Thanks For The Memories

Ever since I moved to Tennessee I inevitably run into the questions about our reasoning for the move.  It's funny how predictable the questions are based on who is asking.  From the Cali peeps I get asked "What do you miss the most about CA?" or "Sucks not to have good Mexican food, eh?"  And the Tennessee folks typically inquire "WHY would you leave Southern California to come HERE?"

I've found that most of the people in the south have a Hollywood idea of what So Cal is all about.  To them, we're endless strolling along the beaches, while surfing and hob-nobbing with celebrities.  They think that LA is the most intriguing city and that Hollywood itself is glamorous.  I chuckle when I hear this and try not to sound condescending when I correct them.

Since we've been here for nearly two years now, the newness has worn off and I finally feel settled.  This has allowed me the perspective needed to answers these questions with an equal amount of honesty and information.  To that end, here are a couple of lists, intended to help everyone understand.

I've left out the obvious, like missing family and friends.  I'll assume that you'll assume that is a given.

What I Miss About CA:

1. Mountains.  REAL mountains.

 Nice, high, beautiful mountains. You don't see this amongst the rolling hills of Tennessee.  Yes, I know that we have The Great Smokey Mountains, but for some perspective, the peak of the Smokey Mountains is just slightly higher than the elevation of Oak Glen; that does not a mountain make, in my opinion.

2. Disneyland

 So Cal peeps: Please, I implore you, do not take for granted your ability to jaunt down to Disney on a whim.  Truly, one of the most special places on earth, I sorely miss being able to enjoy the Magic Kingdom on a regular basis.

3. Roads that make sense.

  

I never realized what a privileged it was to live in a place where the roads were laid out with some kind of logic.  If I want to go east, I take a freeway headed east.  Seems normal, right?  Not here in Tennessee.  Here the roads developed organically, in a sort of free form flow, as the areas in and around the old plantations/farms grew.  There is no direct route anywhere.  If you are trying to get from one place to another, you may literally have to go over the river and through the woods to get to grandmother's house.  CA roads developed post automobile, so they were all designed with vehicles in mind.  Not the case in TN.  You MUST know where you are going or you will get lost, go 40 miles out of the way, and possibly cry before you make it to your destination.

4. The California Coastline.

There is truly nothing else in the world like the coast of California.  I'm not just talking about the beach.  I mean the coastline itself....stunning. Also, the feel you get while strolling down main street in any of the beach communities. The Golden state earns its name along the sun baked shores.

5. So. Cal Cuisine.

Del Taco, El Pollo Loco, Souplantation and, of course, In and Out.  Do not underestimate the narcotic effect and impending withdrawal you will have when you move to the south and can no longer get a packet of mild sauce, or a Double Double.  

6. Glorious, fresh produce.

The fruits and veggies that I purchase 'fresh' from the store here look like the ones that I'd throw out or at least throw into the compost heap in CA.  My friend Julie warned me about this when I was about to move...scary how right she was.  And to add salt to the wound, produce costs nearly double what it does in CA.  Odd.



On the flip side, here are a few things from which I have gleefully fled as a result of my departure from California:

1) Air that you can see.

One negative aspect of those huge mountains that I love is how they trap in all the crappy smog and leave us breathing nastiness.  Now, to be fair, the air quality in CA is much, much better than it was when I was a kid, but it is still nice to live in a place where the only thing visible in the sky is clouds or planes.

2. Miles and miles of parking lots masquerading as freeways.

Sure, we have traffic heading into Nashville but it is nothing like you experience in California.  There isn't ever a need to listen to a traffic report before you head out for your destination (good thing, since there usually isn't an alternate route anyway) and you generally don't have to add minutes to your commute when deciding what time to leave in TN.  "How long does it take to get there? 20 minutes, unless there is traffic."  We've all said it and there is ALWAYS traffic.

3.  The outrageous cost of living.

It seems impossible how much easier it is to afford life in Tennessee.  The cost of living here is so reasonable, it takes some getting used to when you come from CA.  

4. Bilingual......everything.

Refreshing; it is indescribably wonderful living in a land where English (or, at least what passes as English in the country) is spoken, written, read without incident.  Even the immigrants speak English.  What a concept.  

5. Stucco as far as the eye can see.

I noticed this the first time I went back to CA after the move.  You grow up in a place and you don't notice something as unassuming as building materials.  But there isn't any stucco in Tennessee; here we have brick, brick everywhere and I love it. It feels traditional and classy.  

All in all I am learning and living the 'southern' way of life and am loving it.  I can make some mean biscuits and gravy, I've learned to slow down.  Finally I'm in a place where my talking to random people on the streets is not met with bizarre looks and eye rolls.  I could do without the humidity, but I am elated to experience all four seasons.  The move to Tennessee is the best thing that we have done for ourselves and our family as a whole.  I love it here and, in spite of the occasional questions from others, I hardly ever think about California anymore.  Unless I am hungry.  Then I pine over the bean and cheese burritos from Del Taco.