re: Why would ANYBODY in their right mind live in California?

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That’s stunning! I still need to explore Northern California!

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It is and you should. The Outside Beyond the Lens documentaries are good and will give a lot of insight to places to go to in the state. Enjoy.

$200k is entry level for California

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Because it’s insanely beautiful and the people there are really wonderful.

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Where you talking about, the Sierras and the valley east of there? Yeah, it's pretty spectacular. And the people are mostly conservative and down to earth. World class trout fishing on the Owens around the Chalfant and Bishop areas if you're privy to the best spots.

If you're talking about the rest of the state along the coast, please pass me your dealer's contact info because I've been wanting some shrooms.

And don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about because I escaped the coast decades ago for the beautiful state of Oklahoma and never looked back.

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Because it’s insanely beautiful and the people there are really wonderful.

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Yea it is very beautiful and you did get the Insanely part correct as well. What a waste of beautiful earth

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The point I’ve been making is the state politicians in California are making it only harder and harder for the middle class to thrive there any longer.

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Agreed. The political climate is rough here on the state level for sure and because of that you get the heavy regulations and all of the other crap that comes with the dems running the show (just like in DC).

The question the OP asked is why anyone live here and I'm trying to answer that question. All I'm saying is that the state offers up much more than is thought of and you do have to get away from the relatively small area of the Bay Area & LA to see what is happening out here in the rest of this place. Don't let those places speak for the rest of the state. LA & the Bay are unmitigated disasters but that's their problem and I laugh at them for what they've done to themselves.

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the bite behind your words might be indicative of something deeper. Oklahoma is…nice if you know where to go im sure.

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Anywhere outside of Lawton, OKC, Tulsa and Stillwater.

That's where you find real Oklahoma. Feel free to visit any time.

I won't go back to Cali except maybe around Mammoth Lakes, Big Bear and Yosemite, that general area. Maybe north up to the redwoods. It's pretty nice there. Heck, I really don't even mind the thought of seeing the lava fields or Death Valley again. Just won't do that in July like last time. But we'll address this:

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might be indicative of something deeper.

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Nothing deep at all. I despise crowds. I'm an antisocial nonconformist. Combine that with being a sigma personality archetype and that's me. I can't be comfortable in polluted air with crowded city streets and the constant white noise of road and air traffic along with the neverending ring of sirens. I cannot be a willing participant in colloquial hive mentality and live among those who scream "we're all in this together" while they hoard their possessions, post guards around their gated communities and install sound-proofing insulation to deaden the sounds of helicopter traffic. It's not anything deeper than that. I'm a true lover of nature and, unlike the hippie colonies and their ilk, I actually do leave places in nature cleaner than how I found thim. Give me days of hard work, weekends of fishing and relaxation when not working, and nights filled with silent-as-death starlit skies not impeded by city lights and smog. That's where I belong. Also, I consider myself to be extremely prudent in the application of coin, and, even though prices are up everywhere, I cannot fathom spending so much money just to live a meager existence in an overpriced, crowded city. I might make 4× more going to the west coast and doing what I do, but if I'm spending 4× more is it more than a lateral move?

Each to their own though. My comment was certainly "judgy" in ways, and I should've thought that through. Some folks are just city hicks and that's their bag. I've got nothing against that, it's just not the life I choose to live.

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CA is the best state,

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No thanks!

Thank you for the advice! No worries my sigma friend! That’s the beauty of this great country. Lots and lots of room! I really do appreciate the heads up about where to visit Oklahoma and if I make my way up, would it be cool to buy you a beer and shoot the shite?

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really do appreciate the heads up about where to visit Oklahoma and if I make my way up, would it be cool to buy you a beer and shoot the shite?

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Of course! I'm always up for a cold one and a good conversation.

And for the record, Tulsa, OKC, Stillwater and Lawton certainly do have their sights and sounds and attractions. Downtown in both OKC and Tulsa is pretty chill on the weekends. Game day in Stilly can be a lot of fun around campus. Lawton is- well, it's Lawton. Pretty countryside around there if you dig the "no man's land" views with very rocky mountains dotted here and there (which I do).

I just prefer, as I said, the smaller more rural locales. If you go down to Talimena or Broken Bow, or anywhere around Tahlequah, or up around Grove at Grand lake, or Little Sahara State Park, anywhere around the Blue River down south by Tishomingo, or anywhere along the Washita River or Kiamichi Mountains, the geographical diversity is astounding. Something for everyone. A lot of the rednecks around here truly are pretty closed off and stand-offish to "outsiders", but I guarantee you but them a cold Keystone Light or Budweiser and they'll warm up to you quickly.