San Diego

I've been here in San Diego for 5 days now. I can see some of the appeal - warm, sunny weather, the beach..... yeah, that's it. But I don't think I'd want to live here. Charlotte and I went to the grocery store last night. She had to run back to grab something she had forgotten. I was left alone with the cashier.

"Are you from the Northern?" she asked me.

A bit confused, I responded, "no, I'm from Portland, Oregon."

"Oh, I knew you were from somewhere north. It's that whole relaxed vibe you have."

"Ok." But I thought that was odd. Here I am in Southern California, the Mecca of laid-back-ness, to where all surfers and wanna-be surfers flock, where it is assumed that your life is soooo relaxed and worry free. Here I am, coming down from Portland, Oregon where it's overcast for 6 months of the year, where SAD (seasonal affective disorder) bitch slaps most inhabitants, and I'm being called laid back? Wow.

But it seems to be real. Charlotte talks about the fast-paced life here. Everyone is in a rush to go somewhere, be someone, do something. Nothing is relaxed here. It's very, very expensive here. In order to make a living you have to work hard, have roommates, live as inexpensively as possible. At a coffee house I am ignored as I stand at the counter. It seemed like actually making contact with me was awkward. (Whereas in Portland everyone talks to you.)

So maybe Southern Cali isn't the mecca it's reputation leads us all to believe.