California Region Child Analogy

After traveling a large part of this state, I can't help but think that the north, central, and southern regions of California can identify with the characteristics of the first born, middle, and youngest child. Northern California has a more mature, overachieving character of a first born, while Southern California is like the youngest child - spoiled, always trying to get peoples attention, not necessarily for the right reasons. In the middle, we have the Central part of California that is simply solid - nothing flashy, almost ordinary - it simply does its job. It is funny how each area is so distinct from the others. I think of traveling from Ottawa, through Toronto, down to Windsor and not being able to see such distinct differences in personalities.

UPDATE: Ok, my little sister doesn't like the youngest analogy. I would like to clarify, that today she is a mature, wonderful person. The analogy would only apply to her pre-university years :)

5 Things I Like Best and 5 Things I Dislike About USA/California

This was a post that I was meaning to get around to. There so many differences between life here and in Canada that I thought I should break them down into lists of what I like and dislike. Now this is not the definitive list, but what is on the top of my mind. Now, I am trying to avoid the obvious ones like I am writing this on January 25 while the temperature is around 24C.

Top 5 Things I Like
1. Blockbuster Total Access: For $9.99/month gets you one movie at a time mailed to you. When you are finished you return it to a physical Blockbuster store and get a free movie. While you watch that movie, they send you the next movie on your list. Then, repeat. During school, Lindsey and I are able to watch a movie on Friday and Saturday. That works out to 8 movies for $10! During Christmas, I think we were watching 4 movies a week through this deal. Great value for the starving student!
2. Trader Joe's: It's not quite a health food market, although alot of it's products are organic. It is not quite a high end food store because many of its prices vary from inexpensive to very reasonable. It is very hard to define Trader Joe's, but here is my attempt: If you feel like some good food check this place out first! Also, home to the amazing 2 buck Chuck! That brings us to our next point...
3. Cheap Booze: Want a decent table wine - $2 for 2 buck Chuck! Do I want a 20 pack of beer - MGD on sale for $9. Do I want 1.75 litre of Rye or Vodka - how about $12? God Bless America. Thank god I am not in contact with my Sault Ste. Marie friends; they would move out here in an instant and create illegal alien issue of a whole new kind.
4. Mountains, Cliffs, and Ocean, Oh My!: There is something about waking up and walking to class and seeing snow capped mountains in the background. Relative to London, Canada the scenery is so dramatic that it can help but inspire you.
5. American Cell Phone Competition: What??? I will equal to or less than a Canadian provider's base package but you package includes free nation-wide roaming and long-distance plus you will include features that I normally pay extra for in Canada such as voicemail with the base package!! Sign me up. Canadian providers take note. (Honorable mention for U.S. Banks and no fee chequing accounts)

5 Things I Dislike

1. Cellphones and Cars: If I didn't know better there is a law that states that the moment you enter your car, you must get on your cell phone. When I am driving around, I feel like the minority of people who aren't on the cell. Now, I am not talking about using a bluetooth headset. These are people who drive with one hand (if we're lucky) on the steering wheel and one hand glued to the cell on the ear. I even saw a guy and girl in the two front seats each on their own cell phone (God forbid that you talk to one another). Seeing all of this on the road makes you wonder when, not if, they are going to backend you.
2. U.S. Healthcare: I am sorry, but without a PHD in rocket science you will not be able to figure out which plans provide the best value. I still do not no where I am able to go if I need to see a doctor immediately, but where it isn't an emergency room situation. Sorry U.S., but IMHO the availability of a small subset of high level doctors plus the ability to get an x-ray within 5 minutes of spraining your thumb does not outweigh the high costs and confusion surrounding your system.
3. Cheap Booze!: It's a blessing and a curse. My poor liver!
4. What is wrong with these drivers?: Nearly everyday, we see a news report on someone who drove into house or some other bizarre driving accident. I am terrified to be a pedestrian for fear of a car driving on the sidewalk. Maybe it has something to do with the cell phones? I hope so because if it is not we got some problems here.
5. U.S. Work Visa System: It appears they are so focused on keeping people out, they are overlooking the discussion on "how to leverage the talent that is here to help all of us succeed". U.S. unemployment rates are among the lowest in the world, so it is not like internationals are disenfranchising Americans. In fact, arguably there is a great need for more talent to be made available to businesses. This does not mean I am for illegal immigration; I am for improving legal immigration.

More Southern California Observations

We are now approaching the end of four full months of living in Orange County and I figure it is time for some more observations about So.Cal. life.
1) Driving the So.Cal highways is an intense experience. Whenever I hit an on-ramp to one of the freeways, I prepare for battle. The on-ramps are shorter than normal, so you need to come up to full speed very quickly. Top it off, California has two accepted 'Hi-speed' lanes the far left and the far right which means are you are try to accelerate into the right lane there is almost always some BMW flying up the lane at 90 mph. The best way to relate So.Cal. drivers to Canadians is this: picture a Montreal driver with slightly less insanity and a great deal more self-centered.
2) I still can't get over the prevalence of Valet parking in the OC. I am certain that there is a McDonald's somewhere in the OC with valet parking.
3) I am already starting to feel that 10 Celcius is cold. That didn't take long.
4) How can everyone in the OC drive a high-end vehicle. I am certain there are some BMW drivers who live in a card board box, but at least they have the car.
5) So.Cal. people get right into Christmas too! There are lights on the palm trees and the Santa Claus parade consists of lighted yachts.
6) While there seems to be a large selection of stores to shop, it is funny that they have a smaller selection of items than what we are used to in Canada. For example, Kleenex, yogurt, margarine, toilet paper are items that we get large selections of product names and quantity packaging. Here, most stores have a very limited selection of items. Target carries two brands of Kleenex (one name brand and the other private label) and only sell singles or three packs. No massive packs of 12 boxes.

Thanksgiving Silence

This weekend is our first introduction to the U.S. Thanksgiving tradition. The holiday is a huge deal here. First, people generally get the Thursday and Friday off. Thursday is spent eating turkey and watching football; and Friday is spent fighting the hoards for Black Friday sales (As a side note, I didn't think the sales were that amazing in relation to their every day sales).
The four day weekend is very long. It is only Friday and I am trying to find things to do in all this silence. Our housing complex is very quiet. Usually, I hear the constant sound of flip flops against the pavement, but not this weekend. The silence is kind of unnerving.