Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of Western civilization
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)
A friend updating me on his family seemed to mention with almost everyone that they wanted out of Utah. So, I wondered: Why does everyone not want to live in Utah?
My Utah experience is extremely limited – a year and a half at the Y.
Here's my ignorance about Utah -
Pluses – church is real handy. Addresses are easy to find. The mountains. The towns look pretty tidy. Stampin'Up is headquartered there, as well as the Church. You probably get church on TV/radio even if you don't have cable/satellite. The Pioneer Day makes more sense than Ceasar Chavez Day, but it's too close to Independence Day (what were they thinking?).
Minuses –almost everyone is Mormon, but you can't tell by looking. Hanging out with Mormon kids may mean pressure to lower your standards. I don't know if that is really so, but that's the impression one sometimes gets. Too far from the ocean! And too dry. Real winters.
I never had a burning desire to live in Utah, but I just wonder why the burning desire NOT to live in Utah.
Here's my ignorance about Utah -
Pluses – church is real handy. Addresses are easy to find. The mountains. The towns look pretty tidy. Stampin'Up is headquartered there, as well as the Church. You probably get church on TV/radio even if you don't have cable/satellite. The Pioneer Day makes more sense than Ceasar Chavez Day, but it's too close to Independence Day (what were they thinking?).
Minuses –almost everyone is Mormon, but you can't tell by looking. Hanging out with Mormon kids may mean pressure to lower your standards. I don't know if that is really so, but that's the impression one sometimes gets. Too far from the ocean! And too dry. Real winters.
I never had a burning desire to live in Utah, but I just wonder why the burning desire NOT to live in Utah.
I do have other friends who left California to live in Utah and seem to like it very much. I can hardly imagine!
Of course, compared to the Pacific Northwest!!!!! Pretty much my ideal.
If I had my druthers I would live on the Pacific north coast - northern California or Oregon or Washington, don't know if I have a preference, except for wanting to see whales - with the ocean in front of me and an evergreen forest at my back. Except, most of my children are here, with the one daughter and her family almost next door, so even if I had billions of dollars I would live here. Unless, of course, I could get them to come live by the ocean with me!
I loved Oregon growing up there. My oldest says she will never leave Washington.
But I am rather fond of California, too. We have almost any kind of place you could want here. It tickles me a great deal that working for State Parks I am part of preserving and making available to the public some great natural beauty. A small, rather insignificant part, but still a part. Sometimes, I get to talk to people from all over California. A ranger was telling me today that I simply must go to Angel Island. A gal on the North Coast was touting the beautiful weather they are having today in the redwood forests. California has many kinds of beauty and I enjoy much of it vicariously.
I like Sacramento. It gets hot in the summer, "but it's a dry heat." Thank goodness for the Delta breeze!! We have a beautiful state capital, lots of parks, a wonderful diversity of people and culture. Some very nice and special people live here. We can easily drive to the mountains or to the ocean. We have lots of trees, more than Paris, I have heard.
If I had all the time and money, I would wander these United States, mostly the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, and especially spend ages in early American history sites. I would, probably, pay almost duty visits to early Mormon history sites, but early American history would be my passion! I would like to drive all over the country, stopping here and there as something caught my imagination, and staying maybe an hour, maybe a month. My son Andrew would be the perfect companion. He and I dream of taking road trips together. I would want all my kids, but he is the one who would love to go. Eventually, I would return to my coastal cottage. Once I had my chance to see America, I don't know if I would travel more or not. I might just stay home forever – except for visiting kids when they weren't visiting me. Or I might see America more and again. I might also like to visit the British Isles and Portugal, maybe Germany.
Of course, compared to the Pacific Northwest!!!!! Pretty much my ideal.
If I had my druthers I would live on the Pacific north coast - northern California or Oregon or Washington, don't know if I have a preference, except for wanting to see whales - with the ocean in front of me and an evergreen forest at my back. Except, most of my children are here, with the one daughter and her family almost next door, so even if I had billions of dollars I would live here. Unless, of course, I could get them to come live by the ocean with me!
I loved Oregon growing up there. My oldest says she will never leave Washington.
But I am rather fond of California, too. We have almost any kind of place you could want here. It tickles me a great deal that working for State Parks I am part of preserving and making available to the public some great natural beauty. A small, rather insignificant part, but still a part. Sometimes, I get to talk to people from all over California. A ranger was telling me today that I simply must go to Angel Island. A gal on the North Coast was touting the beautiful weather they are having today in the redwood forests. California has many kinds of beauty and I enjoy much of it vicariously.
I like Sacramento. It gets hot in the summer, "but it's a dry heat." Thank goodness for the Delta breeze!! We have a beautiful state capital, lots of parks, a wonderful diversity of people and culture. Some very nice and special people live here. We can easily drive to the mountains or to the ocean. We have lots of trees, more than Paris, I have heard.
If I had all the time and money, I would wander these United States, mostly the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, and especially spend ages in early American history sites. I would, probably, pay almost duty visits to early Mormon history sites, but early American history would be my passion! I would like to drive all over the country, stopping here and there as something caught my imagination, and staying maybe an hour, maybe a month. My son Andrew would be the perfect companion. He and I dream of taking road trips together. I would want all my kids, but he is the one who would love to go. Eventually, I would return to my coastal cottage. Once I had my chance to see America, I don't know if I would travel more or not. I might just stay home forever – except for visiting kids when they weren't visiting me. Or I might see America more and again. I might also like to visit the British Isles and Portugal, maybe Germany.
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