The OC

Flying in to LAX, one notices something that is never captured in the movies; the shear enormity of a city. From the air, one can see the borders of Edmonton. Las Angeles and the surrounding counties seem to go on forever, staight to the horizon, nothing but glittery points of blue and yellow. In the movies, a space ship goes from a planetary view to a view where buildings are easily distinguishable and loom close at hand. Lost is the perfectly flat sea of lights that extends until finally a mountain is reached. Islands of high cost, hilly real estate stand out as dark patches.
Everybody knows the stereotype of people in southern California being tan and lean and generally better looking than everywhere else. After 4 years away, I have to say that this stereotype has merit. Normally I visit Californi in the winter, so despite the fact that I'm walking around in a t-shirt and shorts, the locals are wearing heavy coats and stay in doors where they crank the furnace in their non-insulated homes. In the summer however, hardly a shred of clothing is worn. I've spent the majority of my time here in my swim trunks, lounging by the pool and ocasionally sipping a fruity, frozen beverage. I saw a friend at his appartment and learned that he pays $1000 per month for the one bedroom place. That's the low end of the scale. I'll never be able to aford to live here again, but its nice to visit.