laughed...

Give me a fecking break, Chicago's not exactly Podunkville...

[FredStembottom]

47. Yes they are.

They're rude - but I always tell people to go there expecting them to be rude and you won't get your knickers in a twist about it. That usually helps them out.

PLUS, I have had some really nice help right on the street from genuine NY'ers despite the reoutation (like when I couldn't quite find Penn Station because I didn't expect it to be UNDER another huge building!)

[Karenca]

98. Actually, we "rude NYer's"

love giving directions to tourists.

Wrong ones.

[Karenca]

89. That's wrong-

"native NYC people were really rather rude."

Actually, we just speak fast.

[laheina]

66. Amen!

I love San Francisco.

There is noplace like it! :)

[FredStembottom]

18. Nooooooooooo.......San Francisco is the wife and my favoritest

place to go!!!!!!!

'Course, we have friends there. That's part of it - but not most of it. It's just too fun and historic and tasty!

Don't pass judgement on CA if you haven't been to San Fran! :crazy:

[huskerlaw]

24. It's not for everyone, I guess

but 34 million people (or something like that) disagree with you. :shrug:

[SammyWinstonJack]

71. If my first introduction to California were Victorville and Hesperia, I wouldn't

like it much either. :evilgrin: I lived there for 25 years, having moved there from Orange County where I was born and it was quite a shock. I was glad to leave that part of California.

[JackBeck]

28. I love it. California was the only state I could get married in at the time.

Nothing but fond memories of San Francisco.

[REP]

30. I Adore California; So Glad I Moved Here

People are morons all over - no escaping that; your homestate is no better or worse. If you look, you can always find decent people where ever you are, unless you're too busy looking down your nose at them.

[gardenista]

31. I loves me some California

But then I've loved everywhere I've lived.

[grace0418]

35. I'd move to Cali in a heartbeat if I could.

But my husband likes Chicago, and his job. I like Chicago, I just hate the weather, and the boring landscape. California is so varied and interesting. I think it's hard to generalize about it to be honest.

[Th1onein]

40. You're right, but is the traffic always this bad?

I can't handle that aspect of California. I do not like it. I will not stay here longer than is absolutely necessary, because of that.

[kwassa]

45. Where are you from?

[grace0418]

48. Well I live in Chicago so traffic sucks here too. I guess I feel like it wouldn't

bother me as much in California because at least you don't have to contend with ice and snow there (unless you're in the mountains). Snowstorms always seem to hit hardest at rush hour in Chicago.

[sweetheart]

41. You have to know the places

Don't visit the cities.... the mojave desert is magical, and so is death valley and the whole owens valley to lake tahoe.
Mount Shasta, Mount Lassen, and the eastern north of california towards nevada and up towards oregon is really stunning ground.

I agree with your assessment of the cities, as LA born 'n raised, but any native of LA knows how to get out of LA if they
want to see nature... visitors focus on the cities 'cuz that's where their planes land. Natives know the magic subtleties.

California is part of you, and you may not like that part, but it is the future of america in there.... where
the new world order meets the limits of public goods privatization.... the testing ground is where the land ran
out and no further space was there to ship off the undesireables.

[Mythsaje]

43. I liked San Francisco

but hated Sacramento. I only spent a few days in L.A., so I can't really say whether I liked it or not. I have a feeling I wouldn't.

I understand some of the northern coastal areas are beautiful.

California's a nice place to visit, but I never, never want to live there again.

[Zomby Woof]

46. This proud native Californian thanks you

Spread the word! Whatever it takes to keep people from moving here.

But I offer a slight correction: The only Californians who think they are better than everyone else are from San Francisco, and they aren't shit. :-)

[Tikki]

49. I live in So Cal.....

It's all about the weather for me.

A nice way to meet nice people is to get involved in
civic activities.



Tikki

[SammyWinstonJack]

72. Can you blame the OP? Victorville and Hesperia suck, big time!

This from a native Californian who lived in that area for more years than I care to remember. I wish I could move back to California, just not that area. Texas isn't my cup of tea, I don't hate it, I just like California more. I am stuck here forever, unfortunately. :-(

[Zomby Woof]

82. I can blame her for one thing:

Painting my state with a broad brush based on a couple of backwater waste depositories like Hesperia or Victorville. ;-)

[Jimbo S]

50. Vacationed in SoCal for a week

this past summer, so my sample size may be small.

Comparing LA to a similar sized city, Chicago:
*LA's traffic is better, and the drivers more civil.
*LA's highways are easier to navigate, and no toll booths.
*LA people are "soft", while Chicagoans tend to have a hard edge.
*Greater percentage of nice cars on the road in LA. Guess the stereotype is true that people out there judge you on your wealth.
*Didn't notice as many rednecks in LA, although Chicago is cosmopolitan as well.

