12.20.2006

Go East, Young Lady?


I've been feeling discontented lately. There's been a lot going on in my head, and despite this, I've been significantly dissatisfied in that respect. Discussing it with a friend today, I started to wonder about something.

As you're undoubtedly heard, I was born in LA and raised in an area known as “The Valley,” aka the San Fernando Valley. You know, the one with the reputation for being a hotbed of airheads Valley girls and suburban brats. I won’t discount that, but I lived out in the east end, in a city called Burbank. You’ve heard of it if you watched Laugh-In or The Tonight Show. It’s home to the WB, Disney, and NBC studios. A central part of the entertainment capital.

Nonetheless, I had a pretty normal childhood devoid of such nonsense. It was a nice place to grow up.

During college, I moved to the
Westside in order to be closer to school. And I’ve been here for my entire post-collegiate adulthood. I really like where I live: my apartment, my living situation, my lack of parking issues, my proximity to most things. Most things except the majority of my friends.

This wasn’t much of a problem when I worked down south and a few other close pals did too. But suddenly, the westward shift has reversed and now everything is being directed eastward. My job moved 13 miles east. My
Cat-roo-key, though domiciled down the street from my office, used to work down with me in the South Bay, but now he’s working way inland, too. The Girls all mostly reside in and around the same neighborhood as my entire family, and I’m beginning to wonder why I’m the only outpost so far west.

I’ve gone so far as to entertain the thought of moving back to my old stomping grounds. But the ridiculous Swingers-inspired value of having a 310 number, and the true spirit of independence that comes from living those very long 26 miles away, and the VERY nice weather effect of living a mere 4 miles inland, make it difficult to let go. And part of what I love about this sprawling city of mine is that it is so spread out, enveloping color and class boundaries across the board.

But after 6 years out here, I’m beginning to get tired of having to wait out traffic to do anything with my friends...of the commute to work...and of generally spending so much on gas.

Then again, I have toyed with the idea of just chucking it all and starting over in either San Diego or San Francisco.

What's a girl to do?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hell, I'm over 14,000 miles from my friends and family.

Good thing cause they're all bastards. Except my sister who is a bastardette.

Roonie said...

Move to San Francisco with me, of course. Or, if you want to stay in LA, move to Eagle Rock or Silver Lake. Way cooler, and less traffic. The 134 and the 2 are DIVINE if you're leaving the city in the mornings. Truly.

Ghetto Photo Girl said...

Joe: yes, but mine are not bastards. At all.

Roonie: Even the 5 is a hell of a better alternative to the 10. It's a fucking parking lot in both directions ALL. THE. TIME.

Almost makes me regret getting the stick shift. ALMOST. Which doesn't count.

The littlest Princess said...

Well then I suppose that I should not move to the westside if you're entertaining Ideas of moving back my way. Although the commute sucks I may just move to the other side of the valley over by sherman oaks or something. Whatever.

Ghetto Photo Girl said...

Don't stay in the area for me. You know I don't want to move back there anyway...I'm just thinking about what makes more sense for work. Besides, Sherman Oaks is still the Valley. Regardless of where I am, we're still in workable distance at that point.

Anonymous said...

ok, as long as you stay in the general area, NO SD or SF for you, its not allowed!!!!!!!!!
besides, the 3 of or "the 6 of us" as I like to call it, have spent too much time apart with that tiny princess thing being all over the globe and me across the country. We are all back together again right where we belong.

Anonymous said...

Dewd, you're so totally close to the beach. I'm so jealous. I'd just go lie in the sand all week-end and drink from coconuts.

I once again, cannot fathom growing up in arguably the most famous area in the world. Guess it's just a typical outsider reaction.

Ghetto Photo Girl said...

KM: what would hurt most is not being able to watch the kiddies grow up...that's kind of what keeps me around. That, and you know, the beach and stuff. ;)

J: It's actually a little cold for the beach. Like 55 degrees. And I know you think I'm a total asshole for calling that "cold."

Anonymous said...

Just buy a helicopter.

Beta sucks.

DrinkJack said...

Sounds like you need friends to visit you more often instead of the other way around so much. What can you entice them with?

Anonymous said...

ok don't get touchy. In my family bastard is a compliment. Check my brother's blog (Jutra Test in my links) - his links are all bastards

Anonymous said...

do you *have* to take the 10 every day? it looks like you would probably go just as fast on the surface streets depending on what time you left.....

Ghetto Photo Girl said...

Woody: Not with gas being so expensive.

Jack: Playing host gets exhausting too. Let other people clean their house for me instead!

Joe: You Canadians are weird.

Ghetto Photo Girl said...

Moondog: lately the 10 has been faster than surface streets (blame the holidays). And driving through those neighborhoods in the Basin depresses the hell out of me.