Has the California culture changed you at all?

[Fontucky]

Speaking as a native and clothing: My idea of "dressing up" is wearing long pants and actual shoes. I haven't worn a tie in decades, don't own a suit. If some place requires that, I don't go, unless I borrow a coat and tie.

[sponger42]

Originally Posted by Sunny_View

Where are you from Sponger?

The Midwest, originally. Nice folks, but very boring and very monocultural, for the most part. Nothing wrong with that; it yields a stable environment, but growing up there left me with a solid racist streak. Or maybe everybody else is just as prejudiced, but learned to hide it. Travelling around has just made me aware of my prejudices, so I have no problem being actively PC to counter my natural tendency to judge people by their appearance. Amusingly enough, my spouse and I are a mixed race couple, and we make unabashed fun of our two cultures employing every stereotype out there, and making up more of our own. In private of course, lest we horrify our friends and neighbors.

My ideal place to live is actually just a bit north of LA. For now, though, I'll even take the IE just to get out of Boston! People just seem so uptight about everything, and I feel like it's rubbing off on me. I think I'm a much meaner person when I'm in the NE.

[PatanjaliTwist]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Speaking as a native and clothing: My idea of "dressing up" is wearing long pants and actual shoes.

Haha. My sister has lived in SoCal for 25-yrs. I was teasing her one time that she hasn't owned a pair of closed toe shoes or long pants during that time. She said, 'I still dress for 4 seasons. I'm wearing black flip flops & blue shorts. So obviously my winter attire!'