It was a sad day when we had to get on plane to go home. But the real estate market would prevent me from ever living out there. Chicago is semi-affordable, so they have the edge there.

[nini]

51. Well I guess that's the final word!

All the millions of people who love it here will surely pack up and go back to the hellish place they left to come live here! :eyes:

[huskerlaw]

56. I was gonna get all defensive

and insist that the OP was wrong about California. But then I noticed she's from Texas. So...grain of salt and all that. ;)

:hi:

[nini]

60. hahahahah

:rofl: Those Texans! :-)


well, judging California based on living in Hesperia makes no sense.



:hi:

[huskerlaw]

63. Indeed

that's like judging Texas based on Houston. Or Dallas. Or Waco. Or San Antonio. Or El Paso. Or...hahaha, oh...nevermind. :evilgrin:

[SammyWinstonJack]

75. I can't blame her one bit and I am a native Californian who lived in that area.

So I recognize where she is coming from. She should probably have said that she hates the High Desert area. She just needs to take a trip down the hill and see what California is really like. She will change her mind. I miss my home state so much! Texas doesn't do it for me. I don't hate it here, it's just that I love California and miss it. :-(

[Shakespeare]

61. Well, some of us Texans know better!

Aside from some work abroad I plan to do in the next few years, you couldn't drag me kicking and screaming out of Los Angeles. I am completely in love with this place.

[huskerlaw]

64. Judging by the license plates

on the cars in my apartment complex's parking garage, a LOT of you Texans know better! ;)

I'm pretty in love with it myself!

[martymar64]

78. I concur!

I lived in So Cal for 11 years (Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood) and live in Austin, TX now, but I miss Califa like an old friend.

. . . I wonder what's going on, down at the 3rd street promenade? . . . hmmmmm

[Taverner]

106. Texas is the other side of the American coin

California and Texas are the US on steroids, in opposite directions.

Think about it:

- Both states have had a Kennedy killed in them
- California has practically legalized pot/Texas gives you a mandatory minimum of life for a pound of pot.
- Both have big tech areas
- Both tech areas are distinct (CA is your VC type tech world, TX your def contractors)
- Texas has a city in it (Austin) that should be in CA/California has Bakersfield, which should be in Texas.
- TX gave us LBJ and Bush II/CA gave us Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon

We're full of wacky ideas that no one should implement without proper testing....

Californians deride politicians by likening them to Texans, Texans deride politicians by likening them to Californians.

[Skittles]

52. hmmmm.....that's a big damn state

I'd imagine you would have to live there many years and move around a bit to decide it really sucks - like I have done in Texas.

[xchrom]

54. please be sure to bad mouth cali to who-ever and where-ever

you can.

this is the best state in union -- but we'd hate to get too popular.

[Duer 157099]

55. It's a county thing

California is so diverse, and there are so many absolutely wonderful parts of it. It's better to evaluate it on a county-by-county basis, it's easier to generalize that way.

There's no doubt that you landed in a pretty bad spot, except for camping maybe, or rockhounding.

Try northern California some day if you can.

[Sequoia]

57. California is a long state.

Get out of the city and breath some mountian air.

[SKKY]

59. Lived in San Diego for 3 years and change. My attitude toward ever going back...

...can best be described as "aggressive indifference".

[Ellen Forradalom]

62. I'm in Santa Barbara

I rather like it here, although fat chance of ever BUYING in this town.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

73. Really?

The problem with SoCal struck as too many people spread out in way too large a space.

Prime example of sprawl gone wrong.

[Shakespeare]

74. Aldous Huxley (a longtime LA resident) described it as....

38 suburbs in search of a city. That's pretty accurate.

But I still love it. :7

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

76. Yeah, I like it too.

And while I've only visited a few times, I rather like their highway system.

[mike_c]

77. lol-- socal isn't california....

This is a HUGE state, mostly empty and rural. I live just a few miles from the beach in norcal and traffic here is defined as more than two or three cars at a stop light. When you can find a stop light.

[Redstone]

79. I like parts of California. The ones without the crowds and traffic. And there are plenty of them.

You just have to be a bit adventurous and get out of the cities and "tourist destinations."

Redstone

[JVS]

84. It is ok for you to have your feelings and opinions on that matter

[hyphenate]

87. I feel your pain

I spent 15+ years of my life that I will never recover in California. There were/are many things I hated, but there are still a lot of things that I miss as well.

Hysperia can be rough for a first living experience. The high desert doesn't offer a whole lot of choices on what to do, but here are a couple of suggestions:

1) The ghost town of Calico isn't very far. It's close to Barstow, so you might want to go and see it. It's not really much of a ghost town because it's a tourist spot, but it can give you some thought as to how people survived in the 19th century.

