Hooray for Californ-i-a!

Recently, I was shown a blog that doesn't really favor California as a place to live. I read it and tried not to take it too seriously because thank goodness, everyone is entitled to have their own opinions. I respect that, I truly do. So instead of commenting on the blog, I decided to write my own take on California and how it's a great place to live.

In all fairness to this blog, I have never lived in Utah. Nor do I ever hope to. It's a nice place to visit and that's about it. I have family members currently living there and family members who have moved away from there. I don't know what they personally think of the place, but I spent a few summers there and thought that was enough time. Don't get me wrong, Utah is the home town of our church. I respect anywhere the Prophet calls home. Instead of dwelling on a state I know nothing about, I will talk about the State that I know the best.

Currently living in Tennessee, people ask me where I am from and I always proudly claim California. They always ask why? They remark on the weather being too smoggy and the traffic being horrific all the time. They say that a lot of wackos live out there that trample on certain morals. They wanted to know how many celebrities I knew and why wasn't I blond? I take it all in stride because I find it absolutely hilarious. Sure, where I grew up, my house was literally ten minutes from the base of a mountain. I would go up there and hike in the canyon, and do a little off-roading with my friends. But because we lived so close to a mountain, smog would get trapped in the valley and we would have smog alerts once in a while when it was hot. I can still breath without the help of a respirator and I played soccer for about 12 years in that weather. The people who didn't live there missed out on those days in December-February when the air was so crystal clear and the mountains had beautiful snow-capped peaks and it was the most beautiful sight. My Mother still talks about the mountains looking so lovely.

Traffic is a funny subject for some who have never lived in California. They have visited during their Summer vacation and they couldn't stand the traffic on the I5. Well, neither can I. But it makes me think of living out here in Tennessee. We get snow every year and it's a pain in the patella to drive in. But when it's a way of life, it is something that you grow accustomed to and you don't even notice it anymore. I remember Aaron and I were living in the "Golden Triangle" area in San Diego. It's where the 805, 5, and 52 freeways create a triangle and the traffic can get pretty bad twice a day. We would have dinner reservations in Fashion Valley and would just leave about 30 minutes sooner than usual and never think twice about it. Just like driving in the snow, you take proper steps in order to get where you need to be and you don't even think twice about it.

I am sorry to say that I didn't know any celebrities while living in California. I have had more spotting's out here believe it or not. But a lot of them were country singers and someone else had to tell me who they were. And no, not everyone in California is blond. I spent most of my childhood outside and I had some awesome highlights when I was a kid, what I wouldn't give to get those back. I just need a pool and eight hours devoted to playing in the water or a couple soccer tournaments a month.

What is very interesting about California is how "colorful" our residents are. They truly pride themselves on being the pioneers for tolerance and equal rights. But wasn't that truly inspiring to see the whole prop 8 issue come about? I was there during prop 22 and it didn't seem to be that big of an issue because a conservative majority stood together and wanted things a certain way. Sure it has changed since and the margin was a lot closer with prop 8. But seeing how supporters worked together truly made me proud of my Family out there. It just shows people around the country that agree with Prop 8 that California does have a majority of residents that believe the same thing they do. The entire state does not think the same way the noisy residents do. My favorite comment was "Why would you live somewhere that Nancy Pelosi lives?" Well, I don't know. She has her views and fortunately, they aren't the same as a lot of people in California. She's just a lot louder.

Politics is something I would rather not talk about because I wouldn't want to offend anyone. This blog is not to offend anyone, I just don't like my home state being picked on.

All those crazy oberservations came from people out here. Just remember that I am living in Tennessee and it is pretty conservative out here. They already have a marriage law and that issue will probably never come up. So when I moved here, I was a hippie, me of all people! Well, I was called that once and I took it as a compliment.

I love my native California and I will call myself a Californian forever. But what I love most is all the people that are living there and how much I miss them. Call me sentimental, but that will always be my home. I just hope that my children will have the opportunity to live there and enjoy everything California has to offer. It was a great place to grow up and only the people that lived there can truly understand how much that state has to offer and how lucky they are to be out there. I never thought I would miss the beach. It was a way of life having it close by. Destin is the nearest beach to me and that's about an 8 hour drive. My family is going to the beach this next week for a little getaway and when I think of San Clemente, I think of the smell the beach gave off. The campground is full of Eucalyptus trees and the sound of the ocean in the air is etched in my mind. Some of my favorite memories are from that beach.

I went to college in San Diego, My husband and I met in San Diego, we were married there, and our daughter was born there. California will always have a place in my heart.