Back From Vacation

Well, after a week in Los Angeles it is good to be home. I always enjoy getting back to see family and friends in LA, and in the past I have felt very at home there. But this trip was different. Here are my top 8 reasons why I don't feel at home in LA any longer:

1. The traffic and the drivers were horrible. In the 22 years since we moved out of the area the traffic has grown exponetially and the rudeness of the drivers has gotten so much worse. But for someone who has been driving through the relatively trafficless suburbs of St Louis, it was very exciting to be driving in LA again.

2. The neighborhoods I used to live in I remember being very nice, but now appear to be pretty run down. I don't know if it is that my memories are better than the neighborhoods really were, or if the neighborhoods have really become more run down. Probably a mixture of both.

3. After living in St Louis for 9 years I have become happy with green grass and vegetation everywhere. The mountainsides in LA are brown from lack of water, and everything seems to be covered this time of year with a layer of dust. I ejnoy living where I only have to water the lawn once or twice a year to keep it green. I haven't had to water it yet this year, but maybe July or August will be dry. In LA, if you don't water it it won't grow.

4. The smog in LA is much better than it was when I last lived there, but is still much worse than St Louis. The weather was very overcast with a marine layer each day I was in LA, so there was lots of fog and clouds in the air. So, during the drive back from visiting my Dad in Palm Springs, about the time you crest the Banning Pass, you hit a wall of brown, dirty fog that looks horrible.

5. Most of my family and friends have moved out of LA proper and into the edges of suburbia. Most are up north in Valencia, Saugus, and Stevenson Ranch, but my brother has moved on toe Las Vegas, and my Dad is now in Palm Springs. They are all pretty well spread out, so it is hard to see them all on a one week vacation. A few more relatives are planning a move to Northern California soon, so it will get even more spread out. I did get a chance to renew some old friendships on this trip. Thanks Mark and John for getting together. It was great!

6. The cost of housiing is outrageous. I looked at Realtor.com when I came back and a 2 bedroom/1 bathroom house across the street from my Mother-In-Law's house is listed for $499,000.00! Oh my goodness. Just in case you don't believe me here is a link to the advertisement. Link. How can anyone afford to buy a house in LA?

7. The cost of gasoline is about 50 cents per gallon higher than St Louis. When I left LA I filled up my Mother-in-Law's car for $2.299 a gallon. The price of gas at the local gas station here is $1.729. Why the big difference?

8. I have now been away from LA for almost half of my life. I guess that must count for something. The Air Force moved us out and kept us away for 21 years. Now we have made the decision to stay here in St Louis.

I have never been an LA basher, in fact I have always defended it from others. So, please don't take this the wrong way. LA is still a great town, I just don't feel very at home there any more. If you can think of any more reasons why LA doesn't seem like home to me, please add them to my comments section.