A couple weeks ago, I posted my complaints about California, promising that I would write a much nicer post before I leave...so here it is...

Dear California,

Well, our time is almost nearing to an end. I have to admit, I didn't think that I would enjoy our time together as much as I did, nor fall in love with you like I have. Part of me doesn't want to go, but part of me misses what I had before. We both knew it wasn't going to last, that our affair would just be temporary. I tried not to get attached, but it was hard not to. You got me with your charms. Ten months passed by like ten days. I really took you for granted during that time, thinking that I had all the time in the world. But now my time to go is here, and I realize that I'll miss you. I'll be returning to the one who holds my heart, but know that a little piece of you will be in my heart.

Thank you for this wonderful time together. As much as I criticized and complained about you to others, I did love you, do love you, and will continue to love you...

So here's my little (yeah right) list of the things I'll miss about you, as I'm freezing in the snowy blizzards of winter...

- Driving along the 405 in the middle of the night, with the roads free, loving the twists and turns of the road

- Eating at Ruby's at Huntington Beach Pier, walking along the dock hanging off the sides and waiting for the surfers to catch a wave.

- Giving people directions to/from my place and telling them to go the wrong way. Unless they're coming from the 405, I have no idea where to tell them to go.

- Amazing Comics and Cards. My comic book shop. They had such a great selection there, and the guys that worked there were super nice and I'll miss them a lot.

- Watching the nightly news and feeling like I'm watching 'Entertainment Tonight'. It's pretty much the same thing here.

- My favorite places to eat - Ruby's, L&L, Niko Niko Sushi, Pinoy Pinay, Sushiland, the Yardhouse, etc...

- Watching doctors play Dance Dance Revolution and sing karaoke

- Playing with hats at the hat store in Shoreline Village

- Living 20 minutes away from Disneyland

- Going to the beach, whenever we feel like it

- Crazy poker nights at Rick and Lanie's

- Getting up at 8:25, starting up my computer, getting my milk and cereal and reporting for work at 8:30.

- Watching the sunset over the Pacific Ocean

- Knowing that even though it's cloudy in the morning, by noon the sky will be blue.

- My daily background TV noise schedule: The Today Show, 2 hours of Xena, A Different World, Roseanne, the daily movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

- Traveling out of Long Beach Airport. It's such a quaint airport, and you feel like a rockstar when you land, and get out of the plane taking stairs going right on the tarmac.

- Finding spiders in all sorts of places all over my apartment. I guess that's what you get living so close to the coast.

- Mastering my u-turning moves. I've never u-turned so much in my life!

- Hanging out at the aquarium, taking pictures of fish and petting my friends Mr. Batray and and Mrs. Nurse Shark. Ask Fata or Melanie, I'm one of those kids that dip their hands so close into the pool that they fall in.

- Using our college ID's (which are almost a decade old) to get the student discount at the Marina Pacifica movie theater.

- Pimping out my comics to Rod...which, as you read this, he STILL HAS. *ahem*

- Filling up my frequent boba drinker card at Cha for Tea.

- Watching people walk outside of our apartment and checking out what's going on inside.

- Waking up in the morning, going outside, and feeling like singing because the weather is SO beautiful.

- Bonfires at the beach - barbequeing, hot dogs on a stick, roasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories around the campfire, playing cards...good times

- Watching the kids over at Vinnie and Dean's play in the pool and playing with their dog, Deangoy, and having family cookouts in the backyard

- Snowboarding at Mountain High, Big Bear, and Mammoth

- My favorite morning show men - Steve Harvey, Big Boy and Ryan Seacrest

- My west coast adopted family - the Cajudos. They were so welcoming and really made me feel comfortable. I was so glad that I had someone around my age to hang out with, even through I really didn't hang out as much as I wanted to. Anytime any of you are in Chicago, call me, and I'll give you the same hospitality you have me. I love you guys!

Thanks for a great time. I hate to leave you, but I promise, I'll be back...

Love,
Christine
the girl who complains about you all the time, but loves you all the same

Posted by Yano at June 19, 2004 10:35 PM

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