LA Blogs: LA insight

LA Blogs has this survey item.

1. How long have you lived in Los Angeles?

36 out of 41 years. I was at UC Irvine for graduate school. Sorry OC, I still think of that as part of my LA life.

2. Were you born here?

Yes, in 1963.

3. How long did you plan on staying here originally?

Growing up, I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. I did live in DC from 1993-1997 and SF 1997-1998. I really enjoyed those town. They are soooooo different from LA. I could imagine someday not living in LA.

4. How long do you plan on staying here now?

Don't know. For now, I have no plans to move.

5. What keeps you here?

I have a decent job and my immediate family is here.

6. What makes you want to leave?

Smog and traffic. Growing up in LA, I didn't think it was so bad. But having lived elsewhere (SF and DC has its share of traffic but nothing like LA) and as for smog though LA has improved considerably, it is still quite a bit worse than SF or DC.

7. What is your biggest suprise about living here?

LA has this repuation for being a town of flaky and shallow people and the land of fruits and nuts). I find that isn't entirely true. I have wonderful friends who I adore who don't resemble that stereotype.

8. What is your biggest disappointment about living here?

DC has a big fireworks show on the National Mall for July 4. LA doesn't have "the place" to be on July 4th. SF has a lot of little neighborhood stores you can walk to. LA has some of that but not much. With SF you think of the Golden Gate Bridge. With DC you think of the Capitol. With LA, you think of ... ??? I suppose that is part of the LA atmosphere that LA isn't just one place? So that is both a disappointment and a charm of the city.