Has time here run its course?

[jrm]

i moved from so cal to the bay area for a job 12 years ago come august. i took the job b/c i thought i needed-wanted change and the move and new job would grant me the change i craved.

Over my time here things or course have changed. Less of my friends remain here and ive noticed that ive grown more intolerant to the crime, poverty and blight of where i live and work.

My family remains in so cal. Each living no more then a hour from one another. my dad just turned 84 in March. I see um at holidays and birthdays but the 6 hour each way drive or cost of flying makes it an expensive trip.

There looks like there a chance that i may be able to keep my job and transfer back to so cal. If any of you have been here i want to ask if your decision to move or not move was based on the factors pushing you or pulling you?

 

[calikev]

WOW... I can't believe you asked this. I currently live in LA and am trying my best to get back there. I have lived all over this country... north east, south east, LA and Bay area. I liked the Bay most of all the places I've lived and my wife does too.

The weather -- great year round, but at least a lil change in seasons

The people -- LA is a melting pot, but not like the Bay. People are still segregated in LA in terms of where they live, work, play. The Bay experience for me was mixing and mingling with different types of folks in every area of my day to day life. Also, people seemed more focused on 'quality' of life instead of the LA bs of "quantity". ie...Bay area people..."Are you happy and healthy and have good friends?" LA people..."What type of shirt is that? Where do you live? What type of car you drive?" Real superficial in my opinion.

The pay for me was better in the bay area than LA too

The traffic Bay area traffic is not great, but it sure beats the heck outta LA

The population It's just too many people in LA...period! I have a running joke with my wife..."Take me anywhere that we can be alone, just us." She has taken me miles into the mountains and/or trails and EVERY time when we open the picnic basket and set up, here comes someone else to setup literally right beside us.

Lastly, there are just as many amenities in the Bay as there are in LA. I just think they're even nicer and definitely cleaner. ex: Monterey, Carmel, wine country, the beaches, the grown folks bar/party scene, diverse culture of the city...in other words EVERYTHING is BETTER THERE!

Sounds like your motivation is family. I understand that. ALL of my family is on the east coast. I'm lucky to see them 1x per year. Such is life. We talk very often and use cameras on our phones and computers to talk real time and that is just what we have to do.

As you can tell we are going back to the Bay as soon as we can and then back to Florida to retire when that time comes.

Good luck...but think hard on leaving to come here is my advice.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Less of my friends remain here and ive noticed that ive grown more intolerant to the crime, poverty and blight of where i live and work.

Where EXACTLY do you live in the Bay Area?

We don't need cross streets but a city and neighborhood would at least help shed some perspective.

A lot of the bay area is one of the nicest areas of California.

The only crime free place I know of in SoCal is Orange County and that is basically a bubble that doesn't really represent SoCal very well.

I am originally from San Jose, CA and now live in San Diego. I love San Diego and it has relatively low crime.

San Jose, Santa Clara, Campbell, Palo-Alto (basically everything that isn't East-SJ or Oakland) has pretty low crime as I understand it.

:smashputer: