My ties to California is fading away...

[ACG]

Good luck on your sale, I'm sure it was a hard decision.

I grew up and still live in SoCal, but never did live on the beach. I know all those places and my ex was a member of the Magic Castle.

But home is where you are, and places you've lived are where your home was at that time. And I'm sure all those places you lived, are not as interesting because you aren't there.

[emily_in_nc]

It's difficult to leave behind a place that has been such a significant part of your life. I was born and raised and spent most of my life in North Carolina and miss it as a place, so many things about it. I have friends and family there that I miss as well. I think in my heart of hearts that I know I'll live there again someday...but it's not for me right now. I need to see different places and experience different cultures (in or outside of the US) while I'm still young and healthy enough to do so. I also miss Belize, where we lived for a year and a half and left because there were more things about it I didn't like than that I liked. But hindsight tends to bring out the rose-colored glasses -- it's easier to recall the good than the bad. And I think Facebook makes this worse as I continue to see photos and read blogs from people who live there now, and it keeps the memories and beauty of the place in the forefront of my mind. But again, it's not the place I need to be right now.

It sounds like you love Oregon, SmilingCat, but you will always have a special place in your heart for California. I sometimes wish I were wealthy enough to own homes in about eight different places (but not have to do the maintenance on any of them), so I could come and go here and there as I pleased, leaving when things got too samey or routine there.

Good luck with the sale -- I can imagine how bittersweet it is.

[Crankin]

I've lived in 4 places, and did, finally, return to my roots, just about 24 years ago. There are things I miss about AZ, but, when I stop and remember why we left, well, it doesn't last for long. I can still visit, and will always feel a strong connection; you don't forget about 16 years of your adult life very easily. And, that's where my kids were born, making them an unusual species, native Zonies. You know, up until about 10 years ago, I would have said I still miss my friends. But, that's faded, as my life has gone in a very different direction, mostly due to cycling!

[shootingstar]

Smilingcat, after going to Hawai'i on 2 different trips I realized that despite the beauty of the place and tropical fecundity with ocean views, I realized that I'm not a hot tropical climate kind of person. I can't even swim, so beach towns have an appeal up to a certain point.

But certainly I like balmier areas of Canada. Right now, it's snowing lightly again.. According to long time Albertans, it's normal to have several days of snow in May /June annually. It's freakin' tiring but hey, I could have ended up 1,000 kms. north in CAnadian far Arctic where I was once interviewed for a job.

Unbelievably we just had a BIke to Work Day ...yesterday. For strange unknown reasons, the guy who steers this annual event, always has it in early May. It took considerable effort by the municipality for him to stop hosting it in Apr. It's just still too cold to grow the event to a massive scale, if he insists on this early crazy date.

After living in 3 different regions of Canada....I feel as if I've learned abit more about the soul of Canada, where I've always been.

[smilingcat]

I was feeling melancholy about selling the house and having to put to sleep our elderly dog. We moved to Portland with two dogs and ten cats. One of the dogs died two years ago and the second dog died the same day I put my house on sale. And with it, there are lot less strings tying us back to California.

So I've been listening to music on Youtube... Just can't seem to get away from country music... I like music from Germany, Norway, Finland. German, because I understand enough German to butcher it Finnish because the language sounds so beautiful, melodic and Norwegian because of angelic voice of Sissel and pureness of Helene Boksle... So I was surfing... looking for happy sounding songs then I came across Anne Nordsti, Contrazt and few others. ???? what steel guitar twang twang twang... it sounded like I was going to hear Conway Twitty, Reba, Loretta Lynn. Just what I need to cheer me up. And instead I hear sliding steel guitar, country melody, guy in cowboy hat Steiner Engelbrektson singing in Norwegian. Now my head is really screwed in a funky place. Am I feeliing better?? I don't know. I'm just really confused. I just hope I get myself straightened out before I get offers for my SoCal house. If you don't believe me about country music in Norwegian here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS5yw-YhGtE

Is this some sort of twilight zone?

Hope to get few more offers by Monday...

[ny biker]

I'm very sorry about your dog.

I grew up on Long Island, in the house where my father has lived since he was 12. Since then I've lived in Philadelphia, Chicago, Manhattan, DC and norther Virginia. I still refer to Long Island as home. I visit often, because I still have family there. If they weren't living there I would probably find excuses to visit from time to time. It wouldn't be the same, but I think it would still be meaningful.

In a way I think you are giving a chance to someone else to build happy memories and a connection to a special place. And it will always be a part of who you are.

I hope the sale goes well.

p.s. I'm also a life-long Mets fan, which some would consider to be about as screwy as singing Norwegian cowboys...

p.p.s. Okay now that Norwegian country song is stuck in my head...

[lph]

Oh dear, smiling... you couldn't find something better? :-D Country music is big here, it goes with the feeling that all Norwegians are farmers at heart.

Louis Armstrong picks me up and calms me down if I'm feeling upset. If you like female Scandinavian artists, check out Susanne Sundfør "Running to the sea" and "The Brothel", Ingrid Olava "Her kommer vinteren", and Marit Larsen "Vår beste dag". Swedish: Lisa Ekdahl "Vem vet", "Oppna opp ditt fonster" and "Å gud", Lykke Li "I follow rivers". Ok, maybe not very cheerful, but lovely music to my mind.

Good luck on the move!! I get very attached to places, even though I love to travel, and I grieve for every place I have to leave.