I'm leaving California.

[Leftist78]

I recently moved to Santa Cruz from South Carolina, and while I do like it here for the most part. Personal circumstances are forcing me to go back. I have enjoyed my time in what I at first thought of as a progressive paradise, but later came to see in a different way. Anyway...any nor cal people on here wanna post some thoughts on the area I'd like to have a discussion about it before I go back to red state America.

[nini]

1. Even Northern Calif has it's red pockets

Just as the red states have their blue pockets.

Too bad you can't stay and find the right area for you.

[Leftist78]

3. Santa Cruz

as far as I can tell is about as blue as it gets, but it also feels a little isolated and disconnected from reality or at least from reality as I knew it. The blue collar concerns of job loss and other economic issues seem to take a real back seat to the social issues like gay marriage. Then of course there's the culture shock. I haven't truly had the chance to adjust to most of the differences. I came from South Carolina and it's pretty safe to say it's very different there

[nini]

5. I'm sure South Carolina is a big change :-)

The job losses in that area have been worse and it's been up and down for a while since the Silicon Valley tech bubble burst in general. Probably most people have gotten used to a certain level of that and is why they concentrate on other issues.


All the issues are valid and need to be addressed, I guess it just matters what is the hot topic at the time and it's gay rights now.


I'm from So. Cal so I don't have first hand knowledge of everything up there, though I have a gay brother who lives in the San Francisco area who is working on gay rights issues quite a bit. He also lost a job in the tech bust so he's been affected by both issues, but gay marriage and rights is his focus right now.

Good luck on your move.

[Generic Brad]

2. Your vacancy will be filled soon

I know someone moving to Northern California on Monday.

[Leftist78]

4. Where from?

[Generic Brad]

7. St Paul, MN

Our loss is Northern California's gain.

[rug]

6. Congratulations.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. No place is perfect. You may have discovered more interest in other issues if you had stayed.

The first time that I visited Santa Cruz I thought it was hopelessly stuck in a pseudo-hippie do-your-own-thing time warp. Now that I live close enough to go there for day trips I've discovered that it's much more layered than that. Sure, momentous social change dominates the discussions especially near the UC campus but the more you reach beyond that area the more you find the solid, comprehensive views of liberals who pay attention to economic issues too. That said, it ain't perfect. No place is.

[Leftist78]

9. Thanks

I'm sure that's the case. I'm not leaving because I couldn't find common ground with the people, just personal living situation stuff. Honestly, I would love to have stayed and found out more. The layers would have been nice to discover. There's always more under the surface. South Carolina is no different really, the impression someone would be left with after a short time wouldn't be the complete picture. It's not so bad though. I'm actually going to be a short driving distance from Ashville NC. Which was always my favorite little progressive hangout back home.

[Gormy Cuss]

10. Asheville is cool.

Good luck back home.

[AlCzervik]

11. i live a little south of Sac proper and i'm counting down the next seven years

so i can put the "For sale" sign up on the lawn, see my kid off hopefully to the college of her choice and me and my husband can go rent a place in Pacifica, hopefully with a view. I moved here from Texas, i moved to Texas after growing up in Mass, quite a culture shock texas was for me. Ca is far from perfect but i love this state, not my city so much but the SF area is the best.

[Porcupine]

12. Pacifica is the Fog capitol of the universe. You're kidding.

I grew up in Daly City till I was 11 and Pacifica was ALWAYS fogged in when everything else had burned off. And I like fog.

I live in Chico now and miss the occasional fog.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

13. Lived in Santa Cruz from 1983-2001

Was wonderful. Now in the desert in Tucson. More space, less people, more dirt, less ocean! Prolly headed to newport beach soon.

[Bullwinkle925]

14. What happened that caused you to have a bit of a mind-shift?

I'm in the SF Bay Area. Never lived in Santa Cruz, but do like to visit.

[xchrom]

15. i love santa cruz!

it's a real mix of old hippies, silicon valley yuppies, migrant workers, etc

just not a mix like you find in other places, some how.