The home of movie stars, drugs, crime and smog that would be Los Angeles is also the place I call home. When I tell people I’m from L.A., I usually get a “cool” or “that’s awesome.” Yeah, I like to think so, too. In actuality, I’m from a city that’s in the L.A. district but is about 30 miles north of the city: Saugus, which is now Valencia.
Maybe some of you have seen Valencia oranges in your grocery store. That’s right, the oranges you buy here in Florida are actually California oranges. Which is cool for me – it’s like having a little piece of home when I’m so far away. I love California. In fact, my favorite spot on earth is Yosemite National Park (in Northern California).
It’s a great state: beautiful weather, the ocean, the mountains and, best of all, nice people. I never really wanted to leave. I had to move to Florida when I was 12 years old because of my dad’s job. But even though I’ve lived in Florida for almost 11 years now, I still, and will always, call California home. Where else can you go surfing and skiing in the same place? Yes, it gets cold there, for those who don’t know. I’ve actually met quite a few people who didn’t know there were mountains there: The Sierra Nevada runs right through the state. And I would take an earthquake over a hurricane any day.
Yeah, you have more warning with a hurricane, but it lasts a lot longer, and the majority of hurricanes cause a lot more damage than most of the earthquakes. I’ve been through a few earthquakes; they’re really not that bad. Yes, I’ve seen a couple of movie stars. I have an uncle who works in special effects and my dad used to be an extra and than a casting director. I even got myself into a film the year I was born: Fast Times At Ridgemont High. I’m the baby in the nursery, just so you all know.
OK, enough bragging. Seriously, I just like the attitude in California. Here, people are always in a rush, uptight and rude. Out there, people are still in a rush, but they’re nice about it. They’ll pull of the road for an ambulance and stop to let a pedestrian cross the street. Here, you feel like you’re taking your life in your hands by trying to make it across. California’s just better. But don’t just take my word for it, go and see it yourself. Just remember you might not want to come back.
