As I work madly on packing and preparing to get in my spaceship to head to Grad School in Utah, I want to share five things I’ll miss about Southern California.

1. The Weather

The little pocket of California I’ve grown up in is usually between 65-75 degrees, foggy in the morning, and sunny in the afternoon. We rarely need more than a sweatshirt, and rarely need shorts. We whine when the weather gets close to 80 and 60. We are weak. I will have much to adjust to in the snowy lands of Utah next winter. (I also know it will take me a week or so to adjust from about 1 foot sea level to 4500 feet sea level)

2. The Ocean

This big blue wet thing is something I often take for granted. I live ten minutes from the beach, but hardly go to enjoy it. (This may also be due to our arctic current that leaves the water 65 degrees in summer. If you ever come to California and go to the beach, remember this.)

However, as I have commuted along the ocean for the last 2 and a half years, I have enjoyed the beauty of its blue expanse, the Channel Islands off our coast, the beautiful sunsets, and beauty during our few storms. It is something I take for granted, and something I will miss.

4. Visiting Los Angeles

Living within one to five hours of a major metropolitan area (depending on traffic) is a great opportunity I often take for granted as well. We might complain about traffic, but we also can go see professional theater, sports, concerts, enjoy gourmet meals, and world class museums, on a single day trip.

This is why, over the last few months, I have spent a little extra money to enjoy being so close to L.A. Here’s a sample of what I’ve done:

• Go to the Getty Center

• Video Games Live concert at the Nokia Theater

• UCLA’s annual talent show “Spring Sing” – it’s spectular, and watch for this band:

• My first ever Dodger’s Game (and Dodger Dogs are as amazing as people say)

 

• The Watkins Family Hour at the Largo

• Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat at The Pantages Theater

(Also, it’s been nice to see my sister Katherine who lives in Santa Monica, and has been my host, my guide, and companion)

4. My dogs

Living 700 miles away means I can’t pet my dogs. Not even Stretch Armstrong can do that. Also, dogs don’t have Facebook, and if they do, their owner may have too much time on their hands (unless they’re a Seeing Eye Dog or Service Dog. Then it’s cool). I won’t have a dog greeting me in the morning by poking the door with their nose, or helping with my writing by falling asleep on my foot. There won’t be my daily conversations with them, which are usually one-sided.

I can live without the dogs, but I will miss them.

5. My Friends And My Family

It helps a lot that, unlike dogs, I can communicate with friends and family via phone and Facebook. If I am feeling really crazy, I might even write a letter.

However, this is not the same as sitting on the couch together, laughing at something someone said or did, enjoying each other’s company. I will be able to see friends who have also moved to Utah, and be able to come back myself for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it still won’t be the same. I’ll miss the community I’ve built here in my lifetime, running into people at the store, seeing people from Girl Scouts, church, and school, not seeing my family every day.

Now, I venture off to Provo to build a new community.

I am sure I will discover other things I will miss. Ten years ago, I would say I will miss In & Out, Hamburger Habit, and Trader Joes, but all of these have opened branches within a half-hour of where I will be living. This means I can keep a steady supply of good burgers and amazing peanut butter cups.

So, here’s to Southern California!

And now…. back to packing my spaceship.

• What are things you miss (or would miss) about your home town?
• If you could only bring three things with you while moving, what would they be?
• If you could have one super power to help you with moving, what would it be?