I miss you, but....

California. Good ole' Califor-nia! I grew up in East L.A. Yes, the ghetto East Los. Growing up there, I never saw it as "bad". But I always heard bad stuff on the news, certain family members would always tell my folks "you guys need to move out of East L.A. or your kids will be gang members". That's what everyone worried about. My sister and I turning into cholas, my brother into a cholo. Ok, I admit, I did sport an "initial" belt buckle! But that was it. I was never attracted to the gangster boys. My dad was very popular in our neighborhood. We were known as "la familia del carnicero" (the butcher's family). No one really messed with us cause of the respect they had for my dad. I can remember one time, I must have been about 12 or 13. This homeless man came to our house in the middle of the night to tell my dad someone was breaking into his shop. It's like, everyone looked out for each other in the hood. Back then, it wasn't like it is today. All these little hoodlums take their "gansterness" to the next level. It's sad. But anyway, so I do miss California. I miss my friends, family, awesome hole in the wall food places. BUT I don't miss it enough to move back. California is now I place I don't mind visiting once a month or once every 3 months. I try to go often now cause I have a kid and he needs to spend quality time with his cousins. But even then, even though I miss my family so much, California isn't my home anymore. It's so expensive to live there. It's so crowded. So much traffic and construction everywhere. I hate the hell out of the 10 freeway! And the humidity is not good to my hair, skin, armpits (read previous blog for that) or my wallet! But it's good to me for my mental state of mind. When I need my family, I take a California trip. Sometimes Vegas drives me crazy. I don't have too much family out here. But it's just enough. I'm satisfied. I hear it all the time, "when are you moving back to L.A." I say NEVER. And they say "never say never". And I say, not but really, NEVER! I am spoiled now. I live in a quiet neighborhood. When I visit East L.A., I am even scared to park my car in front of my old house. It sounds totally selfish and rude but it's true. I left the hood and found something better. Change is good. It's done me a lot of good and I don't regret it at all. Now, will I stay in Vegas forever? No. Cause I want to travel and meet new people. So, Dallas will be next. Not this year, or next. But it's next :-)