Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Strange Things About Southern California (and me in it)

There are snowflakes on the school windows here. I wonder if the kids think real snowflakes are that big and that you can really see the shapes as they fall.

There is a very big difference between 65 and 70. I can now tell the difference and I need a different coat for each degree and a half.

The average surfer spends 95% of his time waiting for that perfect wave and then falling off of it in seconds. I spend 95% of my time on the beach watching them. Why are all wet suits black? It must have something to do with not attracting sharks and other predatory fish.


Two lanes turning left or right off a twisting road is insane. The drivers here are more anxious to beep their horns than anywhere except NYC.

I never adjusted to it being warm and dark. Warm means the sun should be out until nine not five.

It would be hard to find an unorganic food here.

People here are a lot happier than in Michigan. Sad but true.

Skateboarders are annoying anywhere but more skilled here.

You know you've been in California too long when you see Chris Matthews on TV and wonder why the hell he is wearing a wool jacket.

After a while, nothing seems more important than sitting on the beach. How do these people ever get anything done?

This amazes me most. I am from the north but sitting on the beach here at 65 degrees I always needed a jacket. The natives frolicked in bikinis, never seeming to be cold. Explain that.

You do feel out of the loop here when things like the Grammys are over before they begin here. The US is set to EST with NY and DC being on the east coast.

Back home tonight!

16 comments:

Todd Mason said...

Wet suits tend to be black because everyone looks pretty good in black, and those who don't want shadows don't get them. Also, it's warmer, in the colder water days.

Frolicking keeps one warm.

One can wonder why watch Chris Matthews, ever. Or the Grammys. Even if the opening tribute medley to Aretha Franklin wasn't terrible, even if none of the quintet of singers could carry Franklin's sheet music.

As a former Hawaii resident, I can tell you that one eventually chooses to do something other than watch the ocean. Even when one is fascinated by the ocean.

Light does tend to make people happier.

Welcome back!

George said...

Have a safe trip, Patti!

YA Sleuth said...

I miss California. Year-round warm weather makes you more relaxed, I think.

Have a safe trip!

Chris Rhatigan said...

I was in San Diego a few years ago. Liked it there a lot--obviously gorgeous weather, beaches, caught a Padres game. But, from my brief stint there, it didn't seem like that city had a lot of personality.

Erik Donald France said...

Sweet! Reminds me of Annie Hall, "OK, Max?" "The rays, Max."

Detroit leaders were smart to go for the same time zone as NYC and DC :-> It's true, everywhere else does sort of miss out. Except for the rays~~

Anne R. Allen said...

That picture looks like my neighborhood. Or are you down in San Diego? Here on the Central Coast, surfing rules people's lives, even for those of us who have never thought of squeezing into tight black rubber outfits.

(How fun it would be if they came in bright colors! And the sharks might not mistake so many surfers for sea lions.)

Every plumber, contractor, and handyman is also a surfer, so when there are good waves, your kitchen remodel just sits there and your roof goes un-repaired. It can be infuriating if you expect people to behave with the same work ethic they have back East.

So there are some drawbacks.

But now I have to go walk on the beach before the sun sets...

Hope you enjoyed your visit.

Laurie Powers said...

Sorry I missed you Patti - maybe next time. I'm nowhere near the beach but I used to live near the ocean. I was one of those that lived in a beach town but never went to the beach.

Deb said...

I lived in Southern California for 20 years, including 13 years in one of the towns of the South Bay of Los Angeles--and I can count on one hand the number of times I went to the beach to swim or sunbathe. We would occasionally go in the early evening to watch the sunset or throw a frisbee to the dogs, but we rarely did anything else "beachy," even though we lived less than five miles from the nearest beach.

Anonymous said...

You're making me kinda homesick, I was in Laguna for 20 years, always within 20 minutes of the beach. I understand all that stuff. Growing up here, you get really used to the time zone thing, and I was always glad things started early. Monday Night Football at 9:00 pm? Hey that's when the game is supposed to be over!

Anonymous said...

Have a good trip.

Anonymous said...

Today in our part of Northern California, it was raining sideways.

Michel

Anders Engwall said...

Patti, since I live on roughly the same latitude as Anchorage, I recognize only too well what you say about the combination of warmth and darkness. Summer temperatures here basically means hardly any darkness at all, except maybe for a few evenings in August.

Charles Gramlich said...

Intersting that folks are happier there than in Michigan. Could be the weather, I suppose.

INteresting little takes on life here.

EA said...

Ha! Keep in mind that you are commenting on life in La Jolla, CA which is the richest enclave in the state. Less rich places here have less trigger-happy horn honkers. Thanks for the "window on the world" Patti!

Ron Scheer said...

La Jolla is not LA. The horn honkers here are all from down there. Yes, 70 you can go out in shirtsleeves; 65 you need two layers and a scarf...don't ask me why. I lived ten years by the beach in Venice and never got my feet wet. It's from surfers peeing in the water...(just kidding).

Eric Beetner said...

Glad you had fun in So Cal. Come back soon.