2) Death Valley isn't very far away, either. If you get up to Scotty's Castle, it's a really "different" site.

3) You are close to Nevada, so make a quick trip to Stateline (aka Primm) and gamble a little! From there to LV, it's only a short trip.

4) See the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville.

5) Hemet is a bit of a ways away, but I believe that's where the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is. I never got there, but I hear it's wonderful.

6) The San Bernardino mountains and forest are great. You should enjoy them quite a bit.

I left LA because I couldn't take the heat anymore and because I couldn't get health coverage. But I'm also an old fuddy-duddy and I couldn't do much on my own without a car, so I felt better returning to New England.

Enjoy it while you have a chance. You might even take time to see the Grand Canyon, which is pretty easy from Barstow (where the roads fork--to Route 40 and to Route 15). And don't forget the Factory Outlets right near Barstow as well!

[NV Whino]

88. Bye

You have 49 other states from which to choose.

[WernhamHogg]

90. I love California

I've always wanted to live here, even before I ever visited California. I do live in California now, but I probably live in the WORST part of the state. Any guesses?

I love LA and someday I hope to move there. I like San Diego, but it's been about 10 years since I was there last. I've only had a few brief one-day/one-night visits to the Bay Area, so I haven't seen much of that area, but from what I did see, it seemed pretty nice there.

[longship]

92. Reasons to dislike CA.

1. LAX -- worst airport in the world. Ingress/Egress is horrible, takes hours to get there from anywhere.

2. Traffic!! The absolutely worst traffic in the world. The 91 freeway can be a parking lot at any time of the day or night. And people *do* drive like maniacs. I've seen so many vehicles "turtled" (greasy-side up, shiney-side down) on LA freeways that I'm almost afraid to drive on them. Rush hour is basically 24/7.

3. Everything costs more in CA. *EVERYTHING*. And I don't mean a little bit more, it's more like a *lot* more.

4. Too damned many people. *Way* too many.

[L A Woman]

93. I've never understood the LAX hate...

I love it. It's a bit far from where I live, but I just park at Lot B, take the shuttle, and take my e-boarding pass right to the gate. It's so easy.

Your point on number two is very well taken, however. :-)

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

99. I like LAX too.

Never had a problem. Get off the plane, grab my luggage, step right out the terminal, take the shuttle straight to the rental car lot, wam, bam, it's done. Same thing going back.

[huskerlaw]

100. About the traffic

I'll assume that you have actually driven everywhere in the world. Because otherwise, you're completely talking out your ass and I know you wouldn't do that...

:eyes:

[Shakespeare]

101. Weeeeeeeell....I beg to differ.

1. Ingress/egress at LAX is a breeze (says this seasoned air traveler). The horseshoe design with pass-through lanes (say, for example, if you're going to terminal 7, that way you don't have to go all the way around) works beautifully. Short-term parking is terminal-specific, and very close. Long-term parking has a decent shuttle to get back and forth, and I've never found a better system for getting to rental cars the way LAX does. I've been baffled by LAX hatred since WAY before I actually moved here.

2. Rush hour isn't 24/7, though when it IS rush hour, I totally agree it's bad. However, so is SF, DC (both places I've lived and commuted) and every other major metro area. I think DC and SF traffic is actually worse (there's a reason they call the Nimitz freeway the Nimitz parking lot).

3. Buying a home is more expensive in CA (especially near the big cities), but other cost of living expenses are the same or even lower then other places I've lived, food especially (and the food here, especially produce, tends to be MUCH higher quality). General consumer goods are so homogenized anymore that there's not a lot of price difference from other parts of the country. Apartment rents in LA are in line with other major cities; SF's are still higher (but not as bad as NYC).

4. Depends on where you go. The population is clustered around the cities, just like everywhere else. Head up to the lost coast or down around Monterey, and it's about as remote and beautiful a place as you'll ever find.

But hey, there must be SOME reason so many people want to live here, right? ;-)

[driver8]

94. That's great news, because we don't need anymore people

moving here.

Please tell your friends and family how much California sucks.

[Kerrytravelers]

96. Oh, there are other places to live outside of California?

:rofl:

Couldn't help myself, I'm a Los Angeles asshole!

[Taverner]

102. Well I love it here

Yes, we are standoffish. Up North here in the Bay Area, we're snobs.

But I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Never gets much hotter than 90, never gets much colder than 50 and never gets humid.

Oh, and Republicans are always apologizing :)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

107. Locking

This is regional bashing, which is against DU rules.

Respectfully submitted,
CaliforniaPeggy
DU Moderator