Southern California resident questions..

[Ghoulish Delight]

It's hard to put my finger on why I live here. There are many many things I hate about it, the above mentioned traffic and real estate numbers being high on that list. There are certainly cities I much prefer in this world.

But then I find myself sitting in a cemetery, surrounded by the final resting places of the likes of Mel Blanc, watching the sun set behind a row of 100 foot tall palm trees, witnessing an impromptu reunion of the cast of Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

Or it's the middle of December, I've had a long day at work, and I'm relaxing with a drink outside in a hot tub.

I'm at the Derby nightclub in Hollywood, in a VIP room which was once a dressing room built specifically as Jerry Lewis's personal dressing room.

On a Sunday drive up the 405, I see dozens of beautifully restored classic cars as enthusiasts from all over are either on their way to one of many regular shows or just out for a spin.

I grew up here and have never lived anywhere else, so it's hard for me to look at it objectively. After 29 years, part of the reason I stay is inertia and the fact that the only family that I'm really close to also lives here. They're a big part of my life and it would be hard to leave them behind. But there's definitely enough reason beyond that for me to love living where I do.