I say, Why NOT California? California is not just a place. It's a way of life. Cliché, I know, but true. I say that having come from a small farming community in Indiana, which is a completely different way of life than California. We just follow a different drumbeat than other people here in California. To break it down a little further, Southern California is a different way of life than Northern California. As with any other location, there are both pros and cons to living there. Here I'll list some of what I see as being pros and cons of living in Californa. Obviously this isn't a comprehensive list, and it's based on my personal opinions. I would love to hear what you consider to be a pro/con of living in California, as well!

Cons of Living in California:

1. Traffic. There are a lot of people in California. Most of these people have cars. Most of these car-owning people drive said cars. This results in traffic. Traffic in Southern California is significantly worse than it is here in Northern California. Traffic in Northern California is significantly worse than it is in my small farming community home of Jay County Indiana.

2. The weather. It's hot. It is hot in California. Period. We can have full weeks of 100-degree weather. I know there are plenty of other places in the United States where the weather is just as warm, and warmer, but we're talking about California. It's hot here. In the winter it rains in Northern California. Again, not nearly as much rain as can be found in the upper Northwest regions of the country. But too much rain for my liking.

3. Pressure to look good. Mostly this pressure to look as fabulous as a celebrity can be found in Southern California, but it's inched it's way to the North as well. If you walk out to your mailbox without your hair done, makeup fully applied, and 3" stiletto heels on, you will garner utterly confused looks of astonishment.

Pros of living in California:

1. The weather. It's warm in California. Yes, I know we've established the weather to be a con of living in California. What can I say? We Californians are complex beings...for the most part. The weather in California is nice for a majority of the year. This means we get to be outside for a majority of the year. More trips to the beach, more outdoor concerts, more swimming, more barbeques. More tans.

2. The beach. I live in the Sacramento area, which puts me a mere 2 hour drive away from a beach. If you live in Southern California, chances are you're a little closer to a beach. With the sunny, warm weather, you have ample opportunity to make your way to whatever beach your little heart desires.

3. The Bay area. We have San Francisco. No one else can say that! If you're into anything artsy, San Fran is the place to go. Great shopping, there, too. An eclectic mix of people, to say the least. Never a dull moment in San Francisco.

4. Lake Tahoe. Beautiful Lake Tahoe. The water is always clear blue...and freezing. But beautiful. There is a wide variety of activities to keep you occupied in the Tahoe area. On South Shore you'll find the casinos. On North Shore there are great places to shop, eat, and all sorts of water-activity-equipment-rental locations. I've personally parasailed at Lake Tahoe, and it is a gorgeous view from the sky. Kayaking on the lake is great, as well. If you wander a little ways away from the lake itself you'll find a plethera of other activities, including bike trails, hiking trails, and Emerald Bay.

5 Proximity. As I said before, I live in the Sacramento area. This puts me approximately 1 1/2 hours driving time away from San Francisco, 3 hours driving time to Santa Cruz and the boardwalk, 1 1/2 hours driving time away from Lake Tahoe, 9 hours driving time / 1 hour flying time to Los Angeles, 2 hours flying time to Las Vegas, NV, 2 hours flying time to Seattle, WA, less than a 2 hour drive away from some great ski slopes...I could go on. We're within a couple hours of almost anything you could want to see or do.