So I kind of dropped the ball with regards to this post. Sorry 'bout that. But it's here now, a month late, yes, but here all the same. I first got the idea for this post when I was in Texas and people would say stuff about California and what they have heard goes on here, and although some of it was very true, and some of it partially true, not all of it was. So that's what I'm here for, right? Crazy Californian for ya!
I'm going to start with some of the questions my blogging friends asked (thanks for doing that, by the way) and then move on to the ones I've heard myself. hopefully you'll be enlightened. :)
Evie asked:
Do all Americans say y'all? Funny you should ask, Evie! The fact is that pretty much every state (or small group of states at least) has it's own accent of sorts, special phrases the people use, and slang. I can't really describe the Californian accent because, well, I have one, but I can certainly tell the difference from, say, a Boston accent. The majority of people in America do not say y'all, although there are many who do. It's mainly a Southern thing *smiles*. But wait!!! Why do I say y'all? Because I like to. It's easier than saying 'you guys' and frankly just sounds better. Everyone looks at me a bit strange, but that's fine with me. I really don't care.
Palm trees? Hollywood? Now I'm pretty sure this is what a lot of people think when they think California. Do y'all have famous people running around all over the place? Yes and no. Down near Los Angeles, there are actors and other celebrities all over. In fact, my friend's mom said that she's seen Dick Van Dyke out taking a walk many times before! I mean, imagine that! But it's pretty much a localized thing. I've lived in the SF Bay Area my whole life and never seen anyone famous beyond sports players. And palm trees? Yes! Lots of them. But not so much along the coast, as you might tend to think. The California coast (the northern 3/4 at least) is not so much sandy beaches as rocky coves and cliffs. Which I like better than sand anyway. The coast is actually pretty cold a lot of the time, even in the summer in most places it's overcast until noon or so. (pictures my dad's)
(And by the way, if you couldn't tell, along the coast there was veeery cold and windy.)
Beth asked:
How about the California cliche of blonde surfers? Crazy movie people? Are there as many of those in CA as we see in movies?? :D Blonde surfers? Now I'm afraid I'm not too qualified to answer that question, as I don't live in surfing territory. I think there are a lot more surfers down in So Cal, but here, not really.
Okay, now on to the ones I've heard myself.
All Californians are gun-fearing, Obama-loving liberals. No. Of course no one thinks that all Californians are liberals, but still, the percentage isn't as high as you might think. It might just be because the people I chose to associate with are definitely more conservative, I dunno. But although there certainly are a lot of ban-all-guns people, there are a lot of people who oppose that strongly. It is sometimes a bit overpowering with all the media and everything here, though, and the people as well. Going to Texas was a breath of fresh air. ;)
All Californians are gay. Now, I don't want to get very deep on this one (all I want to say on this topic is 'love the sinner, hate the sin'), but this is NOT TRUE. Even though most people here are, shall we say, very receptive of this sin, it is still not very common yet. It was funny, 'cause when I was in Texas, at the youth group at my friend's church, this girl gave her friend a hug and then felt the need to tell me she was straight and they were best friends. Peeps, it's not like anything of the sort even crossed my mind! Boy, people do think Californian's are crazy!
California is all sandy beaches. Now this kind of ties into stuff I said before, but our state actually has more cliffs along the shore. And since it is so long vertically, the climate difference is amazing! We have lots of forests along the coast 1/4, then a bunch of farmland, desert and otherwise mild climate, and then mountains along the Nevada side. It is anything but Hawaii type climate. Well, actually, I wouldn't know. I've never been there.
So there you have it! If there's anything else you think of that you are wondering about, let me know in a comment and I can add it to this post! Hope you enjoyed. :)
Okay, now on to the ones I've heard myself.
All Californians are gun-fearing, Obama-loving liberals. No. Of course no one thinks that all Californians are liberals, but still, the percentage isn't as high as you might think. It might just be because the people I chose to associate with are definitely more conservative, I dunno. But although there certainly are a lot of ban-all-guns people, there are a lot of people who oppose that strongly. It is sometimes a bit overpowering with all the media and everything here, though, and the people as well. Going to Texas was a breath of fresh air. ;)
All Californians are gay. Now, I don't want to get very deep on this one (all I want to say on this topic is 'love the sinner, hate the sin'), but this is NOT TRUE. Even though most people here are, shall we say, very receptive of this sin, it is still not very common yet. It was funny, 'cause when I was in Texas, at the youth group at my friend's church, this girl gave her friend a hug and then felt the need to tell me she was straight and they were best friends. Peeps, it's not like anything of the sort even crossed my mind! Boy, people do think Californian's are crazy!
California is all sandy beaches. Now this kind of ties into stuff I said before, but our state actually has more cliffs along the shore. And since it is so long vertically, the climate difference is amazing! We have lots of forests along the coast 1/4, then a bunch of farmland, desert and otherwise mild climate, and then mountains along the Nevada side. It is anything but Hawaii type climate. Well, actually, I wouldn't know. I've never been there.
So there you have it! If there's anything else you think of that you are wondering about, let me know in a comment and I can add it to this post! Hope you enjoyed. :)
Blessings,
Reyna
Very interesting read, darling!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings -
~ Aspen