Goin' To California

I can not help but hear Led Zepplin every time I travel west. "Made up my mind to make a new start, Goin' to California with an achin', in my heart." Since I lived on the West Coast for 10 years which, up until 2004 was the bulk of my adult life, I know exactly what Robert Plant was singing about.

As much as Tucson became my home, I miss and love San Diego every bit as much. The ocean truly does call me and everytime I visit, I know I'll be back for good some day. When I moved back to the great state of New York to be near family, of course people thought we had completely lost our minds. Strangers have the same reaction when we tell them we left California for Upstate New York. The reality is, life is about choices. Sure, the weather is awesome, but it isn't all about the weather and it never has been. The west coast lifestyle appeals to me in a way that transcends the weather.

I returned home on last Wednesday and, as an added joke to the negative wind chill and the snow that seems like it will be here forever, I was stricken with the flu. Since the glass has to be half-full to survive winter in NY, at least I didn't have to go outside for three days!