Southern Cali is such a rat race (San Diego, Oakland: oceanfront, insurance)

[DCMann2]

SoCal is definitely a rat race, which is partially why I hated it so much. Life in the north is so much more pleasant, imo.

[NewToCA]

This trend seems to exist more in certain parts of the country.

I'd say places such as LA, SF, NYC and Washington DC are most like you describe. These places tend to have quite a few eager, young and competitive types who are very oriented towards financial success.

It exist everywhere to some degree, but I'd say those four metro areas have a more severe orientation that way.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

This trend seems to exist more in certain parts of the country.

I'd say places such as LA, SF, NYC and Washington DC are most like you describe. These places tend to have quite a few eager, young and competitive types who are very oriented towards financial success.

It exist everywhere to some degree, but I'd say those four metro areas have a more severe orientation that way.

I have to agree, these places are very expensive to live and fairly competitive. \

While San Diego is also pricey I found it much less of a rat race than the Bay Area although people there struggle as well with costs.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by sav858

I have to agree, these places are very expensive to live and fairly competitive. \

While San Diego is also pricey I found it much less of a rat race than the Bay Area although people there struggle as well with costs.

I agree with this too. San Diego is quite a bit more leisurely, overall less high strung than most of the Bay Area and certainly less so than LA.

[ccm123]

I think most big cities are like that, but LA and the Bay Area are definitely "rat race" central.

[nightlysparrow]

Rats only go where they see opportunity.

[jm1982]

I read this somewhere recently:

"Even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat" Pretty true.

If you work anywhere for 40+ hours a week (outside of home) I think you participate in the rat race to some degree.

I think what makes everything feel more like a rat race is all the people ,traffic and long commute times.

I think it's mostly commuting that makes me feel like i'm in the rat race. If I lived very close to work I don't think i'd have that rat race feeling.

I do want to get out of driving all the time soon. I don't think it's very healthy in general ,especially combined with a job that requires one to sit at a desk , plus the stress of traffic.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by DCMann2

SoCal is definitely a rat race, which is partially why I hated it so much. Life in the north is so much more pleasant, imo.

There are plenty, I mean plenty of areas in SoCal where you don't have to follow the rat race at all, and meet others who don't either.

While I love northern California too, the areas north of Sacramento (IE your location in Chico), yet more than one county inland from the ocean get a little too conservative for me. Conservative stances on "God, Guns, and Gays" can feel a little stifling. And I say this as a straight guy who goes to church, and has been to a rifle range in the past.

Sacramento, Davis, some Sierra resort towns are great though.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

I agree with this too. San Diego is quite a bit more leisurely, overall less high strung than most of the Bay Area and certainly less so than LA.

LA county has a diverse range of communities, and a lot of the neighborhoods/places that people love about San Diego have their counterparts in LA county.

San Diego is lovely, but its a bit less centrally located to other California regions/natural areas, its economy is a little too dominated by military, engineering which affects guy-to-girl ratio (important for me as a single guy, I like to feel like I'm an in demand scarce commodity which in LA, a down to earth, friendly guy is), and its suburbs are a little conservative (IE: Lakeside, Santee, etc.). You might as well then live in Texas.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

LA county has a diverse range of communities, and a lot of the neighborhoods/places that people love about San Diego have their counterparts in LA county.

San Diego is lovely, but its a bit less centrally located to other California regions/natural areas, its economy is a little too dominated by military, engineering which affects guy-to-girl ratio (important for me as a single guy, I like to feel like I'm an in demand scarce commodity which in LA, a down to earth, friendly guy is), and its suburbs are a little conservative (IE: Lakeside, Santee, etc.). You might as well then live in Texas.

Sure but you still have to deal with the rest of LA.

You really exaggerate this whole girl-to-guy ratio thing and just seem to be something you've fixated on rather than acutally experiencing it first hand.

LA has suburbs just as conservative as any in San Diego, ever hear of this place called "Orange County" or places like Simi Valley? So not sure what that really matters.