An Embarassment of Riches
I'm not one to complain about living in Los Angeles. I have been here now for over 16 years, and while at time I daydream about moving somewhere else, for the most part I am perfectly happy here. However, there are certain things we Angelenos love to complain about, and when you get down to it, what we're really complaining almost all comes down to how spoiled we are.
Here's the top 10 things that suck about life in the city of Angels!
10. Traffic. Yeah a lot of people would put this at the top of their list. But if you're fortunate enough to be driving a car in Los Angeles, you're already doing better than millions of other people. You are located in a city of dreams, full of potential, with possible fortune around every corner. And you have somewhere to go! Someone wants to see you! So quit bitching and leave the house early enough to get where you're going on time, get a book on tape, learn a foreign language, or call your mom (hands free, on speaker phone, of course). Or learn how to take public transportation. People who take public transportation often WISH they could be in their own car in traffic, so maybe learn to look at the big picture and appreciate what you have.
9. Jury duty. Why do we seem to get called for Jury Duty every other month? The truth is, Californias are sue-happy. Someone has to make sure justice is carried out. I personally am honored to serve jury duty, even if it's inconvenient at the time.
8. Everything is so expensive. There's all these rich people here, and it feels like more and more of the businesses here cater to them. $14 for a chicken sandwich? Who TF has that kind of money to spend on lunch? Well, I'm guilty of it from time to time. Maybe if we all protested by just choosing NOT to buy something that's overpriced, things might change. But we just like to complain, suck it up, and perpetuate the cycle.
7. Taxes are too high. Our sales tax is 9%, which of course I'm used to now, but seemed pretty insane when I moved here, coming from somewhere that had, I think, 4% sales tax. But look at all the freeways, streets, sidewalks, trees, etc. that we have to pay for. Also all that enforcement. Parking enforcement can not exist on parking fees alone! Oh wait, they probably, definitely could...
6. Flakes, frauds and phonies. There's this big perception that LA is full of wannabees, actors, and superficial people who are just looking to use you to advance themselves to the next level. But enough about Scientology. But seriously, there are tons of creative people here who moved to Los Angeles to hone their craft or find their place in the world of show business. This does not mean they are flaky or superficial. There are shallow, self-centered people living everywhere. I don't think there is a higher concentration of them here, although they are more noticeable because they have to try harder to stand out here. Just laugh them off and steer clear of them and you'll be fine. Plus, a lot of them aren't "flaky," they're just busy (foreshadowing my number 1 on the list).
5. Dietary restrictions. As a cook, this one can be pretty annoying. Gluten allergies? Are those even real? Fad diets? Yep, you'll find them all here! One of your coworkers is on one right now! But let's not get caught up in what other people are choosing not to eat, when you can literally chose almost anything that you want to eat at any given moment. Los Angeles is a serious foodie heaven, whether you like upscale, street food, or 99 cents store bargain finds. There's always something new and interesting to shove in your mouth.
4. Homelessness. This is one of the most controversial and heated topics in the city right now. You can turn your head without seeing a homeless person. Just like the rest of us, they want to be in Los Angeles, for mainly the same reasons we all want to: the weather, the opportunities, the laid back attitude. But something about the system is broken and it's going to take us all working together to figure it out.
3. Everything is so far. This is one that I am uber-guilty of bitching about. "Hey Devin, wanna go to the concert at Santa Monica Pier?" "Yeah right, like I'm really going to go west of Doheny." If I can't walk there from home, I'm going to complain about it. Long Beach might as well be the south pole.
2. The four months a year when it gets too hot. I have been complaining non-stop about these autumn heat waves. It should not be over 100 degrees in October! But realistically, we have beautiful weather here 8 months out of the year. Even in those four other months - July, August, September, and October - any day there's usually a 50/50 chance that it will be fairly nice, if not on the hot side. And, when it does get too hot, almost every building has their A/C cranked up to arctic levels.
1. THERE'S TOO MUCH TO DO! A co-worker and I were just talking about this! Any given night of any week, there's at least two things you would love to do (especially if money were no object) and probably at least one thing you're expected to do, or will have to face the wrath of a friend or family member if you flake on. And it's a double edged sword. When you're having a milestone of your own, those that will be there to mark the occasion with you aren't necessarily your closest and most loyal friends. They're just the ones that hadn't already committed to something else that night. Look, we should all admit how lucky we are to live in a city full of entertainment, culture, and creative people. It just gets a little tiring trying to make it all work!
