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Sunday, March 13, 2011

Living in Awesometown

Yes, that's right...I live in Awesometown (aka Valencia, CA).
And, as one can see from the picture, I was embarrassed to take a full frontal picture of this advertisement/billboard upon my return from the frozen tundra to the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank.
I have lived in Valencia and the valley it sits in since the start of grad school at CalArts in 1998.  In being in and out of this valley for give or take 10 out of the 13 years, I would never have thought to give it the moniker that now is bestowed upon it.  I had hoped, in my initial search for housing close to school,  to find cute California bungalows from the 1920s or so---not so- this place, in 1998 and beyond, was one of suburban development.  It was new,new, new; bulldozers; progress; strip shopping; and women in velour sweatsuits pushing strollers--(someone should pitch a Real Housewives for this area, it's its own surreal not unlike others in the franchise!)
That being said, I have chosen to live here and  to be close to work and two colleges-three really. I always love living in a community with that age group and their energy.  An added bonus as of late has been that I found a great group of writers and bloggers that have been like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.  As my one community of Friday night gatherings (writers as well) was pulled out from under me, this group came into my life and pulled me into safe waters and some sanity.  From one person/hostess who I thought was my friend to strangers that are becoming friends. These people are ones that I believe to become true friends unlike the falsehood of the other.
It is also a wonderful conversation piece-being from Awesometown. I get the same look from people when I tell them I live in Valencia/Santa Clarita Valley and they know that it has now been christened Awesometown.  There is a look in their eyes that they can hardly wait to tell me they have heard the buzz and are able to ask, "How is Awesometown? What's it like to live up there?"
It sounds silly to anyone outside out Los Angeles, but AngeleƱos hate to drive.  There's a common response of "that's so far!" and many that live in an area will not venture out, let alone date or visit people outside of a 20 minute drive time radius.  This means that many that live on the Westside never leave the Westside since that whole area is often one big parking lot on roads and highways.
Soooo, this is my current living situation.  I live in Awesometown and it isn't so shabby. Trust me, the drive to other sites of SoCal isn't that far of a drive!



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