During lunch at "Albert's" in the heart of the San Diego Zoo, Dana, Jud, and I conversed about a shared experience on the west coast. It is difficult to make new, meaningful connections with people when you take a new job and/or move to a new city out here.
East Coast Folks (ECF) are more passionate about what they do. At work, ECF make a commitment and invest in their career and strive to advance in their company or industry. At play, or when pursuing a hobby, or cultivating an interest in wine, art, or books, ECF take a more intense approach to most things.
Its been my experience that West Coast Natives (WCN) have a single mindedness that is all about themselves. They won't miss their routines at the gym, because for many in the land of sunshine, it's all about the way you look. They'll spend hours in an aesthetician's studio getting waxed, hair colored, nails and toes beautified, and teeth whitened. But will they organize a company's after work happy hour to rub elbows with and get to know the people in the other cubicles? Not so much.
In the past couple of years, I have shared with you my journey to overcome this obstacle in my life in Oceanside. I have bonded with at least 7 people, making several new, "real" friends, since I first complained about this truth. It is interesting to note that 5 are also East Coast transplants, or have a significant east coast influence in their lives. (The other 2 will one day be part of a different Blog Post.)
Jud has traveled extensively, but has lived in NY throughout. He was very surprised to hear this about WCN. He had the impression that the laid back folks living near the Pacific were inclusive and easy to get a long with.
No doubt, but those qualities are not the stuff of connecting and making new friendships. WCN generally live on the surf-ace of life (surf-ace is my own new creation for this piece; placing an emphasis on how riding waves, skimming the surface of life's experiences, is part of the "west coast condition.")
In the past couple of years, I have shared with you my journey to overcome this obstacle in my life in Oceanside. I have bonded with at least 7 people, making several new, "real" friends, since I first complained about this truth. It is interesting to note that 5 are also East Coast transplants, or have a significant east coast influence in their lives. (The other 2 will one day be part of a different Blog Post.)
Jud has traveled extensively, but has lived in NY throughout. He was very surprised to hear this about WCN. He had the impression that the laid back folks living near the Pacific were inclusive and easy to get a long with. No doubt, but those qualities are not the stuff of connecting and making new friendships. WCN generally live on the surf-ace of life (surf-ace is my own new creation for this piece; placing an emphasis on how riding waves, skimming the surface of life's experiences, is part of the "west coast condition.")
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