Here's the top 10 things that suck about life in the city of Angels!
10. Traffic. Yeah a lot of people would put this at the top of their list. But if you're fortunate enough to be driving a car in Los Angeles, you're already doing better than millions of other people. You are located in a city of dreams, full of potential, with possible fortune around every corner. And you have somewhere to go! Someone wants to see you! So quit bitching and leave the house early enough to get where you're going on time, get a book on tape, learn a foreign language, or call your mom (hands free, on speaker phone, of course). Or learn how to take public transportation. People who take public transportation often WISH they could be in their own car in traffic, so maybe learn to look at the big picture and appreciate what you have.
9. Jury duty. Why do we seem to get called for Jury Duty every other month? The truth is, Californias are sue-happy. Someone has to make sure justice is carried out. I personally am honored to serve jury duty, even if it's inconvenient at the time.
8. Everything is so expensive. There's all these rich people here, and it feels like more and more of the businesses here cater to them. $14 for a chicken sandwich? Who TF has that kind of money to spend on lunch? Well, I'm guilty of it from time to time. Maybe if we all protested by just choosing NOT to buy something that's overpriced, things might change. But we just like to complain, suck it up, and perpetuate the cycle.
7. Taxes are too high. Our sales tax is 9%, which of course I'm used to now, but seemed pretty insane when I moved here, coming from somewhere that had, I think, 4% sales tax. But look at all the freeways, streets, sidewalks, trees, etc. that we have to pay for. Also all that enforcement. Parking enforcement can not exist on parking fees alone! Oh wait, they probably, definitely could...
6. Flakes, frauds and phonies. There's this big perception that LA is full of wannabees, actors, and superficial people who are just looking to use you to advance themselves to the next level. But enough about Scientology. But seriously, there are tons of creative people here who moved to Los Angeles to hone their craft or find their place in the world of show business. This does not mean they are flaky or superficial. There are shallow, self-centered people living everywhere. I don't think there is a higher concentration of them here, although they are more noticeable because they have to try harder to stand out here. Just laugh them off and steer clear of them and you'll be fine. Plus, a lot of them aren't "flaky," they're just busy (foreshadowing my number 1 on the list).
5. Dietary restrictions. As a cook, this one can be pretty annoying. Gluten allergies? Are those even real? Fad diets? Yep, you'll find them all here! One of your coworkers is on one right now! But let's not get caught up in what other people are choosing not to eat, when you can literally chose almost anything that you want to eat at any given moment. Los Angeles is a serious foodie heaven, whether you like upscale, street food, or 99 cents store bargain finds. There's always something new and interesting to shove in your mouth.
4. Homelessness. This is one of the most controversial and heated topics in the city right now. You can turn your head without seeing a homeless person. Just like the rest of us, they want to be in Los Angeles, for mainly the same reasons we all want to: the weather, the opportunities, the laid back attitude. But something about the system is broken and it's going to take us all working together to figure it out.
3. Everything is so far. This is one that I am uber-guilty of bitching about. "Hey Devin, wanna go to the concert at Santa Monica Pier?" "Yeah right, like I'm really going to go west of Doheny." If I can't walk there from home, I'm going to complain about it. Long Beach might as well be the south pole.
2. The four months a year when it gets too hot. I have been complaining non-stop about these autumn heat waves. It should not be over 100 degrees in October! But realistically, we have beautiful weather here 8 months out of the year. Even in those four other months - July, August, September, and October - any day there's usually a 50/50 chance that it will be fairly nice, if not on the hot side. And, when it does get too hot, almost every building has their A/C cranked up to arctic levels.
1. THERE'S TOO MUCH TO DO! A co-worker and I were just talking about this! Any given night of any week, there's at least two things you would love to do (especially if money were no object) and probably at least one thing you're expected to do, or will have to face the wrath of a friend or family member if you flake on. And it's a double edged sword. When you're having a milestone of your own, those that will be there to mark the occasion with you aren't necessarily your closest and most loyal friends. They're just the ones that hadn't already committed to something else that night. Look, we should all admit how lucky we are to live in a city full of entertainment, culture, and creative people. It just gets a little tiring trying to make it all work!
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