San Diego California - or - Who Needs A Quiz To Tell You This Is Where You Want To Live?

Mike The Cousin found an online quiz-survey-thing that slices and dices your lifestyle preferences and then spits out a list of the top 24 places you would love to live in the United States.

And by the way, Mike, see the fabulous blanket of snow nestled in the mountains framing downtown San Diego in the pic. The old aircraft carrier Midway is visible in the bay in front of the skyline, for reference. I mention it because the depth in the photo is compressed a little to give the illusion tht the mountains are a mere stone's throw from downtown when in fact they are closer to Wyoming.

I went to this site and played their little game, and then after getting the list of towns and cities most perfectly suited for me, I chucked the results contemptuously and rigged up a second try.

Why? Well... I don't want to live in central Louisianna, no matter how convinced that computer is that I'll be happy in Natchitoches. And why would I not want to live in Louisianna, or Arkansas, or even Hawaii? Well, because I live in San Diego California, that's why. Nothing - not even obscene real estate prices and the preposterous cost of living here - could eject me from the place.

Oh, I'm sure one day I might succumb to my attraction to historic little towns with picturesque vistas, volunteer fire departments, fresh air, and babbling brooks with shady footbridges, sporting a vibrant cultural center not far off, and such, but hell, I only have to move about 12 miles from here to get all that.

Truth be told, I was just curious to see what other U.S. locations I might secretly harbor as faintly possible second choices to my own personal paradise here. You know, in case I had a posse on my tail this town couldn't hold me anymore, whatever. On the first go-round, since some of my quiz answers were really enthusiastic about all the amenities I am happy to have here, a disproportionate number of the suggestions were either right here in my backyard, or in places where the overriding characteristic is year round non-freezing, like Louisianna, and Hawaii. Nine of my first Ten choices were in those two states. (I just can't explain the Louisianna thing.)

So on my second quiz run-through I softened my excitement for sun and water, and admitted to enjoying rain, and cold, and the occasional buffalo trampling through my backyard. My results were a little more interesting, but still curious. I really am enamoured of the places on the list that I've actually visited, places like Salem and Eugene in Oregon, Santa Cruz and Corvalis in California, even Albuquerque New Mexico.

In any case I now have meaningless-quiz-envy, because Mike still came up with a much more interesting list of places than I did. I want to desire those places! Why can't I unwittingly wish to relocate to the same places he unwittingly wishes to relocate.. to !?

So, here's my list, loving put together by a cold set of silicon chips and wires in a temperature-controlled electrohovel somewhere in Colorado. Since Natchitoches stubbornly showed up on the second try, along with places like Frederick Maryland, and Fayetteville Arkansas, I'm going to just have to concede that maybe these places have something going for them. Even Louisianna.

But they're not San Diego. All I'm saying.

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San Bernardino, California
Santa Cruz, California
Alexandria, Louisiana
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Honolulu, Hawaii
Portland, Oregon
El Cajon, California
Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana
Ventura, California
Charleston, West Virginia
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Santa Barbara, California
Frederick, Maryland
Hot Springs-Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Eugene, Oregon
Valencia, California
Corvallis, Oregon
Sacramento, California
Palo Alto, California
Salem, Oregon
Milwaukie, Oregon
Las Vegas, Nevada
Albuquerque, New Mexico