Now That I've Left California...
A sense of peace has come over me...like a weight being lifted off my shoulders (shrug...). The examples, after a month, are numerous. People here are friendlier. I've only seen two self-indulgent, dangerous drivers. No crime seems to occur in my area. None. The air is so clean that the only thing blocking one's view is the mountain ranges. It's crystal clear. People speak their minds here. For years I remember being involved in conversations back in Cali where we would literally look over our shoulders before we spoke (vaccines, transgender...whatever topic...).
Yesterday I took my son to watch his first high school basketball game. His old high school had no sports. This was amazing. These kids are tough...this was the most physical basketball game I've ever seen. Lots of testosterone. These boys remind me of the boys I played football with back in the day. Totally different than the school we left. The mothers are beautiful and have a glow - just an observation from this red-blooded guy, haha. The kids were all smiling all the time. Before the game we all stood in silence during the national anthem. I'm not a very patriotic guy but I haven't done that at a high school event in years. I did give me son a heads-up before we arrived - there will be athletes in this school, and athletes are different. He gets all that now. This is good for him. Boys grow into men outside of California.
This area seems very Libertarian IMO. There is a strong marijuana industry right in town. Huge dispensaries. I don't touch the stuff - trying to keep whatever brain cells survived football. I've met several people who own a lot of guns and go shooting nearby in the open lands often. Nearby is the greatest trout fishery in the U.S. It happens to be run by the Indians, on their land. It's amazing. Trout as big as salmon. In short...I see very little government and a lot of personal freedom and the joy that comes with that.
The final straw for my departure from Cali was the schools. My son endured lectures that were right out of antifa's playbook. Then, his last history lecture was about how Lincoln and Washington were racists. In his first several days here the English teacher is covering why censorship is bad. The history teacher is talking about how capitalism is superior than socialism in terms of the human condition. I'm thrilled about that.
Yesterday I took my son to watch his first high school basketball game. His old high school had no sports. This was amazing. These kids are tough...this was the most physical basketball game I've ever seen. Lots of testosterone. These boys remind me of the boys I played football with back in the day. Totally different than the school we left. The mothers are beautiful and have a glow - just an observation from this red-blooded guy, haha. The kids were all smiling all the time. Before the game we all stood in silence during the national anthem. I'm not a very patriotic guy but I haven't done that at a high school event in years. I did give me son a heads-up before we arrived - there will be athletes in this school, and athletes are different. He gets all that now. This is good for him. Boys grow into men outside of California.
This area seems very Libertarian IMO. There is a strong marijuana industry right in town. Huge dispensaries. I don't touch the stuff - trying to keep whatever brain cells survived football. I've met several people who own a lot of guns and go shooting nearby in the open lands often. Nearby is the greatest trout fishery in the U.S. It happens to be run by the Indians, on their land. It's amazing. Trout as big as salmon. In short...I see very little government and a lot of personal freedom and the joy that comes with that.
The final straw for my departure from Cali was the schools. My son endured lectures that were right out of antifa's playbook. Then, his last history lecture was about how Lincoln and Washington were racists. In his first several days here the English teacher is covering why censorship is bad. The history teacher is talking about how capitalism is superior than socialism in terms of the human condition. I'm thrilled about that.
I was pleasantly surprised that our local ham radio club does the pledge of allegiance before every meeting.
As it turns out, we ended up 30 minutes from there, in Rathdrum. CDA also has a major medical center which I've already been a resident of.
The safety of your family is now 1000% improved. Your boys cognitive abilities will flourish with your excellent guidance , love , and devotion.
I love to hook “pike bait” in a crystal clear river , have fun.
Now is not the time to sit back and relax, because the power hungry are still going to come after people like you. Watch local elections very carefully, as some well meaning idiots are your compatriots in your escape, and are clueless as to why California turned into a shithole because of their stupidity in electing people who promised fairy dust and unicorns if they were elected.
I don't actually think that public schools should exist in the first place (except for technical training in the military, and some police academies). In cases where they do, I have reservations about their teaching any ideology whatever, true, false, good, bad, or indifferent; because any position in either direction is going to lead to government thought control
On the other hand, if it is a private school, privately funded, it sounds all right..
I'm planning on making the same move myself.
Anyway, I got off on a tangent. I am so glad to hear that you are doing well and are happy! Please tell us more good news as it unfolds because I think we ALL need to hear good news these days!
Fled to a red state, expecting a similar renaissance of experience.
And some of those came true. The land is vastly cheaper here, smog laws are non-existent (yet the air is perfectly clear), I can freely shoot in my large rural backyard, and I can carry without fear of the gestapo.
But people ARENT friendly here, it turns out. They're every bit as small-minded, xenophobic, willfully ignorant and spiteful as back home.
The state is awash in over-regulation - and an ounce of cannabis will get you 20 years in one of the worst prisons in America.
There's a church on every corner, and if you dont attend one of them they figure there must be something wrong with you. Racism - I mean old real southern racism, the kind from movies - is alive and well. Crony capitalism runs everything, and these people are in love with any socialism that brings home the bacon to their town and their state. They just wont call it that.
I wish it were all peaches and cream outside of Blue Hell. But Red Hell can be just as real.
But I am glad to read your story, and to hear that at least some are finding greener pastures.
And at least Im a homeowner now! Paid for and done in just 3 years! Never would have happened back in Silicon Valley. But I sold my stock, took my money, and ran.
The key to living a life of freedom anymore is found by figuring out where lazy people don’t want to live. Then figure out how to live there. The Redoubt is a good example.
I have come to the conclusion that leftists add absolutely NOTHING to my quality of life. So I strive to interact with them as little as possible.
To strategically relocate, my plan is to find the 3 deepest red states that border eachother and live as close to where their borders converge as possible. That way if one of them gets a little too “COVIDY” with tyrannical restrictions, I’m just a stones throw away from freedom. Lots of “free state” border towns saw literal Covid Refugees from tyrannical states come enjoy life again.
My own state was one of those imprisoned states. But where I live we had lots of restaurants and businesses defy the orders of “The Crown”. Even our sheriffs said “Nope”. The State Police that live around here just went through the motions. A DNR officer decided to get a little tyrannical for a bit....until some locals knocked on his front door and reminded him that it’s a long dark winter and sometimes things happen where you need your neighbors. He calmed down after that.
The local tradesmen took note of who had Biden signs on their lawn. A few of them made some choice Facebook posts just to draw the leftists out of the woodwork. Guess who’s pushed to the bottom of the list when Heating and Cooling/ Plumbing/Electrical work needs to be done. Are there lists? Oh yeah...there are lists. That works both ways.
My in laws had a very nice home in New Smyrna Beach on the beach side island, but it was sold when my father in law passed. I should have bought it, but it needed work (and other reasons) and I already had enough to do. I love the whole area, but couldn't make it work at the time.