California is worth the cost
{twelve reasons why}
When I first moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, my friends and family displayed mixed responses. Some were purely enthusiastic, fixating on fresh oranges and endless coastline. Others warned that I wouldn’t stay long once I saw the taxes and gas prices. Of course, any place has its highs and lows, but CA allows me a lifestyle I couldn’t have anywhere else, making the price tag worth it for me. Here’s why.
In California, I get to:
- Dance on golden rocks
2. Instruct my friends in yoga at one of many various parks within walking distance from my apartment on Saturday mornings and then walk to get coffee at one of many cute cafés any time of year
3. Hammock in Sequoia
4. Ferry across to Catalina and explore an island
5. Catch up with friends on a paddle
6. Eat lunch and dinner outside with friends and family year round — especially great in pandemic times
7. Be sick less often because I work out more and am often in rooms with open windows and thus better air flow
8. Eat fresh off the orange tree
9. Chill at a pool party from April through October
10. Celebrate NYE with a beach bonfire
11. Bike to work and my friends’ places year round and not freeze my hands off
12. Experience fairytale views from a multiplicity of mountains
These reasons have made me want to stay for a while. Of course, I could make a list of a dozen downsides. The fires can make the air quality terrible, and too many of my friends know my vendetta against leaf blowers. But — all in all — life is short, and for right now, paying for the sun is worth it.
