Thought for the day: Love, being an idea, is strongest in the mind.
I've fallen in love with California, especially the Bay Area.
I am not now, nor have I ever been, in California. But, I ended up falling anyway. I know where it started, of course.
See, I'm in the process of applying for Google's BOLD Program- Building Opportunities for Leadership Development. I'd really, really like to get this, because even if I don't get hired for Google afterwards, I can put it on my resume and get hired...pretty much anywhere else, actually. This would, among other things, mean moving the the Bay Area for the summer. So, naturally, I started looking into the Bay Area and California in general.
As those who know me personally will recall, my personal hero was a San Franciscan, His Majesty Emperor Norton. I shan't go into the details here, at least not in this post, but suffice it to say that it had already predisposed towards liking the place; it has a reputation as a haven for weirdos like myself. Silicon Valley is, of course, the Great Geekopolis, so points there as well. Then I find, in the course of my researches, that San Francisco and San Jose both tend to rank in the Top 25, if not the Top 10, places for new grads.
Actually, let's veer off on a tangent for a moment. Let's talk about the job market for persons age 15-24. Unemployment for this group is anywhere from 15% to 20%, with the U.S. Dept. of Labor ranking it somewhere in the 18% range. Oh, yes, we can't find jobs anywhere - oh, but yes we can, because those numbers also includes high school and college dropouts. For those with a degree, it's about 4.5%; yes, finding a job is hard, but it's ALWAYS hard. The universe does not fall into your lap, sad but true.
Anyway, back to my Californication. And there, you see, is when I really got hooked. For a lark I started listening to songs about California and SF. The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Train both figured heavily. The lyrics and images kept swimming around my head. I fell, head over heels, with California, sight unseen.
YES, I'm aware of the catastrophic problems out there. SF is dirty, the homeless and vagrant problems(distinct but overlapping) are immense, and God help the transit system. And that doesn't even SPEAK to the immense cost of living as compared to here. But, you know what?
I'm sick and tired of small towns. I'm sick and tired of small people who think small and use small words. I've had enough, I want to, just once, get out to the Big City by the Big Sea(which I have YET to see, EVER!). And I will pray to a Big God when I kneel in the Big Church!
(And snow white pillows, for my big fat head. ;))
I've fallen in love with California, especially the Bay Area.
I am not now, nor have I ever been, in California. But, I ended up falling anyway. I know where it started, of course.
See, I'm in the process of applying for Google's BOLD Program- Building Opportunities for Leadership Development. I'd really, really like to get this, because even if I don't get hired for Google afterwards, I can put it on my resume and get hired...pretty much anywhere else, actually. This would, among other things, mean moving the the Bay Area for the summer. So, naturally, I started looking into the Bay Area and California in general.
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| His Imperial Majesty The Emperor Of These United States |
Actually, let's veer off on a tangent for a moment. Let's talk about the job market for persons age 15-24. Unemployment for this group is anywhere from 15% to 20%, with the U.S. Dept. of Labor ranking it somewhere in the 18% range. Oh, yes, we can't find jobs anywhere - oh, but yes we can, because those numbers also includes high school and college dropouts. For those with a degree, it's about 4.5%; yes, finding a job is hard, but it's ALWAYS hard. The universe does not fall into your lap, sad but true.
Anyway, back to my Californication. And there, you see, is when I really got hooked. For a lark I started listening to songs about California and SF. The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Train both figured heavily. The lyrics and images kept swimming around my head. I fell, head over heels, with California, sight unseen.
YES, I'm aware of the catastrophic problems out there. SF is dirty, the homeless and vagrant problems(distinct but overlapping) are immense, and God help the transit system. And that doesn't even SPEAK to the immense cost of living as compared to here. But, you know what?
I'm sick and tired of small towns. I'm sick and tired of small people who think small and use small words. I've had enough, I want to, just once, get out to the Big City by the Big Sea(which I have YET to see, EVER!). And I will pray to a Big God when I kneel in the Big Church!
(And snow white pillows, for my big fat head. ;))
I can tell you firsthand that the ocean is amazing <3 I have many, many seashells I've collected on various trips to the Atlantic (somewhere in the vincity of 300-400 at a guess). I've never managed to reach the Pacific though - farthest I've ever gone is Yellowstone. It is nice out West, but you start getting closer to California and people start looking plastic when they don't look like tourists :/
ReplyDeleteI should also warn you that the little ficlet we chatted about on Skype is going to come with an Omake you might not be as pleased with :P And I am setting it in the Bay area, just for you because you're so darn cute about it. I'm taking inspiration from this: http://www.freebestwallpapers.info/wallpaper/San-Francisco-s-Golden-Gate-bridge-at-night/
I hope the Google BOLD thing works out. If it's something you really want, you should always go for it. :) I hope California is everything you imagine it is.
ReplyDelete